Christ Is Our Only Hope

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you have hope? Are you miserable and pitiable?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we believers are not pitiable and miserable but the wicked and unbelievers are, because we have CHRIST, the Hope of Glory.

IV. TEXT:

1 Corinthians 15:19 (Amplified Bible)

15:19 If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS, because You are my only Hope here on earth and on Glory when I see You, You are my Hope of Glory. My future is glorious and bright because of You.

VI. TITLE:

CHRIST is our only Hope

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: 56 A.D.

C. Purpose: To purify the church from divisions and immorality.

D. To whom written: Corinthian church

E. Main Theme: Unified and pure living, in the midst of an impure world.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

F. Key word: love (1 Corinthians 13)

G. Key verses: 1 Corinthians 1:12-17; 3:4-7, 21-22; 4:6-7.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. CHRIST is our only Hope in this life and next life to come

"If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all,"

Hope or "elpizo" in Greek meaning: hopefully to trust in. That's why the world always so, "I hope so" but we believers say "GOD's time" because GOD fulfills every hope in Him. Those who have no CHRIST in themselves have no hope to begin with.

Romans 8:24-25 (Amplified Bible)

8:24 For in [this] hope we were saved. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For how can one hope for what he already sees?

8:25 But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure.

Matthew 12:21 (Amplified Bible)

12:21 And in and on His name will the Gentiles (the peoples outside of Israel) set their hopes.

We, Gentiles, require wisdom and logic when facing GOD, but it will not work that way, we will always see the foolishness of the cross, but we need to accept CHRIST in the eyes of faith, not in logic and wisdom, we hope only in CHRIST beyond human understanding.

B. In this world, we are miserable and to be pitied by unbelievers but we are honored and blessed by GOD

"then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied."

Miserable or "eleeinos" in Greek meaning: to be pitied, miserable. Yes, if CHRIST has not resurrected and is not sitting at GOD' right hand, we are miserable and pitiable in this life. But the fact is not based on experience, but the fact is based on the WORD of GOD.

Matthew 24:35 (Amplified Bible)

24:35 Sky and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

The very WORDS of GOD that we live everyday of our lives on this earth is the same WORDS of GOD that will govern the New Heavens and the New Earth, yet as unbelievers judges the believers as fools.

Illustration:

For example, during Sundays of course, we can only be found in GOD's House, the local church, and unbelievers have different excuses not to go to GOD's house and to sum it up, they always say they're busy but they will go to malls, shopping places, theatre house, etc. they have time for these things but they don't have time for GOD. I'm not saying this is wrong but our priority during Sundays is GOD's House, we need to be in His Storehouse, the local church during Sundays, should be automatic. But to unbelievers, we look like fools, and what seem to them as enjoyment will lead them to death, while we don't enjoy just of ourselves, during Sundays, we celebrate JESUS in us, the victories He has done for us and the WORD of GOD for another week that will instruct, comfort and sustain us.

During a financial need, the unbeliever will do whatever it takes to get money, even by hook or by crook, as they say. But we, during a financial need, we bring our tithes and offerings to the local church, nothing has changed for us, because we believe money is not the provider, but JESUS is Our Provider, JESUS is both the Blessor and the blessing of the LORD that made us rich. We are already very rich and very wealthy because of the covenant of wealth He made and established with us.

But, if for example, when we die these are not all true, there's no heaven, no hell, no GOD only emptiness, then it's OK for me since obeying GOD's WORDs made me a better person, but IF again, all of this is true, then what will happen to the unbelievers who has not read and obeyed GOD's WORDS, of course, - they are hell-bound because they rejected the GIFT of Salvation - that is CHRIST JESUS.