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Anchor

User-friendly devotionals with audio

  • 7 May

    A Living Hope

    A compilation

    Audio length: 15:11
    Download Audio (13.9MB)

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.—1 Peter 1:3–5

    All of us struggle at times with discouragement, with concerns that might build to worry or anxiety. Add the worldwide crisis into the mix, challenges with health, money, politics, emotional and relational stress, and it’s not surprising that doubts and strife abound among people today. …

    Sometimes, it seems as though hope is just fading away. But the wonderful truth is that God has a remedy. That’s not unusual; He is the God of Hope! … Hope has a name, and it’s Jesus Christ.

    Peter says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Those who trust in Jesus are born into a new family, a new kingdom, and a new life involving the God of hope. We are set free from living a life of placing hope in the world instead of Christ. We are a new creation, Christ is the gracious King, and God is our benevolent Father (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 3:1). All of these wonderful truths are anchored in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. …

    In Jesus, we have a blessed hope; He will return. Paul describes Christians as “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). How amazing is it that this life is not all that we have? It is easy to be so focused on day-to-day living that we forget that our Savior is coming to gather us to Himself. We will never be separated from Him or His holiness. We will spend eternity together. …

    Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Our hope is not far off from us. Christ isn’t isolated from us—He’s right there in our lives. Because Jesus is always with us and lives in us, we can be sure that He hears us when we pray. Jesus is intimately involved with us, everywhere, all the time (Psalm 139:7–10). God isn’t simply with us; He is orchestrating our lives for good. God is right in the middle of it with us. Even in difficult circumstances, we can have hope because God in His sovereignty has us right where He wants us to be. Whether it is to grow us in faith or draw us closer to Him, God has us where we are for a reason, and He is sustaining us through each difficulty (Isaiah 41:10; Romans 5:1–5). …

    There’s no situation so impossible, agonizing, and depleting of vitality that the risen Lord cannot share His resurrection life with us and see us through it, and if He so wills, even deliver us out of that situation. May we, today, find help, hope, and comfort in Jesus Christ, our living hope.—Jeff Christianson1

    An imperishable inheritance

    We have a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). This living hope will never end and sustains us as we endure suffering. Ours is a living hope only because its foundation is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The fact that Jesus was raised to life two thousand years ago gives us an unshakable conviction that our hope is not in vain. His resurrection vindicates Him as the Lord of creation who is even now making all things new (Revelation 21:5).

    This living hope is our hope of salvation that includes an imperishable inheritance (1 Peter 1:4). The new life that we have in Christ is something that can never be taken away. In fact, it will be even more glorious once we reach the eternal state.

    This inheritance, which we will fully experience when we see God face to face in the “last time,” can never be lost because God is keeping it for us and guarding us through faith (1 Peter 1:5). In the final analysis, God not only initiates our salvation by initially causing us to be born again, He also keeps His people secure in their salvation “through faith.” That is to say, it is God who grants us the ability to have faith, and once we exercise that faith, He sustains and increases it. …

    John Calvin tells us that 1 Peter begins with a description of our indestructible hope so that we may “enjoy the invaluable treasure of a future life; and also that we may not be broken down by present troubles, but patiently endure them, being satisfied with eternal happiness.” Our living hope makes us able to stand firm in the midst of trouble, knowing that our ultimate reward is not found in this fallen world. Take some time to thank God for granting to us this hope.—Ligonier.org2

    From death to life

    Death, it turns out, was not part of God’s original plan for His creation; it was the result of man’s disobedience to God. God had intended for man to live forever, but He could no longer permit that because of man’s fallen, sinful nature. Death is the penalty of sin, and it is one we all must suffer. “Through one man [Adam] sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

    The good news, however, is that the sting of death has been overcome. Jesus Christ conquered death through His resurrection. The Bible calls Jesus’ resurrection the “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3). Because Jesus was raised from the dead, there is the promise that others will be raised too. This will occur at Jesus’ second coming, when everyone alive who has accepted Jesus into their hearts will receive new, supernatural bodies, like Jesus’ at His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:51–52).

    If we trust in Jesus, we too have a living hope of entering heaven for all eternity, without any of the pain or problems we have now. “And God shall wipe away all tears from [our] eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).—Uday Paul

    New birth into hope

    Peter states that it is the “new birth” that provides our living hope, affirming that salvation is a gift from God. Just as an infant does nothing to be born, we experience rebirth not because of who we are or anything we have done. We are born of God (John 1:13) through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Salvation changes who we are (2 Corinthians 5:17), making us dead to sin and alive to righteousness in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:5). …

    Living hope is anchored in the past—Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28:6). It continues in the present—Jesus is alive (Colossians 3:1). And it endures throughout the future—Jesus promises eternal, resurrection life (John 3:16; 4:14; 5:24) …

    We have an inheritance that will never be touched by death, stained by evil, or faded with time; it is death-proof, sin-proof, and age-proof. This inheritance is also fail-proof because God guards and preserves it in heaven for us. … The believer’s living hope is solid and secure: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19–20). Jesus Christ is our Savior, our salvation, our Living Hope.—GotQuestions.org3

    Resurrection hope

    Because Peter says that the living hope is secured by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, he may have in mind the resurrection of the believer as well. God has promised that the believer in Christ, the one who is born again by the Spirit of God, will be resurrected one day and will spend eternity with Him in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21). Christ’s resurrection is the guarantee of this (see 1 Corinthians 15).

    However, the resurrection of believers has not happened yet. Beloved believers continue to die. Persecution is on the rise. In fact, one of the major themes in First Peter is how to live under persecution. All the “evidence” would seem to be contrary to the idea of the Christian’s final victory. Based on all of our experience, suffering and death seem to carry the day. However, there is one overriding piece of evidence that cannot be excluded—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus guarantees that His sacrifice for our sins was an acceptable sacrifice. He beat death and He promises to give a new, glorified, resurrected body to all who trust in Him.

    Because Christians have the hope of a future resurrection and an eternity with Jesus, they can live in hope now. What we know will happen in the future colors the way we view the present. Christians are hopeful and hope-filled people. Christ’s resurrection is the gateway for everything else that God has promised. God has proven Himself in the past and guaranteed our future, so our hope is a present reality. The living hope encompasses everything that God has promised but has not yet come to pass.—Compelling Truth4

    Published on Anchor May 2024. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Dooley.

  • May 3 Death and the Christian Hope
  • May 1 Calling Fear Out
  • Apr 29 Persecution Yesterday and Today
  • Apr 24 In Sorrows Rejoicing
  • Apr 22 The Law and the Prophets—Part 2
  • Apr 19 Do Not Be Afraid
  • Apr 16 Not My Will Be Done
  • Apr 15 The Law and the Prophets—Part 1
  • Apr 11 God’s Unconventional Ways
   

Directors’ Corner

Faith-building Bible studies and articles

  • 30 Apr

    1 Corinthians: Chapter 2 (verses 1-8)

    Paul continues his letter to the Corinthian church in chapter 2.

    And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.1

    Paul is referring to his first visit to Corinth. Unlike the philosophers and sophists of that time, who would speak in a way that showed superiority and flamboyance, Paul came without any pretense or putting on airs. He proclaimed a testimony (the gospel) that he had received from God regarding Christ crucified.

    For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.2

    Paul refers to the testimony of God which he proclaims. He had made a decision that, when proclaiming the message, he would focus on one subject—Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I decided to know indicates that Paul was Christ- and cross-centered in the way he spoke and the words he used, and that his life was focused on Christ.

    And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling.3

    Paul says that he was weak and fearful. He didn’t put on an air of self-confidence. Rather he had confidence in God and in the message of the gospel. He knew that his style and personality alone would not draw crowds of believers.

    He knew he was not a great orator. He didn’t speak with eloquence in the Greek style. But he knew that God had called him to preach the gospel despite his weaknesses, fears, and failings. He recognized that God had chosen him so that Christ would be the one who was heard rather than the messenger.

    Paul’s fear and trembling isn’t explained here, but in the book of Acts we read the account of Paul’s first visit to Corinth, where Luke made it clear that this visit was a very difficult time. He was opposed and reviled, and he left the synagogue and went to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.4 Paul was physically afraid, and rightfully so, for the Jews had made a united attack on him and brought him to court.5 Along with Paul, they also seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him as well.6

    God had to intervene with a vision for Paul in which He addressed the fear that men might attack him. The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”7 This caused Paul to remain eighteen more months in the city.8

    My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.9

    Paul goes on to point out that along with his weakness, fear, and trembling, his preaching was not with persuasive or enticing words, or as it says in the King James Version, not with enticing words of man’s wisdom. Paul is referring to the art of persuasion by using linguistic or rhetorical devices. He was clearly able to do this in his writings, but he avoided it.

    …so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.10

    It is God’s plan that faith should not be based in clever arguments made by people. Paul made this point earlier when he wrote to the Thessalonians: our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.11 It is all grace. Faith is about trust and commitment to Christ.

