Clinton Methodist Church

Christian hope | Remembering loved ones in worship

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Hope helps us hold on to God’s promises, let go of what we cannot control, and trust that God holds on to us.

Identity and promise

• We are God’s beloved children, though the fullness of what we will become remains a mystery.
• The promise is that we will be like Jesus: resurrected, healed, whole, and free from sin and death.
• Eternal life begins in relationship with Jesus now; its fullness is still to come.
• Hope is not wishful thinking: it changes how we live.

Holding on

• In grief, hold on to God’s promises, faith in Jesus, and the witness of saints who have gone before.
• The saints’ perseverance encourages others to continue through hardship, fatigue, and tragedy.
• The inheritance of faith is hope in what God has promised.

Letting go

• Hope gives courage to release fears about the future, regrets, unanswered questions, and loved ones.
• After his father’s sudden death in 2001, the speaker entrusted his questions and grief to God’s mercy and love.

God holds on to us

• Jesus promises eternal life and says no one can snatch those who trust in him from his hand.
• We may have to let go, but God holds on to us.