Jesus, Our Living Hope

Devotional

Day 1: Hope Is the Substance of Faith

Biblical hope is not wishful thinking; it’s a strong, forward-looking expectation rooted in what God has said. Hope looks beyond today and sees what God will do because His Word defines the object of our hope—His promises. What God says He will do, He will do; all His promises find their yes in Christ. As you open Scripture, your hope gains substance and your faith gains footing. Let your mind and heart actively anticipate the fulfillment of God’s Word in your real circumstances. [50:32]

Hebrews 11:1: Faith gives solid substance to what we hope for and convinces us about realities we still cannot see.

Reflection: Which specific promise from God’s Word do you need to keep before your eyes this week, and how will you practically do that each day?

Day 2: Jesus, Our Living Hope Through Resurrection

Jesus is not merely the subject of our hope; He is our living hope. His resurrection is the guarantee that our future is secure and that death does not get the final word. In Him you have been given new birth and are being guarded by God’s power until the full salvation is revealed. Your inheritance is real—it cannot decay, cannot be spoiled, and will not wear out—kept for you in heaven. Let this confident expectation energize your worship and your weekday decisions. [01:01:48]

1 Peter 1:3–5: Praise be to God, who in His great mercy gave us new birth into a hope that is alive through Jesus’ resurrection. He has prepared for us a future inheritance that cannot decay, be stained, or fade, kept in heaven for us. And through faith, God’s power is guarding us until the salvation ready to be shown at the end.

Reflection: When you picture your future with Jesus, what fear loosens its grip today, and what small act of trust could you take in response?

Day 3: Mercy That Makes Us New

Everything begins with mercy. God, who owed us nothing, initiated salvation and caused us to be born again, making us new creations in Christ. You add nothing to this miracle; it is the gift of grace from start to finish. Breathe that in—His Spirit lives in you, and new life truly has begun. When shame tries to rewrite your story, let mercy speak the first and last word. [01:04:39]

Ephesians 2:12: Remember that there was a time when you were apart from Christ, outside His covenant promises, with no real hope and without God in the world.

Reflection: Where do you still try to earn God’s approval, and how could you instead receive His mercy as a gift in that exact area this week?

Day 4: Hope for Healing—Now and Forever

Because Jesus healed the sick and gave His disciples authority to do the same, we have solid hope for healing—now and forever. Sometimes God restores in a moment; sometimes He sustains us as we wait; and ultimately, every believer will be made whole in His presence. This is not empty optimism but confidence rooted in what God has already done. Bring your pain to Him, again and again, asking boldly and trusting deeply. Even in the waiting, your story is held by a Healer who is willing and able. [59:27]

Matthew 10:1: Jesus called His twelve and entrusted them with authority over unclean spirits and the power to heal every kind of disease and affliction.

Reflection: Who needs healing in your life—body, mind, or soul—and what specific prayer will you bring to Jesus each day this week?

Day 5: Hold Fast: Hope Anchors the Soul

Hope gives you a reason to live; living hope gives you a reason to live forever. So hold fast without wavering, because the One who promised is faithful. Let hope be the anchor of your soul as you rejoice, practice patience in trouble, and stay constant in prayer. When the waves rise, whisper, “Apart from You, Jesus, I can do nothing,” and keep your grip on Him. You are guarded by His power, and He has not given up on you. [01:12:20]

Hebrews 10:23: Let us cling firmly to the hope we confess, refusing to let go, because the One who made the promise is faithful.

Reflection: What simple practice will help you hold fast—such as a set daily prayer or a verse on your lock screen—and when will you begin?

Sermon Summary

Biblical hope is not wishful thinking; it is a strong, active anticipation grounded in God’s Word and secured by what God has already done in Christ. Hebrews 11:1 reframes hope as the very substance of faith—faith is the assurance, the reality, the guarantee of what hope anticipates. This hope looks beyond circumstances, anchored in Scripture’s promises and shaped by certainty, not speculation. God’s promises are trustworthy; all His promises find their “Yes” in Jesus, so hope matures into faith as the heart becomes convinced of what God has said.

