When we think of hope, we tend to think in terms of the distant future. Sometimes the present, however, seems so dark, so oppressing, so depressing, so suffocating that it is difficult even to anticipate living another day in such anguish. However, God always calls us to live in the now, to face the present honestly and fully, to do what we can do immediately, and to trust the future to God. Hope does not lie solely in anticipating that God will give us a wonderful future and resolve all things to our good. Rather, hope lies in knowing that God is with us in the here and now, and He will impart His love and grace to us to enable us to go from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day. Jesus is Emanuel—God with us. This is the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints: “God chose to make known to them this glorious mystery regarding the Gentiles—which is Christ in you, the hope of glory!” (Colossians 1: 27) “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less Than Jesus Blood And Righteousness.”
Let us look at seven reasons why Jesus is our hope:
Jesus Came to Fulfill Prophecy. In the Garden, God promised a Rescuer who would come and defeat the serpent (Gen. 3: 15). Through the prophets, God revealed and promised a coming Messiah for the nation of Israel who would save His people. Jesus was that Messiah. Luke 3: 13 reveals the bloodline of Jesus through Nathan the son of David which is Mary’s lineage. Matthew 1:22 reveals His legal line through His earthly father, Joseph. His birth, life, ministry, and death were the fulfillment of that which God foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures (Luke 24:27; John 5: 39).
Jesus Came to Reveal God. Jesus asked a man, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” The man answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “Your have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” (John 9: 37) The man then responded in faith: “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. (v. 38) Only God is worthy of worship and Jesus received the man’s worship for He and the Father are One. Jesus confirmed this when He said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)
Jesus Came to Do the Works the Father Gave Him to Do. Jesus began His earthly ministry by quoting the prophet Isaiah in Luke 4: 18-19. He said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because;
He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted; To preach deliverance to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind; To set at liberty them that are bruised; To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Jesus Came to Defeat Satan Satan’s rebellion against God was, and still is sin. Yet, there is no redemption for him. Jesus came to pay the penalty for man’s sins, not for the sins of fallen angels. Throughout the Old Testament, we read of Satan’s working to separate man from His Creator and to sin against Him. He knew a Savior was promised and did all he could to stop His coming. On the cross, Jesus paid for man’s sins, and established the New Covenant, opening the way for man to come by faith and receive His saving grace and, thereby, defeating Satan’s power. Under the New Covenant, born-again believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30). Satan has no power to accuse them. He has been defeated. 1 Jn. 3: 8…”For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Jesus taught believers to pray in Matt. 6:13 “Deliver us from the evil one.” We are to resist the devil so that he will flee from us.
Jesus Came to Win Victory Over Death When Adam and Eve sinned, God declared that their disobedience would be judged and that the penalty for sin is death (Gen. 2: 17). But God, in His love and mercy, also promised a Rescuer (Gen. 3: 15) and Jesus gave His life, rose from the grave, and conquered death, so man could live. (John 10: 10, 1 Cor. 15:22, 26)
Jesus Came to Pay the Penalty for the Sins of Man Jesus was born to die. (Rev. 13:8) God had provided His people a merciful system of atonement by the shedding of blood in animal sacrifice. But animal blood, could not fully pay for human sins. Only pure and sinless human blood could make full atonement. But no man was ever worthy. (Rom. 3: 23) So God sent His Son to be the perfect, pure, sinless sacrificial Lamb who would be put on the altar and shed His blood to pay the penalty of mankind’s sins. (Peter 1: 18-19) As a lamb without blemish and without spot—Isaiah 53: 5-6; John 1: 29, Rev. 5:6.
Jesus Came Once So He Could Come Again The Bible tells of two advents (comings) of Jesus. His first advent, when He was born of a woman, He came as the Lamb of God and paid for the sins of the world. In His second advent, when Jesus will come as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, He will judge the world of sin. Jesus had to come first as the Lamb before He could come again as the Lion. God is merciful and gracious. Covered by the blood of the Lamb, we are forgiven of sins and saved from the judgment of God that the Lion will bring. No one knows exactly when Jesus will return. He is preparing His Church as His Bride without spot or wrinkle to be received by the Bridegroom at the Rapture. Titus 2:12–13 says that the grace of God teaches us “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Therefore, we as believers are to Hope in Jesus! Scripture teaches that Jesus’ grace is sufficient in all things (2 Cor. 12: 9-10) and that He is faithful to provide an escape from anything that threatens to overcome us (1 Cor. 10:13). But sadly, when Christians experience dark seasons of the soul, they might fail to turn to Jesus to find the comfort they need. The depths of despair can be disabling. That is why it is important to strengthen our knowledge and faith by spending time in prayer and reading the Bible. Then, when a storm threatens to overtake us, comfort and strength can be found in Jesus and in His Word. Through regular Bible reading, prayer, and Christian fellowship, we can find peace and comfort in the most difficult of circumstances and the darkest of days. Jesus said: “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matt. 6: 34). We must trust that there is hope, even when it’s not felt; that there is a new morning, even when the night is dark; that God will hold us up, even when we cannot stand. If we know Jesus as our personal Savior, we are in His grip and we can rest in the hands that belong to the eternal God. We all must remember to be the arms of Jesus to hold those who suffer; and to speak His words to comfort those who weep. We must come alongside those who struggle and reach out and help them to remember the hope they have been given. We are called to be Light to break through the darkness.
Let us ask the Lord to kindle our hope that we might live faithfully for Him and know that He loves us infinitely and unconditionally. God has a blueprint for our life, which is unfolding according to His timetable and His methods. A part of that purpose is unfolding today. God will have more for us to be—He is still working in our life to transform us into the full likeness of Jesus Christ. Hope in Jesus!