The Advent of Hope Realized (12/4/2022)

The Advent of Hope Realized (Matthew 24:42-44 & 2 Peter 3:8-12)

Jesus is coming again. And when he comes, the Hope we long for will be finally and fully realized. Hope is such a gift.  Hope that is blocked or lost leaves us overwhelmed. But understand that the hope we have in Jesus is not just the mere desire for something good to happen (like a child eager for a gift at Christmas—“oh, I hope I get it!”—) Biblical Hope is the confident Expectation that something good is going to happen based upon the goodness and character of God. He is dependable! There are so many thoughts/ideas about what the second coming will be like, but the teaching of Jesus affirms this one thing: HE IS COMING. BE READY! There is a “bit” of heaviness in Matthew 12:51 but the point is that we should be eagerly expecting his return and “setting our house in order” (his house, for we belong to Him). The same Jesus who came then, will come again. Peter echoes Jesus’ teaching. And when Peter writes about that next coming, we need to remember, he had his own “second coming”. [After his failure, Peter went back to fishing—but Jesus met him by a charcoal fire. (John 18:18—and the next morning Jesus brought him to the fire (John 21:9)]. Notice in our text, Peter says we are all going to “face the fire” (2 Peter 3:10). This speaks of Judgement, but the assurance of judgment brings peace. But Peter declares that not only do we hope for this coming but we are to “hurry it along” and “look forward” to it. Again, the eager anticipation we have (kind of like living on our tiptoes—straining to see that day come), is what protects us from the fiery judgement. When we live “with Him” now, we have no fear of living “with Him” then. It is that presence of Jesus that gives us Hope instead of fear. All the way back to Genesis, we learn that we do not need to fear the coming of the Lord if we do what is right. We will be accepted. (Cain—Genesis 4:7).