The Audacity of Hope

 

“And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 

Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”

Acts 26:6–8 

Paul stands before King Agrippa, not pleading for his life, but boldly proclaiming hope—not vague optimism, but a specific, historic, unshakable hope: the resurrection of the dead. This wasn’t a new invention. It was the deep-rooted longing of Israel—a promise embedded in the Scriptures, carried by the prophets, and fulfilled in Jesus Christ [^1].

William Barclay observes, “The resurrection was no afterthought; it was always God’s intention. And it is the foundation of Christian hope—because if Jesus rose, then so shall we.” Paul wasn’t on trial for a crime, but for declaring that the ancient hope had come true in Jesus.

To Paul, the resurrection wasn’t just about life after death. It was a transforming present reality. As Eugene Peterson wrote, “Resurrection is not a backward-looking event or merely a future guarantee—it’s the current energy by which we live, move, and serve.” It explains Paul’s courage, endurance, and joy in the face of injustice and imprisonment.

Alexander Maclaren reminds us: “Christianity begins not with a command but with a triumph, not with a duty but with a declaration: Christ is risen.” That declaration changed Paul forever. It changes us too. It means that suffering and death are not the end. It means that God is faithful to fulfill every promise.

So today, let Paul’s words stir our hearts. Why should it be considered incredible that God raises the dead? That question challenges our doubts and expands our faith. We serve a God who turns tombs into doorways, endings into beginnings. This is the audacity of our hope.

Prayer:

Lord,

Anchor our hope in You. Help us to live today in the light of resurrection—unafraid, unashamed, and full of the power of Your promises. May our lives reflect the unshakable hope that Christ is risen, and that You are making all things new.

Amen.

Footnote:

[^1]: The hope of resurrection runs throughout the Old Testament. Abraham believed God could raise the dead (Hebrews 11:19). Job declared, “After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God” (Job 19:25–26). David, in Psalm 16:10, trusted that God would not abandon His Holy One to decay—a prophecy Peter later applied to Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 2:25–31). Isaiah prophesied, “Your dead will live… their bodies will rise” (Isaiah 26:19), and Daniel foresaw a future resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked (Daniel 12:2). Even during Jesus’ ministry, Martha affirmed her belief in a final resurrection (John 11:24), to which Jesus replied with the stunning declaration: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Paul later described Jesus’ resurrection as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20), confirming that what Israel hoped for had come to life in Christ.