Our One Hope

Tim Vanderveld
Jul 11, 2010 at West Hills Community Church

Tim was our Associate Pastor of Worship for 1997-2004. He is now an Associate Pastor at Converge Church in Minneapolis. Tim contracted gall bladder cancer in 2007. Four months ago, he was given just six weeks to live. Needless to say, the Lord has extended Tim's life. Tim has used this gift of time to speak in support groups, classrooms and churches about where his hope lies. This morning, via Skype, he is sharing from God's word and relating from his own experience of what it means to walk through the valley of the shadow of death with Jesus as his Savior.

5 surgeries...24 rounds of chemo...30 rounds of radiation...36 formal messages given since being given just 6 weeks to live by doctors on March 7th. His prayer has shifted toward extending his life so he may share his story with as many people as possible.

The question he is most frequently asked is, "How are you handling this?" He says his answer is found in 1 Peter 3:15. His hope is in Jesus Christ. (By the way, I think verses 16-17 are also good rebuttals to the prosperity gospel...ESV says, "WHEN you are slandered"...not if.)

Where does this hope come from? Look at 1 Peter 1:3-9.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

When you find Jesus in your darkest moments the words out of your mouth should be praise, glory and honor. It can be hard but let your heart rejoice knowing that God's will is being done in your life. He broke down talking about the earthly sorrow he experiences when looking into the eyes of his wife of 29 years and children and knowing they will have to go on without him while attempting to balance the inexpressible joy he will have upon walking into glory. Once again, I was reminded of the phrase "sorrowful yet always rejoicing" which encapsulates our life here in this broken world as we await our eternal home.

No matter your age, your circumstance, your health...the one universal, unshakeable truth is that your hope is in Jesus Christ.

Thanks Tim. God bless you.