The Hopeful Perspective
Welcome to "The Hopeful Perspective" a podcast discussing what it entails to transform from a personal position of suffering, pain, loss and HOPELESSNESS toward a renewed perspective of security, perseverance, love and HOPE. I am your host, Jason Hopkins, a long time victim and survivor who has personally been impacted by the Lord to be a victor and a thriver! In each podcast episode you can expect to find authentic dialog from a Biblical and experiential perspective—that is, BEYOND mere religious anecdotes and simple academic exercise—though all used together engage how to find the HOPE that is essential in moving from a victim to victory. Survivor to thriver. Hopeless to hopeful.
Please download, share, subscribe and stay tuned for this journey with me. Leave a review to support and spread awareness for the Hopeful Perspective. As a man who has lived, studied and who truly understands the definition of not only 'surviving' trauma, but authentically thriving as a renewed creation amidst a broken and hurting world, I am humbled to share this platform with you. Prepare to be a critical thinker, a passionate responder and ultimately to be inspired towards The Hopeful Perspective. I would be honored to eventually earn your trust, and welcome you as a part of the 'Hopeful' family.
The Hopeful Perspective
The Bible and the Ballot 3: From Grief to Grace in Gethsemane
What if you could navigate today’s contentious world with the same grace and compassion Jesus showed during His darkest hours? Join us on the Hopeful Perspective Podcast as we reflect on Jesus' profound response to betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane, based on Matthew 26. Discover how His choice to heal and forgive, even in the face of arrest, offers timeless lessons for dealing with division and adversaries today. We delve into the poignant story of Judas' betrayal and draw parallels to our contemporary struggles, inviting you to embrace a Christ-like approach to conflict.
As we pivot to a critical discussion on faith versus politics, you'll be challenged to rethink your political allegiances and prioritize your heavenly citizenship. We explore the transformative power of aligning your perspective with Christ’s vision, urging a deep dive into scripture and prayer with humility.
Looking ahead, we preview our upcoming series inspired by "Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You," a book that has deeply impacted my personal journey with Dissociative Identity Disorder. If you have questions about what it was like to live and learn while living with DID, than you will want to tune in for a transformative dialogue designed to strengthen your faith and provide hope!
Are you inspired by what you hear today? Jason deeply appreciates his listeners taking their time to listening, downloading, and sharing The Hopeful Perspective Podcast. Please help me spread 'hope' to others by writing a review for the podcast making it reachable for all who need to be inspired, encouraged, and changed by hoping once again. Further, understand that downloading the podcast is a surefire way to help increase the algorithm thus the reach of The Hopeful Perspective, even if you delete the episode after listening so as to not affect your data storage. I have also provided a (Support the Show) link DIRECTLY ABOVE THIS PARAGRAPH to click on for those who have shared with me they are "all in" and feel called to financially support the mission and vision of The Hopeful Perspective. A special thank you to those who have made this humble step to financially support the podcast. Without you, there is no US!
Jason Hopkins can also be reached on Facebook as well as Instagram and Threads (jayhop9953). You can also follow 'The Hopeful Perspective' FB page; where you can find more information as well as learn about upcoming news and episodes on the The Hopeful Perspective Podcast.
Welcome to the Hopeful Perspective Podcast. I am your host, jason Hopkins. This podcast is designed to give you a perspective of hope that impacts your daily life in an authentic and tangible way. If you've been with us from the beginning, you know that I opened the first six episodes, where we learned how my life story illustrates God's glory through my own experiences overcoming child abuse and trauma, 26 foster homes and institutions, various diagnoses affect me throughout my life and an eventual brain tumor, resulting in multiple brain surgeries on my brain stem. Despite all of this, I have moved from merely being a survivor to a faithful and God-loving thriver. Though my past was full of pain and suffering, I have been restored with purpose and sanctification. I have been redeemed. I have also been called to follow Christ within my redemption. I want to thank you for listening today and taking the time to download our episodes. I want to thank you for listening today and taking the time to download our episodes, as when you download, along with rating our podcast with an honest response, you are indeed helping the algorithm immensely to spread our reach. We have also provided a few options to either contact our show with your direct feedback, as well as to support the podcast financially if you are called to partner with us in bringing hope to a hurting world.
