https://youtu.be/credJt3bjWE

The Incredible Hope

Acts 25:23-27; 26:1-8

Paul before King

Agrippa is the longest and most elaborate of the five trials that Paul endures.

King Agrippa- the son

of Herod Agrippa, or “King Herod” who persecuted the Jerusalem church, having

James killed and Peter imprisoned. Agrippa was well acquainted with

Christianity.

Paul defends his Jewish

roots as a Pharisee and he was on trial of the hope in God’s promise to all of

Israel, which he and they shared, namely that God would sent the promised

Messiah (foretold and foreshadowed in the OT) to rescue and redeem His people.

Israel was still eagerly expecting the fulfillment of this promise.

To which Paul proclaims, this hope has been fulfilled in Jesus, whose resurrection was the proof of His Messiahship and the pledge of our resurrection too.

Why should anybody

think resurrection to be incredible?

This is our incredible

hope- the resurrection. The greatest event in the history of the world

“Not only that, but we

also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within

ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we

were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one

still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly

wait for it with perseverance.” Romans 8:23-25 NKJV

When we have hope we

can expect and confidently anticipate the good things in the Word of God to

become a reality in our lives. The amount of hope working in our heart

determines how we view the circumstances around us as well as our view of the

future.

That is the difference

between faith and hope. Hope is a future reality or experience.

It is something to look forward to that we desire, expect, or anticipate

happening at some time in the future.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is

the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not

seen.”

Presently, in the now

of our life, we are not experiencing it or have not received it. It hasn’t

manifested or become a physical reality yet. The things we hope for we are not

seeing them physically in our possession or having happened. Faith gives us the

confidence, the assurance, the full persuasion, that what we hope for will

happen.

The resurrection gives us incredible hope for this life and in the life to come. Jesus said, “If you will only believe, you will see the glory of God!” What hope does the resurrection give us?

1. Incredible hope for

a changed life

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God

that brings salvation hath appeared to all men,12 Teaching us that, denying

ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,

in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious

appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;14 Who gave himself for

us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a

peculiar people, zealous of good works.

1 John 3:3 And every man that

hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

Those who have this

hope in them (the hope of the resurrection) are to purify themselves and live

soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.