Future Hope The Resurrection of Jesus and Future Hope Embodying Hope as Jesus’ Disciples

The Resurrection of Jesus Embodying Hope & Hope Embodied

— the study of the last things Eschatos — last (or last things) Eschatology — the study of the last things Eschatos — last (or last things) logia — words or sayings

Theology as Metaphor (Sally McFague)

What’s your vision of our ultimate destiny? Where do you think the universe is heading? Does God have a final purpose for human beings and for all creation?

Going to heaven when we die? As in our hymn books… What’s your vision of our ultimate destiny? Going to heaven when we die? As in our hymn books…

2 Peter 3.10-12 The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be laid bare. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of people ought you to be? You ought to lead lives of holiness and godliness, as you wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved and the elements will melt with fire.

2 Peter 3.13 But in accordance with God's promise, we wait for a new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

Revelation 21.1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals: he will dwell with them, they will be his people and God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. See I am making all things new’.

What is Heaven in the Bible? the place where God dwells and where his reign is not obstructed in any way but one day, heaven will not be separate from earth, because God’s rule will be unobstructed everywhere — God’s kingdom will come That’s embodied hope!

The Resurrection Body of Jesus in the Gospel Narratives Is there Continuity or Discontinuity with the Crucified One?

Romans 8.18-25: Creation itself will be set free 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Embodied Hope: so what? The church, and every local congregation of the church, is called to be the sign, the agent and the first fruits of the Kingdom of God. Every word in that definition is important. It is called to be sign, pointing beyond itself to the coming of God’s kingdom; it is called to be an agent, a means through which God’s will is done in the world and his reign becomes effective; and the church is called to be the first fruits, where a foretaste of the kingdom can be enjoyed now’. Lesslie Newbigin

Embodied Hope: so what? Lesslie Newbigin Therefore the key question to be asked of the church, and of every local congregation of the church, is not ‘How rich is it?’, ‘How big is it?’ or even ‘How fast is it growing?’. It is ‘what difference is it making to that part of the world in which it is placed?. Is it actually functioning as first fruit, sign and instrument of God’s new creation in that part of the world?’. Lesslie Newbigin

Future Hope The Resurrection of Jesus and Future Hope Embodying Hope as Jesus’ Disciples