Hope is fed by Scripture. The Psalms repeatedly tie hope to God’s Word, and Paul affirms that the Scriptures impart endurance and encouragement so that believers might have hope. At the same time, hope reaches back to the historical works of God to forecast the future: because Jesus rose from the dead, resurrection is not theoretical but guaranteed; because Jesus healed and gave authority to His followers, healing remains part of His kingdom’s reality—experienced now in measure and fully in glory. Even when healing is delayed, it is not denied; the believer’s future is wholeness.

1 Peter 1:3–5 gathers this into a clear frame: through God’s mercy, believers are born again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That hope looks toward an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven and guarded by God’s power through faith. “Living hope” is not static; it is energizing, resilient, and future-facing because its source is the living, resurrected Savior. Outside of Christ there is no true hope, but in Christ hope lives on.

Five words shape this hope: mercy (God initiates salvation), born again (new life by the Spirit), resurrection (death conquered, eternal life assured), inheritance (Christ Himself and all that is His), and heaven (our guarded future, full and forever). This living hope gives a real reason to live when life feels unbearable, and a reason to live forever. So hold fast without wavering, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and stay constant in prayer. Let this hope be the steadfast anchor of the soul.

Key Takeaways

1. Hope is faith’s living substance Hope does not trail behind faith; it supplies faith with its content and certainty. When hope is shaped by God’s promises, faith takes on the assurance that those promises will stand. This is why biblical hope can endure hardship—its object is God’s unbreakable word, not human optimism. [50:32]
2. Anchor your hope in Scripture Hope grows where God’s Word is heard, remembered, and trusted. The Psalms repeatedly tie hope to Scripture because promises, not moods, sustain the soul. Immerse in the Word so that your expectations are set by God’s voice, not by news cycles or shifting feelings. [54:50]
3. Past grace guarantees future glory God’s track record—above all, Jesus’ resurrection—secures what lies ahead. Because Christ rose, resurrection is not a metaphor but a future appointment; because He healed, we ask boldly for healing now while resting in perfect healing to come. Hope remembers yesterday’s deliverance to interpret tomorrow’s darkness. [57:56]
4. Five pillars of our living hope Mercy initiates, new birth re-creates, resurrection assures, inheritance awaits, and heaven secures. This sequence reframes identity and destiny: who we are (born again), what we expect (resurrection and inheritance), and where we’re headed (heaven). God’s power guards this salvation, so our hope is kept even when our grip feels weak. [64:39]
5. Hold fast; rejoice and pray Endurance is not passive; it is a joyful, prayerful clinging to a faithful God. Rejoicing in hope resists despair, patience in trial honors God’s timing, and constant prayer keeps the heart aligned with His purposes. These practices keep hope lively when circumstances are slow to change. [71:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[46:56] - End-of-year encouragement and prayer support
[48:44] - Prayer of dependence on Jesus
[50:32] - What is biblical hope?
[54:50] - Hoping in the Word and promises
[56:33] - Every promise is Yes in Christ
[57:56] - Past grace guarantees future hope
[59:27] - Jesus’ authority to heal today
[61:48] - Living hope in 1 Peter 1:3–5
[63:37] - Christ our hope; sobering reality
[64:39] - From mercy to new birth
[66:43] - Resurrection, firstfruits, glorified body
[68:01] - Our imperishable inheritance in heaven
[69:56] - When life feels unbearable
[72:20] - Anchor of the soul and ministry

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

1 Peter 1:3–5

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Observation questions

In 1 Peter 1:3–5, what does Peter call our hope, and through what event did God bring us into it? What five words in the passage are tied to this hope?
Hebrews 11:1 was explained with several meanings for “assurance” (substance, essence, reality, guarantee, confidence). How do those words sharpen what hope is? ([50:32])
Which specific Scriptures were read that tie hope to God’s Word? Name the verses and what they say about hoping in the Word. ([54:50])
Two past works of God were given as anchors for our future hope. What were they, and what future realities do they guarantee? ([57:56])

Interpretation questions

If “there is no faith without hope because hope is the very substance of faith,” what does that suggest about the kind of hopes a person feeds, and how faith grows or shrinks? ([53:03])
“Living hope” comes from a living, resurrected Savior. In real life terms, how would a living, active hope behave differently from wishful thinking when trials continue? ([01:01:48])
If outside of Christ there is “no hope,” how should that shape the way a believer evaluates cultural hopes (career, politics, health, romance) and speaks about true hope to others? ([01:03:37])
1 Peter 1:5 says believers are “guarded by God’s power through faith.” How does God’s guarding connect with the call to “hold fast” and not give up? What is God’s part and what is ours? ([01:09:56])

