12 in verse 12 nakul 12 12 we're just
going to read the first part of this
verse and before we read it I just want
to share a story about a young woman
that I knew a college student 20-25
years ago who was struggling with some
pretty serious issues of depression and
discouragement is anyone you don't have
to raise your hand but has anyone ever
struggled with discouragement before
well you start wondering if things are
gonna get better you start wondering
what's going on God well this person
struggled with depression and
discouragement but she was a woman of
god and she decided over the summer she
was gonna have her prayer time every
single day she was going to read the
Bible and she was going to pray and she
sought God every day every day every day
set aside time prayed meditated on the
word until she hit Romans 12 12 and she
hit these three words that changed her
life Romans 12 verse 12 says rejoice in
hope are the way the NIV has it be
joyful in hope that's our verse for
today god I thank you for your word Lord
God I thank you that those simple words
be joyful in Hope can change our lives
completely when we understand them and
Holy Spirit I pray that you is the Good
Shepherd would speak to your people
today because we are listening and I
thank you that your word has divine
power to demolish strongholds of
discouragement so we receive God your
message today to rejoice in hope speak
to us make it real to us lord I pray in
Jesus name Amen when she hit those words
she realizes she had found the cure for
discouragement and in one word the word
is hope hope that's what I want to talk
about today yesterday I was praying
about about this sermon in this text
especially in light of some of the sad
events of the week and there's
others that have happened this week and
yesterday a person who came to the
breakfast downstairs we host a breakfast
for people from the community every
Saturday and a woman came in who was
smiling with a glow that was just it was
great she was overflowing right and she
had a button on that said I am loved and
I asked her her name and she said hope
and I was like a man I feel the
anointing and I knew that this is the
message for us if you could skip ahead
with me to Romans chapter 15 verse 13
says may the god of Hope romans 15 13
may the god of Hope fill you with all
joy and peace as you trust in him so
that you may overflow with hope by the
power of the Holy Spirit isn't that an
awesome verse this verse is kind of a
crescendo of the book of Romans usually
when i think of the letter at Paul's
letter to the Romans I think of a
theological explanation of the gospel I
think of big theological words which are
very important we need to understand
them but a keyword the book of Romans I
discovered when I did my homework for
this is the word hope from beginning to
end it's the topic that the Apostle Paul
says that is the answer it is the power
of the gospel for the salvation of all
who believes may the god of Hope fill
you with all joy and peace as you trust
in him so that you may overflow with
hope by the power of the Holy Spirit
anyone here overflowing some of you are
some of you overflow with hope and I can
see it sometimes the cup starts running
a little low and we need to come back to
the god of hope to fill us up again
because we don't feel like we're
overflowing but that can be our normal
our new normal so I'd like to read a
couple other verses from the book of
Romans as we talk about this if you
could go back with me to Romans chapter
4 we're going to look we're going to
focus on the topic of hope in
in the book of Romans and you see
instant when you think of the symbol of
the Christian faith what defines us as
Christians what's the symbol that we use
as Christians nowadays usually you know
you might put it around your neck what's
the symbol across right because Jesus
died on the cross for our sins amen you
know what the symbol of the Christian
faith one of the biggies for early
Christians was it wasn't a cross because
they saw too many real crosses with
people dying on them and they're like
that's not very comforting or the a so
you know what their symbol was and a
fish was one of them and another one was
an anchor an anchor because the Bible
says that hope is an anchor for our
souls and they've done archaeologists
have done studies in the catacombs in in
Rome where Christians were hiding from
the authorities because the authorities
wanted to kill them for being Christians
and they're hiding in the catacombs are
basically underground tunnels sometimes
doors and they looked at some of the
artwork we call it ancient graffiti but
it was okay it was an underground
catacomb and there you see the pictures
that they did there and there were
pictures of anchors anchors anchors
because the early Christians knew it
doesn't matter what this world can do
against me I am anchored in hope that
was the symbol of the Christian faith
believing in hope is what we have to do
to be a Christian in the first place
don't we Romans chapter 4 and we'll
start in verse 16 the Apostle Paul has
been talking about the need to have
faith and he's talking about Abraham a
man whom in the Old Testament God had
promised would have descendants that
would become a great nation and out of
that nation become a particular
descendant who would be a great king who
would save the world God promised
Abraham kids but there was a little
problem Abraham was a hundred years old
and so was his wife and another problem
even when they were 30 they couldn't
have kids little problem and we see
about faith and hope in his story verse
16 Romans 4 verse 16 says therefore the
promise comes by faith so that it may be
by grace
and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's
offspring not only those were of the law
but also those who have the faith of
Abraham he is the father of us all as it
is written I have made you a father of
many nations he is our Father in the
sight of God in whom he believed and the
God who gives life to the dead and calls
into being things that are not verse 18
against all hope Abraham inho believed
and so became the father of many nations
just as it had been said to him so shall
your offspring be without weakening in
his faith he faced the fact that his
body was as good as dead and since he
was about a hundred years old and that
Sarah's womb was also dead yet he did
not waver through unbelief regarding the
promise of God but was strengthened in
his faith and gave glory to God being
fully persuaded that God had power to do
what he had promised abraham believed in
hope against all hope Abraham in hope
believed and so became the father of
many nations he believed that our God is
so powerful that he can even bring life
from death isn't that what saves us
still that our God has the power to
raise a man who died and was in the tomb
for three days the what God who who
gives life to the dead and calls things
that are not as though they were
Abraham's example shows us how faith and
hope go together if we want to be real
Christians we need to learn not just to
believe but to believe in hope okay now
I want to talk a little bit about hope
because there's misunderstandings of
hope I think hope is not wishful
thinking anyone ever thought you know
well I hope how's it going to go well I
don't know if I'm going to I don't know
if I'm going to win the game or not I
hope so I'm not sure maybe maybe not
that is not Christian Hope Christian
hope is a is called a sure hope another
thing hope is not is not blind optimism
hope doesn't mean that we are going
through hard
and we say oh well whatever it's all for
the best no big deal blind optimism no
no that's not Christian hope it is also
possible to have misplaced hope where we
hope for good hope is a positive
expectation for my future hope means I
believe good things will happen now that
is not always true is it it's possible
to have misplaced hope in the Bible it
says that no king is saved by the size
of his army no warrior escapes by his
great strength a horse is a vain hope
for deliverance despite all its great
strength it cannot save but the eyes of
the Lord are on those who fear Him on
those who hope in his unfailing love it
is possible to hope in the wrong things
it is possible to hope in governments to
hope in political leaders to hope in
armies for our future and especially
during an election year Christians need
to know yes we need to be engaged in
society because as Christians we need to
have a voice we need to think we need to
talk about issues but at the same time I
know where my hope lies and there is no
candidate there is no government there
is no even a constitution as much as I
love my country and I love my
Constitution I really do but my hope is
in another Kingdom and in another
Constitution and I'm a citizen of that
Kingdom that's not misplace our hope
it's also possible to put your hopes in
people and I never done that before and
have it not turn out so good the book of
Proverbs 11-7 says hopes placed in
mortals died with them all the promise
of their power comes to nothing people
will fail you because people are people
people are imperfect people are mortal
it's important for Christians to know
that too we can't put all our hope in
certain leaders or certain teachers as
much as we do I hope you can trust your
spiritual leaders but it's not about
putting your hope
they're your hope is in the king of
kings and the Lord of lords the shepherd
of shepherds right because people are
going to blow it people are going to
make mistakes but my hope is based on
nothing less than Jesus Christ and His
righteousness God is the one who is
reliable what else do people hoping to
find peace and optimism for their future
what else how about people's bank
account money now the Bible says
commandos were rich in this present
world not to be arrogant own or to put
their hope in wealth which is so
uncertain but to put their hope in god
who richly provides us with everything
for our enjoyment but we take nothing
into this world the Bible says and we
can take nothing out of it hope in money
is something that is a vain hope vain
means empty it's not something that's
reliable something else sometimes we can
put our hopes in false promises you ever
done that with a person a person who
promised there's one thing and does
another well there are some preachers
and teachers who give false teaching and
produce false hope in people we need to
be careful about that we could have
false hope based on false teaching The
Book of Jeremiah says this is what the
Lord Almighty says do not listen to what
the prophets are prophesying to you they
fill you with false hopes it's Jeremiah
2316 they speak visions from their own
minds not from the mouth of the Lord
they keep saying to those who despise me
the Lord says you will have peace and to
all who follow the stubbornness of their
hearts they say no harm will come to you
they might be preaching but they're
lying we don't want to have false hopes
based on someone who says it doesn't
matter what God says that's why we try
to stay so true to the Bible as much as
we possibly can because it's not about
what people think or what society
believes but it's about what Scripture
teaches and we don't want to have false
hopes we want to have a hope that is
solid and it is based on something that
is real
liable have you ever thought about we
talk about the I thought of the image of
a check when someone writes you a check
and gives you a check that is that money
or not right it's not really money but
it represents money and that's why you
get the paycheck right how about if i
wrote you a check for a million dollars
right now and give it to you right you
would say thank you very much but it's
not worth the paper it's written on
because you don't have enough money in
the bank to cover it right so you're not
going to put your hope in that check
because there's not money behind it to
make it come true right well God doesn't
bounce checks when God makes the promise
he has got the the funds in the bank to
pay for it and that is why we need to
have hope as Christians I'm not asking
us to just be optimistic and just think
positively I'm asking us to believe in
hope to put our faith in a God who is so
reliable that I know he'll come through
for me and so I can be optimistic no
matter what the circumstances believe in
hope the Bible says yet Abraham did not
waver in verse 20 of chapter 4 of Romans
he didn't waive her through unbelief
regarding the promise of God but he was
strengthened in his faith and gave glory
to God being fully persuaded that God
had power to do what he had promised he
knew that God wouldn't write him a bad
check and God won't write you a bad
check either your God is faithful the
Bible says it is impossible for God to
lie when he says never will I leave you
never will I forsake you he means it and
you can take it to the bank do we
believe in God I have the privilege as a
pastor to know people who go through all
kinds of circumstances and I have seen
people who just won't let go of their
faith and no matter what they're hopeful
not just because they're optimistic
people but because they know who God is
because God has never let them down
before
and they know God is the same yesterday
today and forever he won't let you down
today and he won't let me down tomorrow
I can be hopeful now we need to hold on
to that that's a decision we need to
make by faith to have that solid hope
and I would like if you would open with
me to or turn with me to the book of
Hebrews chapter 6 Hebrews chapter 6 a
beautiful text on hope also talking
about Abraham who was hopeful even
though it seemed impossible for God to
fulfill the promise he had made Abraham
didn't let go of hope he held on Hebrews
chapter 6 in verse 13 Hebrews 6 verse 13
when God made his promise to Abraham
since there was no one greater for him
to swear by he swore by himself isn't
that cool you ever been in court and you
say I swear to tell the truth the whole
truth doesn't matter maybe you've had to
do that you'd rather not remember you're
the states with it and then you say so
help me God right you're swearing by God
when someone is sworn in they put their
hand on the Bible they're swearing by
something greater than self so God is
taking an oath but he's like wait a min
I can't find anything greater than me so
he's like I swear by me to tell it
because God you can't find anyone
greater so he swears by himself when he
talks to Abraham and he says saying
verse 14 of Hebrews 6 I will surely
bless you and give you many descendants
in the Hebrew there's a beautiful idiom
that's blessing I will bless you that's
the way God said to Abraham in other
words i'm going to bless you upon bless
you upon bless you and I will make you
the father of many descendants you can
count on it I'm swearing by myself God
said to Abraham and after waiting
patiently because we can talk about this
later hope and waiting go together and
when here enjoy waiting right well hope
makes it a little bit easier we'll talk
about that after waiting patiently verse
15 Abraham received what was promised
verse 16 people swear by someone greater
than themselves and the oath confirms
what is said and puts an end to all
argument because God wanted to make the
changing nature of his purpose very
clear to the heirs of what was promised
he confirmed it with an oath God did
this so that by two unchangeable things
in which it is impossible for God to lie
we who have fled to take hold of the
hopes that before us may be greatly
encouraged we have this hope as an
anchor for the sole firm and secure it
enters the inner sanctuary behind the
curtain where our 4runner Jesus has
entered in our behalf he has become a
high priest forever in the order of
Melchizedek God makes promises and God
keeps those promises but we need to hold
on to hope in those promises and we
can't let go the image used look at this
with me if you would it says we who have
fled in verse 18 we who have fled to
take hold of this hope set before us may
be greatly encouraged that is using an
image from the Old Testament remember we
used to talk about the tabernacle a lot
and we had the pictures of the
tabernacle there was an altar in the
outer court a big bronze altar about
this high and it was a big one that was
sacrifice they would do the majority of
the sacrifices there and there were four
horns on the four corners of the altar
now if you were a fugitive and you had
to escape for your life and you were in
danger of being executed for something
you done sometimes they would run into
that area which shows by the way that
people had access to that people would
come into the outer court and they would
see the glory over the most holy place
but they would run into the the outer
court and they would grab the horn horns
of the altar and they would hold on for
dear life hoping that maybe they
wouldn't be executed in in the
tabernacle right there thinking well
maybe they won't kill me here so I'll
run away I will flee to take hold of the
horns of the altar and that happened
