Faith, Hope, Love by David Wilson

FAITH HOPE

LOVE

© 2018 by David Wilson. Unless noted, all Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

FAITH

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

HOPE

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

John 3:16

LOVE

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

FAITH HOPE

Introduction We are living in days of social, cultural and moral upheaval and desperately need solid foundations on which we can build our lives. Governments, religious institutions, friends, and even family members have failed us, leaving many disappointed and disillusioned. But the Word of God points us to a living, loving God who offers hope through trusting His promises and believing in His Son who demonstrated His love by dying on a cross for us. In this little booklet, we offer brief meditations upon three great truths presented in the Bible: faith, hope, and love. It is our conviction that the Bible is the Word of God, revealed to the ancient prophets and apostles for our learning and instruction. The Bible tells us that “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV) and that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” (2 Peter 1:21). These Spirit-inspired words were preserved for us so that we would have a faithful and reliable source of information about God and His desires and plans for mankind. Although the ideologies and philosophies of men come and go, “the word of the LORD endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).

LOVE

Our goal then is to point you to the Scriptures and encourage you to read them for yourselves for there is power in the Word of God that goes far beyond the words of men. The author of Hebrews describes it this way: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13) We encourage you to look up the verses we quote in your own Bible, read them in context, and ask God to reveal to you the truth that He promises will set you free (John 8:31-32). � D. Wilson, November 2018.

The opening scenes of the Bible challenge us to think about who God is and whether He can be trusted. And that is the very essence of what the Bible means by faith. God is presented in Genesis 1 as the Creator of all things. As Creator, He is seen as all-powerful, commanding the elements to do His will and they immediately do His bidding: “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). God is also seen as the source of goodness: “And God saw the light, that it was good” (v. 4). And God is seen as One who makes distinctions between things that differ: “And God divided the light from the darkness” (v. 4). Within the Scriptures, this principle of distinguishing between things that differ informs our understanding of God’s holiness, so, all down through the chapter, God’s power, goodness, and holiness are emphasised. But by chapter 3 of Genesis, these same characteristics of God are challenged by Satan and doubted by Adam and Eve. As a result, two questions emerge. Is God really good? And can God really be trusted? And these challenges and questions still persist today. While the number of people who identify themselves as atheists continues to grow, the Bible says that those who deny God’s existence “suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them” (Romans 1:18-20). Since creation around us and conscience within us are constant witnesses to God’s goodness, wisdom, power and holiness, it requires constant effort to suppress that truth. As the apostle Paul told polytheistic idolaters, God “did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). This good, powerful and holy God desires that we know Him and enter into relationship with Him. And He promises to reward us if we diligently seek Him. That does not mean we need to climb mountains or cross oceans or accomplish great feats of daring. Rather, God has set each of us in the perfect place that we might “reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27, NIV). � 3

FAITH

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

FAITH

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11:7 Hebrews 11 is sometimes referred to as the Bible’s “hall of faith” as it runs through the biblical record giving example after example of those who demonstrated their faith in God through their actions. Each of these biblical characters heard a message from God and, since they believed it to be true, acted on that revelation. Noah was warned by God that judgment was coming upon the whole world because of sin. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Although it had never rained on earth before that time (Genesis 2:6), when God told Noah to build an ark to preserve both human and animal life from a catastrophic flood He was sending, Noah obeyed. Many people today reject the idea of Noah’s ark and a global flood. But then, so did most people in Noah’s day. Only he and his family lived to record that dramatic event, yet their descendants migrated around the world after the flood, taking with them versions of the story that, while distorted over time, testify to its reality. Another powerful testimony to the fact of a global flood is the fossil record. Since fossils are only formed through catastrophic events that suddenly cover creatures with mud that hardens under extreme pressure into rock, and since fossils are found all over the earth, a global flood provides the most reasonable explanation for their abundance. The biblical dimensions for the ark are approximately 450 feet long by 75 feet wide by 45 feet high and it has been estimated that it would have taken 50 to 80 years for Noah and his sons to build it. This huge spectacle must have been the source of great curiosity and endless ridicule from his contemporaries, but he believed and acted upon God’s Word and was saved from watery destruction by that active faith. Faith in God and His Word is not always easy. But it is the pathway to ultimate safety and blessing. �

When Noah left the ark, God repeated His creation mandate to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 9:7). New city-states were established but men continued to demonstrate their rebellion against God’s authority. In grace, “the God of glory” appeared to Abraham in the city of Ur (in modern day Iraq), and called him to leave his land and family and live as a pilgrim in a new place, the land of Canaan. Through archaeological research, we know that the inhabitants of Ur worshipped the moon god, known to the Sumerians as Nanna and to the Babylonians as Sin. Yet by faith, Abraham left it all behind to venture out into the unknown. God made wonderful promises to Abraham: a perpetual land grant; to father a great nation; to have a great name; and to be a source of blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:1-3). But the Bible tells us that he and his family “all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). Perhaps when Abraham left Ur, there were those who thought he was mad. To leave behind your people, your culture, and your religion because of some vision of a strange God is either extreme gullibility or insanity! But that vision of God’s glory and that revelation of God’s promises gave him the strength to persevere despite great hardships and long delays. The Bible plainly shows that while Abraham exercised great faith in the promises of God, there were times when his faith faltered. God permitted him to go through difficult times to test and strengthen his faith. Just as steel is hardened through continued exposure to heat and pounding, so faith must be strengthened through trials. It is then that we, like Abraham, must remember and cling to the character and promises of God. God did bless Abraham and gave him a great name, being honoured by followers of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. But his greatest honour is that through him, God sent the means of blessing for all nations, the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1). �

