Tag: Hope

We Have a Great Hope to See Jesus Return

On By BrianIn Books of the Bible, Virtue Miscellaneous

Yesterday, we looked at one of Paul’s three great hopes in the book of Philippians. Today we want to consider the second great hope:

We have a great hope to see Jesus return. In Philippians 3:20-21, we are reminded that our citizenship is in heaven. That is our address, our destination. And from there a Savior is coming. The one who died and rose to save us from the penalty and power of sin is coming again. And this Savior is also our Lord. He is our King whose power enables him to subject all things to himself. He is coming to reign with peace and justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9:7). Image a world with no more strife or wars or crime – a world of peace and justice and righteousness. Jesus is coming, and he will bring such a world. This is our great hope.

But until then, we must stand firm in Jesus. This is Paul’s instruction in the following verse (4:1). Because Jesus is coming, we are to stand firm in him now. As the following verses make clear, that means:

• We ought to strive for unity in the Lord (v2-3). Paul instructs two ladies to agree in the Lord. We are going to agree in heaven, we may as well start learning to agree now. Are you? Do your words and actions enhance or discourage unity in your church?

• We ought to rejoice in the Lord (v4). If our hope is found in him, then he is the place to find our joy. Are you rejoicing in the Lord? Or are you looking for joy in all the wrong places?

• We ought to point to the Lord (v5). We are to be known for our reasonableness or gentleness, our being more concerned about others than ourselves. We aren’t pointing at ourselves. And when the Lord returns, it is clear who we will be point toward. In a world where everyone is pointing at themselves, who are you pointing at?

• We ought to set our gaze on the Lord (v6-7). As we wait for him, we can bring our cares to him. We can keep our gaze set on him in the midst of the trials of life. Where is your gaze?

• We ought to think like the Lord (v8). We are to set our mind on good things – things above instead of earthly sinful things like the rest of the world (3:19). What is your mind set on? What are you putting in your mind?

• We ought to imitate the Lord (v9). Paul says to imitate him, but he can only say that because he is imitating the Lord. Are you following Christ’s example of love and humility and service and…?

We have a great hope to see Jesus return. Until then, stand firm in Jesus.

We Have a Great Hope to Be With Jesus

On By BrianIn Books of the Bible, Virtue Miscellaneous

In the book of Philippians, Paul gives us three great hopes. I want to look at one of those hopes each of the next three days. So today we want to consider that:

We have a great hope to be with Jesus. In Philippians 1:21, Paul says to die is gain, and v23 makes clear why death is gain: because we go to be with Jesus. That is Paul’s hope: to be with Jesus. He says it is better than life, echoing the Psalmist who said of God, “Your steadfast love is better than life” (Psalm 63:3). Paul desires to be with Jesus. Is that your desire? Does your heart resonate with this great hope to be with Jesus? To be with the one who took on flesh as a little baby for you? To be with the one who died a cruel death on a cross for you? To be with the one who rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and reigns as your King? One day we will be with him. That is our great hope.

But until then, we must live for Jesus. Paul desires to be with Jesus, but until then he says: “to live is Christ” (v21). And as the verses progress, it becomes clear that this means fruitful labor for Christ in serving God’s people for their growth and for the glory of God (v22-26). In other words, until the day we go to be with Jesus, we have work to do. Each of us has gifts and abilities God has given to us to serve God’s people for their growth and God’s glory. Some will teach. Some will lead. Different ones will be involved in different ministries. All of us in our own ways can care for, encourage, and help one another. And we can pray for one another, even when our age and health allow us to do nothing else. Don’t coast into heaven. If you are here, God has a purpose for you. And at least part of that purpose is to live for Jesus serving God’s people for their growth and God’s glory.

We have a great hope to be with Jesus. Until then, live for Jesus.

