The Blessed Hope!

Commentary By:  Gordon King

Hope: Secular definition

1. a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
2. a feeling of trust.

The Christian definition of hope is much more than that.  It is assurance of what God says will happen, will happen!

It is the definite expectation of God’s word coming to life in the future.  God tells us what will happen in the future, and God cannot lie!  Therefore we know that what is written in scripture is the truth.

So, the biblical definition of hope is much more than just expecting or desiring for something to happen, it is knowing and waiting for God’s word to come to fruition!  It is trusting in God and His word.

Romans 8:24

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?”

In our faith we have hope, because hope cannot be seen, and faith is the evidence of things not seen!

Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.“

Without faith there is no hope, and if there is no hope then where is our faith?  Therefore if we have faith in God, then we also have hope that what God tells us will happen will actually happen!

We are told that God is the God of hope, and that by believing we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

If our God is the God of hope, then we are the children of hope!  We believe what God believes, and we have the hope of God within our hearts.

Romans 12:12

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

We should rejoice in hope, knowing that one day our Savior, Jesus Christ, will come again.  That one day He will come in the clouds, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, then shall we ever be with the Lord!

1 Thessalonians

^“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

This my friends is the Blessed Hope!  Knowing that one day Jesus Christ will come for us in the clouds, that He will change us in the twinkling of an eye, and we shall live with Him forever!  What better comfort is there then knowing these things? 

Hope to those of the world means that they wish something would happen.  Hope to a believer in Jesus Christ is waiting for something they know will happen!  Huge difference here.

Jesus Christ, our blessed hope!  Take comfort in knowing that one day you shall forever be with the Lord!  Keep the faith, keep looking up, and stay focused on Jesus!

God bless my friends!  Maranatha!