Originally posted: 2/18/2021
constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, (1:3).
The two letters written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica are primarily concerned with two themes: persevering through persecution; and the return of Christ.
The Thessalonian church was founded during Paul’s second missionary journey after preaching the gospel in their local synagogue.
Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, (Acts 17:1-2).
And it did not take long for persecution to break out, ushered in by a bitterly jealous and frenzied mob, to the point that Paul and Silas were sent away for their safety and protection.
But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people… 10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews, (Acts 17:5, 10).
And this church of new converts now found themselves in the heat of tyrannical discrimination and oppression. And it was out of Paul’s concern, inspired by the Holy Spirit, that he writes his letter to send encouragement through the truth, Jesus Christ is Our Steadfast Hope.
…steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father (1:3).
Other versions translate “steadfastness of hope” as “endurance inspired by hope; enduring hope; patience of hope; perseverance of hope; firm hope; persistent and unwavering hope.”
From Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
Steadfast: “5281. ὑπομονή hupomonḗ; gen. hupomonḗs, fem. noun from hupoménō (5278), to persevere, remain under. A bearing up under, patience, endurance as to things or circumstances. This is in contrast to makrothumía (3115), long–suffering or endurance toward people. Hupomonḗ is associated with hope (1 Thess. 1:3) and refers to that quality of character which does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.
Hope: “1680. ἐλπίς elpís; gen. elpídos, fem. noun. Hope, desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it.”
From the original language we might expand upon this description of “steadfastness of hope” as: a firm and patient refusal to succumb under a trial, while resolutely enduring and remaining under the circumstance in sure and certain expectation of obtaining that which is desired.
And how is the believer to remain so resolute? The answer lies in Jesus.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, (Hebrews 12:1-2).
In describing Jesus, Who “endured the cross,” the writer of Hebrews used the same root word that described the “steadfastness” that was seen in the Thessalonians’ hope.
Endured: “5278. ὑπομένω hupoménō; fut. hupomenṓ, from hupó (5259), under, and ménō (3306), to remain. To remain under, i.e., to persevere, endure, sustain, bear up under, suffer…” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord… (1:6).
Jesus is Our Steadfast Hope because Jesus was Steadfast in His sufferings. He remained under the trial, enduring the cross, until our salvation was accomplished. He endured in His firm and patient refusal to succumb under a trial, while resolutely enduring and remaining under the circumstance in sure and certain expectation of obtaining that which is desired; thus substantiating the Hope we now have in His promised provision for our future.
It is finished; and now He sits at the right hand of the Father in Glory, forever Our Steadfast Hope.
Consider Him, Our Steadfast Hope
- He Is Our Steadfast Hope, substantiated in His choice.
- knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you, (1:4).
- just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him… (Ephesians 1:4).
- knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you, (1:4).
- He Is Our Steadfast Hope, substantiated in His power.
- for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction, (1:5).
- seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence, (2 Peter 1:3).
- for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction, (1:5).
- He Is Our Steadfast Hope, substantiated in His joy.
- You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, (1:6).
- And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement, (Romans 5:11 KJV).
- You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, (1:6).
- He Is Our Steadfast Hope, substantiated in His new creation.
- For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, (1:9).
- Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come, (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, (1:9).
- He Is Our Steadfast Hope, substantiated in His resurrection.
- and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come, (1:10).
- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3).
- and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come, (1:10).
How do we respond to Him, Our Steadfast Hope?
He alone is Our Steadfast Hope, and we are called to live, like the Thessalonians, in our steadfastness of Hope in Him. This is His gift imparted to us through faith in Christ.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8).
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, (Hebrews 11:1).
And in order to live in His gift of faith and steadfastness of Hope in Him, Our Steadfast Hope, there is preparation, discipline, and diligence required on our part.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 1:13).
- Let us prepare our minds for action as we study and meditate on the power and truth of His Word to inspire our careful obedience.
- for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction, (1:5).
- “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success,” (Joshua 1:8).
- All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work, (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction, (1:5).
- Let us remain sober in our spirit as we surrender our will to His control to follow Him.
- …how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, (1:9).
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight, (Proverbs 3:5-6). - Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me,” (Matthew 16:24).
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart
- …how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, (1:9).
- Let us fix our hope completely on His grace as we stand on His promise for our future as we wait for His return from heaven.
- and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come, (1:10).
- “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope,” (Jeremiah 29:11).
- This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life, (1 John 2:25).
- and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come, (1:10).
Oh that our entire life would be built and established through a “steadfastness of hope,” in our firm and patient refusal to succumb under trials while resolutely enduring and remaining under the circumstances in sure and certain expectation that we will obtain our desire, as we fix our eyes on Jesus, Our Steadfast Hope, Who Steadfastly endured for us.
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, (Hebrews 12:2).
In closing, let us find strength and encouragement as we contemplate the words of “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less,” written in 1834, by Edward Mote. This hymn is a picture of one whose eyes are Steadfastly fixed on Jesus through a prepared mind, sober spirit and fixed Hope on Christ, the Solid Rock on which we can stand.
Oh, that we too would stand on the only solid ground there is in life, on Jesus Christ, Our Steadfast Hope.
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name
When darkness veils his lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
His oath, his covenant, his blood
Supports me in the ‘whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay
When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in his righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
Chorus: On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand