A woman who is hop\u00adeful directs her life accor\u00adding to this hope. The Bible says that the con\u00adfi\u00addent hope of a Chris\u00adti\u00adan is com\u00adpa\u00adra\u00adble to a pregnan\u00adcy. Just as in a bio\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adcal pregnan\u00adcy, the\u00adre are also clear signs in a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal pregnan\u00adcy: Christ in us is to take shape more and more. How can this hap\u00adpen and what are the consequences?<\/p>\n
This expe\u00adri\u00adence hap\u00adpen\u00aded some time ago: the pho\u00adne rings. A woman greets me in a remar\u00adkab\u00adly fri\u00adend\u00adly man\u00adner and informs me about the prin\u00adters in our office. Then fol\u00adlows an offer for prin\u00adter toner, which is much bet\u00adter in qua\u00adli\u00adty and quan\u00adti\u00adty than the pre\u00advious one. Sin\u00adce a car\u00adtridge cos\u00adts CHF<\/span> 369, I decli\u00adne with thanks. A few months later she calls again. Now she pro\u00admi\u00adses me six bot\u00adt\u00adles of excel\u00adlent wine and dic\u00adta\u00adtes a num\u00adber with which I can cont\u00adact the post office if the bot\u00adt\u00adles do not arri\u00adve. I accept with thanks. Now that she has given me good hope, she wants to sell me ano\u00adther toner car\u00adtridge for CHF<\/span> 369. I decli\u00adne with thanks. Unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly, it never arri\u00adved. Alt\u00adhough I have a note with a num\u00adber, my hope for a good drop of wine will remain an illu\u00adsi\u00adon. Appar\u00adent\u00adly, the wine only ser\u00adved as bait for a gene\u00adrous order. \tChrist is risen: \u00abNow we have a living hope, becau\u00adse Jesus Christ has risen from the dead\u00bb (1 Peter 1:3b NLB<\/span>). The resur\u00adrec\u00adtion of Jesus Christ is the foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon of Chris\u00adti\u00adan hope. \u00abLook; I am doing some\u00adthing new; alre\u00ada\u00addy it is sprou\u00adting. Don\u2019t you see it?\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 43:19a NLB<\/span>). If Jesus is phy\u00adsi\u00adcal\u00adly resur\u00adrec\u00adted, then the\u00adre is a new crea\u00adti\u00adon. A video clip of the birth of an ele\u00adphant was shown at Zurich Zoo. It is very impres\u00adsi\u00adve to see how the 100 kg colos\u00adsus \u2013 once the head is through \u2013 plops to the ground quite unche\u00adcked. In the Bible, the image of a body is used. Christ is the head and the fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus the body (Ephe\u00adsi\u00adans 5:23). This body is in the pro\u00adcess of being born. For this reason Luther said, \u00abThe head is alre\u00ada\u00addy through.\u00bb Here he refers to the state\u00adment, \u00abBut now Christ has risen first from the dead\u00bb (1 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 15:20 NLB<\/span>). The birth pro\u00adcess of resur\u00adrec\u00adtion to a new life is in full swing and the head is alre\u00ada\u00addy through. This is an unmist\u00adaka\u00adble sign that the rest will imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly \u00abplop to the ground\u00bb as well. Birth does not come easi\u00adly, so crea\u00adti\u00adon gro\u00adans and longs for redemp\u00adti\u00adon. The resur\u00adrec\u00adtion of Jesus is a his\u00adto\u00adri\u00adcal fact that has been recor\u00added in space and time, and has been seen by hundreds of eye\u00adwit\u00adnesses (1Corinthians 15:5f). Again, just kno\u00adwing that Christ dwells in me will hard\u00adly encou\u00adra\u00adge me to live a hop\u00adeful life. The key is the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing sen\u00adtence: \u00abMy child\u00adren, it is as if I had to give birth to you a second time. I am going through birth pangs again until Christ takes shape in your lives\u00bb (Gala\u00adti\u00adans 4:19 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Paul, as a tea\u00adcher of God\u2019s good news, was instru\u00admen\u00adtal in the first birth of the\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle in Gala\u00adtia. Now he is in labour pains again. The new birth pro\u00adcess is about Christ taking shape in the lives of the new\u00adborn Chris\u00adti\u00adans. Figu\u00adra\u00adtively spea\u00adking, a Chris\u00adti\u00adan is pregnant, he is in good hope. As with a natu\u00adral pregnan\u00adcy, the spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal pregnan\u00adcy should also beco\u00adme more and more visi\u00adble. If a pregnant woman\u2019s bel\u00adly is always the same size and no move\u00adment can be felt, a doc\u00adtor must be con\u00adsul\u00adted as soon as pos\u00adsi\u00adble. Nor\u00admal\u00adly, howe\u00adver, she goes for an ultra\u00adsound from time to time to see the ama\u00adzing deve\u00adlo\u00adp\u00adment of the child. If we could look at Christ in us every year at the ultra\u00adsound; would the doc\u00adtor put on a serious or joyful expres\u00adsi\u00adon? If Christ does not take shape in us, we will hard\u00adly live a life mark\u00aded by living hope. Wit\u00adhout a noti\u00adceable and pro\u00adgres\u00adsi\u00adve pregnan\u00adcy, no one will chan\u00adge their life and ori\u00adent it towards eternity. \tHe will deal dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly with suf\u00adfe\u00adring and distress: A pregnant woman endu\u00adres the same amount of suf\u00adfe\u00adring more easi\u00adly than other peo\u00adp\u00adle becau\u00adse she thinks from the goal and knows that suf\u00adfe\u00adring is not meanin\u00adg\u00adless. Paul also rela\u00adtes suf\u00adfe\u00adring to future suf\u00adfe\u00adring: \u00abBut I am con\u00advin\u00adced that our pre\u00adsent suf\u00adfe\u00adrings are insi\u00adgni\u00adfi\u00adcant com\u00adpared to the glo\u00adry he will give us later\u00bb (Romans 8:18 NLB<\/span>). A hop\u00adeful per\u00adson knows that God is sha\u00adping him through tri\u00adbu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, he will not rebel against it. A Chris\u00adti\u00adan full of good hope will live a strong life wort\u00adhy of imi\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon. The con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adon for this is that Christ gets enough nou\u00adrish\u00adment in me so that he can grow and take shape. And then, then I will be full of good hope and my life will be refres\u00adhin\u00adgly dif\u00adfe\u00adrent. Christ in me, the hope of glory! \tBibli\u00adcal\u00adly, what are the two reasons for con\u00adfi\u00addent hope? A woman who is hop\u00adeful directs her life accor\u00adding to this hope. The Bible says that the con\u00adfi\u00addent hope of a Chris\u00adti\u00adan is com\u00adpa\u00adra\u00adble to a pregnan\u00adcy. Just as in a bio\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adcal pregnan\u00adcy, the\u00adre are also clear signs in a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal pregnan\u00adcy: Christ in us is to take shape more and more. How can this happen\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":7064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[81],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-creatio","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-6964","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"has-post-thumbnail","8":"hentry","11":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nIs it the same with the hope of eter\u00adni\u00adty with God? Is it just an emp\u00adty pro\u00admi\u00adse to moti\u00adva\u00adte peo\u00adp\u00adle to behave in a cer\u00adtain way? Is the thing with the new crea\u00adti\u00adon pure illusion?
\nIllu\u00adsi\u00adon or hope?
\nThe Bible pro\u00admi\u00adses that the\u00adre is a rich, glo\u00adrious, pure, incor\u00adrup\u00adti\u00adble inhe\u00adri\u00adtance stored up for us in hea\u00adven (Ephe\u00adsi\u00adans 1:18; 1 Peter 1:4). And Paul says that we eager\u00adly await the day when God gives us this inhe\u00adri\u00adtance and the new body that he has pro\u00admi\u00adsed us (Romans 8:23). But unmist\u00adaka\u00adb\u00adly he also says that this is \u00abonly\u00bb hope becau\u00adse we do not yet see it (v.24). Will the hope of eter\u00adnal glo\u00adry ever come true? Or will it mere\u00adly pro\u00adve to be bait with which Chris\u00adti\u00adans are lured into living a god\u00adly life.
\nMany think that Chris\u00adti\u00adan hope will vanish into thin air. Sin\u00adce the phi\u00adlo\u00adso\u00adphi\u00adcal Enligh\u00adten\u00adment, this view of things has even been the opi\u00adni\u00adon of a broad gene\u00adral public. Imma\u00adnu\u00adel Kant wro\u00adte that God was only an idea and in no way pro\u00adva\u00adble or tan\u00adgi\u00adble. Lud\u00adwig Feu\u00ader\u00adbach went one step fur\u00adther and descri\u00adbed God as a pro\u00adjec\u00adtion of our thoughts and thus enti\u00adre\u00adly super\u00adfluous. Karl Marx cal\u00adled belief in God opi\u00adum for the peo\u00adp\u00adle and Sig\u00admund Freud the cau\u00adse of neu\u00adro\u00adses\u2026 Is God dead?
\nAlt\u00adhough we have writ\u00adten con\u00adfir\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon of the packa\u00adge that is on its way, the hope of a future with and by God could only be a cheap after\u00adli\u00adfe consolation.
\nThe reason for hope
\nAs the exam\u00adp\u00adle with the wine shows, a writ\u00adten con\u00adfir\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon is not enough to dis\u00adpel the sus\u00adpi\u00adci\u00adon of illu\u00adsi\u00adon. We need to see, feel or expe\u00adri\u00adence something.
\nA pregnant woman is said to be in good hope. No woman would take a child\u00adbirth pre\u00adpa\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon cour\u00adse or regis\u00adter mate\u00adr\u00adni\u00adty lea\u00adve with her employ\u00ader sole\u00adly on the basis of a medi\u00adcal report. When a pregnant woman feels her hor\u00admo\u00adnes and expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces her bel\u00adly bul\u00adging, her heart leaps with joy and she pre\u00adpa\u00adres for the day of birth and life after\u00adwards with gre\u00adat vigour. The cer\u00adtain\u00adty that she is pregnant cau\u00adses the woman to lead a dif\u00adfe\u00adrent life. She directs her who\u00adle life towards it. She is hop\u00adeful. This hope has a life-chan\u00adging power. Becau\u00adse of her per\u00adcep\u00adti\u00adble and pro\u00adgres\u00adsi\u00adve pregnan\u00adcy, she knows that her hope is not an illusion.
\nIn the Chris\u00adti\u00adan life it is exact\u00adly the same. A life-chan\u00adging hope requi\u00adres per\u00adcep\u00adti\u00adble signs, a writ\u00adten con\u00adfir\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon alo\u00adne is not enough. And now \u2013 the good news \u2013 they exist, the\u00adse signs:<\/p>\n
\n\tChrist lives in us: For\u00adt\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly, in addi\u00adti\u00adon to this important sign, the\u00adre are others that are per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly clo\u00adser and sub\u00adjec\u00adtively per\u00adcep\u00adti\u00adble. An important hint is here: \u00abAnd even we, though we have recei\u00adved in the Holy Spi\u00adrit a fore\u00adtas\u00adte of the glo\u00adry to come [\u2026]\u00bb (Romans 8:23 NLB<\/span>). The Holy Spi\u00adrit is the gua\u00adran\u00adtee (or secu\u00adri\u00adty, pledge, down pay\u00adment) that He will give us ever\u00ady\u00adthing He has pro\u00admi\u00adsed (Ephe\u00adsi\u00adans 1:14). Through the Holy Spi\u00adrit, glo\u00adry with God alre\u00ada\u00addy spills over into our tem\u00adpo\u00adral life. Paul says: \u00ab[\u2026] And this is the mys\u00adtery: Christ lives in you! In this is your hope: you will share in his glo\u00adry\u00bb (Colos\u00adsi\u00adans 1:27 NLB<\/span>). Christ in us, that is the Holy Spi\u00adrit. The day we sur\u00adren\u00adder our lives to Jesus Christ, we recei\u00adve the Holy Spi\u00adrit as a gift. When faith takes hold of a per\u00adson, he is \u00abborn again\u00bb (John 3:3), he is qui\u00adcke\u00adned by the Spi\u00adrit of God (Ruach).<\/p>\n
\nBeing of good hope is not only based on his\u00adto\u00adri\u00adcal know\u00adledge, but also on tan\u00adgi\u00adble experience.
\nLiving with hope
\nA noti\u00adceable pregnan\u00adcy turns a sweet-loving, cof\u00adfee-deny\u00ading, emo\u00adti\u00adon-sup\u00adpres\u00adsing, busi\u00adness-ori\u00aden\u00adted, suf\u00adfe\u00adring-shy, book-deny\u00ading woman into a pick\u00adle-eating, cof\u00adfee-sip\u00adping, sen\u00adti\u00admen\u00adtal, nest-buil\u00adding, suf\u00adfe\u00adring-accep\u00adting, book-stu\u00addy\u00ading woman. That\u2019s how powerful the effects are when someone is full of good hope.
\nJust as vast is the dif\u00adfe\u00adrence bet\u00adween a Chris\u00adti\u00adan with a living hope and a Chris\u00adti\u00adan who is \u2019sim\u00adply\u00bb saved:<\/p>\n
\n\tHe will expe\u00adri\u00adence mira\u00adcles: The reason for Abraham\u2019s won\u00adderful life of faith was his con\u00adfi\u00addent hope. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre the recom\u00admen\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon is: \u00abThe\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre do not throw away your con\u00adfi\u00addence (= con\u00adfi\u00addent hope), which has a gre\u00adat reward\u00bb (Hebrews 10:35 LUT<\/span>). Tho\u00adse who can see through the hori\u00adzon will live more cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous\u00adly and expe\u00adri\u00adence God\u2019s power.
\n\tHe will live with an eter\u00adni\u00adty per\u00adspec\u00adti\u00adve: A hop\u00adeful per\u00adson will look much more at the invi\u00adsi\u00adble. \u00abFor we do not fix our gaze on what we see, but on what is now invi\u00adsi\u00adble. For the visi\u00adble is flee\u00adting, but the invi\u00adsi\u00adble is eter\u00adnal\u00bb (2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 4:18 NG\u00dc<\/span>). As a result, a Chris\u00adti\u00adan will set the prio\u00adri\u00adties in his life com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly. He will think of life from the end and prepa\u00adre inten\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly \u2013 like a woman for the birth of her child \u2013 to take pos\u00adses\u00adsi\u00adon of the inheritance.
\n\tHe will be full of joy: Being full of good hope and being full of joy are the two sides of the same coin (1Thessalonians 4:13; Pro\u00adverbs 10:28). When Mary was pregnant, she sang the famous hymn of prai\u00adse fil\u00adled with joy (Luke 1:46ff). The birth announce\u00adments also express the gre\u00adat joy of the parents.
\n\tHe will tell of his hope: Just as a young fami\u00adly announ\u00adces to the who\u00adle world what has hap\u00adpen\u00aded when their child is born, so too will a Chris\u00adti\u00adan do so full of good hope.<\/p>\n
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead the chap\u00adter of hope from Romans 8 together!<\/p>\n
\n\tWhy is the resur\u00adrec\u00adtion of Jesus the pivot of this hope?
\n\tChrist in us (Colos\u00adsi\u00adans 1:27) \u2013 the\u00adr\u00adein lies our hope. Why is this so? In what event does Christ come into us?
\n\tHow can Christ take shape in us (Gala\u00adti\u00adans 4:19)? Tell about peo\u00adp\u00adle you know in whom Christ has taken shape!
\n\tHow does it show that a per\u00adson is of good hope? Which of the state\u00adments lis\u00adted do you find insightful and important?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"