“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
While the reality of human language is a great gift of God, yet often words cannot express the deep reality of the heart. Languages differ from one another as well. You probably have all heard that there are four words in Greek, translated as the one word ‘love’ in English. But one’s love for a hamburger is surely far different than one’s love for their spouse. The word hope also carries with it various meanings. When we say that we hope it will not rain tomorrow, we are expressing nothing more than a desire or wish for good weather. But when you have your car repaired, your hope of your car starting is based on your level of trust in your mechanic. Your assessment of your mechanic’s ability and integrity will determine your degree of hope!
It is in that second sense, that Scripture uses the word hope! And when your hope is founded on the Word of God – it is the most certain and secure that hope can ever be! But God goes even further – He raises His own Son from the grave to put His seal of approval, as it were, on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus has lived a sinless life, endured scourging and mocking, undergone crucifixion on the cruellest instrument of Roman torture, but beyond all that, Jesus has suffered God-forsakenness on the cross of Calvary to take the punishment for our sins! And he yielded up His spirit, experienced death, and was buried in a tomb!
“But no grave could e’er restrain Him! Praise the Lord! He is Alive!” The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, witnessed by hundreds of saints, is a fact of history! Peter, restored to service by the love of the risen Jesus, uses the great truth of the resurrection, and transfers that quality to your hope! “He has caused [you] to be born again to a LIVING hope” because you have a LIVING Saviour! Now all those who put their trust in this living Lord Jesus, share in His grand and glorious victory! We may live in uncertain times, but there is absolutely no uncertainty concerning the Living Hope that we have in Jesus Christ! Have a Blessed Easter! Jesus is Alive!