THE HOPE OF ALL MANKIND

The advent season is here, and one of the most wonderful things about this time of year is the reminder of the hope we have in Christ. Hope is a desire for something, but it also has an expectation of fulfillment.  Hope in the context of Jesus’ first coming provides so many parallels for us today.

The Jews were hoping for a Messiah that would set up a kingdom against their enemies. This same sentiment broadly infects us to this day, both as individuals as well as the church. We want a Savior who gets rid of our problems. We look for someone to protect us, or our way of life, against our enemies (whether real or supposed).

But the hope Jesus brought encompassed SO MUCH MORE. The hope Jesus brought is reconciliation to Himself; that we would not be condemned by our own life decisions, selfishness, and vices.

Perhaps in the course of pursuing our precious Savior, our mountains will be moved or our way of life preserved. But if not, we still have hope. We have hope that He is coming again. We can be confident in this because we have many historical witnesses to his first coming! We have hope for peace in the midst of unrest. We have hope that this flawed creation will be redeemed. There is hope for ALL mankind. 

Colossians 1:20 “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”