Hope

Good morning, children of God! I pray that you have had the opportunity to spend time with the Father this past week. We are so very blessed and fortunate to be here this morning.

Monday is Veteran’s Day. I still believe that the United States is the greatest country on earth, and it is because of our veterans that we can freely gather here to worship today. For those of us who have not served, we have no idea what veterans and their families have sacrificed or what they go through. We thank our veterans with heartfelt honor, but I think that sometimes we do not consider the depth of freedoms we have because of our veterans.

Someone wrote this, and I could not agree more:

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag, Who serves under the Flag.

This Monday is Veterans Day. Today I want to honor our veterans.

If you are a Veteran, please stand and be recognized by your brothers and sisters in Christ.

We owe each one of you a debt of gratitude

You were willing to go,/ to serve / to give on behalf of the United States of America! You give all of us hope. We thank you. God bless you!

As I was thinking about the hope that our veterans bring us, I started thinking of the hope that Jesus offers to all people. As our veterans fought to protect the people of this nation and other nations, regardless of sex, creed, color, or religion, Jesus Christ offers hope and salvation to ALL people of every nation. Even those we do not agree with and those we may not like. Those who have hurt us and those we have not even met yet.

Most of you know that I do not get into politics. I do not talk politics or really follow politics. That is better left to other people. I want to share a little story about something that happened the other day to kind of shed some light on the reason why that is for me.

I was talking with someone I work with on Wednesday morning following the elections. She shared with me that she could not sleep Tuesday Night during the election. She had an absolutely terrible night. She had so much anxiety over who was going to win and what was going to happen that she could not rest. She was to anxious to watch the news, yet she could not stop agonizing over what was going to happen. She asked me “What about you, Bob?”

Her response and question gave me an opportunity to witness. I said to her “You know, I did not watch any of it.” I truly did not watch the first minute of election night. “I slept like I normally sleep.” I said to her, “I do not place my faith in men or women.” “My faith is in Christ.” “My hope is in Christ.” Church, I promise that the emotions and feelings we attach to worldly things, including elections, fade away. Our faith, hope, and trust are in the eternal God. Now, I fully believe it is our civic duty to get out and vote, and to vote for those we believe most closely align with our values. Our veterans and their families sacrificed so that we could freely vote.

Jesus taught us that we have to recognize the difference between worldly rule and the Kingdom of Glory. Mark 12:17:

Mark 12:17 NKJV

17 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

They were asking Jesus about paying the imperial taxes. They were trying to trap Jesus into saying something against Rome. Jesus said “Let me see one of your denarius.” These coins were equivalent to a days wages, and they had Caesar’s image on them. Jesus simply said “Caesar’s face is on them, they belong to Caesar, give them to Caesar.”

But then he said something profound. Jesus said “Render to God the things that are Gods,” He was making a statement and asking something deeper of all believers. Christ is asking each of us: “Who’s image appears on you?” “Who does the world see when they look at you?” “Who do you belong to?”

With everything that is happening in this world, with the constant tug of war of our daily lives, the decisions we have to make, the heart-aches we go through, our successes, and our failures, do not forget that you are created in the image of God. You are His beloved! As His children through Christ, we are to live under God’s authority. Because we are each called into the throne room of Glory by the Father, we are to act as royalty and heirs to the Kingdom.

Last Sunday, Pastor Paul asked a question when he was teaching that has stuck in my head all week. “Are we letting Jesus in our boat?” Let me tell you, there are times in my walk that I have flat out kicked Jesus out of the boat. I can also tell you this, If I did not ask Jesus back into the boat with me for the past several years, and asked him to captain the boat, me and my boat would be laying at the bottom of the sea.We need and should crave the hope that is Christ.

When we are talking about Biblical hope we are not talking about some vain philosophy. Biblical hope means that “We trust God to keep His promises.” For the believer, our faith and hope are intertwined in such a way that one cannot be separated from the other. We trust God and know that he will fulfill His promises. It may not happen the way that you or I want it to happen, but God will fulfill every promise He has made. Trust that! The Prophet Isaiah said:

Isaiah 40:31 NLT

31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Some folks will hear a teaching like today’s and say to themselves “I know that already.” Fair enough. But, head knowledge is far different than living out the Word of God. When I was putting today’s teaching together, a very uncomfortable question crept into my mind: “Bob, are you a hypocrite?” YIKES! Do I trust in the LORD?

There are times, very recently, that I have been absolutely crushed in spirit. Stricken with so much fear, anxiety, and depression that I have found myself on my face, sobbing and broken before the LORD. Has anybody else been there before? Does it mean our faith is weak or that we do not trust God? No. It simply means we are human and that we experience the entire range of human emotion. Jesus experienced the entire range of human emotion too.

