Faith, Hope, and the Power of Christ’s Sacrifice

Hebrews 11 is often called the “faith chapter.” It begins with a powerful declaration: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
—Hebrews 11:1

Faith Begins with Belief, and That Belief Leads to Hope

Paul reminds us that faith is rooted in assurance—a confidence in the unseen promises of God. Abraham, like all people of faith, trusted in God’s word before seeing the fulfillment of His promises. He left behind everything familiar and followed wherever the Lord led. Faith begins when we believe, and that belief leads us to hope. Hope then leads us to obedience, and obedience shapes us to become more Christlike in every way. This is why the Gospel message is called “The Good News.” Humanity was once destined to return to the dust, without hope, until Christ came—living a sinless life, suffering for our transgressions, and dying for our sins. Through Him, a new opportunity was opened for all mankind.

Jesus Came to Bring Hope and Light

Why did Jesus need to come? The Bible gives us many reasons. Let’s look at a few:

To Fulfill the Father’s Will
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent me.”
—John 6:38
Just as Abraham obeyed God’s command to leave his homeland, Jesus obeyed the Father and left heaven to dwell among us.
To Bring Light to a Dark World
“I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”
—John 12:46
Jesus entered a world dominated by sin and death, bringing truth, hope, and salvation. His presence meant that darkness no longer had dominion over those who believe in Him.
To Destroy the Power of Death
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
—Hebrews 2:14-1
Jesus took on human flesh so that He could defeat the enemy who had enslaved mankind with the fear of death. Through His sacrifice, He set us free.
To Offer Eternal Life
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
—John 6:51
Jesus used this analogy to explain that His life and His way were to be a pattern for all believers. His coming was an act of joy and mercy, as the angel proclaimed in Luke: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
—Luke 2:10
To Serve and Give His Life as a Ransom
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
—Mark 10:45

Jesus’s Death Destroyed the Power of Sin and Death

We have already learned that the wages of sin is death, but Jesus changed everything. His sacrifice made it possible for us to leave our past behind and move forward in confidence and hope.
Paul explains this transformation beautifully in Ephesians 2:14-18: “For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility… that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross… For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Did you catch that? Jesus suffered for our well-being. His death destroyed the power of death, and now we have direct access to the Father through Him. The cross was not the end—it was the beginning of our hope. Because of Christ, we no longer fear death. Instead, we long for His Kingdom, praying: “Thy Kingdom come”

The Foundation for Our Future Hope

Jesus laid down the foundation of faith for all who believe. He opened the door for us to rise to a new Kingdom, one where: “The builder and maker is God.” This is the ultimate promise—a promise we will explore further next time.