Hope: Exploring God’s PlanSample

To wrap up, I want to return to the moment we talked about on Day 2, after Jesus had died a shameful death He didn’t deserve and all hope seemed lost to His followers.

Fortunately, that was not the end of the story. And what happened next is the reason we can live our daily lives, as Romans 15:13 says, “brimming over with hope.”

So let’s return to Jerusalem, where Jesus’s followers are hiding in a locked room, disappointed and scared for their lives. Three days after Jesus’s death, the women go to the tomb to mourn their friend. This is where today’s passage from John’s Gospel picks up the story. Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb and, after some confusion, realizes she is speaking with Jesus. He has come back to life, fulfilling God’s promised plan!

For the next 40 days, Jesus spent time with His followers, restoring the hope they’d lost when He died. It’s during this time that He makes a very important promise. John chapter 14 tells us that Jesus explained to His followers that He would soon return to heaven. But he would send them a helper, the Holy Spirit.

After receiving the Holy Spirit, the apostles’ lives were changed forever. Peter went from hiding in a locked room to fearlessly standing in the middle of a festival, speaking the hope of Jesus. The Book of Acts recounts thousands of people hearing about Jesus’s resurrection and placing their faith in Him.

The gift of the Holy Spirit has always been part of God’s promised plan. It partners with us and gives us wisdom and direction. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, you and I get to be part of the mission—sharing the hope of Jesus and seeing our culture, community, and all of creation made new.

How amazing is that?

My story would be impossible without the Holy Spirit’s help. In the midst of my disappointment and pain, it was the Holy Spirit who helped me approach Jesus again, who restored my hope. The more I’m filled with hope, the more I love people, and the more my delight in God and creation grows.

That can be true for you too. By looking back, visualizing the future, and partnering with the Holy Spirit, you can find the HOPE you’re longing for.

If you enjoyed this text plan, you can find the video study on Right Now Media.