FAITH

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Hebrews 11:8

FAITH

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:2-3 In Paul’s epistle to the Romans, he lays out for us a wonderful, systematic presentation of the gospel. The first three chapters deal largely with the problem of sin, demonstrating that whether one is a pagan idolater, a morally upright person, or even one of God’s chosen people, the Jews, all alike are guilty of breaking God’s laws and stand condemned by the law: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Jewish people would have been shocked by Paul’s words. They thought that their status as God’s chosen people gave them an advantage over the Gentiles (i.e., the nations). On the other hand, it seems that some Gentile Christians believed that since the Jews had rejected Jesus and called for His death, God was done with them. But Paul wants us to know that the gospel “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Since we all have the same problem of sin, the solution is also the same for everyone: faith in Jesus Christ. In a tightly compressed argument, Paul explains that the Law of Moses was never intended to save people, yet it was vital for two important reasons. Firstly, to demonstrate our guilt before God by exposing our sin (Romans 3:19-20). Ignorance of the law is never an excuse, either in a human court of law or at the great white throne of God (Revelation 20:11-15), but it allows us to know in what ways and to what extent we have failed. But secondly, the Law was provided to witness that the righteousness of God comes to us through faith (Romans 3:21-22). Sadly, the Jews had not rightly understood their own Scriptures, for Paul is pressing home the truth that God counts as righteous all who put their trust in Him by pointing to Abraham, who more than 400 years before the Law was given, “believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3; compare Genesis 15:6). Of course, the message we are called to believe today is fuller and richer than that which Abraham believed because Christ has come as God’s full and final revelation (Hebrews 1:1-5). “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). �

The Gospel of Luke opens with a contrast between two individuals, an elderly priest called Zacharias, and a young woman named Mary. Both were granted the enormous privilege of an angelic visitation with a promise from God. Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were righteous people who had for years prayed that God would grant them a child. One day, as Zacharias was serving in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to inform him that their prayers had been answered and they would have a son. But though a devout and godly man, Zacharias thought this was impossible– it was too late, and they were too old. And because of his unbelief, he was struck dumb and unable to speak until the child was born and Zacharias gave him the name revealed by the angel, John. Six months later, Gabriel appeared to Mary with those familiar words, “Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:28). She was told she would bear a son and was to call His name Jesus (v. 31). She couldn’t understand how a virgin could give birth to a child, but the angel explained, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (v. 35). What a contrast between the simple faith of a young girl from Nazareth and the elderly priest from Judea! For centuries the Jewish people had lived in expectation that God would send His anointed One, the Messiah, the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15), the Seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:3), the Seed of David (2 Samuel 7:12). Zacharias doubted but Mary heard the word of the Lord through Gabriel, took God at His Word and said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Mary went at once to visit her elderly relative, Elizabeth. Upon her arrival, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (v. 42). But Elizabeth also identified a principle that always pleases God: “Blessed is she who believed” (v. 45). Like Mary, all who take God at His Word and claim His promises are truly blessed! �

FAITH

“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45

FAITH

“He came to His own but His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:11-13 Perhaps the defining moment for Israel as a nation was the Exodus from Egypt, when God sent Moses to Pharaoh with the demand that he “Let My people go!” (Exodus 5:1). Because God had chosen this nation, He said “Israel is My son, My firstborn” (Exodus 4:22) and it is this nation that are called “His own” here in John 1:11. Although they had been entrusted with “the oracles of God” (Romans 3:1-2) that foretold in great detail the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the Jews as a nation would not accept Him. The apostle Peter, himself a Jew, stood in the shadow of their great temple and reprimanded the Jewish people, saying: “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you” (Acts 3:14). During the early part of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He told His apostles not to go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans; “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-6). Indeed, when a Gentile woman came to Jesus asking for help, He tried to send her away saying, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). But after the Jews had Jesus put to death, the risen Lord expanded His mission and authorised His apostles to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20). The apostolic gospel has ever since been offered freely to all nations with the promise that as many as receive Him are given the right to become something they never were before– children of God. This is not based on family connections or national heritage or human effort but is entirely a work of God that Jesus will later describe more fully as being “born again” (John 3:1-8). You can claim this right today through believing “in His name.” His name represents all that He is, so to believe in His name means to accept as true the revelation of His identity and what He has done, and as a result to entrust your eternal destiny to Him. What an exceedingly precious promise! �

As “the teacher of Israel” (v. 10), Nicodemus would have been familiar with the story of the serpent in the wilderness recorded in Numbers 21:4-9. The people of Israel were travelling from Egypt to Canaan and although they had experienced God’s goodness and miraculous provision each day of their journey, they became discouraged by their hardships and began to speak out against God and Moses. When God punished them by sending deadly snakes into their camp resulting in many deaths, they came to Moses in desperation asking him to plead with God to remove the serpents. God directed Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole and promised that those who looked at it would be healed of their deadly snake bite. This incident with Nicodemus occurs early in the ministry of the Lord Jesus and it is remarkable to see that Jesus is subtly predicting His own death on the cross, though Nicodemus couldn’t have understood it then. But from our vantage point, we can clearly see that when Jesus says He will be lifted up in a similar way to the serpent, He is speaking of the cross. But the purpose of His death is that we might have life, eternal life. The Israelites of old were perishing because of God’s judgement on their sins; we, too, are under God’s condemnation because of our sins (John 3:18). The only way to avoid that judgement is through the death of Jesus. He insisted that His death was necessary for our life– the Son of Man must be lifted up. It certainly must have seemed strange to the Israelites to think that by looking at a serpent on a pole they could be healed, but it was an act of faith, a clear response to God’s revelation and promise. And those who believed God’s word looked and lived. In the same way, Jesus promises us that if we by a definite act of faith put our trust in Him, we will not perish but have eternal life. For faith to be effective it must be in a worthy object. Perhaps you feel that your faith is small but as long as that faith is directed to the Lord Jesus, who is worthy of your trust, you can be sure of receiving His promise of eternal life. �

FAITH

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:14-15

FAITH

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:25-27 The home of Mary and Martha was a sanctuary for the Lord Jesus, a place where He knew He was always welcome. When their brother, Lazarus, fell ill his sisters immediately sent word to Jesus to let Him know His dear friend needed His help. But Jesus waited two more days, allowing Lazarus to die before He went (John 11:14). Why did Jesus wait? Didn’t He care? His tears at the tomb of Lazarus (vv. 3536) show that He cared deeply, but there was a lesson about death and His power over death that Jesus wanted to teach. Upon His arrival at the home of Mary and Martha, the distraught women lament the fact that He had not been there to heal Lazarus, but Jesus assures them their brother will rise again. Martha assumes He is speaking of the resurrection at the end of the age, but Jesus boldly asserts that He Himself is the source of life (v. 25). “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Such words spoken by you or me would be lunacy, but Jesus immediately proceeds to the grave and, although Lazarus has been dead four days, demonstrates the truth of His words by commanding him to return from the dead (v. 43). And Lazarus did. Jesus’ question to Martha was, “Do you believe this?” While she believed that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (v. 27), universal human experience had taught her the certainty and finality of death. Yet Jesus gently challenged her doubts by saying, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (v. 40). Through His death, Jesus demonstrated His glory by destroying the one who had power over death, that is, the devil, and now releases those who believe from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). This doesn’t mean we will never die but Jesus promises that if we put our faith in Him, we will rise again. Jesus promised, “Because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). Do you believe this? �

What does it mean to be a Christian? Some people think that if they live in a Christian country, they are Christians. Others think that if they were baptised as a baby, they are Christians. Others think that if they go to church, say their prayers, and help others, they are Christians. But what is the biblical idea of a Christian? There are actually only three references to “Christian” in the Bible. Acts 11:26 tells us “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” King Agrippa told the apostle Paul, “You almost persuade me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). And finally, Peter speaks of one who “suffers as a Christian” (1 Peter 4:16). But the language Paul uses here in Ephesians to describe Christians is much more dramatic. He describes the natural state of all men as being “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Death in Scripture always means separation. Physical death separates us from our bodies and our loved ones, but spiritual death separates us from God, and the Bible warns about a “second death” which is eternal separation from God (Revelation 20:6). But because of God’s great love and mercy, He put in place a plan to save those who believe in Jesus. “Salvation” means to rescue from a place of danger, whether physical danger (like drowning or a burning building), or spiritual danger. Paul describes Christians as those who once were dead in their trespasses and sins but who through faith have been made alive in Christ. By faith they have responded to God’s grace and have been saved and brought into a place of spiritual safety. He insists that this salvation is a gift from God, based entirely upon His grace and not something they earned through their own efforts or works. If anyone could get to heaven by their own merits, they would be worthy of praise; but salvation is of the Lord and so He alone is worthy of all glory and honour. “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). So, with the apostles, we would appeal to you to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). �

FAITH

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Romans 8:24-25 It is important to remember that the New Testament epistles were written to those who are Christians, that is, those who once were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) but have been made alive in Christ and saved by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

HOPE

As Paul speaks to these Christians, he tells them “we were saved in this hope” (Romans 8:24). Hope always has a future orientation, something anticipated but not yet received. But biblically, hope is never wishful thinking, but confidant assurance based on the character and promises of God. As a Christian, there are many blessings that I am already enjoying because of my relationship to Jesus, being blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). It has been suggested that through Paul’s encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus he learned that there is a union between Christ and His people such that whatever happens to us impacts Christ (Acts 9:4-5); but also, whatever happens to Christ impacts us. Because Christ died, I died; because He rose, I rose; because He is seated in heavenly places, I am seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6). But the language of hope tells us there is still much that lies ahead for those who by faith are children of God (John 1:12-13). Peter speaks of “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith” (1 Peter 1:35). We have not yet entered into all the blessings provided by the death of Jesus, but we anticipate with confidence that God will fulfil His promises. Paul’s point in Romans 8 is that the hardships and struggles of life in a world under the curse of sin (Genesis 3:17-19) are to be expected but assures believers that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). He argues that the whole creation is groaning now as it eagerly awaits deliverance from the curse, and that believers “were saved in this hope”. Do you have hope for the future, that things will get better? Is it mere wishful thinking or is it based upon the promises of a God who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:17-19)? � 12

I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. Psalm 16:8-9 This Psalm is attributed to David, King of Israel. In a time of great distress, He cries out to God for safekeeping, expressing his utter confidence in God on the basis of his past experiences with Him.

It is this last expression in verse 9 that we want to think about: “My flesh will rest in hope.” David is writing approximately one thousand years before the birth of Jesus yet has confidence that there is life after death. He knows that even if God doesn’t deliver him from his present crisis and he were to die, that God would not leave his soul in Sheol, that is, the grave (v. 10). He anticipated waking to everlasting life (Daniel 12:2-3) and being in the immediate presence of God where there is “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (v. 11). Many people today lack such confidence. In fact, many seem to prefer the idea that when you’re dead you’re dead; they are convinced they can do whatever they want, and God will never judge them or hold them accountable (Psalm 10:4, 11, 13). They deny the resurrection of the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15) and are the ones guilty of wishful thinking, not those who claim the promises of a faithful God and rest their eternal destiny on the saving truth “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). It is the historic fact of the resurrection of Jesus that provides confident assurance of resurrection to life of all who put their faith in Him. Indeed, the apostle Peter considered these words from Psalm 16 to be a prophecy concerning the resurrection of the Christ (Acts 2:22-32) and insisted that he was an eyewitness to its reality. � 13

HOPE

As a man of deep faith, David could say, “I have set the LORD always before me.” This is an expression of his devotion to God, his dependence upon Him, and his constant awareness of His presence. Some people pray only when trouble strikes and then, when God has met their need, ignore Him until their next crisis. But not David. God was given the rightful place in his life and so he knew God was at his right hand and ready to help him resulting in gladness, joy and peace.

[We] rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:2-5

HOPE

Paul’s letter to the Roman church presents the gospel in a courtroom setting with God as Judge. He first demonstrates the guilt of all humanity, charging that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) but through the death of Christ, God has made provision for all who believe to be “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (v. 24). To be justified, then, is to be legally declared righteous by God. Luke’s gospel speaks of religious hypocrites “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others” (Luke 18:9). But Jesus told them a parable about a man who went to the temple and humbly prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” Jesus said “this man went down to his house justified” because he humbly acknowledged his sin before God. Those who justify their own behaviour and minimise the seriousness of their sin before a holy God never humble themselves before Him and seek His forgiveness; but those who do so are justified freely by His grace. Paul then lays out the glorious benefits for those who have been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus. First, there is peace with God (Romans 5:1). This is not merely an inner feeling but an objective reality since Christ bore the wrath of God on the cross and on that basis, God can remain just while declaring righteous those who believe (Romans 3:26). Second, justified believers have access to God, and are “no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” (Ephesians 2:18-19). Third, justified believers rejoice in hope of the glory of God. They can face the trials and challenges of this life because of their confident expectation that they will participate in the glorious future promised by the Lord Jesus when He said He is going to prepare a place for us that where He is we might be also (John 14:1-3). He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His redeemed people as both a seal and down payment (Ephesians 1:13-14), guaranteeing that our hope in Him will never be disappointed. � 14

And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 The resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential to the gospel message. Paul, writing to first-century believers, reminded them that they had been saved through believing the message of the gospel and that the essential historical facts of the gospel were “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The crucifixion of Jesus was not done in a corner, as Paul told King Agrippa (Acts 26:26) but was conducted publicly in Jerusalem at the instigation of the Jewish leaders by Roman soldiers under the direction of the governor, Pontius Pilate.

Historical events cannot be proven by scientific evidence but must be tested by legal evidence, especially eyewitness testimony. Jesus chose twelve apostles to be His witnesses and after Judas committed suicide, the remaining apostles chose as his replacement another man who had been an eyewitness to the ministry, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Acts 1:21-23). These men all went to their deaths preaching with an unshaken conviction that Jesus died, rose again the third day, and ascended bodily to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). The blessed hope of Christians was expressed well by the angels at Jesus’s ascension: “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,” (Acts 1:11). Our hope in Christ is not just for this life; it is the confident expectation that Jesus will return in power and great glory to establish an everlasting kingdom which will never pass away (Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 26:64). � 15

HOPE

But the apostles insisted that Jesus rose again on the third day and that, in addition to the apostolic band, the Lord appeared to over 500 believers at the same time, most of whom were still living when he wrote (1 Corinthians 15:5-6). Paul is so confident of this eyewitness testimony that he is willing to rest the whole weight of the Christian faith on its truthfulness. He tells them that if Christ did not rise bodily from the dead, their faith is pointless, his preaching is a lie, and those who died believing have no hope (vv. 14-18), because, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men,” (v. 19, NIV).

You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Galatians 5:4-5

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We have seen that the Scriptures affirm repeatedly that salvation is a gift freely offered by God’s grace and received by those who put their faith in Christ (see, for example, Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:24). But as Paul writes to the Christians in Galatia, he is deeply concerned that they were perverting the gospel, and insists that “if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed,” (Galatians 1:8). Their error was that of adding “the works of the law” (Galatians 2:16) to the work of Christ. They were not denying the historical facts of who Jesus is or what He had done; but they were denying the sufficiency of the work He had accomplished on the cross. Through their actions they were rejecting the truth that righteousness could be achieved simply by faith in Christ. They believed they must add to His work by keeping the commandments, but Paul was adamant that “…a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ,” (Galatians 2:16). Indeed, if it was possible to be righteous in God’s eyes simply by keeping the commandments, then the death of Christ would not have been necessary (Galatians 2:21). For Jewish people, the sign of their acceptance by God and participation in His community was the God-given rite of circumcision (Genesis 17:1-14). But some Jewish Christians were teaching that in order to become a Christian, one must submit to the rite of circumcision, even if they weren’t Jewish (Acts 15:1). But Paul will have none of it! He says that to insist on religious rituals for righteousness is to undermine the work of Christ and leave us estranged from Him and fallen from grace! Does God desire that we be righteous? Absolutely, but this righteousness comes only through faith in Christ (Romans 4:5) and will not be fully seen in us until we enter heaven. This is “the hope of righteousness” which believers long for, because “when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure,” (1 John 3:2-3). And thankfully, the Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to empower and transform His redeemed people to live lives that are pleasing to God (Galatians 6:16-26). � 16

At that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:12-13 While it is true that God chose the nation of Israel to be His own special people, He plainly tells them that it is not because they are better than others, but simply because He chose to set His love upon them (Deuteronomy 7:6-11).

As Paul writes to the believers in the city of Ephesus, he lets them know about the wonderful change that has taken place in their experience through faith in the Lord Jesus. Before they trusted Christ, they were alienated from God and estranged from His promises and, therefore, “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). And this, according to God’s Word, is true of all who have not accepted Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. Perhaps you are aware of the hopelessness of your circumstances, seeing no light at the end of the tunnel. We urge you to look to the promises of God and claim His offer of hope by taking hold of Christ as the anchor for your soul (Hebrews 6:19). Or perhaps you are happy with your circumstances: maybe a loving family, a job with good pay and even better prospects. But, as far as God is concerned, unless you have trusted Christ as your Saviour you also are without hope, because hope is not about an attitude or an emotional state of mind, but about clinging to the promises of a God who cannot lie. And the promise of God is that you can be brought near to Him by the blood of Christ and enjoy all the privileges of citizenship in the kingdom of God, including true peace and direct access to God (Ephesians 2:14-18). �

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This chosen nation status brought with it unique promises of blessing, but Israel’s rejection of their Messiah meant that they forfeited their privileged position. Jesus told the Jewish leaders, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes’? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matthew 21:41-42).

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. Titus 1:1-2

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As we have said before, the biblical nature of hope is that it is always future oriented, something anticipated but not yet received. It is never merely wishful thinking, but rather the confidant assurance that comes from trusting the character and promises of God. Paul speaks here of “the hope of eternal life.” In a world where the one true certainty is death, the hope of eternal life is a liberating promise. Listen to these words of the Lord Jesus: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one” (John 10:27-30). Jesus promises to give eternal life to those who are His sheep, that is, those who listen to Him and believe in Him. Jesus promises that those who receive this gift of eternal life will never perish as they are kept safely in His hands and in the hands of His heavenly Father. And they are perfectly united as one. Since this gift of eternal life was promised before time began, the promise could only have been made between the members of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God knew before He created Adam and Eve that they would rebel against Him and that the only way we could be reconciled to Him without violating His justice and holiness would be through Him graciously sending His one-of-a-kind Son to pay the penalty for our sin on the cross. And while we know that the Lord Jesus sweat, as it were, great drops of blood as He faced the horrors of the cross, yet we also know that the Lord Jesus went willingly to His death, for the Scriptures say of Him, “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). This gift of eternal life was infinitely costly to God but is freely offered to us. If we had to earn eternal life, we would truly be without hope; but since the Lord Jesus fully paid for this gift those who put their trust in Him enjoy the assurance that comes from knowing God has accepted the death of His Son as the full and final payment for our sin. � 18

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 It is clear from reading this little letter to the church in Thessalonica that the apostle Paul had taught them about the hope (“confident expectation”) of the soon coming of the Lord Jesus to take His people to be with Him. As he hears reports of the testimony of these believers who had “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10), he is greatly encouraged.

Just as Jesus had spoken of Lazarus as “sleeping” when he died (John 11:1115), so Paul refers to these loved ones as “those who have fallen asleep in Jesus”. It is a reminder that with Christ, death is not final; there is hope beyond the grave. When challenged by sceptics about the future resurrection, Jesus told them they were greatly mistaken, “not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.” God describes Himself as “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”; but, says Jesus, He is “not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22:29-32). Sadly, not all who die can be described as “those who have fallen asleep in Jesus”; only those who have been united together with the Lord Jesus by faith. The New Testament places all mankind in just two categories: either “in Adam” or “in Christ” (Romans 5:12-21). All who are born into this world are by default “in Adam”; only those who are born again are “in Christ”. Paul’s comfort to these grieving Christians is based on the promise that Jesus will come again and receive His people to Himself that “where He is there we might be also” (John 14:3). At that time, “God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus”. The only basis for hope beyond the grave is to receive from Christ the gift of eternal life. “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). � 19

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But while they waited for Jesus to return, some had died and they were concerned that these loved ones would miss out on this great event, the coming of Jesus in His glory. So Paul is writing to put their minds at ease.

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 The apostle Peter begins this wonderful epistle with an outburst of praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He acknowledges that what God has provided through the Lord Jesus is totally undeserved, an act of God’s great mercy. Unfortunately, this is a truth many people fail to understand because they are convinced they are basically good people who happen to slip up from time to time. But the Bible teaches that we are all by nature sinners in rebellion against God. Long before Jesus was born, Isaiah wrote, “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, every one, to his own way,” (Isaiah 53:6). Not only that, “your iniquities have separated you from God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear,” (Isaiah 59:2). Yet in His abundant mercy, God has made a way for sinners to be reconciled to Himself. This reconciliation is through the new birth, as Jesus taught (John 3:3-7). “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope,” (1 Peter 1:3, ESV). Clearly, God is the active agent in this work of new birth, because just as we could never bring about our own natural birth, so we cannot bring about our spiritual rebirth. As we have seen (see page 8), those who believe in His name are born again “not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13). This living hope is based on the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead, proving that He is who He claimed to be and that He has the power to give life to whomever He wills (John 5:21). As always in Scripture, this hope is certain, a confident expectation based on the character and promises of God. And He has promised an inheritance that “can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4, NIV). Isn’t that marvellous? No crash in the stock market will wipe out this inheritance; it can’t be stolen; and it won’t wear out or go past its sell-by date. It is reserved in heaven by God’s limitless power for all who have experienced new birth through faith in the risen Lord Jesus. �

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

It was through the birth of Jesus that “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” (Titus 2:11, ESV). This salvation is generated by God’s gracious character as He freely offers salvation to all who will respond; for “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Those who respond to this offer of salvation can look forward with confident expectation to the promised return of Jesus Christ, beautifully described here as “our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” (Titus 2:13, ESV). Some are concerned that this emphasis on receiving salvation as a free gift will cause people to abuse the grace of God and live in blatant disregard for His holiness. But those who have truly experienced His grace are transformed by grace to live “soberly, righteously and godly” and to long for His return. And when He comes again, He will have accomplished His goal: “to purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” � 21

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Here is a brief but glorious presentation of the gospel that is inextricably linked to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. That humble Galilean carpenter who was crucified in shame is here called “our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” These words were written by the apostle Paul, who once described himself as “a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:5-6) and who studied under the renowned rabbi Gamaliel. The Old Testament makes clear that the Israelites often struggled with idolatry up until the Babylonian captivity but that through the revival that took place under Ezra, they finally became consistent monotheists. So for a first century Jew like Paul to acknowledge Jesus as God is truly remarkable and evidence of the transformation caused by his encounter with the risen Christ (Acts 9:1-19).

Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:2 The God of glory appeared to Abraham (Acts 7:2) and promised that if he would leave his country and go to a land He would show him, God would make him the father of a great nation (Genesis 12:1-3). So at 75 years of age, Abraham left his homeland to follow God into the great unknown, and though at times his faith faltered, God fulfilled His promise by giving Abraham a miracle child, Isaac, when he was 100 years old.

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Now God will give Abraham the ultimate test of faith. “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love… and offer him there as a burnt offering.” Abraham did have an older son, Ishmael, but he was not the son God had promised but was living testimony to Abraham’s weak faith. Thinking God needed help fulfilling his promises, Abraham and his wife Sarah came up with a plan for a surrogate child through an Egyptian maid (Genesis 16). But Isaac was the chosen one, the son of his old age, the son of his aged wife Sarah, a gift from God and the one through whom God’s promises would be fulfilled. Abraham’s faith did not falter on this day though, as he rose early in the morning, eager to honour God through his obedience. He reckoned that if God would fulfil His promises through Isaac, He would do the impossible and raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). By faith, he told his servants that he and the lad would go worship– and that they would return (Genesis 22:5)! By faith, he told Isaac that God would provide Himself a lamb. And as he raised his hand to kill his one-of-a-kind son, God intervened and showed him a ram caught in a thicket, a substitute burnt offering with which to worship God. This historical incident pointed forward prophetically to a time when another Father would offer the Son of His love, not on an altar but on a cross. Just as Isaac carried the wood for the burnt offering, so Jesus carried His own cross. But there would be no substitute for Jesus when the death blow came. Rather, He was our substitute, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). And as we consider what it meant for Abraham to offer up his son, we have a glimpse into the heart of the Father as He “spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). � 22

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17 Some people wrongly believe God to be a harsh, unloving Judge who is eager to punish people for their sins. It is true that He is “the judge of all the earth” (Genesis 18:25), and that as a just judge He must punish sin; but it is not true that He is harsh and unloving. These words from John’s Gospel beautifully reveal the compassionate heart of God in His costly plan for saving mankind. It has been said that “God’s love is to be admired not because it is so big and includes so many people, but because the world is so bad” (D. A. Carson). This world is under God’s condemnation because of sin but God has determined to rescue those who will believe in His only begotten Son. God knew we would rebel against Him and seek to establish our own authority and determine our own destiny so even before this world was made God planned the death of His Son as our substitute. So, John speaks of Jesus as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8); and Peter speaks of Him being “foreordained before the foundation of the world but … manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:20). In fact, if we want to know what love is, we must look to the cross of Christ. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16). True love is not simply a feeling, but a decision to act in the best interest of those loved, even if it means sacrificing ourselves for them. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends” (John 15:13). And so Jesus willingly went to the cross, knowing all that lay before Him there.

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And while the cross demonstrates the love of Jesus, we must not forget that it also reveals the love of God: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9, NIV). Those who put their trust in the Lord Jesus will not perish but will have everlasting life, saved from the eternal consequences their sins deserve. And while we may not think our sins are very serious, “the judge of all the earth” has a different verdict. But praise God, He also designed a plan of salvation and sent the only One who could accomplish our redemption. �

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 For many people, the truth that God loves them is hardly newsworthy. If I was to approach a stranger in the street with the good news “God loves you!”, he might respond by saying, “Well, of course He does! He’s a nice guy, I’m a nice guy! Why wouldn’t He?”

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Yet as Paul describes the gospel in his letter to the Romans, he doesn’t begin with the message of God’s love but by announcing: “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1:18). Since we might not think we are particularly ungodly or unrighteous, Paul then spends three chapters outlining God’s legal case against us and concludes that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Although all are guilty before God, all can avail of the same offer of having God apply His righteousness to our account because Jesus paid our penalty on the cross. In this way, God can uphold His standard of righteousness and still forgive guilty sinners (Romans 3:24-26). What would motivate God to do such a thing? It is only in chapter 5 that Paul finally points to the wonder of God’s love for us. As the famous hymn says, it truly is amazing grace that saved a wretch like me! Jesus told the selfrighteous Pharisees of His day, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13) but since Christ died for the ungodly, praise God, I qualify! In fact, the only ones who don’t qualify are those who, like the Pharisees, refuse to acknowledge that they are sinners! Since God knew there was no way we could ever save ourselves through our own strength or earn His favour through our own righteousness, God sent His Son to die for the ungodly. Paul speaks here of the death of Christ rather than the death of Jesus. He typically uses the name “Jesus” to draw attention to our Lord’s humanity but “Christ” to draw attention to Him as the anointed King, the long-awaited Messiah. And while it is proper to speak of Jesus dying for us, Paul also wants us to know that the death of Jesus is the death of the royal Son of David (Romans 1:1-4). Jesus is a not a King who conscripts soldiers to fight and die for Him, but a loving King who gives His life to save all who come to Him in faith! � 24

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10 Love is one of the defining characteristics of God’s nature. John states very simply, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The Bible insists that God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6) yet also reveals that He exists in three eternal and equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. While we cannot fully grasp this Trinitarian nature of God, it can only be said of a Trinitarian God, “God is love.” A “solitary-person-God” would have had no one to love before creation; but the Trinitarian God of the Bible eternally enjoyed harmony and fellowship within the Godhead and wanted to share this love with others. So, God didn’t create us because He was lonely but because He is loving. It is one thing to verbally express our love but it is another thing to demonstrate that love through actions. That is why the apostle John tells Christians, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Sadly, while Christians do not always demonstrate their love as they should, God manifested His love towards us by sending His only begotten Son into the world knowing we would hate Him and put Him to death; yet He died that we might live through Him (1 John 4:9).

But because God loved us, He sent His one and only Son “to be the propitiation for our sins”. This word, propitiation, means that God’s wrath against our sins has been satisfied by Jesus offering Himself as a sacrifice. Those who respond to the love of God through faith in Christ are brought into the wonderful fellowship of this Trinitarian God and love Him in return. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16, ESV). Friend, have you come to know and believe that love? � 25

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God was the One who took the initiative to love us. We would never have loved God unless He had shown His love to us in this sacrificial way because our natural tendency is to love our sin and hate God. Most of us would not be as honest as Martin Luther who was so overwhelmed by the chasm between his sin and God’s holiness that he said, “I was myself more than once driven to the very abyss of despair so that I wished I had never been created. Love God? I hated him!” John explains why: “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

When Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. John 13:1 Jesus chose for Himself twelve disciples “that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:13-14). Convinced that He was the Messiah, they gave up everything to follow Him, and for three years they travelled with Him, watching Him, listening to Him, and learning from Him. Authorised and empowered by Him, they were sent out as His representatives and “went out and preached that people should repent” (Mark 6:12-13, NIV).

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Yet they hadn’t fully understood His central mission. When He began to teach them that He needed to suffer and be rejected by the religious authorities and be killed (Mark 8:31), they couldn’t get their heads around it. In fact, “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him” (v. 32). But Jesus understood His mission, and plainly told the disciples “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). So, “when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). He knew that the hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, but He also knew that His departure would come violently through death on the cross. But motivated by love for His Father and love for “His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Scholars differ on the meaning of the expression “He loved them to the end”. It could mean that He loved them to the end of His life, or it could mean “He now showed them the full extent of His love” (NIV). How would He do that? In the first instance, by washing their feet. But there was so much more than that. Surely, the full extent of His love must include the cross where He gives His life a ransom for many! He explained to them through an agricultural parable that He was like a seed and that if He didn’t die, He would remain alone; but through His death, He would produce much grain (John 12:24). He gave His life to produce of a harvest of souls, a harvest of life (v. 25). And not only of these disciples, but of all who will believe through their testimony (John 17:20). And if you believe their testimony about Christ and repent of your sin, you too can claim His promise: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). � 26

“O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:25-26 John 17 is an amazing chapter that gives incredible insight into the relationship that Jesus, the eternal Son of God, enjoyed with His Father. On the night in which He was betrayed, the night before His crucifixion, He spent several hours in the Garden of Gethsemane in earnest prayer to His Father. He asked God that, if possible, if there was some other way, He would remove the cup of suffering He was about to drink (Matthew 26:36-42). But the heavens were silent because there was no other way that salvation could be provided for this lost, sinful world. Jesus prays first for Himself, asking that He would be glorified through His death on the cross. And certainly that prayer has been answered as millions bow before Jesus as the Son of God and worship Him as their Lord and God (John 20:28). He also asked that God would restore to Him the outward manifestation of the glory He shared with the Father before the world was, a glory that was veiled during His earthly life. Then He prays for His disciples, describing them as a gift from God (John 17:6). During His time on earth, Jesus protected them so that none were lost except Judas, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled (v. 12). Now He entrusts them to God, praying, “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (v. 11).

Then He prays that all believers might “behold My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (v. 24). Jesus’s final request is that the love with which the Father loved His Son might be in us (v. 26). Our Trinitarian God wants us to experience the love and unity they have eternally enjoyed and Jesus knows that as He goes to the cross His suffering will make it possible for those who believe in Him through the witness of His disciples, to enter into this living, loving relationship. �

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He also prays for those who will believe through their witness (v. 20), since He wants the whole world to know that He truly was sent by the Father to accomplish salvation (v. 21) and to demonstrate that God loves them as He loved His Son (v. 23).

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 In his epistle to the Romans, Paul set forth the gospel he preached across the Empire, a gospel he describes as “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16, ESV). Having looked at the problem of sin and God’s provision of righteousness through faith in Christ, in chapter 8 he explains God’s provision for believers to live holy lives. The chapter begins with a marvellous assertion that for those who are “in Christ Jesus” there is no condemnation, since He has borne our condemnation for us. He sent His Holy Spirit to indwell and empower believers to live lives that are pleasing to Him. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:8-9, ESV).

