Christ, Our Hope

I'm going to try to speak to
you today on this subject. Christ, our hope. Christ, our hope. My scripture
is 1 Timothy, chapter 1, verse 1, in which Paul says this. This
is the very first verse of the first epistle to Timothy, and
he greets Timothy in this way. He says, Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord
Jesus Christ who is our hope. Christ is our hope. Now the Bible uses this word
hope quite often. I know you've read it many times
and it's there just so many times in reference to our relationship
with God. It's a hope. It's a hope. It's a good hope. It's a blessed
hope. He that hath this blessed hope. It's a living hope. It's a good
hope through grace. But quite often, our relationship
with God and our salvation is referred to as our hope. And usually the word hope refers
to two things. Now when you think of hope, you
think of two things. First of all, the grace of hope. The very existence of it. It's
a hope. and an expectation of good things
to come. Do you see that? That's the first
thing you think of when you think of the word hope. You expect
something in the future. It's a hope. Good things to come. In other words, Paul writing
to Titus said this, in hope of eternal life, good things to
come. In hope of eternal life, which
God, who cannot lie, promised. He promised good things to come
through Christ Jesus. He promised them before the world
began. And then Paul, when he was giving
that great definition of faith in Hebrews 11, verse 1, he says,
Faith is the substance of good things. Things are good things,
hopeful. Good things, hopeful, in hope
of eternal life. And faith is the substance of
things hopeful, good things. So when you think of hope, You
think of good things to come. I have a good hope. I have a
blessed hope. I have a good hope for grace. Something to follow. Something to come. And then the
second thing, when you think of the word hope, you've got
to have a reason for it. In other words, if you hope for
good things, you've got to have a foundation. You've got to have
a reason. You've got to have an object.
Hope's got to have an object, and that's what our text says. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the commandment of God, our Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is our hope. We expect great and good things
because Christ is our Lord and our Savior, our Savior and our
Lord. See that? Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the commandment of God, our Savior, and our Lord, Jesus Christ,
who is our hope. So when you think of hope, you've
got these two things. and foundation. Our expectation,
our hope is good things to come, good things in the future. And
the reason for that is Jesus Christ is our hope. And then
in Colossians chapter 1, Paul writes this, Christ in you. It's not Christ in a book or
Christ, the Christ of history, but it's Christ in you, the hope
of glory. That's the hope of glory, Christ
in you. Now Peter, when he writes about
hope, he says in 1 Peter 3.15, now you've read these scriptures,
but maybe I can make them plainer to you. Peter writes this in
1 Peter 3.15, he says, be ready, always be always ready to give
an answer to every man, doesn't matter who it is, that asketh
you a reason of the hope that's in you. If anybody comes to you
and you're talking about heaven and eternal life and the good
things to come, and he says, well, give me a reason for this
hope. And that's what you're to be
ready to give, always a reason for the hope that's in you, Christ
in you, a hope of good things to come, the hope of eternal
life, the hope of eternal glory. Be ready to give a reason. And here's the reason. Now, here
are those two things. and the foundation. Now, here's
the expectation. The grace of hope expects salvation
from sin, redemption from sin. Isn't that right? Well, what's
the foundation? Call His name Jesus, for He shall
save His people from their sin. That's our foundation. Our expectation
is free, full salvation from sin. And our foundation is Christ
saves us from sin. Alright, what is our expectation?
It's redemption and forgiveness. Redemption. And what's our foundation? In Christ we have redemption. The forgiveness of sin through
the blood of His cross. Our expectation is redemption. And our reason, our foundation
is Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture. What's our
expectation? Acceptance with God. Not so much
a matter of my accepting God as Him accepting me. It's not
so much my knowing God as God knowing me. It's not so much
my being satisfied, His being satisfied with me as my being
satisfied with Him. The grace of hope is acceptance
with God. Now what's the foundation? He
hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In Christ we're accepted. And then the grace of hope is
this, expectation is eternal life. Paul said to be absent
from this body, be present with the Lord. On another occasion,
he said, I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is
far better. How do you know it's far better?
For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. Is gain to die? With most people, that's the
worst thing that could happen. Paul said, it's the best thing
that could happen. For me to die is gain. Well,
what's the foundation for that kind of reasoning or that kind
of hope? Here it is. This is the record. God has given
us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Is that clear
to you? Is that clear? The expectation
is good things to come, and the reason, the foundation, is Christ
in you, the hope of glory. I hope you see that. We hope
for good things to come, the glory of the Kingdom of God,
Eternal life, a new heaven, new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
But the scriptures are clear on the reason for this expectation. There's got to be a reason. Let
me give you a few scriptures where the word hope is used.
I want you to watch these two things now. These two things
are always there, the expectation and the foundation. The grace
of hope, good things to come. And the foundation or reason
or object of that hope is Christ Jesus. Now listen. to Paul in
Romans 2, Romans 5, 2, listen, we rejoice in hope of the glory
of God because we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. Galatians 5, 5, we hope for the
righteousness of God, we wait for the hope of righteousness
in Christ Jesus our Lord. All the way through the word
is always when you have this When you have this promise and
this expectation, you have a reason for it. It's not based on our
merit. We don't have hope of the righteousness
of God because we're righteous. We have hope of the righteousness
of God because Christ is righteous. We don't hope for the glory of
God because we made peace with God. We hope for the glory of
God because He made peace through the blood of His cross. 2 Thessalonians 2, 16. Listen.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, even God our Father, has given us a good
hope through grace. That's where we got it from Him.
