Turning Hope into Aspiration

276 views
Posted on by

Sermons in the Year 2026
Turning Hope into Aspiration

Download PDF:
https://od.lk/f/MV8zNTczOTkzNzhf
https://od.lk/fl/MV8xODI0MzMzNl8

Please share this website with all your friends and family members. Thank you, and God bless.

All Scriptures quoted in this article are from the New King James Version (NKJV), unless otherwise noted (https://www.biblestudytools.com/nkjv/).

Dear Church,

Today is the first Sabbath of the year 2026. Together we enter this new year with an even greater expectation of the coming of the Christ, for we are conscious that we belong to the final generation before the End Time takes place. What an exceedingly blessed thing it is for us that we are among the few of God’s people in the Church who will still be alive when the Christ comes to take the Church out of the world. Our present fleshly bodies will be transformed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, into new bodies—glorious and immortal. Then, immediately, we will be caught up to meet our beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ, together with all the saints of the Church, in the air.

In the air, upon the clouds, we will meet countless people of God from the Church throughout nearly two thousand years. We will meet the apostles of the Lord and other faithful people of God whom we have come to know through the accounts in the New Testament. We will naturally recognize them, just as Peter, James, and John naturally recognized Moses and Elijah when the two appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with the Lord Jesus. Also in the air, each one of us will receive a reward from the Christ Himself, for He has promised that:

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12)

The rewarding that the Christ grants to each of God’s people will take place at the moment when He meets the Church in the air. We believe that, in addition to the individual rewards given to each person according to the good works he or she has wholeheartedly done in the name of the Lord on a personal basis, the Lord will also grant to each person the common reward of the Church. That common reward is based on the results of each spiritual ministry and pastoral ministry within the Church in which God’s people have taken part. Such participation is not limited to direct labor alone but also includes intercessory prayer and giving.

It is possible that each person’s reward will be represented by something tangible, such as a certificate of commendation or a medal, to confirm the privileges and special honors that person receives in the Heavenly Kingdom. That symbol may be affixed to each person’s crown. At the same time, the degree of glory of each person’s resurrected body or transformed body will also reflect all the righteous works of the Church as a whole on the earth.

“”Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8)

Previously, when reading Revelation 19:8, we understood that each of God’s people would have a different degree of glory, according to the righteous works of each individual. But now we understand that each of God’s people in the Church will have the same degree of glory, because the righteous works of each person are counted collectively as those of the Church. Thus, the glory of the Church is also the glory of each individual. However, the reward of each person will be different, according to the zeal of the heart in living by the Word of God, as expressed through each person’s deeds. This means that there will be individual rewards, and there will also be collective rewards. In the individual reward, each person’s authority to reign will differ. In the collective reward, the glory of the resurrected body or the transformed body will be the same.

It is very possible that the glory of the Church will be different from the glory of the saints before the Old Testament era, during the Old Testament era, and during the End Time. The glory of human beings will also be different from the glory of the angels. And perhaps the glory of the Church is the greatest of all, because within the glory of the Church there is also the very glory of the Christ Himself, which He has given to the Church (John 17:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:14).

The Holy Spirit has called the event of the Christ’s coming to take the Church out of the world “the Blessed Hope.”

Titus 2:11-14

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

The noun “hope” in the original Greek of the Bible appears 53 times. When used in its ordinary sense, it refers to the hope of receiving something good. That hope may or may not be realized—for example, a lender, or one who lends, hopes to receive back (Luke 6:34), or a plowman or a thresher hopes to share in the harvest (1 Corinthians 9:10). But when it is used to speak of hope in the Word of God or in God Himself, it means a firm expectation, grounded in faith in God. In particular, in Titus 2:13, that hope is identified with its very object: the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In other words, hope in God or in the Word of God is the expectation of things that will certainly come to pass, exactly according to God’s Word. Up to the present time, the only hope of the Church is the hope that the Christ will come to take the Church out of the world. That hope includes seven other hopes, because only when that hope becomes reality will the other hopes in turn be realized. The seven other hopes of the Church are:

1. The resurrection or transformation of the physical body. When the Christ returns, those who have died in Him will be raised with glorious bodies, while believers who are still alive will be transformed instantly (1 Corinthians 15:51–52). This is the final deliverance from the corruption of sin, completing the work of redemption for both soul and body.

2. The glory and immortality of the new body. No longer threatened by death. Reflecting the glory of the Christ and the glory that comes from the righteous works of the Church. No more weakness or sickness. Fully enlivened by the holy spirit of God (1 Corinthians 15:42–44). This fulfills the promise of the redemption of the body (Romans 8:23).

3. Eternal life. Not merely eternal existence, but being in a relationship of knowing God (John 17:3). This is life in the quality and nature of God Himself—union with the Triune God—complete, full, with no more suffering, sin, or death.

4. Participation in the Millennial Kingdom. This is the period when the Christ reigns directly on the earth, before the new heaven and new earth appear (Revelation 20:4–6). The Church serves as priests to God, reigns together with the Christ, and participates in the administration and restoration of the physical world. The righteousness, peace, and glory of the Christ are fully manifested in the material world.

5. Participation in the final judgment together with the Christ, including the judgment of angels. After the Millennial Kingdom, the Church takes part in judging those who reject God and in judging fallen angels (1 Corinthians 6:2–3), while at the same time witnessing and affirming the absolute righteousness of God.

6. Co-reigning with the Christ in the Eternal Kingdom. The new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1) constitute the eternal state of all things. The Church continues to reign forever with the Christ, participates in God’s new creative work, and serves and worships in the everlasting Kingdom. This is not passive enjoyment but active participation in God’s eternal purpose.

7. Being with the Lord forever. This is the center and the climax of all hope:

  • The God will dwell with mankind (Revelation 21:3).

  • The direct, unhindered presence of the God.

  • All blessings are encompassed within this presence: no more suffering, crying, or death.

  • Every spiritual and physical need is fully satisfied.

  • Perfect union between the Creator and His creation.

The hope of “being with the Lord forever” is the final hope and the pinnacle of all hope. For simply by being with the Lord forever, we receive all that is good from Him.

These seven hopes form a progressive theological structure:

  • Beginning with personal transformation (the physical body and the spirit).

  • Expanding to roles in the Heavenly Kingdom (reigning and judging).

  • Reaching its climax in eternal fellowship with God Himself.

All of these depend on the Christ’s coming to the Church. This is “the Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13), which serves as the foundation for every other hope. Each hope is not merely a reward for individuals but also manifests the complete victory of the Christ over sin, death, and Satan, together with the full restoration of the original plan of the God for humanity and the universe.

The appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to take the Church out of the world will occur before the End Time. This appearing is exclusively for the Church and is completely distinct from the time when He will descend on the Mount of Olives at the end of the End Time. These two events are separated by a period of at least seven years, for the End Time lasts the full seven years.

We must reject all false teachings that claim the rapture of the Church will occur in the middle or at the end of the End Time. In either of those cases, the Church would have to go through three and a half years or the full seven years of the great tribulation. God’s Word in Revelation 3:10 clearly affirms that the Church will not have to endure the End Time.

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (Revelation 3:10)

From the time the world was created until now, there has never been a trial occurring simultaneously across the entire world. A trial that happens worldwide is the great tribulation, unlike anything that has ever occurred before and will never occur again. The Lord Jesus Himself prophesied, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). This is the End Time, as prophesied in great detail in the book of Revelation. The promise of the Lord Jesus, given specifically to the Church, is also recorded in Revelation, before the prophecy about the End Time is written.

Based on the prophecies in the Bible compared with historical facts, which we presented in the sermon “The End Time and the Year 2027” [1], we know that the appropriate time frame for the Christ to return and take the Church out of the world includes the years 2026 and 2027. We have just begun entering the year 2026. It is very likely that we have now entered the final time frame in the history of the Church. The Christ could come to us during this period. Therefore, let us turn the Blessed Hope into a fervent longing for blessing, an aspiration.

Hope is an attitude of patience and waiting, grounded in faith.

Aspiration, however, is when that expectation becomes fervent and burning, as the psalmist describes: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God” (Psalm 42:1–2)?

Aspiration turns hope into something active, transforming faith into action, causing hope to bear good fruit for oneself and for many others.

The aspiration for the coming of the Christ should be expressed through the following seven positive actions.

1. Nourish yourself with the Word of God and prayer. This is the foundation of spiritual life.

Nourishing yourself with the Word of God is not merely reading the Bible as a habit but involves:

  • Listening and receiving: Set aside quiet time to hear God’s voice through the Scriptures, with a heart ready to obey.

  • Meditating and applying: Not only understanding the Word of God in the spirit, but actively applying that understanding to daily life.

Prayer is the spiritual breath, maintaining continuous connection with God through:

  • Prayer of worship, glorifying and honoring God.

  • Prayer of confession to God when recognizing one’s sins.

  • Prayer of thanksgiving to God when acknowledging the blessings He has given.

  • Prayer of supplication, asking God for all needs and difficulties.

  • Prayer asking the Lord Jesus for healing and peace.

  • Prayer asking the Lord Jesus for additional grace when facing adversity.

  • Prayer asking the Lord Jesus to cleanse the spirit, soul, and body after each confession to God.

  • Prayer asking the Holy Spirit for enlightenment to understand God’s Word and for wisdom to know how to apply it in life.

  • Prayer asking the Holy Spirit to fill us with the Holy Spirit and gifts, enabling us to live and serve God by His power.

  • Prayer asking the Holy Spirit for alertness against every temptation and for conviction when sin occurs.

2. Always rely on the Holy Spirit to help examine yourself each day so that you may repent promptly and keep yourself in holiness.

  • Daily self-examination: Review your thoughts, words, and actions in the light of God’s Word.

  • Timely repentance: Do not delay in repenting when you recognize sin.

  • Let the Holy Spirit guide you: Do not rely on your own subjective judgment.

  • Practice holiness: This is a continuous process, not a state achieved once and for all.

3. Live in a spirit of vigilance, watching for the day of the Lord’s coming.

  • Spirit of readiness: Do not be carried away by worldly anxieties or desires, forgetting the purpose of life.

  • Fulfill your duties: Complete your responsibilities in family, work, society, and the Church.

  • Recognize the signs of the times regarding the coming of the Christ: Understand and discern events in the light of prophecy.

  • Keep the spiritual lamp burning: Maintain a living relationship with the Lord, reflecting God’s glory to the world.

4. Encourage and support fellow believers in the faith.

  • Practical care: Show concern not only in words but through concrete actions.

  • Walk together in faith: Help one another grow in the knowledge of the Lord and His Word, and in living according to the Word.

  • Share burdens, both physical and spiritual: “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).

  • Build up the local Church: Regularly fellowship through visits, gatherings, and participating together in spiritual and pastoral ministries.

5. Actively participate in the Church’s pastoral and spiritual ministries.

  • Recognize and use your gifts: Every believer has gifts to build up the Church.

  • Participate with the right attitude: Serve in a spirit of love and humility, not seeking personal fame or gain.

  • Support the common work: From small tasks to large, every contribution has value in the Kingdom of God.

  • Be faithful in your office: Persevere even when immediate results are not visible.

6. Actively proclaim God’s Word personally through online media.

  • Use all modern tools: Digital media provides a wide-reaching platform.

  • Personalize the message: Share your genuine personal experiences with the Lord.

  • Balance between virtual and real: Do not completely replace direct, face-to-face relationships.

  • Be wise in content: Present the truth with love and respect.

7. Intercede in prayer for everyone.

Pray for everyone in your family, for the local Church, for the Church in Vietnam, for your homeland, for Jerusalem and Israel, and for the global Church, especially for brothers and sisters in the Lord who are experiencing natural disasters, epidemics, famine, war, and persecution.

  • According to the concentric model: from near to far, from individual to global.

  • Family: The first place where character and faith are formed.

  • Local Church: The closest community in faith.

  • Church in Vietnam: People sharing the same language and culture.

  • Homeland: The place where the Lord has placed us to live and bear witness.

  • Jerusalem and Israel: The center of God’s plan of salvation.

  • Global Church: The body of Christ beyond all borders.

  • The afflicted: Give priority in prayer to those in the most difficult circumstances.

The seven actions above form a comprehensive framework for the life of God’s people:

  • Upward (actions 1–3): Relationship with the Lord.

  • Inward (actions 4–5): Relationship within the Church.

  • Outward (actions 6–7): Ministry to the world.

These are not separate objectives but are closely connected, supporting and complementing one another, creating a balanced and effective spiritual life.

Dear Church,

In this year 2026, let us together rely on the grace of God, turning the Blessed Hope of the coming of the Christ into a fervent longing for His coming.

May the Word of God sanctify us and strengthen us. May we all stand firm in faith and remain faithful to the Lord until the day Christ returns. May the love, grace, and fellowship of the Triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—cover all of you. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
01/03/2026

Notes:

[1] https://preachingfromthebible.net/067-the-end-of-the-world-and-the-year-2027/

About Using “God” or “the God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible use a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as “*God” or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.