Larry Thompson

For many today, hope is in short supply. The COVID-19 pandemic is exacting a great toll on businesses, individuals, couples and families.

Stay-in-place orders, economic instability and increasing unemployment are just a few of the many circumstances contributing to ever- increasing levels of anxiety and uncertainty across the country. Even as all this swirls around us, there is a source of hope.

I speak of the living and blessed hope of Jesus Christ — God's promised and Risen Messiah. (Deut.18:18; I Peter 1:3)

We serve the God of all hope and this hope is found in none other than Jesus Christ.

Listen to what the word of God says on this: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (I Peter 1:3)

The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the essence of our faith and hope. It is the manifestation of the eternal and absolute sovereignty and power of the one living and true God. If our faith and hope in Christ were limited only to our life on earth, “ … we are of all men most miserable.” (I Corinthians 15:19)

My friends, fear not to rest in the living assurance, the blessed hope, of Jesus. For when the stone was rolled away from the sealed tomb of God's promised Messiah on that first Easter morning, it was not rolled away to provide him a way out, but to allow the world to look in and see the proof of the Messiah's victory over sin and death.

Those who rest in the living and blessed hope of Christ need not fear the “sting” of death or the “victory” of the grave. We serve the God of all hope and the source of this hope is none other than Jesus Christ.

This same Jesus promised to prepare a place in heaven for all those who trust in him. “In my Father's house are many mansions (dwelling places). If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)

Jesus also promised to come again for those who rest in his “blessed hope.” Listen as the Apostle Paul speaks of this in (I Thessalonians 4:16,17-18): “ … and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.”

In the living hope of Jesus, we find a place of blessed hope and everlasting life: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 14:28)

Be still and rest in the living and blessed hope of Jesus. God bless all of you.

Pastor Larry Thompson is an ordained minister and member of First Baptist Church of Butler.