He has given us a good hope through grace. His grace, His mercy. Listen to Titus chapter 2 verse
13, looking, looking, expecting that blessed hope. The glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. And John
said, when we see Him, we'll be like Him. And he that hath
this hope, this blessed hope, purifies himself as he is pure. Isn't that clear? Looking for
that blessed hope. What blessed hope? The glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. There's
no hope apart from Christ. There's no hope outside of Christ.
There's no hope without Christ. It's in Him. And it's a blessed
hope. It's a good hope through grace.
It's a living hope because He lives. Hebrews 7, 19. Listen to this. Our Lord Jesus
Christ hath brought in a better hope. He brought it in. I'm trying
to make this clear because it's the two most important things
I can point out to you, the two most important things I know
to preach about. a blessed hope, a living hope,
a good hope of good things to come, all based upon His merit,
His mercy, His grace, His sacrifice, His person. It's what it says
all the way through the Word. Our Lord Jesus Christ has brought
in a better hope. 1 Peter 1 verse 3, listen to
this, God has begotten us again to a living hope Not because
we joined the church and were baptized. Not because I'm a preacher
and you're a Sunday school teacher or choir leader. Not because
you're living the best way you know how. God hath begotten us
again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead. That's how we obtain that good
hope. He died and was buried and rose
again for our justification. This verse in 1 Corinthians 1.30
sums it up. All that I've tried to say, the
expectation, good things to come, glorious things to come, the
foundation, because He loved me and gave Himself for me. I
live because He lives. I have life because He's my life.
In 1 Corinthians 1.30, but of Him, of God, are you in Christ
Jesus, in Christ. who of God is made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, let
him trust in the Lord, let him rest in the Lord, let him hope
in the Lord. For the Father loveth the Son,
and hath given all things into his hand. And he that believeth
on the Son of God hath everlasting life, and shall never come into
condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." That's so clear. Do you want to hear it again?
We need to hear it over and over again. The Father loveth the
Son. and hath given all things, I
mean all things, into his hands. All things. And he that believeth
on the Son hath all things everlasting life, and shall never come into
condemnation. But he's already passed from
death unto life. Now, I have three questions in
the time remaining. I'm going to use these three
questions as an outline to help us all understand and rest Christ
our hope Christ our hope Here's the first question What things
do we hope for in Christ when I talk about good things? What
are the good things that we have in Christ? What are these good
things? Secondly, what is there in him? That gives us such a
good hope What is there in Christ what do you find in Christ that
encourages you to have a hope And thirdly, can we be sure we'll
never be disappointed? That's a good question. Can you
be sure that we'll never be disappointed? Now, here's question number one.
What things, what are these good things that we hope are in Christ? Well, listen, I want you to hear
this scripture. It is as if I've never read it
before. When I came to this subject and found this scripture, it
is as I've read it before, but it never lived like it lives
right now. I'm talking about all things in Christ, all things
believed and expected and hoped for, all things. Now listen carefully. Are you
listening? 2 Peter 1, 3. His divine power
hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness
through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Did you hear
that? My question is, what things do
we hope for in Christ? All things. His divine power,
the very divine power of the living God has freely given,
not sold it to us or loaned it to us, given it to us. All things
He's given unto us. All things that pertain, everything
that pertains to life, and godliness through the knowledge of Jesus
Christ. The very knowledge of Jesus Christ
is the grace of God. We know that the Son of God had
come and given us an understanding that we may know God, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. This is the true
God. This is the knowledge, He that
hath seen me hath seen God. We have the forgiveness of sin
through the merits of His blood. He was wounded for our transgressions,
by His stripes we're healed. We have access to the Father.
Seeing then we have such a great high priest, let us come holy
before the throne of grace, the throne of God that we may find
mercy, grace to help in time of need, access to God, that's
in Christ, a perfect holiness. He was made sin for us who knew
no sin that we might be made the holiness of God in Him, the
very holiness of God. Preservation and security, He
that hath begun a good work in you shall finish it. He's able
to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before His
presence with exceeding glory. These are the things we have,
all spiritual blessings in Christ. The resurrection of our bodies,
and the resurrection, he said, and the life. He that believeth
on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. The promise of
his coming. He said, let not your heart be
troubled. Don't be despondent. Don't despair. Don't despair. You believe in God, you believe
in me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places. If it were
not so, I would have told you. And I go to prepare a place for
you, and where I go, That where I go, there you may be also.
And if I go and prepare a place, I'll come again. And one of the
disciples said, Lord, we don't know where you're going. How
can we know the way? He said, I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the truth, and I'm the life.
