A Hope That Changes Everything

“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)

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:14-15)

The apostle Peter informs us about hope in the verses above. He presents two important facts.

1. Our hope is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
2. There is nothing in this world that can take that hope from us.

The letter begins by identifying the source of our hope. The resurrection changed everything. Because of the resurrection, death does not have the final word. Because of the resurrection, new creation is a reality. We look at the world differently now. Our lives are not the same because we are connected to the same power source that raised Jesus from the dead.

The Christians Peter was writing to were being persecuted, but they were still living in a way that their hope in the resurrection of Jesus was evident to everyone around them. This should be true of us today as well. When people see us, they should know we are Jesus people who place our hope in the resurrection. They should want to ask us about the hope that is in us. Our hope in the resurrection of Jesus is greater than what is happening in the news. It is greater than any current event. It is greater than the world of politics. It is greater than whether or not the stock market is up or down. It is greater than death. We are not children tossed to and fro by whatever news comes our way. We are followers of a resurrected King. The good news of the gospel is what matters most in our lives, and this should be evident in every conversation and interaction we have with others. Jesus has risen, and this changes everything!