Foundations of Christian Joy: Hope in Christ
After Pastor Emilio preached his Friday’s sermon titled “Principles of Christian Joy – Pt 1” from John 16:16-22, he wrote the following:
The apostle Paul rightly characterized the dismal world of his day as being “without hope” (Eph. 2:12 | 1 Thess. 4:13). In ancient times, hope was no virtue at all. It was not a noble quality to hold on to. Hope was not worth living for. It was an illusion, a wish, or desire to think that there was some transcendent salvation outside of man’s earthly experience.
For Paul, the Gentiles were characterized thus because they indeed lacked that transcendent salvation; they were “without God”. That was the issue. And this is the critical point of every person’s life on planet earth i.e. whether or not they know God.
As I have been traveling through The Gospel of John, I see so clearly the hope that Christ gives. In chapter 16, this truly exclusive Christian virtue shines through with great vividness – especially beneath the shadow of the cross which loomed over the disciples near future and more importantly Jesus’ Himself. The words, “you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy” (John 16:20) were spoken about what the disciples would soon experience. Indeed, they would see their precious Messiah leader die, be crucified, and mocked to the death; but that would not be the end of it. He would rise again. For this reason Jesus could assure the disciples to place their hope in future joy. The lessons they must learn has to do with the nature of that joy.
Christian Joy is indomitable because it stems from Christ’s own victory.
Christian Joy is indomitable because it stems from Christ’s own victory. If Christ fails then we fail. But Jesus did not fail and therefore neither will we! He will keep us to the end. Jesus told them, “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” No one can take the joy that believers possess away because no one can put Christ back in the grave; He defeated it and lives forevermore. Jesus told the disciples, “because I live, you will live” (John 14:19b). Our hope of future joy is rooted in our union with Christ, because He lives in unspeakable glory and joy with the Father we will share with Him in that joy, in that world.
We see then the potency of Christian hope. The great blessedness of the Christian’s walk is that we have a(n)…
- hope that does not disappoint (Rom. 5:5)
- hope of final resurrection (Acts 23:6 | Phil. 3:11 | Heb. 11:35)
- hope in our everyday trials and tribulations (John 16:33 | 2 Cor. 4:17 | 1 Pet. 5:10)
- eternal hope that does not fade way (2 Thess. 2:16 | 1 Pet. 1:3-5)
- hope that is rooted in the immutable character of God (Heb. 6:18)
- hope which is rooted in the promises of God that is to be an anchor of the soul (Heb. 6:19).