A Space for Grace

I woke up this morning with a song in my heart.  We are a resurrection people.  A people of hope.  The world uses the word hope in such an anemic way, it is little more than a spineless wish.  This is not our hope.  Our hope is solid, firm, unchanging; built upon The Rock.

Hope: expectation of good; joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; the author of hope, or He who is its foundation.  (New Testament Greek Lexicon)

Christ is the actual object of the believer’s hope, a hope not frail and perishable, but having a perennial life.  (Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

‘Til He returns, or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

This Easter morning, I have no words for the joy, confidence, love, and comfort this hope brings.  Can I ask you to click on the link below and listen to Travis Cottrell sing “In Christ Alone On Christ the Solid Rock” and as he sings, read the Scriptures below?  I pray that as you mediate on the very Word of God, the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)

And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. (Mark 15:37,38) So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that . . . we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. (Hebrews 6:17-20)

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)

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. (1 Peter 1:3)

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.  But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.  (2 Corinthians 1:9, 10)

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen. (Jude 24, 25)