Sermon Tone Analysis

HOPE IS A WORD THAT GETS THROWN AROUND A LOT TODAY.

WE’RE ALWAYS USING IT.

WE EVEN HAVE IT IN OUR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.

IN FACT, THE MAN FROM HOPE, HAS NOW BECOME THE MEN FROM HOPE.

ANOTHER POLITICAL CANDIDATE HAS WRITTEN A BOOK HE ENTITLED, THE AUDACITY OF HOPE.

I’M NOT SURE HOW MUCH HOPE THEY ARE REALLY GIVING, BUT THEY’RE SURE USING THE WORD A LOT. IT’S A VERY POPULAR TERM IN THIS POLITICAL SEASON.

ALMOST MAKES YOU AFRAID TO USE IT AT A TIME LIKE THIS . . .

ALMOST.

BUT WE CAN’T ABANDON THE WORD BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A BIBLICAL CONCEPT.

NOT THE “HOPE” WE THINK ABOUT WHEN WE SAY THE WORD, “HOPE,” BECAUSE, MANY TIME WHEN WE SAY THE WORD, WE MEAN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

“HEY, THINK YOU’LL WIN THE PUBLISHER’S CLEARING HOUSE SWEEPSTAKES?”

WE SAY, “BOY, I SURE HOPE SO.” IT’S SORT OF LIKE SAY, “YEAH, IT WOULD BE GREAT, BUT I’M SURE NOT COUNTING ON IT.”

THAT’S NOT THE BIBLICAL IDEA OF “HOPE.”

BIBLICAL HOPE IS VERY DEFINITE.

BIBLICAL HOPE IS SAYING, “IT’S IN THE BANK, I’VE JUST NOT COLLECTED IT YET.” BIBLICAL HOPE IS, “I KNOW THE SCORE BEFORE THE GAME BEGINS.”

BIBLICAL HOPE IS, “I MIGHT NOT HAVE IT YET, BUT ITS AS GOOD AS MINE.”

THAT’S BIBLICAL HOPE AND IT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU COME TO A TIME LIKE THIS: BIBLICAL “KNOW-SO” KIND OF HOPE.

IT’S THAT HOPE PAUL SPOKE ABOUT IN THE 15TH CHAPTER OF 1 CORINTHIANS.

EVIDENTLY THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE GOING AROUND TEACHING THAT WHEN YOU DIED YOU JUST STAYED IN THE GROUND.

DEATH WAS THE END AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE.

PAUL REACTED TO THESE GLOOMY HERETICS.

HE SAID IN 15:19 IF IN THIS LIFE ONLY WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST, WE ARE TO BE PITIED ABOVE ALL OTHER MEN.

HE WAS SAYING, “HEY, IF THIS LIFE IS ALL WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO, WE’RE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS.

WE’RE FOLLOWING THE WRONG SAVIOR.”

BUT HE GOES ON TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE DO HAVE MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

THIS LIFE IS JUST THE PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT.

THERE IS A GREAT HOPE FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

ALL THAT WE HAVE SEEN TO THIS POINT IS JUST THE WARM UP FOR THE REAL GAME THAT STARTS WHEN WE DO WHAT MS HILDA DID THIS PAST WEDNESDAY: WHEN WE REACH OUT AND TAKE THE HAND OF OUR SAVIOR AND HE WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND US AND SAYS, “WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.

YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS.

I WILL MAKE YOU RULER OVER MANY.

ENTER INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD.

NOW . . .

THAT’S HOPE!

YOU MAY SAY, WELL, THAT’S GOOD FOR HER.

WE ALL BELIEVE SHE’S BETTER OFF.

IN THOSE LAST TWO OR THREE MONTHS OF HER LIFE, SHE REALLY SUFFERED.

WE KNOW THAT SHE’S SO HAPPY TODAY THAT SHE WOULDN’T WANT TO COME BACK TO US EVEN IF SHE COULD.

I KNOW ALL OF THAT . . .

BUT WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ME? HOW AM I GOING TO GET BY? HOW AM I GOING TO FACE THE LOSS OF A WIFE; THE LOSS OF MY MOM; THE LOSS OF MY GRANDMOTHER, MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER; THE LOSS OF MY FRIEND?

WELL, THAT’S WHERE YOUR HOPE COMES IN.

YOU SEE, THE HOPE THAT JESUS GIVES ISN’T JUST FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY IN HEAVEN, ITS FOR US WHO STILL LIVE IN THE DIRTY, NASTY RIGHT NOW.

WHAT DOES THAT HOPE DO FOR US.

WELL, 1 COR.

15:50 TELLS US THAT, IN THE FIRST PLACE, OUR HOPE:

DIV 1: INFORMS US.

THAT VERSE SAYS

NOW THIS I SAY, BRETHREN, THAT FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD; NOR DOES CORRUPTION INHERIT INCORRUPTION.

51 BEHOLD, I TELL YOU A MYSTERY: WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED— 52 IN A MOMENT, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMPET.

FOR THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND, AND THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED.

53 FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY.

OUR BLESSED HOPE TELLS US THAT ONE DAY WE’RE GOING TO BE SET FREE FROM THESE CORRUPTIBLE BODIES.

AND MS.

HILDA HAD EXPERIENCED THAT “CORRUPTION” FIRST HAND.

WE ALL REMEMBER HER AS A GRACEFUL, LADY WHO, EVEN IN HER SEVENTIES, WAS STILL BEAUTIFUL.

IN FACT, WHEN SHE HAD THE STROKE, SHE DIDN’T WANT OTHERS TO REALLY SEE HER BECAUSE SHE HAD TAKEN SUCH GREAT CARE OF HER APPEARANCE FOR SO MANY YEARS.

AND THEN SHE HAD LOST MOBILITY AND COULDN’T EVEN GET UP AND DOWN ALONE.

SHE DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT AND SO GOD HAD MERCY.

ON WEDNESDAY HE SAID, “HILDA, YOU’VE PUT UP WITH THAT CORRUPTION LONG ENOUGH.

I’M SETTING YOU FREE.

COME ON UP AND PUT ON YOUR INCORRUPTIBLE BODY.”

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NOBODY HAS TO LIFT HER UP TODAY.

NO BODY HAS TO COMB HER HAIR FOR HER TODAY.

NOBODY HAS TO TAKE CARE OF HER TODAY.

SHE’S GOT A NEW BODY.

AND THAT’S OUR HOPE, TOO.

ALL OF US, WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT, ARE BEING CORRUPTED.

SLOWLY AND SOMETIMES NOT SO SLOWLY, WE LOSE WHAT WE USED TO HAVE, BUT WE HAVE A KNOW SO KIND OF HOPE THAT TELLS US, ONE DAY, GOD’S GOING TO SAY, “YOU’VE PUT UP WITH THAT CORRUPTION LONG ENOUGH.

I’M SETTING YOU FREE.

OUR HOPE INFORMS US.

BUT ALSO OUR HOPE

DIV2 ASSURES US

IN V. 54 PAUL SAYS

SO WHEN THIS CORRUPTIBLE HAS PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL HAS PUT ON IMMORTALITY, THEN SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PASS THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN: “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.”

“O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?

O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?”THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW.

57 BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

I LOVE THE WAY EUGENE PARAPHARSES THIS PASSAGE IN THE MESSAGE.

HE WRITES

THEN THE SAYING WILL COME TRUE: DEATH SWALLOWED BY TRIUMPHANT LIFE! WHO GOT THE LAST WORD, OH, DEATH?

OH, DEATH, WHO’S AFRAID OF YOU NOW?