    Paul brings his example to an end as he directs everything back to God and His power. He was an example of how God is involved at every stage in drawing people to Himself. He showed that a message which is folly to many and a stumbling block to others has been presented in a way that reflects the truth, without fancy rhetoric or refinement or powerful signs. The messenger was also weak and fearful. Therefore, the results of Paul’s visit can only be attributed to the power of God and the work of the Holy Spirit.

    Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.12

    Paul was concerned because the Corinthians put a high value on what he called the world’s wisdom. They had been judging people and making decisions about their status in the community by this standard rather than by their commitment to Christ. Hence, Paul needed to clarify the nature of true wisdom.

    Paul addressed the type of wisdom he preached. It is apparent that God’s wisdom is about more than just believing in Christ. The whole wisdom and plan of God includes understanding the practical implication of belief and behaving as a church in a manner that exemplifies Christ’s teachings.

    He goes on to say that his wisdom is not that of the age or the rulers of the age. He contrasts the wisdom of God with that which belongs to this age, which Paul says is followed by the rulers of this age. The cross has doomed this age, and those who belong to the world will perish. Godly wisdom won’t be regarded as wisdom by those who are doomed to pass away. Paul’s contrast is between those of this age who are being destroyed and those “who are being saved.”13

    When speaking of the rulers, he was likely referring to political leaders of the day. This would have included those who were associated with the crucifixion as well as the Jewish and Gentile rulers, from the Pharisees to Herod, Pilate, and even Caesar. Elsewhere in the New Testament, political “rulers” are also associated with the crucifixion.14 He may have been taking a swipe at the influential people of honor who were admired by Corinthian society but had rejected Christ.

    But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.15

    By saying he is imparting a secret wisdom, Paul is not saying that he speaks mysteriously or in a hidden way so that only the spiritual elite will understand what he is saying. Rather he is saying that God’s wisdom is “a mystery” and “hidden” to those who are of “this age.”

    In Paul’s writings, the word “mystery” or “mysteries” appears 20 times in various contexts, and generally it addresses the fact that God’s way of salvation has been revealed “in Christ.” The “mystery” as Paul understands it has been declared by God Himself in Christ. Thus it has the power of God to deliver those who believe and to destroy the wisdom of the wise. The mystery that is revealed includes God’s salvation of people in Christ, not just some theoretical knowledge.

    The word hidden, like secret, also qualifies “wisdom.” Paul is addressing the consequences of God’s wisdom as revealed in Jesus’ death on the cross. This wisdom is hidden, not because Paul has only made it available to the few, but because those of “this age” haven’t understood. Believers have been blessed to have these mysteries revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. No one group of Christians can claim to have received more hidden things than any other.

    Paul says that God decreed this wisdom. Christ’s death on the cross was planned in advance by God. Paul emphasized this point by adding “before the ages.” It was God’s great wisdom from “before the foundation of the world,”16 which is now revealed to all who believe, that He should meet people with love, mercy and forgiveness in Christ. This was “hidden” from the beginning until the time when Christ was revealed.

    None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.17

    That this wisdom in Christ wasn’t understood by the rulers of the age is seen in the fact that they crucified the “Lord of glory.” In calling Jesus “the Lord of glory,” Paul takes a term which would have been expected to apply to God, “Yahweh,” and applies it to Christ. For those who love God, the way of the cross is the way of glory; it is the way of true wisdom.

    (To be continued.)

    Note
    Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    1 1 Corinthians 2:1.

    2 1 Corinthians 2:2.

    3 1 Corinthians 2:3.

    4 Acts 18:6–7.

    5 Acts 18:12.

    6 Acts 18:17.

    7 Acts 18:9–10.

    8 Acts 18:11.

    9 1 Corinthians 2:4.

    10 1 Corinthians 2:5.

    11 1 Thessalonians 1:5.

    12 1 Corinthians 2:6.

    13 1 Corinthians 1:18.

    14 Luke 23:35; Acts 3:17, 4:8.

    15 1 Corinthians 2:7.

    16 Ephesians 1:4.

    17 1 Corinthians 2:8.

     

  • Apr 16 Virtues for Christ-Followers: Love
  • Apr 2 1 Corinthians: Chapter 1 (verses 26-31)
  • Mar 12 1 Corinthians: Chapter 1 (verses 17-25)
  • Feb 27 1 Corinthians: Chapter 1 (verses 4-16)
  • Feb 14 The Book of 1 Corinthians: Introduction
  • Feb 6 Communication—A Key Part of Relationships
  • Jan 30 The Book of Galatians, Chapter 6 (verses 6-18)
  • Jan 16 The Book of Galatians: Chapter 6 (verses 5:25–6:5)
  • Jan 2 The Book of Galatians: Chapter 5 (verses 13-24)
   

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