Not A Disappointment

KJV Rom. 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Have you ever purchased something that you really needed or wanted, but when you brought it home and tried it out, it was really disappointing? It didn't live up to the advertising, or didn't do what you needed or you didn't like the way it worked or for some reason - the whole purchase was just a disappointment.

There are a lot of things that disappoint us in this life. Disappointment means the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one's hopes or expectations.

There are a few things in life besides death and taxes, and one of those things is disappointments. You are going to be disappointed in life.

People disappoint

Products disappoint

Jobs disappoint

Money disappoints

Relationships disappoint

You face disappointment at losses

But Paul is telling us we have a hope that maketh not ashamed, or "does not disappoint" Hope is not a disappointment.

I want us to look this morning at the things that lead to hope

What hope is

And why hope is not a disappointment.

Roman's is a book of "Therefores"

the "therefore" of condemnation in Romans 3:20 (KJV) 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. justification in Romans 5:1 (KJV) 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

no condemnation in Romans 8:1 (KJV) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

dedication or sanctification in Romans 12:1 (KJV) 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

I was instructed a long time ago that when you see the word "therefore" You need to stop and ask what it is there for.

The therefore in Roman's 5:1 is there for a climax to an argument Paul has been making in the last few chapters about Justification. He lists at least seven benefits of Justification in this chapter. We will leave those for another time.

But I do want to pull out a few of these listed in verses 1-5

We have peace with God - through Jesus ChristWe have access by faith into this graceWe rejoice in hope of the glory of GodWe glory in tribulationsKnowing they work patience (endurance)Patience or endurance brings experienceExperience brings hopeHOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT (Make ashamed)It doesn't disappoint because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us Then we are told how God showed or demonstrated that loveWhen we were without strength - when there was nothing in us God should have desired - When it was the right time - or at Just the right time. Christ died for his closest friends?No He DIED FOR THE UNGODLY.Then a description of what that means - It is easy to sacrifice for someone who can repay you later - but we could never repay what God has done for us. Paul finally sums it up on verse 8 "But God commendeth (Demonstrates) his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

I have prayed, studied, thought, meditated and tried my best to come up with a way to describe God's love to us, and I can't.

One has defined God's love as: the joyful overflow or expression of His will and glory

1 John 4:8 (KJV)

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God does not need to attain nor attempt to maintain love; it is the very substance and nature of God. Bultmann rightly states: "The sentence cannot be reversed to read, 'Love is God.' In that case, 'love' would be presupposed as a universal human possibility, from which a knowledge of the nature of God could be derived" (Johannine Epistles, 66). It is from this very essence of God's being that the activity of love springs.

Walter A. Elwell, ed., “Love,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Second ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Love".

Isaiah 43:4 (KJV)

4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV)

3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Hosea 14:4 (KJV)

4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV)

17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

God loves you - he really loves you - I wish I could tell you how much he loves you. You are worth everything to him.

As Max Lucado wrote:

“If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning... Face it, friend. He is crazy about you! ”

― Max Lucado

G Morgan Campbell that great preacher and revivalist of years ago - said he never preached from John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life.

He said it was too big. He would read it and that was enough.

Language just simply fails to express God's love.

Many people have tried through songs, poems, essays, sermons, books, to explain God's love and it just comes down to as F, M. Lehman says,

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made:

Were ever stalk on earth a quill And every man a scribe by trade To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry Nor could the scroll contain the whole

Though strecthed from sky to sky Oh love of GOD how rich and pure How measureless and strong It shall forever more endure The saints and angels song.