After Jesus came and left, his twelve disciples walked the same path. They went into Rome and endured the severity of persecution. They were crucified and put to death. They were left for dead. In spite of such, they still did not give up their hope. The joy that they received from having hope was stronger than the fear they felt of death, stronger than any pain they received from tribulation; stronger than any armament. It was stronger than any influence and anything that was boasted of in the world. We have learned that Christianity was established on the grounds which prophets and sages walked, embracing hope more strongly than anything else.
Today we are placed in a situation where we too must entertain a new hope and set up and affect an object on the worldwide level. This being the reality, you will have to understand that the hope you cherish should exert stronger influence than any other power. Even if death comes upon you, even if all this universe is to disappear, hope should be the source of power with which you can overcome. Only if you become such unchanging central figures of hope will you be able to stand in front of Heaven.
There have been many people until now who boasted of themselves as having good faith. However, we have often seen people who boast of themselves fading away. No matter how much one boasts of his good faith, unless he can stand as one central being of hope who has won victory over the last hill of death, we must realize that he will end up being a loser in life.
If we establish the church and build the nation after rendering devoted service for the sake of Heaven, embracing the hope that cannot be bartered for all the things we own and that is even more precious than our life, the task of seeking a new hope through the church and the nation will take place on this hopeless earth. Through them, all of humankind, who were wandering without hope, will find a new hope.
Each of you who stepped forth to seek a new path must keep the hope of which you cannot help boasting in front of all humankind, even in the face of fear and death. With the firm faith that you have such a hope, even if you grapple with some difficulties of the environment, you must become people who can overcome them with dignity and happiness. If you become such people, you will not own worldly joy, but heavenly joy, which is eternal. The restored life in such an atmosphere is not the life that dies after living in this world; it is the life that lives forever. What is more, if there is a person who seeks such a hope, he will be the one who can live forever in God’s love, not in the love humans advocate. If one seeks such a hope, he would have to be considered qualified to stand in front of all humankind without defect. Therefore, today we must have a hope that is not earth-bound or blocked by the hill of death, but one with which we can surmount the hill of death. Unless we are able to have such a hope, the dispensational history of Heaven, who came looking for us after having crossed the hill of death will end in failure.
Heaven stresses that only after we go over the hill of death are eternal hope, eternal happiness, and the eternal ideology given. In fact, Heaven seeks us through the hill of death. Therefore, we must have the hope with which we can surmount death. Without this hope, we cannot travel this path. That is why Paul said, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18) Deeply touched in his heart by the thoroughgoing hope that no one had, Paul had to assume responsibility for the difficult surroundings alone, and he went forth fighting. You must know this.
Without regarding the numerous hills of death, to seek out this hope for human beings, Heaven has come seeking several thousand years. Therefore, today we must become the people who know how to go over the hill of death, embracing heavenly hope. Unless we become such people, we will not have eternal heavenly hope. You must understand this.
Jesus also said, “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25) This parable was not made by worldly people, but by Jesus, who represented Heaven. This seems like a contradictory statement. However, Jesus made this statement because human beings are left with the course of life in which they have to march on, resolving the contradiction of the environment.
The Path of Life We Must Go, Entertaining Hope
Reverend Sun Myung Moon
March 22, 1959
As I Can See 