34.3 Christ Is The Basis Of Hope

(Romans 5:1-5a)

Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has brought us by faith into this experience of God’s grace, in which we now live. And so we boast of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory! We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and his approval creates hope. This hope does not disappoint us.

34.2 Hope In The Resurrection

(Acts 24:14-16)

I do admit this to you: I worship the God of our ancestors by following that Way which they say is false. But I also believe in everything written in the Law of Moses and the books of the prophets. I have the same hope in God that these themselves have, namely, that all people, both the good and the bad, will rise from death. And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and man.

34.1 Restoration Under The Messiah

(Zechariah 9:9-12)

Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion!
Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you!
He comes triumphant and victorious,
but humble and riding on a donkey-
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The Lord says, “I will remove the war
chariots from Israel
and take the horses from Jerusalem;
the bows used in battle will be destroyed.
Your king will make peace among the nations;
he will rule from sea to sea,
from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.”
The Lord says, “Because of my covenant with you
that was sealed by the blood of sacrifices,
I will set your people free-
free from the waterless pit of exile.
Return, you exiles who now have hope;
return to your place of safety.
Now I tell you that I will repay you twice over
with blessing for all you have suffered.

33.5 The Lord Will Enter; The Pure Can Join

(Psalm 24)

The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord;
the earth and all who live on it are his.
He built it on the deep waters beneath the earth
and laid its foundations in the ocean depths.

Who has the right to go up the Lord’s hill?
Who may enter his holy Temple?
Those who are pure in act and in thought,
who do not worship idols
or make false promises.
The Lord will bless them and save them;
God will declare them innocent.
Such are the people who come to God,
who come into the presence of the God of Jacob.

Fling wide the gates, open the ancient doors,
and the great king will come in.
Who is the great king?
He is the Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, victorious in battle.

Fling wide the gates, open the ancient doors,
and the great king will come in.
Who is this great king?
The triumphant Lord – he is the great king!

33.4 God Will Be Our Light

(Revelation 22:1-5)

The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb flowing down the middle of the city’s street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. Nothing that is under God’s curse will be found in the city.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. There shall be no more night, and they will not need lamps or sunlight, because the Lord God will be their light, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.