Speaker 1:We are finishing up a series today entitled the Bible and the Ballot, where we're exploring what it means to be a committed believer in a contentious and partisan culture. I'm sure you would agree that our country is more divided right now than at any time, probably since the Civil War. How do we show the love of Christ during this perilous time? This is our venture in looking at what the scriptures have to say about our posture and our attitude. We have addressed contentious topics such as the right to life and the biblical definition of marriage, and I even shared where I stand on what the Bible teaches. I shared these insights from my extensive research and conversations with diverse theological perspectives and illuminated my own personal stances in order to begin laying the foundation for a biblical perspective as a Christian living in our partisan world. We last time walked through the scriptures that gave us further insight. Today, we are going to talk through further biblical passages that give us more of Jesus' perspective as to how we approach our enemies, even though seemingly out to get him and or his followers. So, as always, I encourage you to grab your favorite snack, hot or cold beverage. Get comfortable and come on this journey with me today, as we explore some of Jesus' truths taught in the Garden of Gethsemane and how they apply to our living as a Christian in our perilous and partisan world. To begin, I want you to open your Bible to the book of Matthew again this week, except this time we are going to pick up in chapter 26.
Speaker 1:We will be resuming a scene where Jesus and his followers are in the Garden of Gethsemane and their enemies have come to apprehend them following the betrayal of the one-time disciple Judas. Let's look at it together, starting in verse 47, we read While he was still speaking, judas, one of the twelve arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him. Going at once to Jesus. Judas said Greetings, rabbi. And kissed him. Jesus replied Do what you came for, friend. Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. Jesus replied sword back in its place. Jesus said to him for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. I just want to pause here and let you know that in Luke, chapter 22, verse 51, we get a further insight where it says Jesus answered no more of this and he touched the man's ear and healed him. But as we resume in verse 53, do you think I cannot call on my father and he will at once put at my disposal more than 12 legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way? In that hour, jesus said to the crowd am I leading a rebellion that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled. And then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Speaker 1:In this passage, I want us to consider a few things. In this passage, I want us to consider a few things. What does this setting in the Garden of Gethsemane teach us about how we are to handle divisive people, politics and our enemies? Let's establish what is happening. A few verses earlier, we read about the deep agony Jesus was in and the grief that came from within, and so we know if there was ever a time for him to give up or to call upon his protective angels. This would have been that time. Secondly, let's take note of who is in the camp of Jesus' adversaries. The first that appears with his enemies is one of his own disciples, judas, who we know. Only an hour or two prior to this event happening, he was breaking bread with Jesus and his disciples.
Speaker 1:Have you ever considered this fact how soon after Judas is carrying out deception and betrayal I know I'm confronted with this question as well. Are there believers who, like Judas, are exchanging truth for a lie by turning to a faulty movement Instead of the Pharisees, though it's conservatism and turning to false messiahs, such as found in contemporary Trumpism? Are there believers out there that, like Judas, are responding to fear, the way man is always tempted to, by taking control in areas the Lord is certainly already sovereign? They're not fully trusting God and they're rather willing to bet on themselves. God, and they're rather willing to bet on themselves. Notice this as well. Judas came close up to Jesus, so if there's ever a time that Judas would repent for his betrayal or to think twice about his actions, wouldn't you think it would be at the moment he came up so close to the Savior to give him that kiss. Yet somehow he was able to come into Jesus' very sight and presence, to look him in the eye and then betray him. How does this truth pertain to us, you wonder? I can't help but to think of all the times I have heard believers who claim to be close to Christ but, instead of bringing their enemies closer to Jesus in humility for possible prayer, repentance and renewal, are instead betraying Christ and even using complementary language in Christendom to do so. In other words, they are using language of the kingdom as fighting words instead of using the true spirit of Christ and his kingdom to deal with his enemies.
Speaker 1:Let's reread what occurs when the mob moves in, at the end of verse 50. Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him With that one of Jesus' companions we just read in Luke that this companion is Peter, no less reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. And of course we read that Jesus replied Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Here we are in this scene, and I want you to notice that Jesus does not command the officers and the soldiers that were his adversaries to put up their swords that were drawn against him, as he seemed content to leave them to the judgment of the Father. Rather, we see that Jesus commands Peter to put up his sword, as he is establishing Jesus. That is a precedent that is to be followed for generations.
Speaker 1:Christ's mission and message into the world was to make peace, not war, and this is where we gather the famous words that you live by the sword and die by the sword. Now, of course, we do not fight with swords today, so I wonder what it would sound like if we read live by the gun, die by the gun. Live by the second amendment, die by the second amendment. Amendment die by the second amendment. Now wait, jason, are you promoting that soft, progressive kind of Christianity that far-righters accuse anyone who says peace is Christ's priority over insurrection and division? If you are seriously hearing this, then I say let's read your Bible and try again. What I am actually saying is that when we claim we have freedom and rights to be angry and to fight over just as the Apostle Peter certainly had caused to fear and draw his sword for his rights, then we will be subjected and subservient to those same rights. That is what the Bible says. When Jesus says to the president we live by the sword, die by the sword.
Speaker 1:Now many will try and deflect the spiritual truths of scripture by claiming those teaching these truths are soft, if not mistaken altogether. But I'd like for us to look at this again only after this next point. See, as I was reading this passage one day in my own devotional time, something jumped at me like it never before We'd read in the garden that it wasn't just a former follower of Christ in Judas who was creating damage, but Peter, when he gave in to fear and impulse, thinking he was standing up for Christ, actually cut the ear off of one of the adversarial mobsters. But it's what occurs next that I want us to look at. We read it in Luke's gospel that Jesus, upon rebuking Peter, then reached out his hand and healed the soldier's ear. Did you catch that? Jesus reached out his hand and offered respite and healing to one of the men that was sent to arrest him. Christ was healing the wounds caused by one of his most devoted followers against his own enemies.
Speaker 1:This truth moved me and impacted me immensely. See, it's this scene that I believe speaks most powerfully to us contemporary believers living in a tumultuous, divided and a partisan world? How many wounds are we creating in the name of defending our liberties, thinking we are protecting our faith and even our Lord that Jesus himself hasn't asked us to take charge of? How many today are trumpeting our values and our visions, yet crossing the very line and violently inciting division against those enemies that we supposedly have? How often do we hear and read how the Democrats are evil, the immigrants are all criminal, everyone not voting Republican is woke and we have to bind together to stop the wickedness in our world. Yet our exploits are creating deep wounds and divisiveness.
Speaker 1:In the name of Christ, should we not be looking to bind up the brokenhearted and to help be the hope and the healing that the world desperately needs? Jesus showed us he needs more peacemakers. Not in the name of some soft, progressive, gentle type of Messiah, as truth deflectors will claim as a talking point to put down those calling for biblical peace. Rather, being a peacemaker, this day and age even looks like calling out our own, just like Christ did in the garden, and reminding fellow believers that we are to be the spiritually mature ones in the room that the truth of his mission was not about division at all, and it certainly isn't about rights, violation of our rights and persecution isn't even an excuse.
Speaker 1:If you think it is, I'd just like to encourage you to read the Sermon on the Mount the Beatitudes, and to again read this scene in Gethsemane. What you will read is heaven applauds when we handle persecution with grace, as this is when we are the most Christ-like, and also because we then get to show the world we want to see turned to Him the very contrast of their own ways. But political idolatry robs us of this power and authority found in our faith and it makes enemies of the very people we are called to minister to and to serve, of the very people we are called to minister to and to serve. Matthew 5, 11, and 12 declares to us that you're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom. Not only that, count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me.
Speaker 1:What it means is that the truth. See, when Christians are mocked, we are supposed to rejoice and celebrate versus becoming defensive and angry. Most of all, we are to be putting our trust in God's sovereignty, that, just as in the Garden of Gethsemane, these events needed to happen so as to accomplish the will of the Father, so we too put our faith and trust in His will when politics, persecution and warfare are being waged around us. Again, the spiritually mature will remember that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual. Spiritual discernment is when we can see beyond the physical world in front of us and into the spiritual truths and the reality behind the physical world. You see, the spiritually mature are not necessarily the loudest voices who see evil in the world and are doing all they can to combat it with their legislation and their ballots.
Speaker 1:Does this mean, again, that we should be full-blown pacifists and not vote for the candidates or the laws that tend to follow Christ's kingdom values? Of course that's not anything close to what we've been learning in this series. Of course that's not anything close to what we've been learning in this series. This is the reason I began the first episode in this series telling you that I am passionate about the unborn having the right to life and that I am for the biblical definition of marriage and the nuclear family. We are not to be passive in our culture. Rather, what I'm saying is that the spiritually mature should certainly participate in your local and federal government as devoted citizens, all the while keeping an eye on what is truly behind the evil acts. That we still remain steadfast and we put our trust in the Lord, who warned us of these days. Then we will fight the battle and accomplish as much on our knees in prayer to our Father in heaven, more so than we do shaking our fists and pointing our fingers toward a candidate or the ballot box. The truly strong and passionate advocate will defer to Christ when we begin to experience our own anxieties and fears. That will indeed occur as evil presses in on every side. The mature believer will acknowledge that Jesus is still on the throne in heaven, regardless of who is in the White House. On the throne in heaven, regardless of who is in the White House. Jesus is on the throne no matter what laws are passed or what legislation is overturned.
Speaker 1:So I ask of you do you believe this today? Does your social media reflect this or does it more so, reflect the donkey or the elephant, the blue shirt or the red hat? You are subservient to your symbols for dividing the people. I realize that for some of you listening, you may be steeped pretty far into this and you are not convinced by anything that you're hearing. That'll change your mind. Maybe people in spiritual authority have taught you for years to take the battle to the ballots, and so hearing anything alternative to this almost sounds unchristian to you. I get this. I again have heard of many leaders and even whole churches that cross the line of what Jesus taught us of the kingdom and of our government.
