The circle of hope
How can little hope become much hope? A person has peace with God, access to grace and hope in the glory of God through faith in Jesus Christ. When such a person faces the difficult challenges in life positively, a powerful dynamic is set in motion that leads to greater hope. This hope will never be disappointed because a down payment guarantees it.
In the middle of London on the north side of the Thames, the words «Nothing can divide us» from Romans 8 are written on the roof of a tube station. The artist Lakwena Maciver has created a hidden and neglected roof terrace above the underground station built in 1870. Temple into a life-affirming place. The colourful installation covers 1400 square metres of grey concrete. The phrase «Nothing can separate us» is a powerful spiritual message with a hopeful meaning. The underground station is called Temple because it is located on a former site of the Knights Templar. A temple is the place where heaven and earth meet. Maciver: «It is said that the Garden of Eden was the first temple. The story says that we were driven out of the garden and have been longing to find our way back ever since.» This idea of an unconscious longing for paradise was the impetus for this public intervention.
Last Sunday we learned from the life of Abraham that we experience miracles when we live hopefully. Today the question is how hope can arise and grow in us.
Hopeful starting position
«Having therefore been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we also have access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and boast in the hope of the glory that God will give» (Romans 5:1–2 LUT).
When a person finds a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it is like a young service mechanic receiving a vehicle with the most important tools to fix a washing machine on the first day of work. It’s ready to go!
Peace (Shalom) with God belongs to the basic equipment of a Christian. This is a statement of inconceivable significance, especially for the Roman Christians of that time. In the city, they were hostile and harshly persecuted. But as if in the eye of a hurricane, they experienced supernatural calm and peace. Shalom means a balanced reconciled relationship with God, a comprehensive state of happiness and well-being. They are doing well.
Such peace is unlocked the day a person says yes to Jesus Christ and unites with Him. In this peace we have access to grace. Grace is the favour with which God looks upon us. We are allowed to enter into the presence of God and He does not do what we actually deserve but welcomes us. «Let us therefore come confidently before the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive mercy and find grace that will help us when we need it»(Hebrews 4:16 NLB). We may enter into the Father’s favour, stand there and be at home.
However, this is not only a now state, but the future opens up. «We boast in the hope of the glory that God will give.«Boasting means: we show off, we rejoice and really make propaganda for the future that God wants to give us. In the Bible, glory is always the description for the reality of God when He makes Himself known. Hope of glory means I will go into the future and see God as He is. We have a privileged life now when we have peace with God, when we are allowed to be in God’s favour, to be at home, but the best is yet to come. There is a hope of glory, that is what we are walking towards because Jesus died and rose for us.
Hopeful dynamics
When you start the season with your bike in spring, you are full of hope for beautiful rides. This hope begins to crumble as early as the first rough climbs. Instead of being the «boss» over the resistance, it’s the other way around. Immediately you realise that in order to improve this condition, you still have to patiently endure many a hill. Yes, at the first few rides it hurts, you want to give up. But if you persevere, you become stronger and more resilient. The hope for enjoyable and spectacular rides grows. Hope – suffering – patience – perseverance – more hope and joy; this is the cycle of successful biking.
Paul sees this hopeful dynamic in life in general: «But not only this, but we also glory in afflictions (thlipsis), knowing that affliction brings patience, and patience brings probation, and probation brings hope, and hope does not fail […].» (Romans 5:3–5 LUT).
What is the matter with Paul that he boasts of afflictions? And it is not that this man does not know what suffering is! In 2Corinthians 11 he lists: Often thrown into prison, in danger of his life, five times thirty-nine lashes, three times whipped, once stoned, shipwrecked, floating a day and a night on the sea, countless times in great danger, exhaustion, pain, sleepless nights, etc. Why does he boast of these things?
He sees a training potential in the tribulations! I once read that difficult experiences in life make us bitter or better (bitter or better). Our talk guest Stefan Schüpbach told in his profile that they had two children who are both already with Jesus. In a personal conversation I learned a little more and they testified that they had this experience. better would have made. Why do people break down from suffering and others grow from it? The ability to deal with difficult life situations is called resilience. Resilience is higher in people who are involved in supportive communities. That is a great advantage of the Christian community. A cat that has been hit by a car likes to hide. The same instinct is found in humans. In our affliction it is crucially important that we seek communion.
Paul goes on to say, «that hardship brings patience». With this mindset and being involved in the community, we can look at resistances in life as training hills. Our muscles grow and steadfastness is increased. Affliction in everyday life should not surprise us. Jesus announced it: «I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. In the world you are hard pressed (thlipsis). But you need not fear: I have conquered the world»(John 16:33 NGÜ). Unfortunately Luther «In the world you are afraid«translated. Many Christians take this as justification for their fears. No, there will be tight situations, but we should not be afraid. Afflictions are rugged hills that seek to strengthen our inner muscles. When we face suffering with trust in God, integrated into the community, we become more patient. Patience brings probation. This means that we become tougher and even get pleasure from the challenge. People who have mastered many «training hills» together with God become role models. One of my role models is E.M., who was a pastor in Romanshorn in my youth. This man had to endure enormous pain and his eyesight was at times close to zero. Yet he radiated rarely seen peace and joy. He was a man full of hope.
Probation leads to more hope. The goal of the whole dynamic is a growing hope. How can our hope increase? If we have a yes to the training programme with the rough hills. How the service mechanic individualises, adds to and improves his toolbox over time, so our hope in the glory of God is individualised, completed and improved.
According to Paul, our attitude to the afflictions in life determines whether we enter a vicious circle or an upward spiral of hope. If we use them as a rough training ground, we become stronger and experience more joy and hope. If we close ourselves against them or rebel against them, we become bitter. We Christians can help each other. Just when we are undeservedly doing well, we can help others to persevere who are not doing well.
Hopeful down payment
This autumn we sold our second car on Tutti. Since it had suffered one or two scratches over the last few years, I was curious to see if we could sell the car for the price quoted. For a long time no one came forward. But suddenly there was movement. A car salesman came by and without much ado offered a very good price with a handshake. Would he really pay that if it came down to it? When he then pulled a CHF 1,000 note out of his pocket and put it in my hand as a down payment, I had full confidence that the remaining CHF 7,000 would surely follow at the handover. And so it was.
Why did Paul know that «But do not let hope be dashed»? Because the deposit is made: «[…] for the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us» (Romans 5:5 LUT). The love of God is poured out, the Holy Spirit is given to us. The Holy Spirit is like the seal of our hope. «[…] He has given us a mission and confirmed that we belong to him by giving us the Holy Spirit in our hearts. This is a security for all that he will still give us»(2 Corinthians 1:21f NLB). People who belong to Jesus receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as security for another CHF 7000. The divine and perfect number 7 is said to have a symbolic meaning. The down payment of the Holy Spirit in the form of love poured out is already divine. The perfect is what we wait for and is part of our hope for the glory of God.
The artist who designed the roof of the Temple underground station wrote: Nothing can separate us. Yes, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Every person carries deep within them the longing for a love that never ends. Charles de Foucauld says: «Hope is nothing other than faith in God’s infinite love.» This hope is nourished when we accept the rough training ground in our daily lives and master it in community with others.
Possible questions for the small groups
Read the Bible text: Romans 5:1–5
- What is the starting position of a Christian according to Romans 1:1–2? Try to describe it in your own words!
- What are the meanings of afflictions in life? What is the danger? What is the potential?
- What pressuring situations are there in your life at the moment? How do you want to face them?
- Affliction – patience – probation – hope; this describes the dynamics in the life of a Christian. What experiences do you have with this?
- Why is it important and helpful when the hope of glory grows?
