The Architecture of Our Hope

Hope: Expectation and Anticipation

The advent season by its very definition exists because of the expectation and anticipation of the arrival someone or something.

Christmas is a season of hopes, wishes and dreams for most of the world. People young and old look forward to Christmas day when gifts will be given and received. In the days and weeks leading up to the holiday, lists are exchanged, hopes are shared and the excitement increases as they day draws nearing. We begin to wonder, will I get what I was hoping for?

What is hope?

It is a noun: a general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled.

It is also a verb: to hope (expectant) v. — to be confidently and reasonably expectant of a future event.

One particular Christmas season is etched in my memory. All I wanted was a Lone Ranger costume. (Please don’t ask me why. I am not sure what was so special about that but I recall that was the only thing I specifically asked for, so I assumed someone would get it for me. All throughout the day, as we opened presents throughout the day, I thought for sure, the Cowboy, hat, mask, guns and most important of all the silver bullets would be in one of the boxes that had been wrapped up so nicely. Each time I began to unwrap a gift, I thought, this has got to be one of the articles of the costume.

Well, guess what. . . I didn’t get a Lone Ranger costume. I was crushed, disappointed and felt neglected and uncared for. It became one of the least joyful Christmas seasons of my life.

Why? Because my hope was in a silly little costume, that had I received, probably would have occupied me for a week or two, until the newness of it wore off.

The fact is, we all have hopes, we all have dreams and desires. Many of which are far more significant than what we will discover as we open our Christmas presents.

This morning, I want to guide us in taking a look at the blueprint of a Christian’s Hope.

The Architecture:

1. the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings. synonyms:building design, building style, planning, building, construction; formal architectonics "modern architecture" the style in which a building is designed or constructed, especially with regard to a specific period, place, or culture. plural noun: architectures "Victorian architecture"

2. the complex or carefully designed structure of something. "the chemical architecture of the human brain"

Today I would like us to consider the Architecture of Our Hope.

Our hope is built upon something and it is built around a particular structure and with a certain design. Reflecting on The Architecture of Our Hope will, Lord willing, open our eyes to understand the immeasurable greatness of God’s love toward us and to gain a better understanding of His character.

Foundation of our Hope

World Magazine Article: Facing Cultural Storms- by John S Dickerson

Identified several cultural trends that show how America, as a nation is heading toward difficult times, based upon several key factors.

the decline of Christianity

the drift toward the acceptance of socialism

the growth of Islam worldwide

the lack of belief in the existence of absolute truth

the reshuffling of global economies

Isaiah 44:6–8 ESV

6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. 8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

Isaiah 42:1–3 ESV

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

Joseph and Mary, would have known this passage from Isaiah, if not specifically, they certainly knew about the promise of a Messiah and it was the Messiah that the nation of Israel “HOPED” for. If we were to take the time to read the accounts of the angel appearing to both Mary and Joseph we would see evidence of their HOPE in God and His Messiah. Certainly they both had what I’ll call secondary hopes but the evidence of their response to the news that Jesus would be arriving soon, showed where their HOPE truly rested. They believed and had faith in God to do what was good and right, despite what their earthly perspective was. A young virgin being told she would have a child and the man she was betrothed to clearly had some questions about this new turn of events.

What can we learn from their example? The “walls/beams or frame of our hope must be setting on the sure foundation of a Faith in God. Faith being the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.

The Frame of our Hope (the walls, beams, doors etc. . .)

Rigidly aligned with and adhered to the Word of God. (Strong and Courageous) Pliable secondary hopes, which conform to the will of our Heavenly Father.

The “Secondary Hopes” that are realized should prompt us to praise, thanks and gratefulness. When they are unrealized, they should guide us back down to the foundation of our Hope, which is God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When the objects of our Hope become idols we become fools.

Isaiah 44:9–11 ESV

9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.

Idol: Anything or Anyone that captures our hearts, minds and affections more than God.

Idol has been defined by a fellow pastor Brad Bigney as: Anything or Anyone that captures our hearts, minds and affections more than God.

The Idol test:

Am I willing to sin to get it?

Am I willing to sin to keep it?

Do I run to it for refuge instead of run to God?

An idol is not limited to some statue, or man-made article we bow down to.

We cannot attempt to make the things we might call “secondary hopes” to become the foundation of our hope. The only unfailing faithful and true foundation of our hope is God.

The Scope of our Hope

If it is built on the correct foundation and framed up the correct way, it will reach both outward and upward in a vast expanse. It reaches to a height that it becomes like a lighthouse, which will shine brightly around us.

Various passages in the Word describe our worship and love for God as being a light and a blessing of grace to the community around us.

Isaiah 58:8–10 ESV

8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

If we are resting our hope on The One True God, what is it that he is promising. For Mary and Joseph they were looking to the promise of a Messiah, A Savior, who would save His people. The disciples of Christ also hoped for Christ to deliver them and as time progressed and Jesus taught them, they began to understand that His promise and deliverance was about far more than mere political and religious freedom, rather His promise was an ETERNAL INHERITANCE.

The upper scope of our hope is such that it reaches the Heavens. We are told that our focus, desires, and goals are to be Heavenly focused.

I want to ask you to consider with me for a few moment the PROMISE we have been given. Think about the incredibly AWESOME Present that awaits us in our future?

Revelation 21 & 22 describe the new Heaven and the New Earth that God will establish after Christ has come a 2nd time. The 2nd Advent is the promise we await to be fulfilled.

Revelation 22:1–5 ESV

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

As you go about your life this Christmas Season, I want to discourage you from reducing the goodness of God to the mundane, the momentary, and the mortal.

Instead, please make it a practice of your life to consider the everlasting, incredible, immortal promises that God has offered to us.