Quotes To Ponder: Hope

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes1 Comment

Whatever a man’s past life may have been, there is hope and a remedy for him in Christ.
If he is only willing to hear Christ’s voice and follow Him, Christ is willing to receive him at once as a friend, and to bestow on him the fullest measure of mercy and grace.
– J. C. Ryle

What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going
to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.
– Rick Warren

The joy and peace of believers arise chiefly from their hopes. 
What is laid out upon them is but little, compared with what is laid up for them;
therefore the more hope they have the more joy and peace they have.
– Matthew Henry

Confident hope breeds inward joy.
– Charles Spurgeon

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good reads for the weekend:

The Gospel

Christianity must go beyond morality – George Whitefield (via Trevin Wax)

Virtues

The Real Basis for Hope – Mark Altrogge

Family/Single Life

Five reasons to use God’s Word in your parenting – Thabiti Anyabwile

How to turn your child away from church…and Christ – C. John Miller (via Chris Brauns)

Questions to ponder before dating – Mark Driscoll (via Crossway)

16 Christian Dating Principles – Part One, Part Two – Mark Driscol (via Crossway)

Church Life

Finally, as you prepare to meet with God’s people: do you consider them the excellent ones in whom is all your delight or the annoying ones in whom is all your irritation? – Mark Altrogge

Have a great Lord’s Day!

The Coming of the Spirit 5

On By BrianIn God & His Glory

In the first four posts on the coming of the Spirit, the emphasis was on the Spirit’s work in us together as the church.  In the next four, we want to see how the Spirit works in us as individuals.

First, the Spirit makes us God’s children.  Romans 8:15-17 tells us that it is through the Spirit that we are adopted, it is through the Spirit that we call God our Father.  Because we are God’s children, we are heirs.  We have an inheritance.  One day we will receive resurrected glorious bodies like Christ’s resurrected glorious body (I Corinthians 15) – we will be co-heirs with Christ.  We will dwell in a new heaven and new earth where there will be no more pain or crying or death (Revelation 21:1-4).

Our response to this should be hope.  We have a great hope of a day when we will be with the Lord, and there will be no more sin, no more suffering, no more sickness, no more pain, no more death.  In the last week, an older man in our church passed away, and a young woman in our community passed away.  In the face of death, how we need this hope!

In the midst of trials and struggles – times of loss, sickness, surgery, family problems, and so much more, we can cling to our hope of a better day that is ours through the Spirit.  In the midst of good times that God blesses us with for our enjoyment, we can cling to the hope that even better days are coming through the Spirit.  In the face of our own deaths someday, we can cling to the hope that a day is coming when even death will be defeated and we will dwell in paradise with the Lord forever – all because the Spirit has made us God’s children.

Is this hope alive in us today?  Do we live in the good times and the bad times holding on to the hope of what God has prepared for us?  Or do we get so caught up in life today, that we forget our hope?  Our hope can give us strength and courage for today.  Our hope can clarify our priorities and motivate us to live for Christ in this life.  Are we living each day in light of our glorious hope?

The Spirit makes us God’s children and heirs of a great inheritance, and so we have hope.  Let’s live like it!

Gospel Shaped Death

On By BrianIn Book of Luke

Some say there are only two things certain in life – death and taxes.  I would suggest that there are a few more certain things, but death is certainly certain.  Even though we live in denial, death could come to our door at any time of any day.  We will die.  How should we approach death – apart from the gospel?  And how should the gospel shape our approach to death?

In Luke 23, Luke relates the story of the two criminals on crosses on either side of Jesus.  One criminal joins the mockers, but the second rebukes him – “Do you not fear God?”  Presumably these two criminals dying outside of Jerusalem are Jews with an understanding of who God is from the Old Testament.  They know God is holy and just – he will punish sin.  They know God created us to live in a perfect loving relationship with God, but that we sinned against God bringing death and separation and judgment.  Perhaps they have heard Jesus warn of hell – a place of separation and judgment after death.  Indeed, do you not fear God?  You are about to die and face his judgment.  You have every reason to fear!  Without some good news we are in a heap of trouble.

