Episode 58 Why We Need Hope For The Future

Host: Jude DiMeglio Trang Guest: Chris Davis Description: We welcome pastor and author Chris Davis back to the Gift of Need podcast to talk about why we all need hope. Chris explores the difference between genuine hope and wishful thinking, and explains how Christian hope in the return of Jesus can shape the way we live today. We discuss how hope can help us face suffering, injustice, death, uncertainty, and the struggles of everyday life, while also motivating us to pursue justice, love others, and live with purpose. Chris also shares practical spiritual disciplines—including gathering, fasting, and Sabbath—that can nurture a life of hope and spiritual expectancy. We talk about: • What hope is and how it differs from wishful thinking • Why Christian hope is centered on the person of Jesus Christ • Chris's book, Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Anticipating Jesus' Return Gives Strength for Today • How the hope of Jesus's return can influence how we live in the present • Why Christians should avoid misplaced certainty about the timing of Jesus's return • The dangers of end-times predictions and the disappointment they can create • Why Jesus's return matters even if it does not happen within our lifetime • How hope can shape the way we respond to greed, jealousy, lust, power, and material wealth • The relationship between hope, suffering, injustice, and the desire for a better future • How hope has historically sustained people experiencing oppression and suffering • The role of spirituals and songs in expressing hope and pursuing freedom • The difference between passively waiting for Jesus's return and actively living with hope • Why the Christian hope of eternity is more than a vague picture of “heaven” • How anticipating seeing Jesus face to face can deepen Christian faith in the present • Why our present experience of God can be understood as a foretaste of what is to come • How gathering together can help Christians experience and anticipate God's future • Why fasting can remind us that we are not yet home • How practicing Sabbath can cultivate peace and spiritual expectancy • The ways Sabbath points toward the redemption of work, God's eternal rule, and eternal delight • Chris's moving story about his father, Sabbath, and the hope of eternal rest • How hope can give us the strength to care about the world while trusting that God will ultimately make things right • How our need for hope can become an opportunity for others to share their gifts of faith and insight You can purchase Chris’ book Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Anticipating Jesus’ Return Gives Strength For Today at any bookseller and read more of Chris’ great articles on his Substack page: https://revchrisdavis.substack.com Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear how you’ve seen the “gift of need” show up in your life. Share your story in the comments or leave a review. Please subscribe to this YouTube channel so other can find these resources and follow the podcast and rate it. Subscribe to my free newsletter to get future episodes and newsletters sent right to your inbox. JudeDiMeglioTrang1.Substack.com Music Credit: Gabe Kubanda / Damn Plans (Instrumental) © 2021 Kubanda Music Engineer: Ray Ingegneri, Third Street Productions, Tucson, AZ Producer: Jude DiMeglio Trang