Give Me “Hope” For Beyond the Grave Romans 8: 18 - 25 Romans 8: 18 - 25

What is Hope? “Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God's gracious promises;” Webster’s 1828 Dict. “To anticipate, usually with pleasure, concrete expectation or confidence” Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dict.

Without Hope Lost Romans 3: 23 Adultery Envy Ephesians 2: 12, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” Lies Wrath James 4: 17 Hatred disobedience Galatians 5: 19 - 21 Drunkards

Hope Has Its Beginning Galatians 3: 27, “… baptized into Christ” Romans 8: 1, “… to them which are in Christ” Romans 8: 1, “…who walk … after the Spirit” Galatians 5: 16, “Walk in the Spirit” Galatians 5: 25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Romans 12: 2, “not conformed, but transformed”

Hope’s Continuation Romans 8: 13, “put to death the deeds of the body” 1 John 2: 15 – 17, not loving or serving the flesh Philippians 3: 8 – 11, changing priorities Philippians 3: 14, pressing toward the goal Philippians 2: 12, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”

Hope’s Pre-destination 1 Corinthians 15: 19, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ Jesus, we are of all men most miserable.” 2 Timothy 4: 7 – fighting the fight finishing the course keeping the faith All the while dealing with what Paul speaks about in Romans 8: 35 – 36, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Tribulation Distress Persecution Famine Nakedness Peril Sword All of which Paul faced in a personal way – 2 Corinthians 11: 24 – 28 – Beaten with 39 stripes stoned, shipwreck, painfulness, hunger and thirst, fastings, cold and nakedness, as well as the care of the churches We, too, may have to endure some of the same

Hope Conquers All Romans 8: 37, “We are more than conquerors through him that loved us” Philippians 4: 13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Romans 8: 31, we will not do it alone, “God is for us” Philippians 4: 19, “My God shall supply all your need…”

1 Corinthians 10: 13, “provide a way of escape” Romans 15: 4, It helps to read and study teachings from the past – Joshua 1: 6, 7 – “Be strong and of good courage, be very courageous,” Joshua 1: 9, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Colossians 1: 5, “For the hope that is laid up Colossians 1: 5, “For the hope that is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard in the word of the truth of the gospel.” Where did we hear it? John 14: 1 – 3, ”Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Hope Wins, Because: God promised – Titus 1: 2 1 John 3: 3, in hope we purify our self as He is pure Romans 8: 38 – 39, because I am the only one who can separate me from that hope, and I will not let that happen! But, how can I not let that happen?

I Study to become approved – 2 Timothy 2: 15 I walk the narrow road – Matthew 7: 13 – 14 I press toward the mark – Philippians 3: 14 “For we walk by faith, not by sight” – 2 Corinthians 5: 7

Hope In Reality 1 John 5: 13, “… that ye may know that ye have eternal life,” 1 John 5: 11, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” Now we have come full circle. All that we have presented began with baptism into Christ and eternal life is in Him.

Hope Realized Hope’s Finality Found in Judgment 2 Corinthians 5: 10 Matthew 7: 21 – 23 Matthew 25: 31 – 46 Revelation 20: 12 – 15 Are you prepared for this finality of physical life here to have that eternal life then and there? Hope Realized