Hope is Important!

Jean is very old, a resident in the care facility where I lead worship services twice a month. Her once active life is limited by infirmity. But most of the time, her face is lit up with a smile. This past Tuesday as I greeted the little congregation after worship she quietly said, “That was very inspiring.”  It made me glad to know that the powerful story of Christ’s death and resurrection was a source of hope and encouragement to her, as it is to me!

Are you a hopeful person?

One of the most powerful forces in life is hope. The dictionary defines hope as:
-A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment,
-Something that is desired: “Success is our hope.”
-The theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good,
difficult but possible to attain with God's help.

Hope can be diminished, even lost, if our life becomes complicated with pain, disappointment, or sadness. It can be strengthened by a friend’s encouragement, by an infusion of Scriptural truth, and even the dawning of a new day.

Where we place our hope is a critical choice.

Hope that is based on unrealistic expectations will prove a failing foundation for life. So many of us choose to form our life choices and hope around gaining wealth, maintaining eternal youth, creating the ‘right’ image, or enjoying the approval of others only to discover eventually that such things are subject to failure.

Peter tells us to "set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:13, NIV) What a source of security. Nothing in this world can erode the strength of a hope built on Christ Jesus. Financial security can be lost with a quick drop in the stock market. Death comes, sometimes unexpectedly, and takes away a family member. A position of influence and prestige can be taken away in an instant. But nothing can take away God’s gift of salvation and the promise of a home in Heaven.

John, the disciple of Jesus who lived well into old age and who suffered terrible persecution at the hands of Rome, wrote of that foundation of hope. He says - "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (1 John 3:2-3, NKJV) The hope of being received by the Lord Jesus, seeing Him in His glory, produces a single-minded focus that lifts over the distractions of the world to a life of godly purpose.

Friend, in a world that offers so much false hope I urge you to consider the foundation of YOUR hope. Be realistic about what you are chasing after. Talk with a trusted friend about your dreams and aspirations. It is good to desire to do well in life, to enjoy a good return for the work we do, to invest ourselves in rich relationships. Only a fool ignores his health and physical wellbeing. But we are even more foolish IF we fail to prioritize worship and prayer if we do not make our faith in Christ Jesus the core value of each and every decision. The wise counsel of Scripture teaches us to understand that despair is born when we trust the wrong things to give us hope. "Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!" (Psalm 42:11, NLT)

Meditate on these words from the Word. Begin to give thanks for the grace of God. Focus beyond the moment on the promise of eternal life and HOPE will rise in your heart.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.  And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.  So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.”  (1 Peter 1)

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Easter, 2025, is history, or is it?

The holiday is history. “What did all mean?” I asked myself this morning. There were the bunnies, eggs, and flowers carried over from ancient pagan celebrations of Spring that were all it was for some.

Christians focused on the story of Jesus’ Resurrection, a pivotal truth of the faith. But does it all have any meaning for this Monday morning?

Luke tells us about two disciples walking outside of Jerusalem, on the road to Emmaus, who were wondering what it all meant, too. The crucifixion had drained them of all hope.  Jesus Whose words had filled them with dreams and hope was arrested and crucified and all the dreams of the Kingdom Come died with him.  They wondered aloud - How had that triumphal procession into Jerusalem, filled with shouts of “Hosanna,” turned into a hateful scene in Pilate’s courtyard where people screamed, “Crucify Him!”?  And, then their talk turned to the report they had heard just that morning about His body being missing, the tomb empty. With a sigh, they walked on, resigned to disappointment!

Let’s pick up Luke’s story - "As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

“What things?” Jesus asked. “The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”  (Luke 24:15-24, NLT)  

The report of the Resurrection was already circulating, but it was being rejected.  Everybody knew that dead meant dead.  Yes, there was an empty tomb and stories of angels who said He was alive, but… well, who could believe such things?

Later, over dinner, the Man offered prayer and broke the loaf of bread, and they realized it was HIM! “Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself.”  (24:27) He encouraged them, then as suddenly as He came, He was gone! That encounter changed their lives. They headed back to Jerusalem with yet another amazing story about the Risen Lord.

On this day after, are you tending to discount the reports? 
As echoes of “Christ, the Lord, is risen today…”  grow quiet, are you leaving the wonder behind for another year until Easter rolls around again?  

I suggest a different choice today.  In prayer and meditation, go back again to the Story. Think it through. The second look will provide greater clarity.  Ask, ‘what does this mean for my life now?’ 

The Resurrection is the cornerstone of our hope.  Because He lives, we will live also. That supernatural event turns a story about a kind Teacher into a compelling Gospel of a Living Lord.  In that inspired chapter, 1 Corinthians 15, Paul presents the facts that support the reality of Jesus’ Resurrection and then he says – “And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.”  It means that humanity’s greatest fear no longer holds us in a tight grip! We are people of LIVING HOPE.

After a couple of months of waiting, we learn that those disciples found their way and took up Jesus’ challenge to take the Word to the world.

Fifty days after the Resurrection, at the Feast of Pentecost, God, the Holy Spirit, fell on the disciples and the rest is history!  "Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:43-47, NIV)  

My friend do not just settle back to the routines of life. 
Instead, let us live the faith, praying - 
“Lord, pour out Your Spirit on us!  
Fill us with the power to take your good news to our world. 
May Your kingdom be born anew in us, we pray. Amen.”

Let’s live what we celebrated.

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