Friday, July 7 – Acts 17:32-34

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you again concerning this.” So Paul went out from among them. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

We can tell a story many ways. We may experience the same thing as someone else but explain it in a different way, emphasizing different pieces to appeal to our audience. When Paul shared the gospel, he stayed true to sharing the hope of the resurrection even though he knew it would be a stumbling point for some. Paul knew there is no hope without the resurrection.

Jesus was more than just a good man or even just One who took on the payment for our sin. He is the triumphant King who has conquered death and has given us a living hope! First Peter 1:3-5 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Throughout Scripture, we are continually reminded that our only hope is Jesus. There is great power in the resurrection, and all people need to repent and be made right with God through Jesus. Because of Jesus’s resurrection, we don’t just have hope—we have a living hope that will never fade.

• When was the last time you had the opportunity to share the hope of the resurrection? Who might God be calling you to share this hope with now?
• Have you ever felt tempted to change how you talk about Jesus to appeal to the people around you? How might this be appropriate or inappropriate?
• Pray and ask God to give you opportunity to share the hope of the resurrection with someone this week.