CENTRAL THOUGHT
Christ is the believer’s sure and firm anchor.
Text: John 14:1-6; Heb. 6:18-20; Heb. 10:23-25
INTRODUCTION
We live in a world full of trouble and stress. This situation has rendered many people desperate and miserable. The night before the Passover, which preceded Jesus crucifixion, He assured His disciples of hope eternal, in heaven. This is by the implication, the hope of all believers in Christ Jesus. That is, Jesus has Himself gone before all believers to prepare them a home in heaven so that in the fullness of time all believers will be with Him where He is.
This assuring word will keep their minds on Him. So that in all that they would go through for the gospel’s sake, they would not falter knowing that there is a glorious hope awaiting them. In the same vein, believers today need to be reminded of this basic truth lest we are wearied in our pilgrimages on earth. This will go a long way to
help us keep focus and follow the example of Jesus (Heb. 12:2).
It should be noted in this study that this hope is not instant to all who believe, but to all who believe and hold faith till the end. This study is specifically tailored to concretely establish what the hope
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
- To Identify what consisted worry to the disciples.
- To recognize what troubles the heart of believers today.
- To understand what hope believers, have.
- To appreciate how believers can extend this hope to the world at large.
- To emphasize how a believer can sustain this hope.
BIBLE TRUTH
1Q. WHAT COULD HAVE TROUBLED THE HEARTS OF CHRIST’S DISCIPLES?
During the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, He was their teacher, provider, friend, brother, leader and above all, He protected them against the ferocity and aggression of the region’s leaders and Roman Empire. Thus, He was a pillar of strength and comfort to them. The sudden realization that one so dear to them was to be taken away from them constituted a great deal of worry for the disciples. This fear was heightened by the teaching of Jesus in John 13:36 – 38 while responding to Peter’s question. Here he ruled out the possibility of his disciples seeing him again soon, until the resurrection morning. This implies that he would have to face the arduous task of propagating the gospel and contending with oppositions from the Sadducees, Sanhedrin, Pharisees and the entire Roman empire on their own (without their leader and master). Mark 10:25.
Naturally, the disciples, who were witnesses first to the persecution and rejection of the ministry of Christ became worried knowing that they could drink the same cup of suffering. This some eventually did.
Furthermore, that they would not be able to go to Him for council as they always did while He was with them, was yet another source of worry.
Worst still, the circumstances that surrounded the arrest, trial, and death of Jesus Christ brought a great deal of fear to the disciples.
This was so much that Peter denied him trice and together with the others ran into hiding and eventually return to their professions/ trades.
In Mark 10:30 Jesus again responding to Peter’s question made it clear to His disciples that persecution was a part of the call to which they have responded.
Thus, their fears where not unfounded. However, this mountain fear evaporated when they received the promise of the father and an unprecedented boldness came upon them. So, it was with every believer who has received the Holy Spirit and consequently, the boldness to go through all of life’s barriers to proclaim Jesus even in the midst of opposition and persecution.
Q2. HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS THAT TROUBLE THE HEARTS OF BELIEVERS TODAY.
Many things trouble the hearts of believers today. These fears/ worries manifest themselves in various ways:
(A) The fear of the unknown: Like Job (Job 3:25), some believers I greatly trouble over tigers probably at night which they have imagined. They conjure up pictures and images of evil in their minds and you dread them. Some of these bread rents attend church on Sunday, hear the word of God, not mixing it with faith, and so resort to other means of looking into the things which are unclear to them.
(B) The fear of death: Death is one of the last enemies the Lord Jesus conquered on the cross of Calvary and today constitutes the chief fear to some believers who are unaware of unbelieving of the finished work on the cross of Calvary, and so, have put themselves in the bondage of the fear of death. Every believer in Christ Jesus ought to live above the fear of death, knowing that Christ has conquered death for us all.
(C) The fear of the future: believe, like every other human, has dreams and aspirations some of which are God-given by way of vision on revelation. Instead of following God and allowing Him to fulfill these dreams, some believers worry at fret over what the future holds for them. While some worry about how their children are going to make it in life, property, higher degree, and raise children etc. All these, as important as they may seem, are nothing with God, who is able to do all things and perfect that which concerns us. It is therefore important for us as believers to cast all our cares on Jesus who cares for and about us.
