Raymond van Pletsen Church Of The Hills November 18, 2012 Colossians 3:3-8 HOPE Colossians 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God s people 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message (the word of truth ESV ) of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God s grace (the grace of God in truth NASB ). 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. Hopelessness Hopeless Category 1: Irreligious (Utter) Hopelessness: There Is No God The prevailing secular worldview of today is that the material, physical cosmos is the sole reality. There is no supernatural realm, no God and no heaven. This means that life is a one-way ticket. The grave is the final end of each person s collective life, existence and consciousness. After death a person will never think again. Never experience again. Never love again. Only oblivion awaits. And nothing more. 1 The apostle Paul described this state as being without hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:13) Hopeless Category 2: Religious Hopelessness: You Cannot Know For Sure We are saved by God s grace and through faith in Christ Jesus. And, that is the reason we have hope! The apostle John wrote: 1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. Understanding our hope and keeping a firm grip on it is so important to us that the Holy Spirit teaches us about it over and over again in the Bible. 1 Samples, Kenneth. Seven Truths That Changed The World. #1 Not All Dead Men Stay Dead
2 HOPE HOPE The Absolute Certainty That Everything God Has Promised Will Come True Hope Is A Certainty The concept of hope in the Bible is different from hope as we usually use the word. When we say hope, there is a basic element of uncertainty in it. For example, to say I hope it doesn t rain tomorrow is nothing more than a wish. There is no power in the expression to change the weather and the results are entirely up to chance. But, as used in the Bible, hope describes the confidence that something in the future, that is not a present reality, will absolutely take place. Hope Builds Our Endurance During This Life The reason we need hope is that the objective truth strengthens our subjective resolve to endure and remain faithful to Jesus even when life gets tough. The NT speaks of this often: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For the same reason, to encourage the Hebrew Christians not to fall away from following Jesus, the Holy Spirit wrote: Hebrews 6:17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. What We Hope For Some elements of the hope that Christians have are: The Hope Of Salvation 1 Thessalonians 5:8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
3 HOPE The Hope Of Eternal Life Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. The Hope Of Our Resurrection When he was brought to trial before Felix the governor, Paul declared: Acts 24:14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. Shortly afterward, when on trial before King Agrippa, Paul said: Acts 26:6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? Paul linked our hope in the resurrection directly to the resurrection of Jesus and was fully aware that without the resurrection of Jesus our faith is futile. 1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The Hope Of The Return Of Christ & The Rapture Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. The Hope of Glory Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
4 HOPE A Living Hope Listen to Peter sum up our hope: 1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Hope Is Based Upon The Word Of God, The Bible Hope Is Based Upon God s Word Paul says that the source of hope is the word of God. The NASB translates Colossians 1:5 Colossians 1:5...because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel... The Word of God is the source of all that we believe in and all that we hope for. From the standpoint of our salvation, the leading edge of the word of God is the gospel. Both Faith And Hope Are Based Upon The Word of God Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. We believe what God declares concerning: The Future: being sure of what we hope for The Present: being certain of what we do not see The Past: the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
5 HOPE Discussion Guide Suggestion: Follow the outline and, when necessary, read each section in advance of the discussion questions. Secular Hopelessness. Discuss the ways human beings try to hide from themselves that face that we all die. Philosopher Stephen T. Davis notes, Human beings are the only animals who know they must die, and thus the only animals who try to hide from themselves the fact that they must die. 2 Religious Hopelessness. Most religions and, sadly, many churches teach that you cannot know for sure whether or not you re going to heaven. Contrast that with what John wrote in 1 John 5:13. Why does God want us to know this? How does eternal security change our motivation to live a godly life and do good deeds? How could we misuse this knowledge? What Hope Means. Contrast the way the Bible described hope and the way we usually use the word. Faith Fuels Endurance. How has the knowledge of our hope motivated you to keep on going through tough times? What We Hope For. Which of the reasons for our hope means the most to you? Which did you not know about? Are there any facets of our hope not mentioned in the outline? Faith Is Based Upon God s Word. Describe how the truth of the Bible has impacted your life thus far in your life. What prophecies of the Bible that have already come true encourage you to believe that God s future promises will also be fulfilled? How can we help one another do the following: Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Pray this prayer over one another: Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 2 Sample, Kenneth. 7 Truths That Changed The World. 16