The Discipline of Hope
…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you… - I Peter 3:15
I find it interesting that Peter assumes that you will be so filled with hope that people will be asking you about it regularly enough to write this encouragement. When was the last time you were asked, “Why are you so hopeful?” Sadly, I don’t think that anyone has ever asked me that question. Maybe I should be more hopeful… that is, hopeful that the rest of you are perceived as more hopeful than I am. However, something tells me that for some reason, we as Christians don’t always portray the right kind of hopefulness, or maybe the “hope” that we portray is not what it is compelling to the world.
I have a feeling that this is because our temptation is to confuse true faith-filled hope with plain old optimism or wishful thinking. One of the problems is that we don’t have enough words to express the differences. In common English, we often use the word “hope” for everything from winning the lottery, to a desire for someone’s healing, to our strong conviction that the Lord of the Universe will return and set all things to rights. This word carries a huge range of meanings!
Without inventing a new word, I think we can boil down what separates the hope that Peter is talking about from everything else by understanding the object and the subject of hope. The object of hope is the one who benefits from the outcome of your hope. If the hope is only for me, then I would suggest that this is not a very compelling hope. No one is going to ask me about my hope for myself. This, people will assume, is just wishful thinking. However, if the object of my hope is other people and even the world, then this will be a much more compelling hope! That is the kind of hope that someone might ask you about, especially if it includes them. One of the reasons that people might be more intrigued by this kind of hope is because it is so much larger than a me-centered hope. And a hope that has an object larger than what I can comprehend, must have a subject that is even larger! The subject of hope is the one who is doing the action that will fulfill the hope. Once again, if the hope is in myself, in the randomness of the lottery, or even in the skillfulness of a doctor, then my hope is only as compelling as me, bad math, or another human doctor. However, if my hope is in the God of the Universe whose disposition toward all people is love, then that is a compelling hope!
I wonder if we need to examine our hope. Maybe it needs to be bigger than ourselves and our people… so big and for so many, that only God can achieve it. Maybe then, people might beg you to give them the reason for your hope.
Josh Rose
Family Pastor
Be Prepared
As a young mom, I quickly learned that the success of any trip out of the house depended on how prepared I was. Water bottle—Check! Goldfish crackers—Check! Baby wipes, coloring crayons, Matchbox cars—Check, check, check! With each outing, my backpack was filled with proven tools that solve (or at least soothe) any situation I might encounter. Having these items with me gave me confidence for the outing.
“Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:14-15).
How does one prepare to make a defense? What gives someone the confidence to respond? The Apostle Peter reveals that when Christ is the central focus of your life and honored as such in the posture of your heart, you can have confidence because transformation is taking place.
When the holiness of God changes fear into faith, anger into love, bitterness into compassion, perversions into purity, or isolation into connectedness, there is so much experience of hope that it can’t help but flow out of you! Yes, words matter, but so do the embodied changes experienced by others in your tone, posture, and actions. Your experience of being continually transformed into Christ’s likeness is your preparation. And your metaphorical backpack gets filled with practices like prayer, study, meditation, memorization of Scripture, commitment to community, and obedience to living out love as Jesus did.
While as a mom, I may have packed and carried items that I never utilized, this is never the case when it comes to carrying Christ. He’s what people need. Be prepared and bring Him with you.
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:7-9).
Jessica Klootwyk
Discipleship Director
Stay Stoked
Do you have a favorite T-shirt? I usually have one that I like better than the rest—maybe because of the design, the comfort, or just the way it fits. For the last few years, my favorite says, “Stay Stoked.” People will repeat it back to me or ask, “Are you stoked?” Honestly, it’s a pretty good reminder for me of why I am stoked every time I wear it.
In 1 Peter 3:15, Peter talks about “the hope that is in you.” He’s encouraging believers who face suffering and questioning to remember that their hope has a reason. That reason is Jesus—who He is and what He has done gives us hope that cannot be shaken. In a way, you could say that Peter is calling us to stay stoked in our faith.
To be stoked is to be excited, joyful, and full of anticipation—because something good is happening. That’s exactly what our hope in Jesus should do for us. But let’s be real: life is hard. Peter knew that firsthand. He had moments when he shied away from conflict, even denying Jesus out of fear. Yet, Jesus never gave up on him. He kept working in Peter’s heart, shaping him into someone who boldly proclaimed the life-changing hope of Christ.
Staying stoked in hope doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine or faking it to look good for others. It’s not about ignoring struggles or lying to ourselves to feel better. Sometimes, we bury our feelings because we think we “should” feel better. But true hope isn’t something you have to manufacture—it’s anchored in who we are in Christ. Hope reminds us we are loved. It promises a future. It connects us to our Savior. And that kind of hope, It’s worth more than gold. It’s what allows us to face anything with confidence. It allows us to stand on the firm foundation we have in Christ.
So, how’s your hope today? Could you wear my favorite t-shirt in an honest way and explain your hope if someone asks? Are you staying stoked in Jesus? My prayer is that Jesus blesses you in ways that remind you of the unshakable hope you have in Him—and that your hope and stoke shine brightly to the world around you.
Pastor Jeremy Johnson
Reason[able]
Series: Reason[able]
Text: 1 Peter 3:13-17
Speakers: Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia
February 9, 2025: On Sunday, Pastors Ryan Paulson and Esteban Tapia began a new series from the Scriptures, Reason[able]: Defending Faith in an Age of Skepticism. In this series, we’ll tackle some big topics head-on, not with shallow answers but with deep, honest truth. If you’ve ever wondered how to respond reasonably to the hope and faith you hold in Jesus, this series is for you.