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Jesus had warned His disciples that “in the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33), and Paul likewise reminds us that “the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now” (Romans 8:22). The presence of the Holy Spirit in believers does not exempt us from suffering; however, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and prays for us (v. 26) and God causes all things to work for the good of those who love Him (v. 28). The chapter ends with wonderful assurance for those who have trusted Christ, that nothing will ever separate them from God’s love. He examines every possible scenario to provide us with assurance of God’s unfailing love. He asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v. 31). He knows that God will not bring legal charges against us because He is the one who declared us righteous. He knows that Christ won’t condemn us because He was condemned for us. So, what could possibly separate us from the love of Christ? “Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (v. 35-37, NIV). Paul is convinced, and every believer should be too, that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is found in His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. � 28

If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15 The New Testament is very clear that it is only through God’s great mercy, grace, and love that sinners can be not only forgiven but granted the perfect righteousness of Christ. This is the legal aspect of our salvation. Some people are concerned that if we teach that salvation is a free gift and not something we earn, people will abuse such grace. Even the apostle Paul had to answer that charge and warned first-century Christians not to use their “freedom to indulge the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:13, NIV). But there is also a spiritual aspect to salvation, the new birth. Paul wrote, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16, NIV). Those who respond to God’s gracious offer of salvation receive both of these legal and spiritual provisions of God. Jesus promised that when He ascended He would “pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). This inner Helper, the Holy Spirit, is the one who enables us to live a life that is pleasing to God. He creates within us the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22-23). He is the one who changes our hearts, our desires, and our motivations. One of the evidences we have been truly born again is that we keep His Word: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” (1 John 2:3-5).

Jesus provides another motivation for His disciples to obey His Word, and that is greater intimacy with the Triune God: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23). This is not a future hope but a present possibility for enjoying loving fellowship with the Triune God through prayer, worship, meditation upon the Scriptures, and service for Him. � 29

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Jesus does not want us to obey Him to earn our salvation, but love motivates us to change our behaviour. If I truly love my wife, I will avoid doing things that annoy her; and if my children love me, they will do the things I ask them to do. As John said, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. John 21:16-17 It has often been said that the best of men are men at best. Though Peter was confident he would never deny His Lord, when Jesus was arrested, Peter failed miserably, and he knew it. The man of courage and bravado had crumbled at the challenge of a servant girl and denied his Lord with oaths and curses (Matthew 26:69-75). Paul tells of a private meeting between Peter and the risen Lord but provides no details (1 Corinthians 15:5). Most scholars believe this is the time when Peter privately confessed his sins and was forgiven by the Lord Jesus. But in John 21 we have the record of Peter's public restoration before six witnesses. We know that he was fully forgiven and privately restored prior to the events of John 21 because his response to the Lord's appearance is one of eager anticipation not of fearful shame. He jumps from the boat and swims to shore to be reunited with His Lord as quickly as possible.

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Three times he had denied his Lord and now three times the Lord publicly asks the probing question: “Simon… do you love me?” In his denials, he had said he didn't even know the man. Now he says, “You know that I love you… You know that I love you… You know all things. You know that I love you” (John 21:15,16,17). After each affirmation of love, the Lord reminds Peter of his responsibilities: “Feed My lambs… Tend My sheep… Feed My sheep.” True love is always measured by actions not by words: “If you love Me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). And even though Peter had denied the Lord, he was restored to useful service for the Lord through genuine repentance. Later, Peter would remind the church elders of their responsibility to “shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers” (1 Peter 5:1-2) and to do it eagerly, not domineering the sheep but being an example to them (v. 3). The church of Jesus Christ still needs such gentle shepherds today who, motivated by love, will care for the Church of Jesus Christ and feed them with the soul-nourishing Word of God. �

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6 (ESV) The last book in our Bibles begins with these words, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants— things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1). While all Scriptures ultimately reveal Jesus, this last testimony concerning Him points forward prophetically to that time when Jesus will fulfil His promise and come again to establish His kingdom and bring everything under His dominion. John is given this vision and told to write down “the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this” (v. 19) and send copies to the seven churches in Asia (v. 11). In his greetings to these churches, John blesses them with grace and peace from the Triune God but gives special emphasis to the Lord Jesus with an extended description of who He is and what He has done (vv. 5-7). He describes Him first as “the faithful witness” (v. 5), that is, the One who always faithfully represented the Father on earth, sharing God’s words with His disciples, and speaking the truth even before Pilate. So, we know that we can trust Him fully.

John gives a wonderful benediction, a tribute of praise to the Lord Jesus, asking that glory and dominion be ascribed to Him. And what words! “To him who loves us.” How wonderful to know we are loved! “And has freed us from our sins by his blood.” How wonderful to know that “in him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7)! But He provides so much more: “He has made us a kingdom of priests to his God and Father.” Friend, are you enjoying this love and freedom and privileged position through trusting in God’s Son? � 31

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Then He is described as “the firstborn from the dead”. “Firstborn” can mean the first one born in a family, but the primary meaning is that of position. As the author of life, Jesus has the preeminent place. God promised to make David “My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27), even though he was the youngest in his family. Now David’s long-promised Son (2 Samuel 7:12-13, Matthew 1:1), the Lord Jesus, is described as having the highest place as “the ruler over the kings of the earth”.

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And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 These three great Christian virtues provide security only because they are grounded in the character and promises of God. The God revealed in Scripture is faithful, steadfast, and unchanging and we want to encourage you to look to Him as your Rock:

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The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 We want to encourage you to look to Him as the basis of your hope: For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. Psalm 71:5 We want to let you know that His love will never disappoint: But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5 (NIV) These great characteristics are supremely revealed in His Son the Lord Jesus who came as God’s final revelation:

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Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV) But it is not enough to simply know these truths; they demand a response from you. It is simple but will change your life forever: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Acts 16:31 Our prayer is that you will respond today to God’s great love and come to know Him as your own Lord and Saviour. �

We are desperately in need of solid foundations for living, and this booklet provides thirty brief meditations based on the unchanging Word of God that teach us of a living, loving God who offers hope through trusting His promises and believing in His Son, Jesus, who demonstrated His love by dying on a cross for us.