2 versus 13 through 17.

13 through 17.

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God

shows you from the beginning to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our

gospel so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught

by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father who loved us and gave us

eternal comfort and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

You remember Peter wrote to the churches in Asia Minor,

always be ready to give a reason or an answer if anybody asks you for a reason for the hope that is in

you the hope that is in you now Now that implies two things. One, Christians ought to be known

as hopeful people. Otherwise nobody would be asking about it, right? People ought to see hope written on your life. Second implication, there are reasons

for hoping. It might not look like it. Abraham was an old man, his wife was

barren, and when he was confident that he would become the father

of many nations through his own son that looked irrational.

It wasn't.

If somebody had asked him, what's the reason for your hope? He could have answered something.

So today's message and next week's message on hope ask the question why hope.

What's the foundation or the root or the spring of hope?

How come we can have hope? And the answer today from the text is very simple, namely, the grace of God

grace of God if God were not a God of grace

we would not be a people of hope. We might be able to cross our fingers. We might be able

to wish and have happy thoughts about the future and bite our lips on the sideline and hope that the ball would go through the uprights.

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