The Resurrection is Our Hope!
Lately, it feels like the world is in more chaos than normal and we could all use a message of hope. The wonderful news in the midst of all the chaos is that hope is real and it lives. God knows we need hope in our lives and the Bible is filled with examples and promises of hope.
So, you may be asking what is hope?
According to Dictionary.com hope is defined as “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” This can be used in terms of how we hope the weather will be good, how we hope we travel safely, or how we hope we arrive on time and skip traffic. We can use this word in everyday life. These are simply wishes or preferences and hold no weight. This kind of hope lies in uncertainty and the fact that we want to try to control the outcome.
However, Biblical hope, our real hope, is different. It is something that is certain and promised to be fulfilled. It is a sure thing. It is not unwavering nor can it be changed.
Jesus is the hope of the world that we so desperately need. He is our hope for a better future because Jesus is better.
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What is the Resurrection in Christianity?
As Christians, we believe that Jesus died (Good Friday) and rose again (Easter). Jesus in an act of ultimate humility and obedience was crucified on the cross. At the cross, His deity was questioned because surely if he was a God he could save himself. But that was all part of God’s ultimate redemptive plan. By the Holy Spirit, Jesus was raised from the dead. This event set Jesus apart as the Son of the Father. He was exalted over all death and Satan, and given all the glory in the kingdom of heaven.
regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:3-4 NIV
This is the meaning of Easter. The significance of the resurrection is that the sacrifice of sinners has been paid. This wasn’t a mere human who was raised from the dead – it was the Son of God. He died as a sinless lamb on our behalf so that we might be redeemed and restored in our relationship with the Father.
Desiring God put it’s best:
Ordinarily, when we express hope, we are expressing uncertainty. But this is not the distinctive biblical meaning of hope. And the main thing I want to do this morning is to show you from Scripture that biblical hope is not just a desire for something good in the future, but rather, biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future.
Jesus gives us hope and the promise of eternal salvation. As people come to Christ, his work begins in them. Now as new creations we can learn to walk in the light of the resurrection – a life free from guilt, shame, and condemnation.
Can You Have Hope Without Faith?
You can have faith without hope but you cannot have hope without faith. Faith is defined as “ a complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” Faith is something that we can experience today. Hope is for the future – something that has not already existed. When people have hope, they have faith because they believe that God will bring about a better future.
Jesus is the reason we can hope for things that we have not yet seen and walk in faith knowing that we will one day see the fullness of Christ. As believers, we should seize this hope because he has guaranteed it for us. Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.
Pursue hope so that you can live out your faith. As Christians, we are called to holiness and to glorify God in all that we do. We are called to progress towards maturity in Jesus Christ. We will inherit the promises of God through faith, hope, and perseverance.
How Does the Resurrection Give us Hope
So, how exactly does the resurrection give us hope?
The resurrection gives us hope for the present and for the future. God’s grace was given to us. He laid our punishment on the cross so we could be brought before the throne of grace. God delivered us from the captivity of our sins. Through the resurrection, we have been born again and have acquired an eternal inheritance.
The Resurrection is Our Hope for Today
Jesus is our living hope. We can experience this hope for TODAY! Because of the resurrection, we have been justified through faith in Jesus Christ. It means union with Jesus Christ now and in the future. God no longer sees our unrighteousness but sees us through the righteousness of Christ. We are freed from the presence and power of sin. Jesus has the power to bring light into darkness.
Jesus has given us the right to become children of God and we are adopted as sons and daughters. We are loved, chosen, forgiven, redeemed, and given an inheritance that is sealed by the Holy Spirit. Today, we can live in our new identity knowing that one day we will see Christ again. We can live in hope for today because we know our salvation has been attained through Jesus Christ.
The Resurrection is Our Hope for the Future
As Christians, we place our hope in the future because we believe that Jesus will come again and renew the Earth. Our salvation is not something that we could earn on our own. The Father initiates the plan for salvation. It is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that we have certainty of a future salvation and we live assured of our own resurrection. There are better things connected with our salvation (Hebrews 6:9).
Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation.
We have a sure and firm anchor for the soul – it is safe and secure. (Hebrews 6:19).
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
This is where we can place our hope for the future especially during times of uncertainty. We can set our hope completely on the grace brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
This is the culmination of God’s redemptive plan and we can live in anticipation of our salvation. The best part is that our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. Our hope is eternal (1 Peter 1:4).
and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,
Related: What is the Spiritual Meaning of Easter
More Resurrection Hope Scriptures
The Bible is a message of hope. The resurrection has always been a part of God’s eternal plan. Throughout the Bible, we see scriptures of the resurrection and the hope it brings. In the Old Testament, the priests had to sacrifice daily on behalf of the people. Can you imagine having to sprinkle blood and ashes to offer atonement for people’s sins? Yet, these priests were human and were not capable of fulfilling God’s plan of salvation permanently. They were bound by their human limitations.
The old covenant of animal sacrifices finally came to its end with the arrival and death of Jesus. Through the new covenant, the priest was perfected forever through Jesus’ obedient death and resurrection. Jesus offered himself, blameless, on behalf of His people. He sacrificed once and for all for sinners. These Resurrection hope scriptures show us that we can place our hope in Jesus Christ – because He is better.
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Acts 2:24
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:19-26
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4
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The Resurrection of Christ IS Our Hope
Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises and the resurrection of Christ is our hope. It is an everlasting picture of God’s grace and love towards us. Jesus gave His life as a ransom for our sins, to defeat evil and overcome the power of death. Christ is sovereign over all. In Him, our hope is secure.
We place our hope in the knowledge that one day He will come again to wipe away every tear. It will be the end of death, pain, and suffering. Everything will be made right. Christ will complete the work he has begun. Our ultimate hope is that one day we will be perfected and living in the presence of God. We will once and for all dwell with Christ. This where we can place our hope and assurance.
It is finished. He is Risen.
Let your weary heart rejoice!
