Hope in the End

Christian hope is not the faint wish for something that may or may not come to pass. Instead, Christian hope is the certain expectation that all of God’s promises will come to pass. Grounded in the oath that God swore by His very self, it is the secure confidence that Jesus has purchased His elect with His blood and will return to consummate their salvation (Heb. 6:13–20; 9:27–28).

This hope given in the gospel kept Paul steadfast and resolute as he endured arrests, death threats, and more in the city of Jerusalem. We will look at Paul’s ordeals in Jerusalem this month as we study Acts 21:27–23:35, which will follow our brief tour of key parts of the book of James. In seeing what happened to Paul in his unjust arrest and his hearing before the Roman tribune and the Sanhedrin, we will be reminded that a faithful witness to Christ always carries with it the possibility of suffering.

As noted, Christian hope is tied in part to what Jesus will do at His return. Dr. R.C. Sproul’s teaching series Foundations will assist us in learning more about what will happen at the end of history when our Savior returns.

These verses parallel the themes of the studies each week. We encourage you to hide them in your heart so that you may not sin against the Lord: