"We've Got High Hopes"

Introduction

A man tells the story about a special friend he made while just a boy. When quite young, Paul’s father had one of the first telephones in their neighbourhood. Paul was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when his mother talked to it. Then Paul discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person – her name was “Information, Please” and there was nothing she did not know.

Then Paul discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person – her name was “Information, Please” and there was nothing she did not know.

“Information, Please” could supply anybody’s number and the correct time. Paul’s first personal experience with this genie-in the-bottle came one day while his mother was visiting a neighbour. Amusing himself at the tool bench in the basement, Paul hacked his finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn’t seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. He walked around the house sucking his throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.

The telephone!

“Information, Please” could supply anybody’s number and the correct time. Paul’s first personal experience with this genie-in the-bottle came one day while his mother was visiting a neighbour. Amusing himself at the tool bench in the basement, Paul hacked his finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn’t seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. He walked around the house sucking his throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, Paul ran for the foot stool in the parlour and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, he unhooked the receiver in the parlour and held it to his ear. “Information, Please,” he said into the mouthpiece just above his head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into Paul’s ear. “Information.” “I hurt my finger,” Paul wailed into the phone. “Isn’t your mother home?” came the question. “Nobody’s home but me” Paul blubbered. “Are you bleeding?” the voice asked. “No,” he replied. “I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.” “Can you open your icebox?” she asked. He said he could. “Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger,” said the voice.

Quickly, Paul ran for the foot stool in the parlour and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, he unhooked the receiver in the parlour and held it to his ear. “Information, Please,” he said into the mouthpiece just above his head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into Paul’s ear.

“Information.”

“I hurt my finger,” Paul wailed into the phone.

“Isn’t your mother home?” came the question.

After that, Paul called “Information, Please” for everything. He asked her for help with his geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped him with his maths. She told Paul that his pet chipmunk, which he had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

“Nobody’s home but me” Paul blubbered.

“Are you bleeding?” the voice asked.

“No,” he replied. “I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.”

“Can you open your icebox?” she asked. He said he could. “Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger,” said the voice.

Then, there was the time Petey, the pet canary died. Paul called and told her the sad story. She listened, then said the usual things grown-ups say to soothe a child, but Paul was inconsolable. He asked her, “Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?” She must have sensed his deep concern, for she said quietly, “Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in.” Somehow he felt better. When Paul was nine years old, his family moved across the country to Boston. Paul missed his friend very much. “Information, Please” belonged in that old wooden box back home, and he somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall.

After that, Paul called “Information, Please” for everything. He asked her for help with his geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped him with his maths. She told Paul that his pet chipmunk, which he had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts. Then, there was the time Petey, the pet canary died. Paul called and told her the sad story.

She listened, then said the usual things grown-ups say to soothe a child, but Paul was inconsolable. He asked her, “Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?”

She must have sensed his deep concern, for she said quietly, “Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in.” Somehow he felt better. .

As he grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left him. Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity Paul would recall the serene sense of security he had then. He appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy. A few years later, on his way west to college, Paul’s plane put down in Seattle. He had about half an hour or so between planes. He spent 15 minutes on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what he was doing, Paul dialled his hometown operator and said, “Information, Please.” Miraculously, he heard the small, clear voice he knew so well, “Information.”

When Paul was nine years old, his family moved across the country to Boston. Paul missed his friend very much. “Information, Please” belonged in that old wooden box back home, and he somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall.

As he grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left him. Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity Paul would recall the serene sense of security he had then. He appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on his way west to college, Paul’s plane put down in Seattle. He had about half an hour or so between planes. He spent 15 minutes on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what he was doing, Paul dialled his hometown operator and said, “Information, Please.”

He hadn’t planned this but he heard myself saying, “Could you please tell me how to spell fix?” There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, “I guess your finger must have healed by now.” Paul laughed. “So it’s really still you,” he said. “I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time.” “I wonder,” she said, “if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children, and I used to look forward to your calls.” Paul told her how often he had thought of her over the years and asked if he could call her again when he came back to visit his sister. “Please do,” she said. “Just ask for Sally.”

Miraculously, he heard the small, clear voice he knew so well, “Information.”

He hadn’t planned this but he heard myself saying, “Could you please tell me how to spell fix?”

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, “I guess your finger must have healed by now.” Paul laughed. “So it’s really still you,” he said. “I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time.”

Three months later Paul was back in Seattle. A different voice answered, “Information.” He asked for Sally. “Are you a friend?” She asked. “Yes, a very old friend,” Paul answered. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this,” she said. “Sally has been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago.” Before he could hang up she said, “Wait a minute. Is this Paul?” “Yes,” Paul replied. “Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you.” The note said, “Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He’ll know what I mean.”

“I wonder,” she said, “if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children, and I used to look forward to your calls.” Paul told her how often he had thought of her over the years and asked if he could call her again when he came back to visit his sister.

“Please do,” she said. “Just ask for Sally.”

Three months later Paul was back in Seattle. A different voice answered, “Information.” He asked for Sally. “Are you a friend?” She asked.

“Yes, a very old friend,” Paul answered.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this,” she said. “Sally has been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago.”

Before he could hang up she said, “Wait a minute. Is this Paul?”

“Yes,” Paul replied.

“Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you.” The note said, “Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He’ll know what I mean.”

From Parade magazine comes the story of self-made millionaire Eugene Land, who greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these predominantly black and Puerto Rican children even to look at him. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I'll help pay the college tuition for every one of you." At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. Said one student, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school.

A person can endure just about anything if they have hope. But you take that hope away and the ability to endure goes with it. This is why Paul told the Thessalonian church “We do not want you to grieve as those who do not have hope” in chapter 4 of his letter to them.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 CSB

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

Paul knew that if a person could hang on to their hope they could endure the hardest moments of life. Jesus of course knew this a well.

Jesus knew the hardest of times were soon to come upon His disciples. They would be tempted to give up their faith in Him. This entire section is an exhortation, an encouragement so they would not lose hope and give up when the trouble came.

In a little while — Jesus was plain and up front with these men. He never pulled punches. He told them exactly what was about to happen…things would soon get dark, difficult and seemingly unbearable.

“Soon you will see me no more and then after a little while you will see me.” — We lose the meaning of these words in the translation to English. Two Greek words are used here for “see.”

Theoreo — A Greek word from which we get our word “theorize.” It generally means to observe or experience visually as a spectator. Soon they would cease to observe Jesus with their eyes.

Horao — Means to see in the broader sense and is frequently used for spiritual sight.

There would soon be a change in the way the disciples see Jesus. The disciples would once again see Jesus physically after the resurrection but they would see Him differently…they would then have spiritual vision to understand Him as never before.

“A little while” — The disciples focused on the words “in a little while.” As of this moment they did not have the clarity of sight Jesus said would soon be their’s. They were left wondering, “If Jesus wishes to found the Messianic kingdom, why go away? If He does not wish it, why return?”

They still lacked understanding concerning Jesus’ mission and the idea of the Messiah as suffering servant for our salvation.

If Jesus wishes to found the Messianic kingdom, why go away? If He does not wish it, why return?”

Morris, L. (1995). The Gospel according to John (p. 624). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Jesus could see that the disciples were perplexed and repeated again the part which confused them, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

This is where Jesus begins to draw everything in this chapter together…The world is going to hate us, the Spirit is going to come upon us…they will reject the truth of Jesus…we will be witnesses to the testimony of the Spirit concerning Jesus.

There would be tough times for Jesus’ disciples in every age.…but before all of this…there would be the crucifixion and resurrection. An intense time of pain and loss.

This would be a brief time of grief. Jesus uses the illustration of child birth. There is a short time of intense pain and then the pain is forgotten in the joy of birth, a new life. There would now be a brief time of grief, intense pain when Jesus would die, the enemy would seemingly have won and all lost.

But then the resurrection would come, they would see Jesus with physical and spiritual eyes. They would understand why He came and the victory would bring a joy that never ends.

They would not need to ask questions, “why” anymore…they would understand the mission of Jesus and all the crucifixion and resurrection means.

They would ask things of the Father in Jesus name and their prayers would be answered…allowing them to be a part of what He is doing in the world and bringing glory to Him. THIS would bring their joy to its completion…it would bring their joy to its highest possible point…to bring glory to God…be a part of His power and work.

They would not ask Jesus to ask the Father for things…they would go directly to the Father with their prayer requests because of their relationship with the Father through Jesus.

Now the table is set…bad times were upon them…the crucifixion would be awful…they would be confused, disappointed and devastated…but the resurrection would come and Jesus vindicated…all would make sense…their questions about His mission answered…and they would begin to participate in the life of God and His mission to redeem the world.

The Mission

Our mission is to be a part of God’s glory. To be a living demonstration of His power and character to the world. We are a testimony to the Holy Spirit’s witness to the world concerning the truth of Jesus and His mission to save the world.

And we do this not simply because they need to be saved! We do so because it is a joy to glorify God. And all of this happens from our prayer life...

“Give you whatever you ask in my name” — We take this statement in the context of everything we read in chapter 15...When we are walking in Christ, in His will, a part of what He is doing, we can ask anything in His name and that prayer will be answered. Anything we ask for that will glorify God and make much of Him will be answered.

The joy of our life is lived from our prayer life. We participate in the life of God from our prayer life. Leonard Ravenhill said, “No man is greater than his prayer life.” This is true! The whole of our experience in Christ begins in prayer and every step along the way is a step taken in light of our prayers.

We can do nothing on our own. We must abide in Him if the fruit of the Christian life is to be produced in us. We can never be who we are meant to be nor do the things we are meant to do if we don’t pray.

As an aside we must remember that no prayer is answered unless it is prayed in faith…we must believe and trust God to give us an answer…even if that answer is no.

A no answer is sometimes what we want…because we desire the Father’s glory! To be a part of His plans…this is the best life we can have…our greatest joy…the best our life can be.

Remember how Jesus prayed in the Garden…Let this cup pass from me but not my will but your will be done. This is a model for all prayers…we pray to be a part of the Father’s plan and that His plan will unfold and happen…and that we will be in the midst of it.

Had the Father granted the request and negated His will for that of the Son in the Garden…we would forever be lost…Jesus and the Father would have been robbed of their glory in the events of redemption…the best life was the cross…even if the flesh of Jesus bristled at the thought.

He Has Overcome

We will have trouble in this world — It is going to happen. Things are not always going to go as we would want them to go. We will not always get our way. How are you going to face such times? Fear, faith? Worry or confidence? Optimism or pessimism?

There were once two identical twins. They were alike in every way but one. One was a hope-filled optimist who only ever saw the bright side of life. The other was a dark pessimist, who only ever saw the down side in every situation. The parents were so worried about the extremes of optimism and pessimism in their boys they took them to the Doctor. He suggested a plan. “On their next birthday give the pessimist a shiny new bike, but give the optimist only a pile of manure.”

The parents were so worried about the extremes of optimism and pessimism in their boys they took them to the Doctor. He suggested a plan. “On their next birthday give the pessimist a shiny new bike, but give the optimist only a pile of manure.”

It seemed a fairly extreme thing to do. After all the parents had always treated heir boys equally. But in this instance they decided to try to Doctor’s advice. So when the twins birthday came round they gave the pessimist the most expensive, top of the range, racing bike a child has ever owned. When he saw the bike his first words were, “I’ll probably crash and break my leg.” To the optimist they gave a carefully wrapped box of manure. He opened it, looked puzzled for a moment, then ran outside screaming, “You can’t fool me! Where there’s this much manure, there’s just gotta be a pony around here somewhere!”

It seemed a fairly extreme thing to do. After all the parents had always treated heir boys equally. But in this instance they decided to try to Doctor’s advice. So when the twins birthday came round they gave the pessimist the most expensive, top of the range, racing bike a child has ever owned. When he saw the bike his first words were, “I’ll probably crash and break my leg.”

To the optimist they gave a carefully wrapped box of manure. He opened it, looked puzzled for a moment, then ran outside screaming, “You can’t fool me! Where there’s this much manure, there’s just gotta be a pony around here somewhere!”

Jesus has overcome the world — We have to remember that in this life or the next…the victory is always realized in the finished work of Christ.

These charlatans who try to sell the church on the idea that you are always going to get the answer you want when you pray…God will always make you wealthy…God will always heal your disease by extending your life on this earth if you have enough faith…they have negated the words of Jesus in our passage today.

Sometimes the answer is no…sometimes we suffer for the glory of God…sometimes we live in deprivation, pain, suffering and even die for the glory of Christ.

But the greatest joy, regardless our circumstances or the choices of God for us, is to live in the middle of what He is doing…be a part of His power…His revelation of Himself to our world.

This is Not The End

And one final thing we must know and never forget…this is not the end. This is not the final act.

When we die we rise…When we suffer we are comforted…when we are deprived we are made rich…when we lose we win…whether these benefits happen in the here and now or in Heaven.

Heaven is to come and our part in bringing heaven to earth right now is the deposit guranteeing what is to come.

This is our joy…sharing Jesus and making much of Him by participating in His life…so remember whatever the answer to the prayer…whatever the burden to bear…Jesus is Lord…He has won…eternity awaits and the war is won…what we do now is simply participating in the sufferings of Christ so that someday we might participate in the fullness of His glory as well.