When you have hope in the future, you have power in the present. Hope is the answer to a hopeless life. God has a hope that will carry you through! We believe, as you read these notes, God’s Word is working in and through you.

Notes

What is a Living Hope?

Believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us a living hope

What separates Christianity from all other religions is that Jesus Christ is the only one that rose from the dead.

1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

-When we believe in the resurrection it gives us a living hope
-We should be the most hopeful people on the planet
-The world can’t give us hope

The Resurrection Means to Us:

1. Complete forgiveness.

Ephesians 1:7 (AMP) 7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor,

2. Conquered the fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NKJV) 14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

-The root of all fears is the fear of death.
-We don’t have to worry about dying.

John 11:25 (AMP) 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies;

3. Conclusive proof of life after death.

Acts 1:3 (NKJV) 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

-For 40 days Jesus walked the earth and appeared to others after his resurrection.

4. Power given to live each day in victory.

Ephesians 1:18-20 (NLT) 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

-The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives on the inside of every believer to comfort, strengthen, enable, and empower to live every day with hope.

Romans 8:11 (AMP) 11 And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

We know God left us a helper, the Holy Spirit to help us!

5. We know our life has purpose and meaning.

Psalm 138:8 (AMP) 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 8:28 (AMP) 28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

-Jesus died for us so we can have eternal abundant life. God has a mission and a message for each of us.

6. We know we have a home in Heaven.

John 14:1-2 (AMP) 28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

-Don’t let your heart be troubled by the news in the world.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (AMP) 9 But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed].