Hope and Change.  These are two words that have occupied the airwaves the last year. They are used to describe political promises and pop culture idealism. They are used to excite the emotions, yet what stands behind the words is empty, temporal hype.  We believe that the reason why these two words have drawn so much attention is that people are looking for TRUE hope and TRUE change.

The good news is that true hope and change can be found. That is the reason why the members of three churches in Lancaster County have joined forces to publicly and boldly proclaim the fact that true hope and change is out there!  We believe that true hope and change is found in the person of Jesus Christ.

Let me explain….

The “hope” is confident expectancy. In the Bible, the word “hope” stands for both the act of hoping (Rom. 4:18; 1 Cor. 9:10) and the thing hoped for (Col. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:3). Hope does not arise from the individual’s desires or wishes but from God, who Himself is hope and offers hope to those who believe in Him as well: “My hope is in You” (Ps. 39:7).

Hype or Hope? Genuine hope is not wishful thinking but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future (Rom. 8:24–25; Heb. 11:1, 7). Hope says that the way things are right now does not have to remain, because there is a power and authority who can make all that is bad turn good, make the old become new, the dead come alive, the blind to see, and the impossible become possible. The Bible makes it clear that it is foolishness to put our hope in earthly, temporal, human abilities and hyped up promises. They will fail; they are flawed; they will disappoint; they are depraved. The only one who has promised true hope and delivered on it is Jesus Christ.

Who is Jesus? Again, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is God who became flesh and lived among mankind. He lived a sinless, spotless life. He performed many miracles, proving He was God. He spoke words of authority, life, and power, like no other person. Then, at the young age of 33, after three years of public ministry, He was crucified on a cross. Not for His sin or guilt, because He had none. He is a holy and sinless God. Yet the Bible says that He became sin for us – that’s you and me – so that through His death, the penalty of our sin would be satisfied in God’s economy. But that was not the end of the story, after three days in the grave, Jesus rose from the dead. Again, He proved His deity and that He has power over sin, death, and the grave. He established a way for you and I to experience eternal life. Simply through repentance from your sin and personal faith in Christ as Savior, you can experience that eternal life. The Bible calls this salvation or being “born again.” And it can happen -- right now! That is TRUE hope. The apostle Peter wrote it this way:

Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope. 1 Peter 1:3 (GNT)

Hope with Christ vs. without Him! Hope distinguishes the true Christian from the unbeliever, who has no hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:13). Indeed, a Christian is one in whom hope resides (1 Pet. 3:15; 1 John 3:3).  For the true Christian, our ultimate hope lies in the fact that Jesus Christ will return at some point in history and welcome us into His eternal presence in heaven.

Do you need some hope? I do not know your station of life or what kind of difficulties you may be facing. And to be honest, there is nothing that I could say or do that will change the outcome. But today, if you allow Christ into your life and begin to look for Him for your ultimate HOPE, He will deliver on the promise. He has never disappointed anyone who was genuinely seeking Him, and the hope He offers is backed up by His resurrection power.

There is MORE – Change too! There is even more good news. Looking for change?  Christ can provide that as well. When you meet up with the TRUE HOPE, Jesus Christ, He is also the One who can bring TRUE CHANGE. What kind of change can Christ make in a life? Check this out, this is what the Bible says changes the moment you meet Christ:

Cash for Clunkers or Change for a Lifetime? Those are just scratching the surface. As you can see, Jesus is not offering “cash for clunkers,” health care, or money for a down payment! Again, those are temporal, earthly and natural changes. Yet is that the kind of change you really need? Your family needs? Your relationships need? People are looking for TRUE change – long-lasting, significant, heart-felt change, something that will radically redirect their lives and give them a future with true fulfillment and deep abiding joy. Not change for a moment. That is not change, it’s a face lift!  Most, if not all, of us need a complete change of life. Christ can provide that!

So there you have it – Jesus Christ is TRUE HOPE. And when you come to Him by faith and make Him your Lord and Savior, He will bring the TRUE CHANGE you are looking for.  We would love the opportunity to talk with you further. Please feel free to contact any one of the three churches below. Check out our websites just by clicking on the logos below. At our website you can find our pastors’ phone numbers so you can sit down and discuss further how to find true hope and change. You are welcomed to join us any weekend and discover more about the true hope and change that is found in Jesus Christ.