He's that hope. And our hope is only as great
as he is. It's only as strong as he is. It's only as sure as
He's surely the Lord God, our surety. It's only as positive
and powerful as He is. Remember that scripture now.
2 Peter 1, verse 2 and 3. His divine power hath given us
all things. All things that pertain, everything
that pertains to life. What is it? Well, anything that
pertains to life. Anything that pertains to godliness.
Everything that pertains to salvation everything pertains to heaven.
He's given it freely given to us Through the knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ. That's where it is That's what
we hope for all those things. All right. Here's the second
question now What is there in Christ that gives us such a hope
You say people with confidence in themselves don't have hope
like that They don't have any assurance. People that are resting
in a church, or an organization, or a denomination, or an experience,
or a feeling, or something of that sort, feelings going, feelings
coming, feelings going, and feelings are deceiving. How can we have such a strong,
confident hope? Well, there are three things
about Jesus Christ that give us a positive confidence. comfort and strong hope. Three
things. One, because of who He is. He's no ordinary man. He's the God-man. Behold, God
the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. A virgin shall be with
son and bring forth a child. And you call His name Immanuel. God with us. God with us. Unto us a child is born, unto
us a son is given, and the government is on His shoulders, and His
name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the
Everlasting Father. We can have confidence in Him
because of who He is, because of who He is. In the beginning
was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and
all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything
made that was made, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among
us. We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and If you ever look carefully
at Hebrews 1, the first three verses of Hebrews 1, this is
one of the greatest books in the Bible, one of the most powerful
revelations of salvation and grace and godliness. Hebrews
1, the first three verses. God, who at sundry times and
in divers matters and ways spake to our fathers by the prophets,
hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. Now listen
to these marks of identification, who this man is, who this man
is. I'm telling you, our hope, how
can we have such confidence and assurance and hope in Christ
because of who he is? Listen, his son, by whom, or
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom he made the
worlds, who being the brightness of God's glory, who's the exact
image of his person, who upholdeth all things by the word of his
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on
the right hand of God." That's our show, who he is, who he is. All right, here's the second
thing. What did he do? Well, he came into this world.
Paul said he came into the world to save sinners, of whom I'm
the chief. Christ said to himself, I'm come
that they might have life. I'm come to seek and to save
the lost. He came into the world to save sinners. And before He
left this world, before He died on the cross, He prayed this
prayer. He said, Father, glorify Thy Son that Thy Son may glorify
Thee. I have finished the work You
gave Me to do. Finished it. We can have confidence
in Him because of what He's done. He came into the world. He finished
the work God gave Him to do. What was the work God gave Him
to do? When the angel came to Joseph, and told him about Mary
being with child of the Holy Ghost. He said, Joseph, call
his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. I finished the work you gave
me to do. That was a direct message from
heaven by way of an angel. Call his name Joshua, Jesus. He'll save all of his people
from their sins. And that's what he did. He died
for them. And he arose for them, and he enabled God to be just
and justifier. That's right. Where is he now?
Well, Paul said in Hebrews, at the right hand of God. Our forerunner
has entered within the veil. And listen, where he is, not
only that, but what he's doing, he's seated. Seated at the right
hand of God. He's not pacing the floor. He's
not wringing his hands. If a person is seated at the... conclusion of a mission. If he's
seated, then he did what he came to do, he finished what he came
to do, and he's satisfied with what he came to do. He's seated. He's not concerned, he's not
pacing the floor, he's not upset. He's seated. He finished what
he came to do, he's completed what he came to do, he's satisfied
with what he's done, and he's seated. And we're seated in him. What is there in Christ that
gives us such a good hope? The person he is, the price he
paid, and his presence at the right hand of God. Amen. What are the good things? All
things that pertain to life and godliness. Where are they? In
Christ. Well, what is there in Christ
to give us such hope? The person, the price, and the
promise? of God? This is for someone,
hearing and the presence of our Lord in heaven. I'm closing with
this question. Can we be sure that in Christ
we'll never be disappointed? Can we be sure? Well, in Romans
8, if you want an assignment for this afternoon, sit down
and read Romans 8. Start with verse 28, the latter
part of it, and you'll come across five questions that Paul asks.
He starts with this. We know, we know that all things,
all things that pertain to life and godliness, that's what we've
been told, we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God. For whom he foreknew, he predestinated
to be conformed to the image of his Son. And whom he predestinated,
he called. Whom he called, he justified.
Whom he justified, he glorified. Now here's the first question.
Will if God be for us, who can dare guess? You can be sure. If God's for you, who can be
against you? What power? What person? Second
question, verse 33. Who can condemn me? It's God
that justified me. Can't get any higher than that.
Who can condemn me? If God sets me free and He's
the highest court, there's no further appeal. Third question. Well, who can condemn me? If
Christ died for me, rose again, ascended to heaven, and intercedes
for me, who can condemn me? Here's the next question. Who
can separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ
our Lord? In tribulation, or distress,
or death, nothing can separate us from the love of God. And
here's the final question. If God spared not His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all, well, how shall He not with Him
freely give us all things that pertain to life in God's name?

Christ, Our Hope

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Christ, Our Hope

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