Today, as we continue in our theme of Immanuel—God with us in hope—I want to ask what might sound like an odd question … What if someone accused you of hope? What if someone threatened you for having hope? For talking about hope? Sharing with others about the source of hope? That is exactly what happened to the apostle Paul.

Paul had been arrested for his preaching about Jesus. The Jewish leaders were demanding that he be executed. When they brought him before King Agrippa, the king allowed Paul to speak to his defense. Listen closely to his words:

So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: “I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently! “As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead? (Acts 26:1-8 NLT)

Did you hear Paul speak of his crime? “Now I am on trial because of my hope … hope … in the fulfillment of God’s promise to the Jewish people. He then connected his hope in Christ to the same hope Israel always had throughout their history … the coming of the Messiah … the arrival of Isaiah’s prophesied Immanuel. Now, that same hope is threatening his very life. Remember when we talked about Christ being a living hope? A hope that can get you put on trial and killed cannot be dead, but must most certainly be alive and well.

What about you? Can anyone accuse you of hope? Is your life so dependent on the hope of Christ that others cannot help but see it? Hear it? Isn’t it time that the world started to hear about hope, at a time when the world seems to most need hope? While you and I have a much less threatening opportunity to speak than Paul, we are being given an opportunity to tell of the hope that we have … the hope of Immanuel—God with Us.

Let’s pray together: “Heavenly Father, wow, being so full of hope that you get accused and threatened with your very life? Lord, thank You for the opportunity to speak of Your hope, to tell others about Your hope, and to display Your hope through the actions in my life, now at Christmas, and throughout the year. As above, so below.”