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One Hope

December 23, 2007

Ignorance of hope

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [or dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

You do not know the Scriptures

Mark 12:24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error [led astray or deceived] because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

The hope of Israel at the time of Christ

Luke 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

“…he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel” NLT

Luke 2:37-38 And she (Anna) was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

“She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem” NLT

Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Jesus was the predicted fulfillment of their hope

Luke 1:32-33 He (Jesus) shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

The hope Christ preached to his disciples

Matthew 21:43 "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Luke 22:28-30 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. 29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging [or ruling over] the twelve tribes of Israel.

The hope of Christ’s disciples was not a mistake

The hope of positions in the kingdom

Mark 10:35-37 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." 36 And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" 37 They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory [“in Your kingdom,” Mt.20:21]."

Jesus confirmed these positions as reality

Mark 10:40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

The hope that the Christ would redeem Israel

Luke 24:21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

Christ confirms His day of glory but rebukes them about his sufferings

Luke 24:25-26 And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"

The hope that kingdom would be restored to Israel in their day

Acts 1:6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

Luke 19:11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

Jesus only corrects their timing but not their hope in the kingdom

Acts 1:7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority

At Christ’s ascension – the hope now focused on His return

Acts 1:9-11 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

Looking for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory

Titus 2:13 Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory [the kingdom, compare Mt.20:21 with Mk.10:37] of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus (NAS);

In hope of age-lasting life

Titus 1:1-2 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 In hope of ~~eternal~~ age-lasting life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

Honor, glory, and immortality

Romans 2:6-7 Who will render to [reward] every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance (due to hope – 8:24) in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, ~~eternal~~ age-lasting life:

At Christ’s second coming

Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds.

The hope of Paul, Peter, James, Jude and John

Jude 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto ~~eternal~~ age-lasting life.

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Colossians 3:2,4Set your affection onthings above, not on things on the earth. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, 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. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Philippians 3:20-21 “…we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who (at His appearing) shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…”

Romans 8:23-25 “…we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption [“the time when we will take our place as sons,” BBE], the redemption of our body.24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 “…ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which ~~delivered~~ is delivering us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2 Thessalonians 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

2 Timothy 4:1,8 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

1 Timothy 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

James 5:7-8Be 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. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

2 Peter 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 13:14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

One hope

Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye [the church at Ephesus] are called in one hope of your calling;

The hope of the gospel

Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Be not moved away from the hope of the gospel

Colossians 1:22-23 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister