For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel. Colossians 1:5
In the early 1980s, rampant inflation caused interest rates to soar (or maybe it was the other way around). The high interest rates caused a serious problem for many people who had to renew their mortgages at that time. We attended a meeting where some of people facing the worst hardship were speaking with government officials to see if there was anything that could be done to help them. These people had taken out their mortgages based on much lower interest rates. The higher rates were putting their monthly payments beyond their ability to meet. Some of those families faced the hopeless prospect of having to give up their homes. How sad for them! Hopelessness is a tragic position, the lowest point in human experience. That is why our text makes much of the hope that we as Christians enjoy as a vital part of our salvation.
Hopes for a new home can be dashed by high interest rates, or the loss of a job. But our hopes for a new home in Heaven can never be taken away. Our mansion in glory is awaiting us regardless of what happens to our lives and fortunes here in time. And a new home is just one of the many blessings that are ours for eternity. The joys of being in our Lord’s presence forever, and of exploring the riches of His grace, can not be imagined. And the hope that we have of these things is an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast. This wonderful hope is something for us to enjoy now, to give us stability in a world full of uncertainty, to give us cheer in times of grief and disappointment, to give us comfort when we encounter trials and tribulations.
The apostle reminds the saints in Colosse that the message of hope is part of the message of the Gospel. This is why the Gospel is such good news. Of all the things that this world can offer, hope is not one of them, at least not abiding and eternal hope. All of the world’s great enterprises and projects eventually fizzle and collapse. Small comforts and temporary hopes expire and leave nothing permanent. But the Gospel message rings with hope, offering hope to the hopeless and salvation to the helpless. Like no other message in the world, the Gospel provides for time and eternity.
We are surrounded by hopeless people; some of them realize that fact. By presenting them with the Gospel, we offer the priceless gift of hope, hope that we have already entered into. -Jim MacIntosh