Text: Romans 5:1 – 5

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…Amen.

I look at this sanctuary, this church, this community and I am very hopeful. I am hopeful because I know that God is going to do something very special in this community. It may not come easy. The road may not always be straight and smooth, but God is indeed going to do great things here. This I am certain of. And we ALL can be certain of that very same thing because of what God has done in the world already. Through Jesus Christ we have a certain hope that cannot be taken away. No amount of suffering can destroy that. No amount of fighting can deter that. No amount of personal uncertainty can send that hope packing. Through the cross we have life…period.

But these past few years have been a challenge though…for me and from what I understand, for you too. We have been though a lot and for a time, I wondered what hope there was for me in my life. I questioned and doubted God. I wondered how the cross related to me. I couldn’t see anyway that I could find peace, security or hope in my life.

For eight summers I worked at various bible camps in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In that streak of eight summers I was a fulltime program director for three of those summers. I thought that was it. I found a certain hope in the “fact” that I was going to be a professional bible camp person. I was going to wear shorts and t-shirts to the office and carry a guitar on my back. I was going to be popular with the kids and staff. I was going to enjoy the great outdoors and play for a living. What a life.

But in 1997 I became burnt out. I was left wondering why. I left camping to move back home to work for my dad who owns a Chrysler dealership. I was going to learn the business and take over someday. My dad said that if I did this right I could make a lot of money and that intrigued me. I found a certain hope in the “fact” that I would have everything that I need. I would never have to worry about money or buying my own car. I could buy all the toys I wanted and find security. I was in my hometown where people knew me and respected my family. All was good could I ever need. But after about a year or so, I felt uneasy. Something was missing but I was too afraid to admit it to myself because I did not want to give up the money. But I soon began to realize something. I was a very bad car salesman. I sold 4 cars in the 2 ½ years I worked with my dad. Thank God I was not working on commission.

So after 2 ½ years of trying to learn the business, I got the call to go to seminary. I found a certain hope in the “fact” that I finally found my life purpose and that everything was now going to flow smoothly. But I soon found seminary was indeed a lot of work. During my first semester I had to write 18 papers in 13 weeks. I was blown away. It also put a strain on my relationships with Connie, my family and friends. Trying to balance everything was a challenge. Following God’s call was not as easy as I thought so I almost dropped out of my seminary program after my first year to pursue another aspect of ministry. But God had other plans and here I am. And I am very glad that I am here.

So where do we find this “certain hope” for our lives? I tell ya, we don’t have to look very far. Paul writes in our second lesson today, “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand…” Now here comes the good part so listen up…”and we can boost in our hope of sharing the glory of God” YES!!! That is good stuff! That is what it is all about…sharing in God’s glory. We can now boost of this hope that we have in Jesus Christ. It is a certain hope that we can hold on to. It is a certain hope that will not fail. It is a certain hope that will never let us down. We can strive to find hope in this world…sure go for it…but we will fail. It cannot be done or found. Our true hope is not out there hiding, but our true hope is right here among us. But best of all, this hope in Jesus Christ…are you ready for this…is something that finds us. WOW!!! That is exciting…my friends!!!

This is our foundation. This is what we are here for. We are here to proclaim to others the hope we have in God our Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Salem’s mission statement says that through our faith in Jesus Christ, we will share peace with all God’s people. That is the hope we share, because we are always seeking after it. We are always longing for it. We are always hungering to receive it. We need to hear about this hope and receive this hope through the bread and wine. We can boost in the gift we have received because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and because we can know it is TRUE!!!

But Paul does not end here. He does not leave us with the sense that everything will always come up roses. Paul is realistic. He lived in this world and knows that difficulties and suffering will come our way. He knows that there will be fighting among people in the community of faith. He knows that people will gossip about others and back stab.

And it is no different here. I know we are going to run into conflicts and difficulties. There will be growing pains as we strive to get to know one another and figure out where we are going. There are going to be times where we are going to wonder where God is in all of this. We are going to have doubts and questions and start blaming others. In essence, there will be suffering. But do not fret…all will not be lost or destroyed. Paul assures us that through suffering we will build endurance. And through that endurance we will build character. And through character we will build hope.

You see, God’s love has already been poured out among us. The gift of salvation has already been given to us. Life everlasting has already been granted to us. But most of all, forgiveness of sins is always available to us.

As we prepare to come forward to receive Christ’s body and blood through Holy Communion, reflect on the sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross. Confess you sins before God. Come forward knowing that the hope we hear and confess each week and everyday through our lives is a hope that is true and certain. It will sustain us through all the difficult times and rejoice with us in the good times. Know that through it all, through our mission as a church and through our lives together as a community of faith, God is working among us. We have a common faith, a common hope and a common mission. Let’s hold on to that common ground.

I look around here and I am indeed very hopeful. God is working wonderful miracles in our presence. But most of all, God is working to bring all people together to the great banquet feast in His home where things will indeed flow smoothly forever. Hold on to that hope…because it is a certain hope…and that, my friends, is a fact.

Amen!!!

Sermonmanuscript06-06-04

Text: Romans 5:1 – 5