BE HOPEFUL

November 10

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3:15, “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.”

A man named John attended our weekly Men’s Bible study.  We’d begin our study by singing a hymn, and I often asked if the men had one that they’d like for us to sing.  Inevitably, John would ask for a hymn about heaven.  I later learned that John had been orphaned as a child, and had lived a difficult life, but you’d never know that from the smile he bore or the countenance of his face.  He was always talking about Jesus and heaven.  John was an older fellow, and his health wasn’t so great, so we were not too surprised when his time of departure came.  I attended his funeral service.  He had no family there.  And he left behind few belongings.  But at his funeral I heard story after story about how he’d talked to others about Jesus, and the impact he had on their lives.  He was a heaven-bound saint and wanted others to share in his hope. 

The context of verse 15 has to do with the suffering any of us might encounter because of being a Christian.  We are told not to fear or be troubled, but instead to set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts, trusting Him and submitting ourselves to Him in our response.  Note this!  The verse presupposes that others might ask us regarding “the hope that is in (us)” (1 Peter 3:15).  Having been born again to a living hope, there’s to be a manifest difference in our hopeful countenance.  Is your walk with Christ such that others see the difference in you?  The days in which we live are filled with uncertainty, and it’s easy to be drawn into the hopelessness that is pervasive.  But you possess a living hope, and others need to see the reality of that in you.

Hope translates the Greek “elpis” which speaks to the confident expectation regarding some future thing.  Contrary to the common usage of its English counterpart it includes no element of doubt.  We are exhorted to “set (our) hope fully on the grace that will be brought to (us) at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).  We are to fully invest our hope in the sure promise of Christ’s return (i.e., “the blessed hope;” Titus 2:13).

We need to be ready to “make a defense to anyone who asks” about it.  Opportunities abound.  Are you ready to do that?  The only way you can be ready is if you are walking by the Spirit and according to the truth of the Word.  Not only can the Spirit embolden you to speak without fear, He can give you the words to speak.  The term translated “defense” is related to our word “apologetics,” which has to do with “reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something.”  Whereas books and Bible School courses are devoted to that theme, the matter is relatively simple.  What is your defense or argument as to the source of the hope you possess?  It starts with the gospel, that glorious message of hope.  Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  Having put your trust in Jesus, you’ve been saved from your sins and given assurance of a future home in heaven.  No matter what happens to you here, you know that you are destined to heaven, and to that inheritance which is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 Peter 1:4).  As someone once said, “When it comes to sharing your faith, it’s not a matter of how much you know, but Who you know, and how much you want others to know Him too!”

Our response to others, even in the face of threats and harsh treatment, needs to be “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).  According to the example of Christ, and the example of countless others who have likewise testified about Jesus in difficult circumstances (1 Peter 2:21-23; Acts 7:59-60).  The uncertainty of these days has worked to open a door of unprecedented opportunity for us.  “In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” we are to “shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15).  You have hope.  Others need what you have.  The hope you possess in Jesus was meant to be shared! 

“Make us thy mountaineers, we would not linger on the lower slope, fill us afresh with hope, O God of hope.” – Amy Carmichael

Share His love by telling what the Lord has done for you
Share His love by sharing of your faith
and show the world that Jesus Christ is real to you
every moment, every day!

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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