Application questions

Pick one concrete promise from God’s Word you will cling to this week. What is it, and how will you keep it in front of you (memorize it, set a phone reminder, write it on a card, pray it daily)? ([54:50])
Name one clear “past grace” you’ve experienced—God’s rescue, provision, healing, or answered prayer. How will remembering this shape your hope for a current struggle? Be specific. ([57:56])
Where are you asking God for healing (body, mind, relationship)? How will you ask boldly now and also rest in His promise of complete healing in the age to come? ([59:27])
Of the five words in 1 Peter 1:3–5—mercy, born again, resurrection, inheritance, heaven—which one strengthens you most right now, and why? What one action this week will flow from that truth? ([01:04:39])
In what area do you feel like giving up? What would “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering” look like for the next 7 days (one step, one choice, one conversation)? ([01:09:56])
When you face your struggle this week, how will you practice the simple prayer, “Apart from you, Jesus, I can do nothing”? When and where will you pray it each day? ([48:44])
What threatens to pull your soul off-center right now? Name one habit or boundary that could help keep Jesus as the “anchor of your soul” this week (Scripture first thing, worship in the car, Sabbath block, accountability text). ([01:12:20])

Sermon Clips

we talked about prayer that we can pray you guys remember for apart from you Jesus I can do nothing so whenever you face your struggle pray that prayer for apart from you Jesus I can do nothing listen God is with you he is with you the Holy Spirit is with you you are one with him [00:48:44] (26 seconds) #PrayIcantWithoutJesus

how can we be so confident well that's because we have the bible in the old testament that tells us what to hope for which is the word his word that's what we have and his word which in turn tells us the object of our hope which is his promises so you have hope we have hope in the word and the word gives us his promises does that make sense with the word of God we can't go wrong [00:54:12] (38 seconds) #HopeInTheWord

in what the word of god and the word of god gives us promises so what does that mean we hope in the promises of god we hope for eternal life we hope for salvation we hope for resurrection we hope for healing you see we are confident and convinced of the hope that god offers through his word because what god says he will do he will do [00:56:02] (31 seconds) #HopeInGodsPromises

notice it's not most disease and most affliction or some disease it's every disease and every affliction and for me that seals in the hope of healing for us today and forever because here's the thing because healing happened in the past our hope of healing is realized today and tomorrow and beyond [00:59:42] (26 seconds) #HealingHopeForAll

back to our main passage and what we find in 1st Peter 1 is really part of our conversation about the good news so we're going to get into this quickly five words that are found in 1st Peter 1 3-5 mercy born again resurrection inheritance and heaven so mercy points to forgiveness born again points to new life in Christ resurrection points to eternal life with God inheritance points to our ultimate destiny and heaven points to complete healing [01:04:32] (40 seconds) #LivingHopeFoundations

because the grave did not keep him under right he was raised to life God has the power Jesus has the power to even over death itself and because he was the first and the only person ever to be resurrected you might be saying well pastor weren't there other people who were resurrected in the Bible like Lazarus they were not resurrected they were revived why because they were revived only to die again [01:06:54] (35 seconds) #PowerOverDeath

whereas Jesus when he resurrected he was clothed in what glorified body others they came back to life revived but they died natural death later on so Jesus is the first and the only person ever to be resurrected clothed in glorified body and so we can look to him as the first fruit example of what is to come for us as believers [01:07:30] (32 seconds) #FirstFruitResurrection

Jesus went before us he did the work he was finished on the cross we just need to follow and so we we want this hope to be our anchor no matter what you're going through no matter feeling maybe even now you're feeling hopeless in whatever situation that you're in let the hope this living hope of Jesus Christ be the anchor for you [01:12:08] (38 seconds) #HopeIsOurAnchor

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Jesus, Our Living Hope

Devotional

Day 1: Hope Is the Substance of Faith

Day 2: Jesus, Our Living Hope Through Resurrection

Day 3: Mercy That Makes Us New

Day 4: Hope for Healing—Now and Forever

Day 5: Hold Fast: Hope Anchors the Soul

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Jesus, Our Living Hope

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