The Hope, The Life. Bryant Hewitt Message

http://bryanthewitt-hue.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-hope-life-bryant-hewitt.html


http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/27160078


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kck9rJnXZg&feature=plcp

I. BECAUSE GOD IS MERCIFUL!

   A. THE BASIS FOR OUR HOPE LIES NOT IN OUR OWN PERFECTION OR
      RIGHTEOUSNESS...
      1. It is a good thing that it does not, for all are sinners in
         God's sight - cf. Ro 3:23
      2. Even as Christians we find ourselves guilty before God - cf.
         1Jn 1:8,10

   B. THE BASIS FOR OUR HOPE LIES IN THE ABUNDANCE OF GOD'S MERCY...
      1. Mercy bestowed while we were yet sinners - cf. Ro 5:6,8
      2. Mercy bestowed upon the conditions of faith, repentance, and
         baptism - cf. Ac 2:36-38
      3. Mercy bestowed continually upon Christians as they repent of
         and confess their sins - cf. 1Jn 1:9

[Because of God's "abundant mercy", then, we who are sinners can have a
"living" hope!

But according to verse 3 there is another reason to have hope...]

II. BECAUSE JESUS IS ALIVE!

   A. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS CRUCIAL TO OUR HOPE...
      1. If Christ is not risen, then the apostles were liars, and our
         faith is vain! - 1Co 15:14-15
      2. If Christ is not risen, we are still held guilty for our sins,
         no forgiveness has occurred! - 1Co 15:17
      3. If Christ is not risen, those who have died as Christians have
         perished, they are lost! - 1Co 15:18
      4. If Christ has not risen, then we do not have a "living" hope,
         instead we are to be pitied by others! - 1Co 15:19

   B. BUT THROUGH JESUS' RESURRECTION, WE HAVE BEEN "BORN AGAIN" TO A
      LIVING HOPE!
      1. Peter may have reference not to the process of conversion
         (though he does in 1Pe 1:23), but to the renewed hope
         produced by the resurrection of Jesus
         a. E.g., after Jesus' death and prior to His resurrection, the
            disciples were despondent
         b. But after the resurrection of Jesus, His disciples were
            "born again" in regards to their hope
         c. As Guy N. Woods says in his commentary:  "The reference here
            is...to the re-establishment of the faith of the disciples
            by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead."
      2. Surely the fact that Jesus did rise gives us reason for a
         "living" hope
         a. God would not raise a liar, so anything Jesus said about our
            hope is true - e.g., Jn 11:25
         b. Since Jesus rose from the dead, we have a firm hope that we
            too will one day rise from the dead - cf. 1Co 15:20-23