Here is the thing, that is exactly where we need to be at times. On our faces at the foot of the cross. Pouring our hearts out to the LORD. Praying for healing, for the peace of the LORD, grabbing hold of Christ, asking Holy Spirit to counsel us. Bringing us to a place of absolute humility before the LORD.

In Isaiah 40:31, God is telling us that we find NEW STRENGTH in Him during those times. He does not say “your strength,” he does not say “old strength,” he says “New Strength,” HIS STRENGTH. We have to trust God. His ways are not our ways. The Hebrew word used for “trust” here is qavah (key-vah), and it means “To look to with trust and confidence.”

Trust (qavah) - To look to (God) with trust and confidence.”

Are you looking to God with trust and confidence this morning? Is your hope in Christ Jesus today, or is your hope in someone or something else? I will be the first to admit that there are times when all has seemed lost and hopeless. When we feel as far from “blessed” as one could feel. That is a feeling and it is a lie tied up in the world’s version of hope. A hope that says “Maybe something better will happen.” “Maybe something good will come my way.” God has already given us His best in Jesus Christ. God has given us His Spirit!

What we have, what you and I have as believers is a “Living and a Blessed Hope.” A hope that is founded on the Word of God, on Christ himself. I do not know what tomorrow will bring my way. It may bring death, disease and disaster. It may bring sorrow, pain and hardship. I do not come into agreeance with any of those things. I believe that God will bring blessings, joy and peace. The point is that I may not know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know for sure that God is still on the throne, He is the great promise keeper, and Jesus is the only real hope any of us have.

In my career as a counselor, I have to keep up with research and statistics. The vast majority of individuals who survive a suicide attempt say that they had lost all hope in life. Without hope, life ends. Our hope in Christ is where our new lives begin. In Ephesians 2:12, the Apostle Paul said:

Ephesians 2:12 NIV

12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

There was a time each of us were separated from God. A time that all we had was the hope the world offers. Through the prompting of Holy Spirit, God led each of us to the cross of Yeshua Hamashiach, Jesus the Christ. I remember all to well the feelings of emptiness as I would lay in the dark thinking to myself: “For all that I could ever accomplish in life, it means nothing because death is coming for me.” Hopeless. I lived in all the constant anxieties and fears of this life and in constant expectancy of death. No hope of life beyond this world.

Brothers and sisters, your faith is the tangible and visible proof of God’s great love and the hope of Christ to those who live in that kind of hopeless darkness. Carrying the light of the Word, the Truth of God, and your testimony unto Christ. A gift so great, that you cannot help but share Him with others.

We can have absolute confidence in His hope because HE IS GOD. When we yield to the LORD, he promises a future filled with peace. He promises that you will live forever in His presence - and God does not lie. In Hebrews 6:18 we read:

Hebrews 6:18 NIV

18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.

If you are discouraged by the world, by circumstances, or anything else, be encouraged by the Word of the Great promise keeper, God. Grab hold of His hope, and do not let go!

Now, I think it is important that we make a clear distinction between hope and faith. It can be easy for two words to become so intertwined that it is difficult to distinguish between their meanings. The Apostle Paul made a distinction when he made this statement.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Hope is an assured promise.

Faith is acting on that promise.

Faith is hope put into action. Here is the thing though: Both Hope and Faith require trust. Trust in the one our hope and faith are in, trust in God. The Apostle Paul sums this up in Romans 15:13. I love this verse because it is really a prayer for God’s children.

Romans 15:13 NIV

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When Paul says “The God of hope,” what is he mean?

God is -

the Author of our hope

the Foundation of our hope

the Builder of our hope

the Finisher of our hope

The hope, the joy, and the peace Paul mentions are not mans, but Gods. They cannot be possessed apart from God.

Joy is an inner gladness that is based on a deep assurance and confidence in God. It ignites a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful behaviors.

Peace comes through our faith. No person can have true peace apart from God.

A hope-filled life is the result of a heart filled with joy and peace that comes from our faith in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Worship Team

Brothers and sisters, my prayer is that we all carry the hope, joy, and peace of the LORD in our hearts and minds. That we continually seek after Him and that we share our faith with others with kindness and respect.

If you are feeling burdened this morning, if you are feeling hopeless, if you are missing the peace of the LORD in your life, we have brothers and sisters who want to pray with you and for you. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior this morning, please see Pastor Paul or me. We are here to answer questions, to talk with you, and to pray for you. As you go out tomorrow, do not just thank a veteran, figure out a way to bless a veteran.

Romans 15:13 NIV

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God Bless you.