Hope

Opening Illustration

Death of Brent Murray’s Mom (Jim Murray’s wife)

On the way home, A VOICE started wearing me out telling me that I was nothing more than the sum of my mistakes, my sin.

I asked God if that was Him. That I did not want to make a mockery of Him or His calling on my life.

He told me that Jesus’ blood washed my sins as white as snow. That He separates my sin as far away from me as the east is from the west and that my sin has been forgotten. He told me that His plans for me were to give me a hope and a future.

“If anyone ever brings up your past to you, you ask them on whose authority do they mention it, because it certainly isn’t the authority of your Heavenly Father.”

Main Scripture Text

Jeremiah 29:4-14 NLT

This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: [5] "Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. [6] Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! [7] And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare." [8] This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, [9] because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them," says the LORD. [10] This is what the LORD says: "You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. [11] For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. [12] In those days when you pray, I will listen. [13] If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. [14] I will be found by you," says the LORD. "I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

1. Hope Is Not A Method

How is hope a “Missed Blessing” when all believers have it? All believers DO have ACCESS, but let’s be clear: ACCESSION does not equal POSSESSION!

EXAMPLE: The Texas Family Code states that a person with rights of access to a child can approach, communicate with, and visit the child. But they cannot take possession or control of the child.

SAID ANOTHER WAY: You can believe in God, fellowship with Christians, and come to church every week, but still never TRUST Jesus for your salvation. What does that mean? It means to believe in the fact that His love for you exists in spite of who you are, not because of who you are.

The reason that hope is a “Missed Blessing” is that we try to use hope as method.

We don’t study, yet we hope we pass the test.

We don’t work on our qualifications, yet we hope we get the job.

We don’t trust in the righteousness of Christ for our salvation and work to do all the good deeds we can and hope we get into Heaven.

Whenever God brings something He also takes something away.

He came to bring us salvation and took away the chains of sin.

He sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts when we trust in Him and “the old things are passed away, behold all things have become new.”

And one day soon, He will come back and He will remove us from this life into life everlasting.

Our hope is gained only in and through the shed blood of Jesus, without which, we have NO hope! gained in the grace of salvation given by Jesus, the Son of God. Hope is not the method. SALVATION is the method, hope is the REWARD! Don’t miss the blessing of the hope gained in the grace of salvation given by Jesus, the Son of God.

2. Hoping There’s A Hope Is No Hope to Put Your Hope In

In Jeremiah we see a picture of a seemingly hopeless situation. The Israelites have been exiled to Babylon and are in captivity. What is God’s response for His chosen people?

[5] "Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. [6] Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! [7] And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfarewill determine your welfare.”

[10] This is what the LORD says: "You will be in Babylon for seventy years.” WHAT?

John Bevere said, “Salvation is free from earning, but not from effort.”

When trials come, we don’t need to hope there’s a hope! Hope is not dependent on circumstance. It’s not the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Hope starts with: relationship

If we know the heart of the Father, then we know His faithfulness.

If we know His faithfulness, then we know He is trustworthy.

If we know He is trustworthy, we know we can trust His promises.

If we can trust His promises, and He has promised us that He has for us, “plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope,” then we don’t hope there’s a hope, we KNOW there’s a hope!!! And that hope does not disappoint.

Bible Verse:

Romans 5:3-5 NASB - And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; [4] and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; [5] and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Quote:

G.K. Chesterton said, “Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all...As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength.”

If you’re a believer, don’t miss the blessing of resting in the confidence of our hope in Jesus!

3. Hope Is Indeed A Blessing

If you are a Christian, why are you concerned about the outcome of an election? VOTE! But recognize that voting is giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s. The President is not where your hope lies, the Savior is! It is the word of God that grants you a future and a hope, not the word of man.

How will you know Him unless you know His word?

Listening to the Pastor is eating scraps from another man’s table. Sure, it’ll give you something to nibble on, but will never provide the heart the nourishment supplied by the Father.

Bill Johnson said, “Pain gives birth to a passion for prayer. Hope is supposed to.”

Don’t miss the blessing of sharing your hope!

What does the Bible say to me about hope?

Proverbs 3:5-6 TPT - Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. [6] Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB - Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. [6] In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Isaiah 41:10 NLT - Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Daniel 3:16-18 NLT - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. [17] If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. [18] But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Romans 12:12 NLT - Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Romans 15:13 NLT - I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:18 NLT - I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called-his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Psalm 118:6 NLT - The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?

Mark 16:17-18 NASB - These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; [18] they will pick up serpents (demons or things that are external), and if they drink any deadly poison (when the enemy tries to get in your mind - internal), it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Said another way, the things that try to kill you will be used to heal others.)

Romans 8:31-34 TPT - So, what does all this mean? If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us? [32] For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give. [33] Who then would dare to accuse those whom God has chosen in love to be his? God himself is the judge who has issued his final verdict over them—“Not guilty!” [34] Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph?

Conclusion

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind." 

"Boy," said the spectator, "I'll bet you're discouraged." 

“Why should I be discouraged?” replied the little boy. “We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!”

If you don’t know Jesus, you’re like a fan of the team who is showing up to the game and wanting to play, but you don’t have a uniform and you’ve never trained. You are hopeless. Don’t miss out on the blessing of hope.

If you do know Jesus, but are not intimate with Him and maybe not even sure how to be, it’s like being on the team, hearing what the coaches have said about the game, but you’ve never actually practiced, had a glove on, or a bat in your hands. You are set up to fail and be discouraged. The enemy is trying to get in your mind like a pitcher staring you down at the plate. And you QUESTION. Don’t miss the blessing of the confidence of hope.

Or maybe you’re here and you indeed are close with Jesus. The things said about you and weapons formed against you are not finding their mark. Now is the time to step up to the plate! It’s the last inning, the bottom of the ninth. You might be down 18-0, but you have the same attitude as the kid in the story, haven’t batted yet. Lover of God, you may miss, you might get a strike called against you, but NOW IS THE TIME; rely on the blessing of hope you have in Jesus and SWING FOR THE FENCES!!!