Hope Exercised
Hope: Where Appreciation Meets Anticipation • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 16 viewsHope cannot be exercised when we are comfortable and at ease. It is exercised when we are starving and famished, but are also joyfully confident that we be “satisfied as with fat and rich food.” In other words, we don’t hope for what we already have, but for what we know God will provide because of who he is and what he has promised. Hope has been trained by the ways God has delivered his people from such situations in the past that he will deliver us in the future.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
We often talk about hope as something we…
have
feel
lose
But it’s important to remember, hope is also a verb (not just a noun)
it’s something we do
not just something we have
not just something we feel
but is it something we are doing well?
is it something we know how to do?
How do we hope?
How do we hope?
Real hope is not something that comes easily or naturally
and maybe it’s harder for some of us
than for others
It’s hard for some of us to hope, because we…
are afraid of being disappointed
don’t know what to hope for
don’t know how to express or exercise hope
Biblical Text:
Biblical Text:
The description of this psalm is, “A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.”
was driven from his home by rebels (2 Samuel 16-17)
the rebellion was led by his own son, Absalom
I believe we have this Psalm to…
teach us how to hope
when everything seems hopeless
1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
David is probably in a wilderness BOTH
literally
metaphorically
This is how you HOPE
You hope FOR God himself
Not just hoping for what God can provide
His hope is to experience God’s presence…
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
David had been in the tabernacle
He had beheld the power of God
He had beheld the glory of God
He’s probably not there NOW
but he wants to see God’s power like he did before
he wants to see God’s glory like he did before
he’s longing to experience God again
Look back…
Who has God shown himself to be?
How have you seen his power and glory in the past?
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
God’s STEADFAST (loyal) LOVE is better than LIFE
Not just better than FOOD
Not just better than WATER
Not just better than TREASURE
Not just better than PLEASURE
His love is better than LIFE.
If we HOPE for God’s love, we will never be disappointed
5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
This is a perfect example of HOPE:
where appreciation
remember
mediate
you have been my help
your right hand upholds me
meets anticipation
my soul will be satisfied
my mouth will praise you
in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy
your right hand upholds me
His confidence about the future is rooted in how God has proven himself in the past.
9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; 10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.
We give evil people too much credit
Their way is doomed
Stop believing that is possible for them to ultimately succeed
1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
It’s only hope if we can state it when it SEEMS like…
the wicked are winning
the evil are prospering
the good people are being trampled on
Exercise hope by stating truths like these:
The wicked will be no more
The meek will inherit the earth
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
What David means…
God’s king will sit on the throne
Loyalty and faithfulness to God will be rewarded
The traitors, who lied and swore falsely to their allegiance, will be stopped
David’s descendant Jesus is the ultimate King, who rejoices in God
He is—and will forever be—victorious
He will reward those who are loyal to him
He will reward those who HOPE in him, even when all seems lost
Stating this truth while things seem DIRE is how you exercise hope
Application:
Application:
How We Hope: Continually and confidently assert the expectation, God will keep his promises and God will prevail.
How We Hope: Continually and confidently assert the expectation, God will keep his promises and God will prevail.
in prayer
in song
by quoting Scripture
in conversation with others
Invitation:
Invitation:
God’s loving loyalty is better than life
Knowing that, we commit our loving loyalty to him
