Hope Ain't a Hustle

Sometimes hope can feel like a scam—a swindle, a hustle. You thought it was real, and you bought into it. But then the tables turn, and you feel like you've been hustled—like you've been had.

As Christians, we often respond to the brokenness of life as if we do not actually have hope—as if the promises of God are not really certain. But Pastor Irwyn Ince assures us that not only do we have hope, but that hope cannot disappoint us because it is validated by God himself. Hope Ain't a Hustle is a clear and accessible exploration of the epistle to the Hebrews, urging us to place our confidence in the finished work of our great high priest, Jesus Christ, and showing how that confidence changes the way we live in the here and now.

It's not that Christians don't face grief or anger, disappointment or deep sorrow. It's that we don't face them as those "who have no hope."



Irwyn L. Ince Jr. is the coordinator of Mission to North America, part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Formerly, he was a pastor at Grace DC Presbyterian Church. He is also the author of The Beautiful Community. He and his wife, Kim, have been married for thirty-two years and have four children and two grandchildren.

Foreword by Christina Edmonson


Introduction: Hustling or Hoping?
Part 1: The Storm Before the Calm


1. Living in the Danger Zone


2. Considering Jesus in the Danger Zone


3. Resting in the Danger Zone
Part 2: Keep Hope Alive


4. The Unreasonable Hope


5. The Perfect Hope


6. The Better Hope
Part 3: In Need of Endurance


7. Remember to Endure


8. Persevere by Faith


9. Live for the City


10. Run Through Exhaustion


Notes

"Our world glimmers with false hopes, offering financial gains, political power, and earthly efforts as conduits of blessing that promise much but fail to provide the peace and unity we desire. We need a better hope if we want to persevere. Thankfully, Irwyn Ince's new book Hope Ain't a Hustle wisely guides us through the book of Hebrews, reminding us that the object of our hope—Jesus himself—is the power of our endurance."



"This wonderful book is a pastoral, homiletical gift to those in need of encouragement. Diagnosing the problem of our era as a failure of hope, Irwyn Ince shares the fruit of his profound meditations, study, and preaching of the book of Hebrews. This is the kind of strong medicine needed to restore hope in a generation that has been disappointed by apathy, injustice, and scandal. He shows us that the hope of the gospel is the secret to joy and endurance. For those who are discouraged, sorrowful, and struggling, this wise book helps us to have eyes to see the beauty of Jesus anew."



"In these difficult days, we all need more hope—not wishful thinking but solid confidence in the promises of God. In this richly biblical, deeply personal book, Irwyn Ince helps us persevere when times are tough. Ince's culturally relevant exposition of Hebrews—enlivened by stories from his own life and ministry—inspires more hope in the healing and reconciling power of the gospel."



"For too long the American church has undermined the credibility of its witness by expressing good news for some but not all in and through local churches otherwise segregated by color, class, and culture. Indeed, it's long past time for Christ-followers to express a gospel of peace and hope for all people, not just some people, in more than words. In Hope Ain't a Hustle, my good friend Irwyn Ince provides both the biblical why and how for doing so as well as outcomes we can anticipate by taking intentional steps, as individuals and collectively, toward such ends."



"In a world where tactics of control, manipulation, and polarization appear to be the way to get ahead, Irwyn Ince posits the audacity of hope as an antidote to hustle culture. Grounded in the book of Hebrews and the life of Jesus, Ince reminds us Christian hope is secure, not just for individuals but also for a divided church and groaning world. Read this book for its clear-eyed hope amid our disenchanted world." weniger anzeigen expand_less