A different type of HOPE
For the past few weeks, our Sunday night small group has been studying the book of The First Letter of Peter. As we discuss the apostles’ writing, we seem to focus upon a single word—HOPE.
If you have lived long enough in this world, then you know what it means to ‘hope’ for something, to wait for a time, to eagerly anticipate an occurrence that cannot be currently seen.
- Christmas morning is coming, and we ‘hope’ our loved ones enjoy the gifts we have purchased.
- Winter is upon us, and we ‘hope’ for springtime and the warmth it promises to bring.
- The fall semester is complete, and we ‘hope’ for the new spring courses, ‘hopeful’ that we can connect with our future students.
- Late March brings the promise of a new grandson, and we ‘hope’ the baby is healthy when he is born upon this earth.
Each of these ‘hopeful’ concepts are true & each of these ‘hopeful’ concepts are presently with us, while still based fully upon the future.
The apostle Peter was led by the Holy Spirit of God to pen a different type of HOPE, one of future, yes; however, one of ASSURANCE & PROMISE!
Peter saw the transfigured glory of God in Jesus Christ.
This truth is recorded in The Gospel According to Matthew 17: 1-8. The apostle Peter was there with two other disciples, and he saw with his own eyes the glory of God. Peter saw the manifestation of God in the flesh.
We were not there, and neither were the early believers to whom Peter is sending this first letter. However, the “living hope” Peter records can only be gained in one solitary way—
“who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (The First Letter of Peter 1: 3b NASB)
Our Savior Jesus spoke of this same “living hope” before He was crucified on the cross. Lazarus had died, and four days later, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
Prior to Lazarus’ earthly resurrection from death to life, Jesus spoke with Lazarus’ sister Martha about “HOPE.”
- Martha was a believer in Jesus as the Messiah.
- Martha knew Jesus was her Savior and Lord.
In speaking about the future heavenly “HOPE,”
Jesus said—
- We are Christians—born for His glory.
- We are Believers—being kept IN this world by the power of God.
- We are Children of God—being prepared FOR His glory when He takes us to heaven.
- We have been redeemed; we are being sanctified; & we will be glorified.
We live by grace through faith.
We have a different type of HOPE—one of a future ASSURANCE & PROMISE!
The apostle Peter reminds us that we have faith, not based on what we see with our earthly eyes but with the spiritual eyes of our hearts.
- We have not seen Him, but we Love Him.
- We have not seen Him, but we Believe Him.
- We have not seen Him, but we Trust His Word.