At KCC, our mission is to be passionate followers of Christ Jesus who love and serve our neighbors in word and deed seeking to multiply hope and health in our communities. Over the past few months I have been sharing some reflections on our mission statement. So far, I’ve written about what it means to be “a passionate follower of Christ Jesus” and what it means to “love and serve our neighbors in word and deed.” This month, I want to focus on the next phrase, which says, “seeking to multiply hope.”
As followers of Jesus, we need to share the hope we have found in Him with others. In Jeremiah 29:11 we find the promise of hope, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Some people have the mistaken idea that God is out to get them. He is just waiting for them to step out of line so He can zap them with a lightning bolt. But that’s not what the Bible says at all. God loves you and wants to bless you. He has a plan for your life, a plan that involves hope and a future.
The basis of our hope is found in 1 Peter 1:3-5, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” The hope God offers to us is based in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through his life he showed us the way to God. Through his death on the cross He made possible the forgiveness of our sins. Through his resurrection, death has been defeated and eternal life is made possible for all who believer in Him.
The secure nature of our hope is found in Hebrews 6:17-20, “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” This hope is firm and secure. Unlike human hope, which is uncertain, leads to disappointment, and often amounts to no more than wishful thinking. The hope God offers is sure and steadfast because it is founded on the infallible promises of God and the oath He swore to Himself.
At KCC we want to share that hope with our families, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We want to see that hope multiplied in our communities. My prayer is that God will use each one of us to help at least one other person this year find hope in Jesus Christ.
Your Shepherd,
Pastor Mark
