A Hope and a Future

This morning if you trust in Jesus Christ, you have a hope and a future. 

It doesn’t matter what you did in your past, whether success or failure. It doesn’t matter what has happened to you before, whether blessing or suffering. It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from in this moment, whether mountaintop or valley. If you have Christ, you have a hope and a future. 

You have a hope and a future. 

I exhort you: Receive it! Live in that hope. Look to your future.

This reminds us of our need to confess our sins:

Prayer of Confession

Father in heaven, your word tells us: 

Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of your reality all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. (Prov. 23:17–18)

Father, thank you that our horizon is as bright as Jesus is real. Thank you that our best days are not behind us, and that the worst thing is never the last thing. Thank you that weeping may tarry for the night, but that joy comes in the morning, and that your eternal morning is our ultimate home.

And yet, Father, we often choose to live in defeat. We pine for bygone yesterdays, fear for tomorrow, and complain about today. We often speak as those who would rather live at any other time in history, or in any other place than the when and where you’ve placed us. We weary ourselves with cynicism. We burden ourselves with unbelief. Rather than seek you on account of our circumstances, our hearts accuse you of making mistakes. We are tired and frazzled, weak and anxious, loquacious and inept — and we have sinned against you in the things we have done and the things we have left undone, and we are desperate for your mercy. We come to you, Father, as your children in great need. Lead us now, by your Spirit, as we confess our sins to you in this time of silence…