Introduction
Hope is what keeps us going when everything around us seems to be falling apart. Hope is what enables us to face the trials and difficulties of life with confidence and courage. And hope is what sustains us when we are tempted to give up and give in to despair.
As we consider the importance of hope, let us turn our attention to the words of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 27, verses 45-56. In this passage, we see the account of the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is a powerful and moving story, and it speaks to us of the great sacrifice that was made for us and the hope that we have because of it.
Living Hope Through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
In verse 46, we read that at the moment of Jesus’ death, he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” These words are a cry of anguish, a cry of pain and suffering, and they remind us that even Jesus himself knew what it was like to experience the brokenness of this world. He knew what it was like to feel alone, abandoned, and hopeless.
But as we continue to read, we see that this is not the end of the story. In verse 50, we read that Jesus “cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.” And at that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, signifying the opening of a new way for us to approach God.
It is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we have hope. We have hope that our sins can be forgiven, that we can be reconciled to God, and that we can have eternal life in Him. This hope is what sustains us through the trials and difficulties of life, and it is what enables us to live the Christian life with confidence and joy.
Press On Toward the Mark
As we turn our attention to Philippians 3:12-21, we see how the Apostle Paul lived his life with hope. He writes in verse 12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Paul recognizes that he is not yet perfect and that he still has a long way to go in his journey of faith, but he presses on because he knows that Christ has made him his own.
This is the essence of Christian hope. We know that we are not perfect and that we still struggle with sin and brokenness, but we press on because we know that Christ has made us his own. We have hope that we can be transformed, that we can be made new in him, and that we can live a life that is pleasing to him.
Paul goes on to say in verses 13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul recognizes that the past is behind him, that he cannot change what has happened, but he chooses to focus on what lies ahead. He chooses to press on toward the goal, the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion
As we apply these words to our lives today, we too must choose to forget what lies behind us and press on toward the goal that God has set before us. We must choose to live with hope.
