Our Hope

Man can live without a lot of things but hope is a necessary thing in our lives. It is hope that keeps us going when the odds are supposedly stacked against us. When we have hope we can make it through the most difficult of circumstances.
Today I want to look at seven aspects of the hope we have because we are in Christ.
As a Christian the hope we have is:
1. Unchanging Hope God’s Word is sure. Our Savior is unchanging.
Hebrews 13:8(KJV)
8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
2. A Glorious or Blessed Hope – The promise of Christ’s return is what our hope is fixed on. See John 14:3 and
Titus 2:13(KJV)
13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
3. A Comforting Hope – In that we are able to comfort others with the same comfort that we have been comforted of God with.
II Cor. 1:3-4 and
1 Thessalonians 4:14-18(KJV)
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
4. A Purifying Hope – We will be like Him.
1 John 3:2-3(KJV)
2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
5. A Stabilizing Hope – balance and trust in Him
James 5:7-8(KJV)
7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Isaiah 26:3(KJV)
3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
6. A Victorious Hope – See the entire passage from 1Cor 15:50 – 58
1 Corinthians 15:57(KJV)
57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
7. An Abiding Hope – which is a forever hope that lives in us.
1 Corinthians 13:13(KJV)
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

In Christ we have something truly that the world didn’t give and the world can’t take it away.
Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner