A preacher, many years ago,talking to a group of people said, "for a happy life three things are necessary: something to hope for, something to do, and someone to love". And speaking on something to hope for, Alexander the Great answering a question over his generosity to his troops said,"I have kept what is greatest of all. I have kept my hopes." What holds every Christian to his or her faith today is the hope of everlasting life with Jesus Christ.
When Jesus informed disciples about His departure, they were worried and upset. And in order to encourage them and counter balance His departure, Christ promised them a place above where every Christian will reign with Him forever. Thus Christ's wonderful speech became the hope of every Christian. It is the belief in this speech and faith in Christ's second coming that sustains many Christians today.
The Future Glory (Romans 8:18-25)
For all Christians the present suffering are to be viewed in the lights of the glory that is about to be revealed in us. The suffering are not to be compared with the glory coming, for they are not at all equal intensity or value. Not only in glory to be revealed to the believers, but believers themselves are to be revealed. Paul says, that this event is the eager expectations of the creation. Since man is part of nature, when he sinned he brought pain and death not only on themselves but on the whole created world. So on the day man is transformed, the creation will share is transformation. There will be a new heaven and anew earth.
Although we experience tornadoes, earthquakes droughts and floods, God brought all of them with a definite hope for a future day when the frustration will be removed. God has promised that the creation which has been enslaved to deterioration and corruption will be set free from this condition. Not only creation, but also believers who have the first fruit of the spirit groans within themselves.
The first fruit here may mean the blessings and changes that the spirit has already produced in the lives of believers. The adoption for which the believer awaits refers to the redemption of our body, it's released and fitness and the pressure which we constantly feel as long as we have our mortal body.
Now we are saved for the hope. The hope for which God saved us in deliverance from a body put under pressure by sin, and from a state of mortal fitness in which we await the day, when clothed with immortality, we shall see God. What is hope Paul says, it is a confident expectations of promised blessings not now present or seen. But the object or blessing hoped for is real and distinct. The redeemed body, however,will be a glorified body, free from all sin. With such a hope before him, the believer awaits it's realization with fortitude.
Jesus, the Way to the Father
The disciples are worried and upset by the talk of betrayal and the thought of Jesus and the thought of Jesus leaving them. Jesus himself is concerned at the effect His death Will have on them all. And so He tries to get them to understand why it has to happen. Jesus then takes this opportunity to reassure His disciples, showing them how expedient it is for them that He goes away. He charged them not to let their heart be troubled, for he is going to prepare a place for them. In a situation like this Jesus knows when everything seems on the verge of collapse, a renewed faith in God is necessary.
