Easter Countdown: 7) Living Hope (Wickham / Johnson)

Released at Easter 2018, this song, co-written by Phil Wickham and Bethel's Brian Johnson, has become a fixture in many churches' worship set lists and on Christians' playlists. Wickham's own words sum up the song:

"God has rescued us from a place that we could never have rescued ourselves. Our future was death, but Jesus came in and brought life – a living hope – into our souls and into our lives. I love singing the truth of 'Living Hope,' and this song has already become an anthem at both of the churches where we lead. I hope anybody who gets to hear it not only sings along, but their hearts’ cling to it as well."

If the Easter story is going to be anything more than a story to us, we must start where this song does - considering why the death and resurrection of Christ was even necessary. If you, I and indeed the whole world didn't have this massive issue of defiling sin; if the Almighty God of all creation didn't hate sin and need to judge it; if it were possible to deal with our sin in any other way: then this episode would be completely unnecessary and just written off as just another historical event.

But God's word through the prophet Isaiah says "your iniquities have separated you from your God, your sins have hidden His face from you" (Isaiah 59:2) and in Romans "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The Biblical evidence is clear: sin, of which we are all guilty, keeps us separated from God. Not only that but "the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23) - sin can only be judged by death. As Paul makes clear when he agonises over the hopeless human condition, there is nothing that any one of us can do to secure our own forgiveness and salvation.

That's where the Easter story becomes our good news! The only gospel (good news) Paul would preach, which means the only gospel we should preach and believe, was that of "Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23 - also see Galatians 1:6 - 9). The sinless Son of God was crucified for you and me. "He took up our pain and bore our suffering" (Isaiah 53:4). The wrath of God against sin was satisfied by Him - "the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all" (v6).

And so this song sets out our need and how the loving-kindness and mercy of God provides for that need by taking the penalty upon Himself. But it is called 'Living Hope'. Which means the story could not possibly finish there. Surely there must be more - "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17).

That wonderful Resurrection morning 'sealed the promise'. Jesus, who had authority to lay down His own life, had authority to take it again (John 10:18). He became alive again because death had absolutely no claim at all upon the "author of life" and "God raised Him from the dead" (Acts 3:15). What a victory He won! A victory that He doesn't keep to Himself but shares with every one that believes on Him. So Jesus is indeed our wonderful, living hope. Our sins are forgiven and the verse in Romans 6 concludes "...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." What a gift! What a Saviour God!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3).

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How great the chasm that lay between us

How high the mountain I could not climb

In desperation, I turned to heaven

And spoke Your name into the night

Then through the darkness, Your loving-kindness

Tore through the shadows of my soul

The work is finished, the end is written

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Who could imagine so great a mercy?

What heart could fathom such boundless grace?

The God of ages stepped down from glory

To wear my sin and bear my shame

The cross has spoken, I am forgiven

The King of kings calls me His own

Beautiful Savior, I'm Yours forever

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me

You have broken every chain

There's salvation in Your name

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me

You have broken every chain

There's salvation in Your name

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Then came the morning that sealed the promise

Your buried body began to breathe

Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion

Declared the grave has no claim on me

Then came the morning that sealed the promise

Your buried body began to breathe

Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion

Declared the grave has no claim on me

Jesus, Yours is the victory, whoa!

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me

You have broken every chain

There's salvation in Your name

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me

You have broken every chain

There's salvation in Your name

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Oh God, You are my living hope