The Hope of the World?

Posted on by 4theloveofgod

There is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right. The local church has been entrusted with carrying the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, and it’s the only hope I see for this hurting and broken world. There’s nothing else like it.~~Bill Hybels

hopeIs the church “the hope of the world?”

Is Jesus “the hope of the world?”

Here are some verses from the Bible that may help us understand:

  1. Matthew 5:14  You are the light of the world.
  2. Mark 16:15  GO into all the world.
  3. John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
  4. John 8:12  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”
  5. John 17:18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
  6. Philippians 2:15 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
  7. Lamentations 3:24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
  8. Acts 24:15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.
  9. Colossians 1:27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
  10. 1 Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
  11. 1 Tim 6:17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

Yes, we are the light of the world, taking God’s truth to the lost and dying world, shining the light of God’s love and the truth of Christ and Him crucified as our substitutionary atonement for sin, and we are messengers of hope, but WE are NOT THE HOPE OF THE WORLD.

The church is not the hope of the world. Jesus is the hope of the world, and He wants to live THROUGH the church to bring hope to the world! For the church to be effective, JESUS has got to be at the center of it! 

Is this is all semantics? Maybe.  But by saying that the CHURCH is the hope of the world, we seem to be saying that our programs, music, teaching, children’s and student ministries can bring hope to people. Without Jesus we have nothing.   Here’s what Jesus said in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”  The church can do NOTHING apart from the life of Jesus living through us! 
        Let’s talk more about Jesus. Hope will never come from an organization. Hope comes from ONE PERSON: JESUS!  HE IS the GOOD NEWS! 

Do you agree?