Mobile BibleStudyGuide.orgBibleStudyGuide.orgBible StudyVideo LessonseBooksFAQAudio Bible Lessons
Home Bible Study eBooks Audio Lessons Video Lessons Video Devotions Interactive Lessons
Podcasts Salvation Topical Guide Articles The Lord's Church Games, Quizzes FAQ
Visit us on Facebook

Communicate
Home
Newsletter
Share with Friends

Bible Study
Home
Bibles
Bible Study
Articles
Video Lessons
Video Devotions
Audio Lessons
Topical Scripture Guide
eBooks
The Lord's Church
Salvation
Interactive Lessons
Children's Bible Stories
Bible in a Year
FAQs

Video / Audio
Home
Video Lessons
Video Devotions
Audio Lessons

Interactive Study
Home
Interactive
Bible Lessons
Games & Quizzes

eBooks
Home
Bible Class Books
Youth
Bible Class Books
Spanish
Bible Class Books
Bibles
Commentaries
Churches & Religions

Reference
Home
Articles
Topical Scripture Guide
eBooks
Geography
Greek Resources
Hebrew Resources

Links
Home
Links: Audio Bible
Links: Bible Study
Links: eBooks
Links: Geography
Links: Greek
Links: Hebrew
Links: Maps
Links: Youth
Live Chat
Bookmark and Share

Who is Jesus?
Hope
Part XXI of the Series. Bible study on Jesus as our hope.

In this series we're talking about the names and descriptive phrases identifying Jesus. Thus far we've talked about Jesus as God, Lord, Savior, Christ, Creator, the Word, the Son of God, the life, the Light, the Lamb of God, the Firstborn, the head of the church, our high priest and King, (also see high priest and King), our Advocate and mediator, an Author, a Shepherd, the bread of God and bread of life, and the propitiation for our sins, and .

In this article, we talk about Jesus as our hope.

What is hope?
"Hope" is used in different ways within God's word. But for the purposes of this article, we're talking about the hope we have of salvation.

"Hope" is in things not seen (Rom. 8:24-25). But because of faith, our hope is accompanied by an earnest expectation (Phil. 1:20).

Our hope confidently rests in God's promises, and doesn't flounder in the uncertainties of mortal life. Therefore we rejoice in hope because of our confident expectation of eternal life (Rom. 12:12).

  • ". . . hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago" (Tit. 1:2).
  • "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus" (Tit. 2:13).
  • "because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. . . ." (Col. 1:5).
  • "But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation" (1 Th. 5:8).

Jesus is our hope!
In a manner of speaking, Jesus is our hope. Without Jesus we're hopelessly lost. But with Him we're saved (Eph. 1:3-12).

  • "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope" (1 Tim. 1:1).

Our hope is in the name of Jesus, meaning our hope rests upon Christ's authority to give us eternal life, according to God's grace.

  • "And in His name the Gentiles will hope" (Matt. 12:21).
  • "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
  • "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. . . ." (Col. 3:17).

Jesus sacrificed Himself to become our hope?
Jesus became our hope when He offered Himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins. By dying on the cross:

  • Jesus tasted death for us, and became the author of our salvation (Heb. 2:9-10).
  • Jesus rendered the devil powerless, freeing us from the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15).
  • Jesus made propitiation for our sins (Heb. 2:17).

After Jesus died, He entered the holy place as our high priest, and made atonement for our sins.

  • "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation . . . through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:11-12).

As Christians, our hope is in Jesus, who serves upon God's throne as our high priest.

  • "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. . . . For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted" (Heb. 2:17-18).
  • "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:15-16).
  • "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Heb. 6:19-20).

We must take hold of hope!
We must take hold of the hope set before us -- the hope of eternal life.

  • "so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us" (Heb. 6:18).

We're careful not to shrink back to destruction, and come short of the grace of God (Heb. 10:39; 12:15).

Therefore, we hold fast the confession of our hope, faithfully assembling with the saints to encourage one another.

  • "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another. . . ." (Heb 10:23-25).

How do we take hold of hope?
We take hold of hope by submitting to the gospel.

  • "because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel" (Col. 1:5).
  • "if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard. . . ." (Col. 1:23).

Therefore, we've been born again to a living hope, as a result of obeying Christ's gospel.

  • "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Pet. 1:3).

Conclusion
We have a confident expectation of eternal life, because of the things Jesus did in the past, and everything He's doing today as our high priest.

Since we are still upon the earth, our expectation of eternal life is our hope. Not because we're uncertain of our reward, but because we haven't received it yet.

To be continued.