Hope - For Those That Don't Get It Right Every Time!

Bible story time, if you haven't you didn't see the announcement. There needs to go back there for Bible story time. I think that's happening. I do have a verse that we're going to put up there and look it even worked.

so, I

Like was mentioned. We went to New Zealand for a month to go. Visit and of her old stomping grounds, you know, we were there for two and a half years. And Evie was born over there and that's a huge chunk of our life. I'm just kind of one of the unfortunate things that happened is that covid, you know from we moved over December of 2019, March of 2020, the country shutdown for covid. And most adults try to block out that covid. In time. And in some ways it feels like, you know, we just erase that that big chunk of moment that we were in New Zealand, but it was that it was a huge deal for us to be able to go back and visit. It was the first time we've been back since we left the work over there. Todd is doing great. I feel like he is a bit tired. So, if you, if you don't know, Todd get his email from me or from Annette, send him an encouragement, do that, that would be great and then Leah and Zac down on the south island. They're also doing great. They have their new baby, right? So they have all the challenges and and joy that come from that. But while over there I got to give this sermon tattoo different congregations and they both enjoyed it. So I wanted to be able to provide it here as well, and it's actually it's a message on Hope and sometimes we really need to think about the great hope that we have.

So I want to start out with a little story. It's not true. I'm going to frame it in the mind of somebody else, because the last couple times people thought it was true. And you'll understand in a second. Imagine this, a friend of mine well, over in New Zealand. He gets a rental car. He's driving around. Getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road. You know, I had to do any manages to scrape the entire side of it on a concrete pole, in a parking lot. You know, he knew immediately that it's not buffing out, right? This is bad. Sorry, drives it back to the rental place. You know, he's fully expecting the giant lecture, you know, this massive Bill and he tells the guy what happened,

the guy looks at him and looked at the car. He says, did you take the insurance? I said yes, you're covered. no lecture no shame, just covered

I think a lot of us assume that God is not like that.

we think, when we mess up, God is disappointed. He's tired of us or he's keeping a record.

Today, I want to talk about Hope real hope for people who don't get it, right every time.

Now, we're going to be looking at Lamentations chapter 3 verses 22 and 23. Many of you will know that by heart. I want to way the contacts Lamentations was written after Jerusalem had been destroyed.

The people had failed, the leaders had failed. The nation itself had failed. They were living with the consequences of bad decision and sin.

And from that, we get this, the steadfast love of the Lord, never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. These words are not written in a good season. They are written in the middle of heart rate of loss and regret. And right here, God teaches us. Three truth about his grace that give us hope when we mess up truth. Number one.

God's love does not stop when we fail. The steadfast love of the Lord, never ceases.

Steadfast. It's it's this Covenant Love. It's it's loyal. Love, it's committed. It is not based on performance.

Psalm 103 verses 10 through 12. He does not deal with us as our sins deserve. He does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve 4S disguise or high above the Earth for his disguise. Are high above the Earth. So is loyal love Towers over his faithful followers, as far as the Eastern Horizon is from the West so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us. Some of us treat God. Like a phone battery. Every time we mess up, we think we lose another percentage point. Eventually, we assume we're running on 1% and God is just waiting for us to die spiritually. But God's love is not battery. It does not drain because you had a bad week. Your worst day did not cancel. God's love for you. Your relapse, your anger, your doubt. None of that surprised God.

But not only does his love, not stop. his Mercy doesn't run out either trip number two,

God's mercy does not get used up.

His mercies never come to an end.

It's not a limited Supply, it's not three-strikes-and-you're-out.

We look at Micah chapter, 7 verse 18, through 19. There is no other God. Like you, you forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but the light and showing loyal love You will once again, have mercy on us, you will conquer our evil Deeds. You will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea.

We treat Grace. Like it's expensive, like it's rare or fragile. Dog treats Mercy like its abundant powerful and renewable.

We tend to ration forgiveness. God overflows with it.

And this is where Jesus become Central to cross. The cross was not God saying I'll forgive you this once.

The crossword God saying I will pay for all of it. For the past, the present and the future.

Romans 8:1 there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Verse 24, the law of the wife, getting spirit in Christ, Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Condemnation says you are your failure.

Grace says, you are covered by Christ.

And here's the part. That really gives us daily hope. Truth number 3, God meets us fresh after every failure. They are new every morning.

It's not recycled Mercy, it's not leftovers from yesterday. It is a fresh Supply. 1st John 1:9. But if we can fit, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous. Forgiving us, our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness unrighteousness.

Some of us. Maybe most of us.

Wake up carrying yesterday's guilt into today. God wakes up offering today's Mercy For yesterday's mistakes.

Hebrews chapter 4, verses, 15 and 16. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses. But one who has been tempted in every way just as we are yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach. The throne of grace to receive mercy and find Grace whenever we need help.

when you mess up the natural instinct, His to withdraw from God. What scripture says the exact opposite draw near.

And the reason we can be confident, it's not because we are strong. It's because Jesus already paid for what we did.

Lamentations to Hope. But Jesus fulfills it. God's Mercy is not abstract. It has a name. It has a cross that has an empty tomb.

When Jesus went to the cross. He took the punishment, we deserved that means when God looks at you. He does not see your record.

Now you may still deal with consequences in life, right? We all do. But you do not deal with rejection from God.

Some of you came in today discouraged because you feel like you keep messing up in the same way.

I'm here to tell you. God is not tired of you. God is not done with you.

And God's Mercy is not on a timer.

To the Believers.

Stop punishing yourself for what Jesus already paid for.

To those still seeking you're unsure and have yet to commit your life.

Hope is not found in trying harder. Hope is found in trusting Jesus. You see just like that rental car. The damage was real, but the payment was already covered. Are seeing is real. But the price has already been paid. Osprey.

Lord. Thank you that your love. Does not stop when we fail. Thank you. That your mercy does not run out. Thank you that because of Jesus we can stand before you without fear. Help us to live in the hope you've already given us. Amen.