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Hope
The first Sunday of Advent begins a New Year for the Church.
It is around this time of the year that we often find people talking about the hardships and trials of the past year… and longing for the next year to be different.
We are no different!
We have struggled through the hardships, heartaches, and darkness that these past two years have brought… and if we’re honest, we are ready for the new year!
So here we are… once again beginning a new year… once again we are reminded that we live in a broken world… a broken world that often feels beyond Hope and beyond repair…
We come to a week surrounded by the word “Hope” in the midst of what can feel like “hopelessness.”
Hear the words of David:
These are words of Promise… of Trust… of Hope… They are a reminder of who God is — trustworthy and faithful —
… But… It is also a reminder of who we are: a people of Hope… even in the midst of despair.
We are children of the God of the Universe!
I. David was completely surrendered to God.
He knew where to turn in times of trial and hardship…
Look at his words to God:
“Lord, lift me up...”
“Don’t put me to shame...”
“Teach me Your ways...”
“Lead me in Your truth...”
You cannot receive these things unless you are surrendered to God!!!
— Surrender opens the door to God’s mercy and grace in every situation…WHY?
… because we let go…
— God cannot bring provision and Hope if we are still holding on to the issues… if WE are still trying to control it…
— We have to surrender it… to surrender the needs… surrender the struggles… surrender our fears… surrender our lives…
— That means letting go!
II.
There is HOPE in Surrender.
There is a pattern to this poem… it is an acrostic meant to take us on a journey of discovery… Where it begins is as important as where it ends…
— The Psalm begins with a declaration of Surrender… David declares his complete Trust in the Lord: “I offer my life to you...” (CEB)
— The NIV says: “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.”
(NIV)
— The NRSV: “To You, O’ Lord, I lift up my soul.”
(NRSV)
The Apostle Paul uses this same language in Romans:
Romans 12:1 (NRSV)
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
We cannot offer ourselves as “living sacrifices” without “Trust and Surrender” — That is what Faith is!!!
— Faith is letting go… and letting God have it!
— We cannot have Faith without Surrender… and we will not Surrender unless we Trust God!
— Trust begins with Surrender.
David is declaring in this Psalm the God IS Trustworthy… AND… that he IS willing to SURRENDER his entire self to the God who created him!
Surrender and Trust go hand in hand with Hope.
— Hope isn’t blind optimism… but a faith that what is good and right WILL prevail!
— We have HOPE because God is trustworthy…
— We cannot find HOPE in God if we do not SURRENDER to Him!
— Our surrender to the trustworthy God sets the stage to live out HOPE in the world around us… and to embrace HOPE in our own lives.
ps 25:3 “3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.”
Honor/Shame culture was prominent in David’s day… Bringing shame upon oneself or one’s family was something to be avoided at all costs…
Is our world any different?
— God can be TRUSTED!!!
Those who put their HOPE in God will see it fulfilled!
— Surrender is the beginning of Hope… it’s the first step… We won’t fully trust God until we surrender to Him…
When we surrender to God, we find Him to be Trustworthy.
When we surrender to God, we find HOPE.
While we might be waiting for our hope to be realized, we Hope for God to draw near… for the Messiah to come once again into our lives… for all to be made right — but it all BEGINS with SURRENDER!
III.
Surrender leads to Formation.
— In verse 4 we have “make your ways known to me”… in verse 5 we have “lead me” and “teach me”… in verse 8 the Lord “teaches sinners”… and in verse 9, God guides and teaches the weak.
— Surrender to God is NOT the end, … BUT the beginning…
— Surrender BEGINS a life of HOPE and TRANSFORMATION…
— Surrender OPENS us up to being molded into the person God has called us to be!
There is a contrast in the text between who David used to be… and the person who he wants to be…
ps 25:7 “Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me,...”
David confesses, pleads, and cries out to God that He would extend forgiveness for the sins of the past… and provide growth and movement toward something more!
Is that our prayer?!
David is not the man he used to be… he has changed… he wants more than the sins of his past… Is that us?!
God does not leave a surrendered believer where they are… He leads them to be transformed into someone who reflects His Glory to the world!
— Transformation has clear results.
Those surrendered to God are people of justice…
— Justice doesn’t mean “revenge”… it is not the “social justice” ideas in so many young peoples’ minds today… It is the idea that “all things will be made right.”
— We long for the day of the Lord’s return, because that is when all things will be made right.
Those surrendered to God have wisdom and discernment…
— They know what path to take — because they listen to the Lord… they are surrendered to His Voice.
— Do you want to hear God’s voice better?
Than surrender to Him…
Those surrendered to God will live a good life…
— The “good life” does not mean what most think it means — it is not defined as the world defines it… It is not about “worldly wealth”…
— The “Good Life” is the ability to be “hospitable to others”.
— Blessings and goodness are not meant to be hoarded… they are meant to be used for the sake of others.
The Lord counsels those who are surrendered to Him… He makes His covenant known to them...
— The presence of God is with people who are surrendered to Him…
— Knowing who God is… knowing the promises of God… are important qualities, but… Knowledge must move from head to heart! (That is what SURRENDER is)
— Look at verse 14 again…
— This is a promise… that God is near… that He is close to us… and can be known — When we surrender to Him.
—> We need to understand something in order to surrender…
God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
IV.
God continues today to prove Himself Trustworthy, Faithful, and Worthy of our Hope.
— The main player in this Psalm is not David — It’s God!
— God does the good and right thing… even when we don’t!
— God’s ways are ALWAYS loving and faithful…
— Repentance AND Surrender are key!
Psalm 25:5–11 (NRSV)
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
…
9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
…
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
— The compassion of God extends to ALL who are willing to Surrender.
— The Mercy of God comes to a Surrendered heart.
— God is faithful and trustworthy, even when His People are not… We can place our HOPE in Him!
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