Choosing Hope

“I myself am the resurrection and the life,” Jesus told her. “The man who believes in me will live even though he dies, and anyone who is alive and believes in me will never die at all. Can you believe that?” 

– John 11:25    

One of the great things about the English language is that a single word can mean so many different things. For example, we might say that we love going to church, we love our children and we’d love for our favorite football team to win the Super Bowl. 

The same is true for the word hope. We say that we hope COVID-19 goes away. We hope we’ll make it to the office on time. And we also put our hope in Jesus for our eternal salvation. But why should we hope for that? Isn’t Jesus just one of many religious figures out there? 

During his brief time on earth, Jesus cured the sick, raised the dead, forgave sins and became a living sacrifice to pay the price for all the wrongs of the world — just as God planned it at the foundation of the world. His resurrection from the grave — just as Jesus had predicted — proved his power over death. He fulfilled prophecies written centuries before his birth. And 2,000 years later, Jesus' words continue to change lives and deliver hope.

Jesus is quite literally hope personified. And he’s also the only way to God. In John 14:6, Jesus proclaims that no one can come to the Father (God) except through him. And when his disciple, Philip, asked to see the Creator, Jesus reassured him that God was much closer than he suspected. In fact, very close: 

"Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?" asked Jesus. "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?'" 

This is great news because Jesus' death and resurrection make eternal life available for EVERYONE who puts their faith in him! Christ won’t close the door on those who seek and ask. And unlike man-made religions, the true way to God isn't about keeping certain rules, saying special prayers or eating (or not eating) particular foods. Instead, it’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus, accepting what he's already accomplished and letting him live within. Religions are about doing. But our hope in Jesus is about what’s already done. 

To borrow the title of an old-time Gospel song, this news is nothing less than Blessed Assurance. We know without a doubt that Jesus has taken care of our past, present and future through his sacrifice on the cross. And in a world dominated by tragedy, sorrow and uncertainty, he's the only reason that we can choose hope.