Hope for the Weary

Our World Needs Hope

Church family we missed you!!!

We missed every one of you and it was only for one weekend!

If you have time to stay after church a bit, we are going to have a fellowship lunch to celebrate all the birthdays in September and to enjoy each other’s company.

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Today we are starting a 4 week sermon series on hope. It is in conjunction with the Back to Church Sunday event happening all over the United States.

We need to hear about the Hope found in Jesus! Some of us have experienced loss and that can make us feel alone. As we get into this series, let’s take A MOMENT AND PRAY for those who are either struggling with COVID, side effects, or have lost a loved one.

~Pray~

Have you heard all that is going on around the world?

Do you see the fear and worry that is spreading faster than COVID?

God created us to glorify Him and enjoy Him. That is why Jesus said that He came to give us life to the full! John 10:10 “10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

I must confess, I get wrapped up in all of this too.

Beyond the political things, Are any of you busy? I mean really busy? Not just “busy ‘bout your Father’s business” - I mean every moment seems to be filled with something.

I have gotten to the point where sometimes, I am not sure what to do with myself if I am not moving. Temporary is one thing but I was told as a teen that if the devil couldn’t pull you into the world, he would push you until you burn out. This often causes us to be so very tired.

I hope when you come to worship Jesus with your family, that you feel refreshed. That all the heaviness of your life can pause and you can just focus on Him.

When we are so busy, we can miss out on all the blessings God has all around us.

All of these things wear us out and cause us to lose hope.

There was a man attending a little league baseball game.

The little children were all on the field or in the dugout, playing their hearts out.

It was only the first inning, and the score was already 16 – 0.

One team was losing in a landslide.

The man walked up to the dugout of the losing team and asked one little boy if he was discouraged by the score.

Had he lost hope?

The little boy looked at him, a little puzzled, and said, “Why would I be discouraged? We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet. There is always hope!”

Throughout scripture we see examples where things look hopeless. Like how the disciples felt when Jesus was crucified, or when the church dealt with diseases, oppressive governments, physical or spiritual hunger or spiritual attacks, they placed their hope in Jesus. He met their need. Jesus is the hope that our world needs.

Death could not hold Jesus down! He is Risen! He is our Hope - and Hope is Here this morning.

It is not about you or me. It is not about a catchy title. Jesus came to save sinners and that means you and me - and if He can save us, He can save anyone. Praise God for the Hope we have in Jesus! Because when Jesus is here - Hope is Here!

Let’s look together at three observations this morning as we get into scripture:

1. LIFE IS HARD la vida es dura

Would you agree that life can be very hard?

Some have only begun to experience hard life, but for some, it has been wave upon wave of hardship.

This can make us so tired, worn out, weary, and discouraged.

Open with me to Matthew 11:28-30

Matthew 11:28–30 NKJV

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28–30 RVR60

28 Venid a mí todos los que estáis trabajados y cargados, y yo os haré descansar. 29 Llevad mi yugo sobre vosotros, y aprended de mí, que soy manso y humilde de corazón; y hallaréis descanso para vuestras almas; 30 porque mi yugo es fácil, y ligera mi carga.

When Life is hard, go to Jesus, He is the source of your rest and He IS your rest!

Let’s understand this passage better:

Jesus acknowledges that life is hard.

Jesus offers Himself as the solution

The yoke Jesus talks about is one of obedience to Him, but it is full of grace, mercy, compassion, love, and fulfillment.

2. Your Yoke can be Crushing or Lifegiving / Tu yugo puede ser aplastante o dador de vida

We talked about life being hard and sometimes it can feel even harder as a Christian if we misunderstand the Yoke Jesus invites us to bear.

We hear about who Jesus calls us to be and we think that we can somehow do everything in the Bible and be saved that way.

The Bible tells us that we are not saved by works but by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9)

If you are tired and weary - and you feel like your relationship with God is weighing you down. Consider this:

Jesus’ Yoke is Easy and His Burden is Light

What are you carrying that He did not give you?

He put His life in you that you would overflow into others. If you are being crushed by burdens you carry, you are walking in the very thing Jesus died to save you from.

There is hope today - there is hope for tomorrow

That hope is Jesus

Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to be in us and to lead us, He also gave us each other.

3. You are Not Alone / no están solos

Everyone has a yoke to carry. I cannot carry yours and you cannot carry mine. But we are called by God to come alongside each other and provide relief and care and encouragement and help.

Galatians 6:2 NKJV

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 RVR60

2 Sobrellevad los unos las cargas de los otros, y cumplid así la ley de Cristo.

If you are weary

If you feel like there is no hope

Let me encourage you that Jesus came to bring us life

John 10:10 NKJV

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10 RVR60

10 El ladrón no viene sino para hurtar y matar y destruir; yo he venido para que tengan vida, y para que la tengan en abundancia.

Let’s Pray