(D) The fear of failure: The main reason some believers don’t attempt anything that will bring success and prosperity, is that they are afraid they might not succeed. So, you hear them say things like: ‘… what if I fail’, ‘suppose it does not work out’, ‘maybe it won’t work.’ Etc. these are all born out of fear. While it is good to subject issues to critical-cost, benefit-analysis (i.e. counting the cost) before action, let it be with a positive mind of those who know what their God can do (Isaiah 40:31, Luke 18:27)
Q3. WHAT HOPE IS THERE FOR BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST?
One of the most glorious and reassuring truths about the gospel is the blessed hope that someday we shall be with Christ in his kingdom.
In John 14:1-4, the Lord Jesus, reassured the disciples with these three elements of hope of every believer, namely: first He said that He was going to head to prepare a place of abode in Heaven, for all believers. Secondly, He will return to take all believers with Him, and thirdly, that all believers will dwell with Him for eternity. The book of Revelation chapter 21 gives us a glimpse of Heaven, as the abode for believers. This is not comparable to anything we have seen or can even imagine. This is the ultimate hope and assurance, of every child of God.
Again, Christ said: “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The hope that every believer in Jesus Christ will overcome all of life’s difficulties and tribulations are guaranteed because Jesus Christ has overcome on our behalf (Colossians 2:15).
Christ in his infinite mercies has extended this matchless hope to as many as would turn away from their own ways on to Him. It does not matter how badly battered a life has been, the moment it encounters Christ, it receives this glorious hope (John 14: 7-9).
Q4. HOW CAN BELIEVERS SUSTAIN THIS HOPE TO THE END?
In 1Corinthians 10:12, Paul writes: “…Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” The believer is to be careful and conscious of keeping this hope by working out his salvation daily with fear and trembling.
In 1John 3: 2-3, we are admonished to purify ourselves to meet Christ’s standards if we are ever to realize this hope. Righteousness and holiness are prerequisites to spending eternity with Christ in his kingdom (Matthew 5:8). No unclean thing will inherit the kingdom of God (1John 3:8-9) or stand before his holy presence (Habakkuk 1:13).
Romans 4: 18-20 and Hebrew 11:8-10 tell us of how our father Abraham was able to keep the hope alive through faith. For without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrew 11:6). Faith is the vehicle we need to carry us to the end of God’s promise-our hope.
The example of Jesus in Hebrew 12:2 which saw him through His own race suffice at his juncture. We should imbibe the virtues of endurance, perseverance, and patience, which are indispensable tools that will help us attain our hope. Believers should know that some of the unpleasant things they go through are part of God’s will for us ( Mark 10:30, 2Corintians 12:7) and that they are designed to keep us in shape and focused on our hope- our heavenly home.
Believers must endeavor to live daily in love (John 13: 34-35) and server God and humanity (Philippians 2:5) so that we can fully emulate our Master Jesus Christ. In conclusion, it is possible for the believer to sustain this hope to the end, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Q5. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A BELIEVER IN A WORLD WITHOUT HOPE?
Apostle Paul said “I exhort dear for that, first of all, supplication, and giving up thanks, be made for all men; For Kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1Timothy 2:1-4)
That believer is expected to pray that all men come to know The Lord Jesus’s personality. This qualifies them for hope, having known “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:16). He is also to “seek the peace of the city and to pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace you (the believer) will have peace.” (Jerimiah 29:7). He must “seek peace and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11), to also create an enabling environment for the save to grow in grace. The believer must also and endeavor to be the salt and the light (Matthew 5: 13-16) of the world. His life must be a loud rebuke of the social and moral decay of modern civilization. Therefore, the believer has that task to prayerfully seek and work for the salvation, security, prosperity, joy, and harmony of a world without hope. The Lord has grace enough for him to accomplish this.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
Thank God for the hope of salvation, eternal life, Crown of righteousness, being glorified at His appearing etc. Let us, therefore, in the light of God’s promises, be steadfast and help the human race share also in this blessed hope,
The onus is on us. Let us lay aside every weight and sin, which doth so easily beset us, and prepare ourselves chaste and sanctified so that at the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior, we will be found to have lived as those that are conscious of this hope.
MEMORY VERSE
1John 3:2 “ Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is,”