Speaker 1:All I can do is encourage you to go to the scriptures yourself, to read the Bible to discover the truth, just as we were doing today. Read the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, all of Jesus' words and even the Church Fathers as to what our priorities are to be concerning our citizenship in heaven versus our citizenship to our nations and our worldly governments. Pray with humility and earnestness, and I know the Lord will either confirm or convict you toward the repentance necessary, and then I know that he will personally be your comforter once you have genuinely turned your heart back to His will and His ways. Friends, to err or sin is obviously common in this fallen world, yet we show our broken world the resurrection and the redemption of Christ when our hopeful perspective is brought into alignment with the king's vision, and our king is Christ. Our kingdom is not of this world, so our perspective should be one of hope, not out of desperation. Our priorities should rise out of our faith, not our fear. We will be known by our fruit. If you recall, we covered Galatians last week and our fruit will be produced according to our roots.
Speaker 1:So who and what are you rooted in today? Maybe others of you have walked away from that faith and the trust that you maybe, perhaps at one time, had placed in Jesus, or maybe you've been tempted away in your own pain, like I once was, to pursue other avenues you thought provided. Maybe you have never put your hope and faith and your trust nor belief in Christ, but you're feeling compelled in your search for truth by the evidences that the Holy Spirit is clearly illuminating just for you. Either way, I would be remiss if we left our time today without providing an opportunity as we do every time on the Hopeful Perspective for you to respond to Christ, and I want to pray for you right now. So all of you that are listening to this either agree with this prayer or lift those up that are hearing this and needing this in their life.
Speaker 1:Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and I surrender this life to you. Wash me and cleanse me from all unforgiveness and pride. I believe that you are the son of God, that you died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins and you rose again on the third day for my victory. I believe that in my heart and I want to make confession with my mouth that you, jesus, are my Lord and my Savior. You are my King. You are higher than any earthly king and president, and your kingdom is forever. I want to live my life according to your terms and I want you to change my reliance from myself or on worldly political pursuits where I've placed hope, and instead I trust your plan and ask for you to put the people and the process by which I need to pursue restoration into my life.
Speaker 1:Lord, I ask for you to reveal to me where I have mistakenly become idolatrous in this and whatever dynamics the enemy has utilized to keep us apart I speak your truth over it when I have become overzealous in my passion for politics or politicians or even just the ability to vote, that has taken me out of balance and away from faith. I ask for your grace and mercy and, most importantly, I ask for your forgiveness. Thank you for being a God of mercy, a God of healing and a God of truth. Might I become a bridge builder who stands on truth, yet does so with the wisdom and discernment of your Holy Spirit. Give us the spiritual eyes to see on earth as it is in heaven, and may our priorities begin to reflect your heart and your kingdom. Jesus, we love you. We have nothing without your sacrifice, and our life is meaningless if not for your death and your resurrection. So it is in your name, jesus of Nazareth, the one true Messiah, that I pray today. Amen.
Speaker 1:If you have today agreed with this prayer from the depths of your heart, I just want to personally welcome you to the eternal family of God, or I want to commend you in your return to faith. I think it's important we do these sort of check-ins with ourselves and let the Holy Spirit reflect to us the areas that need refining, need fine-tuning. I also want to continue as an encouragement for you to find an Orthodox, biblically-based faith family who worships the Lord passionately, and devote yourself to the reading of the scriptures, as there is so much to grow, to learn from and be discipled in as it pertains to new life and maturity in Christ. I'm excited for next time.
Speaker 1:On the Hopeful Perspective, we will begin a new series based on a book that was instrumental in my therapy living with dissociative identity disorder. This book helped lay the foundation for me to have a hopeful perspective about where I came from and where the Lord desires to take me forward. If you are interested at all in this book and you maybe want to purchase it, it's entitled Living from the Heart Jesus Gave you. The authors are multiple there's James Friesen E James Wilder, Anne Beerling, rick Kopke and Mary Beth Poole. This will be an informative series that will apply to everybody who hears it. I look forward to being with you next time on the Hopeful Perspective as we begin to unpack some of the lessons and the truths that I learned from the Lord in my own battles with a very rare and intense personality disorder.
Speaker 1:Until then, I want to thank you for joining me along this journey and, if you would be so kind to follow, subscribe if you haven't, and, most importantly, to rate and write a review for others on your platform who may need to hear the hopeful perspective in their life. Did you know that you can also contribute monetarily by pressing our support the show link that is embedded on your platform in the episode descriptions. Be reassured that all of your contributions are utilized to grow the podcast, to multiply our equipment, to broaden our reach and basically just to share this hope of Jesus Christ. I want to shout out my gratitude to the multiple new donors who already have made this commitment to support the podcast financially. Without you, it would not be possible to reach as many people with the messages that we do, or anyone who needs to be reminded that hope is indeed real. So thank you so much in advance, hopeful family, and until next time, remember you are loved.