But the second criminal has noticed something.  This Jesus has done nothing wrong.  The rest of the New Testament confirms his observation – Jesus was without sin.  So if sin brings death, but he is without sin, why is he going to die?  Clearly this is further than the thief is thinking, but Peter gives the answer – Jesus is dying for our sins (I Peter 2:24).  He is taking our sins upon himself, and the death, judgment, and separation that goes with those sins.  Why?  So we can escape God’s judgment and be reconciled to God.  Again, this is more than the criminal understands, but he somehow realizes that salvation is available from this man dying on the middle cross.

And so the criminal does the only sensible thing. He asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom.  He looks to Jesus.  He is trusting, believing in this man to save him.  And Jesus tells him that they will be together in paradise that very day.  By looking to Jesus, he has escaped eternal judgment and separation from God.  Instead he has received eternal paradise with Jesus.  No wonder that Paul later says that death is gain.  Why?  Because he will be with Jesus (Philippians 1:21-23).

The gospel utterly turns our approach to death around.  Instead of separation there is relationship.  Instead of judgment there is pardon.  Instead of hell there is paradise.  Instead of fear there is anticipation.

And yet that is only part of the gospel.  For Jesus will not only die and be buried, but he will be raised from the dead.  And because he is raised from the dead, those who look to Jesus will also be raised from the dead when Jesus comes back.  We will be victorious over death like Jesus (I Corinthians 15).  And we will dwell in a new heaven and earth forever with the Lord (Revelation 21).  We not only look forward to paradise with Jesus, but even more we hope in our own resurrection.  And this hope is not “I wish it were true” hope.  It is a certain hope based on the very promises of God.

Yes, there are more things certain than death and taxes.  Death is certain.  But for the one who looks to Jesus, paradise with him after death is certain.  And the resurrection when he returns is certain.  And so the gospel shapes our approach to death from fear to anticipation and hope.  May we live and die with this anticipation and hope alive in us as we look to Jesus.

Gospel Shaped Suffering 2

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

How can the gospel shape our suffering?  In the last post, we considered two ways: as we recognize that we are following the path of Christ and as we embrace his purpose of becoming more like Christ through suffering.  In this post we will look at two more ways that the gospel shapes our suffering.

Resting in the Love of Christ (Perseverance)

Romans 8:31-39 reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We are secure in Christ.  He will preserve us to the end.  This is a glorious part of the gospel.

It is also a great assurance in suffering.  These verses make clear that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ – not tribulation, distress, persecution, danger, death – nothing.  In our trials we are sometimes tempted to wonder if God still loves us.  These verses assure us that he does.  In our trials we can rest in his love.  That is gospel shaped suffering.

Rejoicing in the Hope of Christ (Resurrection and Glorification)

In the Matthew 16:21, the path of Christ which leads through suffering and death goes on to resurrection.  As we follow the path of Christ, we have the same hope.  II Corinthians 4:14, and many other passages, make clear that as Christ was raised from the dead, so we too will be raised.  And we will be raised to glory.  Romans 8:16-21 speaks of this glory that awaits us.  This hope is part of the gospel.

And this hope is a great encouragement to us in our suffering.  Paul says that our current suffering is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed (Romans 8:18).  He calls our current suffering slight and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory that is coming (II Corinthians 4:17).  Since suffering today often seems anything but slight and momentary, the glory that awaits us must be incredible indeed!  So in our suffering we can rejoice in our glorious hope of resurrection.  In our trials we look forward to the glory that awaits us.  Our hope is set on a day when there will be no more crying, or pain, or death, when we will dwell with the Lord forever in the new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1-5).  This is gospel shaped suffering.

Our suffering can be shaped by the gospel as we rest in Christ’s love and rejoice in our hope.  Do we approach suffering in this way?

We’ll look at some more ways that our suffering can be shaped by the gospel in the next post.