The Expectation Of Grace

 

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."                                                       Titus 2:13

 

            The Scriptures never tell us to set dates or even speculate about when the time of our Lord’s coming may be. In fact, the Word of God expressly forbids such nonsense. We are not told to look for signs of the end time, or to even think about when the end time may be. That should be a matter of total irrelevance to us.

 

Grace teaches us to look for Christ himself, and to do so standing upon the tiptoe of faith and expectation. Grace gives us a good, well-grounded hope, a hope that breeds expectation, anticipation, and desire.

 

Common Hope

 

There is one common and blessed hope for all believers. There is not one hope for one group and another hope for another group. We all have the same hope, upon the same grounds, a glorious, blessed hope, a hope that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined (1 Cor. 2:9). The basis of our hope is grace, pure, free, sovereign grace, through a crucified Substitute (Eph. 1:18). The thing hoped for is glory, eternal glory with Christ!

 

Things Above

 

It is the design of the gospel to set our hearts upon the hope laid up for us with Christ in heaven, not upon the things of this world. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33). "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1).

 

Fade, fade each earthly joy, Jesus is mine.

Break every tender tie, Jesus is mine!

Dark is this wilderness, Earth has no resting place

Jesus alone can bless. Jesus is mine!

 

Farewell, mortality - Jesus is mine!

Welcome, eternity - Jesus is mine!

Welcome, oh loved and blest! Welcome sweet scenes of rest!

Welcome my Savior’s breast! Jesus is mine!

 

Good Hope

 

Our hope of eternal glory with Christ, if we trust him, is “a good hope through grace,” a well-grounded hope. Our Father promised it (Tit. 1:2). Our Savior purchased it (Heb. 9:12). Our Substitute possesses it (Heb. 6:20). We have the earnest of it (Eph. 1:14). In Christ we are worthy of it Col. 1:12). And we shall have it.

 

Our blessedness will be attained when Christ, who is our Hope, appears. Notice how Paul here describes our Savior. He seems to be unable to find words worthy of him. Jesus Christ is “the great God and our Savior.” Soon, this great God who is our Savior “shall appear.” Then, “we also shall appear with him in glory.” This is the expectation of grace (1 John 3:1-3).