Black Hills Health and Education Center

            Hope - yes it is available to you in abundant supply! But not just any kind of hope. This hope is different than the transitory hope that is based upon having a lot of money in the bank, having a good job, having lots of family and friends, etc.
            This hope is the kind that is there for you when things aren't going as you would have desired or expected. This is the hope that sustains a person when, to all outward appearances, there is trouble ahead. It is a hope that actually saves us from the destroying power of sin - a hope that we never have to be ashamed of because it is communicated to us through the Holy Spirit who actually sheds the love of God abroad in the hearts of anyone who desires to be loved and cared for by One who has nothing but our best interests in mind. Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 5:5.
            This hope can be obtained in only one way, through a living knowledgeable love relationship with Jesus Christ, the One who lived and died to bring us the opportunity to receive forgiveness for our sin, freedom from the burden of guiltiness, healing for our pain and sorrow, and everlasting life in an mind-boggling environment free from corruption, deceit, and desolation! See Revelation 21:3-5.

In the Bible, in the New Testament book of Romans 8:24 we find an interesting fact: “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?”

The dictionary definition for hope? Here it is – “the highest degree of well-founded expectation of good.”

People put their hope in things based upon what they are using for a well-founded expectation of good. For instance, if I hope to get a new car, it truly is hope, a well-founded expectation of good (getting a new car), if it is based upon the fact I have $50,000 set aside in the bank to purchase a vehicle.

We could define hope in the Christian experience as the “highest degree of well-founded expectation of what God has promised in His word.”

The “well-founded expectation,” the hope, of being saved from sin and eternal death to experience eternal life without sickness, pain, and sorrow, free from the fear of death, is based upon the incredible fact that God has told us in His word, the Bible, that Jesus lived and died to pay the eternal death penalty sin carries within itself! The word of God also promises that Jesus will return from heaven to receive those who’ve received Him as Savior and Lord and provide them an eternal home with Him! See John 14:1-3; Romans 6:23.

The reason we must experience hope, that is to say, enjoy a well-founded expectation concerning His return, is because Jesus hasn’t returned yet. However, fear not precious friends, He is returning soon – the signs are all around us! And He never lies! See Numbers 23:19; Revelation 22:12.

When my youngest son Levi was fifteen, he asked me when he could get his driver’s permit.

So for several months he was living in “hope” of the day he would get his driver’s permit – in other words – he was living in the “well-founded expectation” that when his next birthday rolled around, that driver’s permit would become a reality – he’d actually get it.

What made this a well-founded expectation (hope) for Levi? The word of his earthly father, Dan Gabbert. If my word was trustworthy – Levi's hope – His expectation was well-founded – because it was based upon my honesty and integrity in keeping my word of promise to my precious son – does that make sense?

Well, today, Levi, who is now twenty years old, has been enjoying his driver’s license, well beyond his driver’s permit years. His hope was well-founded upon his dad’s word.
Regardless of this earthly father's concern about his son's desire to get behind the wheel, because of my love for Levi, I actually experienced some real anticipation and joy in helping him get his driver’s permit (so I could eventually, hopefully get some sleep on long trips). Like the earthly father in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:20), our loving heavenly Father is also looking forward with joyful anticipation to the day when He will literally fulfil that which He has promised His children in His word. See Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:3-5. What a thrilling hope to know that soon we will be reunited with our heavenly Father, the One who gave such an incredible price to save us from sin and eternal death!

He doesn’t need it anymore – the fulfilment of his dad’s promise – removed the need for that particular hope – because the driver’s permit and license has come into his possession.

In the same way God our heavenly Father has promised us eternal life – Notice Titus 1:2 – “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. . .”

Do we actually see it yet? Nope – we’re all faced with the possibility of the first death that takes it’s toll on both Christians and non-Christians. But when we see Jesus coming in the clouds of glory and all His holy angels with Him – when we see our loved ones who’ve died in Christ raised from the grave with brand new immortal bodies – when we see the transformation of our own worn out bodies, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet – our hopes will have been fulfilled! Eternal life – immortality will be in our bodily possession! See 1 Corinthians 15:22,23, 51-54; Philippians 3:20,21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

What makes this “blessed hope” of eternal life a “well-founded” expectation? God’s word – our heavenly Father’s promise found in the Bible that Christ’s return is a fact – even though we can’t see it yet. Acts 3:20,21.

Now here’s another important question: Why are we saved by God-given “hope?”

Because His gift of “hope (well-founded expectation),” supported by unwavering confidence (faith) in His promise of eternal life, is what enables and encourages us to keep choosing to let Jesus remain our Savior, and thus trust and obey His word, even when the going gets rough and the outcome of our faithfulness to God looks bleak.

How does God supply us with this incredible gift called “hope?” Here’s God’s promise found in Romans 15:4 – “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, so that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” True hope comes through the work of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts as we meditate upon, believe, and apply the promises, commands, and truths of God’s word to our lives. See Romans 5:5, 15:13.

What is the greatest proof that we can have faith in God’s promises and hope in Christ’s soon return? I
believe there is no greater proof than Christ’s willingness to live among men as a sacrificial servant, and then willingly experience the wages of our sin on Calvary’s cross. See Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24. Consider this compelling picture of the Lord’s experience on the cross taken from the Desire of Ages, p. 753: “Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father's mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father's reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Savior in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt.

Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Savior could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.”

Dear friends, Christ went through the horrible experience of separation from God that our sin deserves – so that we might receive forgiveness, healing, and heaven's hope – hope of eternal life through His righteousness!
See 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24.

And what freedom and peace to know He doesn’t condemn us for all our faults and weakness. Instead, He earnestly invites us to trust Him and surrender our lives to be guided by His Holy Spirit through His word to heights of heavenly hope that can be experienced only through Him! Matthew 11:28-30.
I pray that you will choose to personally experience this incredible hope by daily inviting Jesus into the heart of your mind to be your Savior and Lord, surrendered to love and serve Him according to His hope-filled word. His love for you will never fail! Neither will His hope! 1 Corinthians 13:4-13; Jeremiah 17:7,8. Courage! Pastor Dan.