there's two accounts of that in the Old
Testament we're fugitives did that and
then if they're still sentenced to be
executed they're not executed right
there that police come in
and would grab them and try to drag them
away from the altar and the person would
hold on for dear life you ever tried to
drag somebody who's like grabbing on to
something like and and you're good to
argument there holy god you're dragging
them and then they're grabbing on to
other things you know maybe you had a
little brother little sister somebody
that you're trying to do that you tried
to drag them away from something in
there holding on right or a dog you ever
tried to get something out of a dog's
mouth and they don't want to listen to
you because they don't you know take our
commands and you're trying to grab it
and the more you grab it they're like
this is a game I like this I gotta grab
tighter and you're pulling and you're
doing a tug-of-war well that's what
would happen because people knew its
life or death I gotta hold on to this
altar and they would grab those horns
the Bible says that's the way we need to
hold on to hope we need to hold on to
hope for dear life and then it uses the
illustration of an anchor for the soul
what does an anchor do there's gonna
there's the boat there right and in the
storm and the wind's coming in the boat
could just blow out to see if it's not
anchored there will be storms there will
be wins if we're not anchored we're
going to float away we need to hold on
to hope for dear life I think of
mountain climbers who use those
grappling hooks right of course i'd
never been mountain climbing i'm not
planning on doing so in the near future
but i've seen in movies that they throw
grappling hooks right and you get it in
there and you jam it in and then you
hold on to that and you climb up in a
harness anyone do that here I don't
maybe there's some people who do you
hold on for dear life that's the way we
need to hold on to hope believe in hope
not just because you're believing in in
a fantasy but you're believing in a God
who has proven to be faithful you can
trust him his promises are true he won't
let you go he will stay with you to the
end for I know the plans I have with you
for you says the Lord plans to prosper
you and not to harm you plans to give
you a hope and a future our God is
reliable when we start believing in hope
then we can transition to the next part
of hope
that I want to talk about today stay in
Romans if you could go back to Romans
you skipped ahead to Hebrews if you
could go back to the book of Romans
chapter five Romans chapter five we're
going to see what happens next as we
hold on to hope then we stop just
holding on for dear life and we start
getting some confidence flowing through
our veins Romans chapter five starting
in verse 30 no starting in will start in
verse 1 therefore since we've been
justified through faith we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
through whom we've gained access by
faith into this grace in which we now
stand and we boast in the hope of the
glory of God boast in hope verse 3 not
only so but we also glory it's the same
word we also boast in our sufferings
because we know that suffering produces
perseverance perseverance character and
character hope and hope does not put us
to shame because God's love has been
poured into our hearts through the Holy
Spirit who's been given to us boast in
hope I got a question for you is
boasting good isn't boasting normally
kind of bad don't you think usually
boasting is bad in fact there's some
translations that want to change this to
be rejoicing even though it's not the
word for rejoicing its boasting in fact
this same word was used the Apostle Paul
was criticizing the Corinthian saying
you guys are boasting about how smart
you are about how spiritually you are
stop boasting and be humble but then the
Apostle Paul uses the same word
sometimes saying but you know what i
boast about you sometimes because i love
to brag about you to other people you
ever brag about people you say oh boy
people are much i brag about you i mean
in a good way not you know it's like I
got amazing people in my church people
who love God and I don't know what some
people what they've been through in the
faith they have in vacanza and I show
off about this i brag about it the
Apostle Paul says in heaven there's
going to be boasting
in the people that we love and that
Jesus has saved me say just look at him
aren't they amazing what God's done and
that's good boasting that's not bad
boasting we can also boast in hope even
when we're going through sufferings I
want us to think about this a little bit
when you're boasting you've got just a
little bit of attitude don't you you
like you know we got this I got this
boasting in hope isn't boasting that I
am so optimistic I'm boasting that my
god is so big that I just know it's
gonna work out I'm boasting about how
great my god is I'm boasting that even
though I am as good as dead right now my
god gives life to the dead and calls
things that are not as though they were
I can boast about that i can start being
a little hopeful attitude confidence
courage let not the wise man boast of
his wisdom the bible says or the strong
man boast of his strength but let the
one who boasts boast about this that he
understands and knows me says the Lord
who exercises righteousness goodness and
compassion on earth I know the king of
kings and because of that I don't care
what anyone else tells me we got a
little bit of attitude going on but
that's good attitude that's an attitude
that says you're not going to tell me
otherwise right the Apostle Paul had
this attitude when he was brought to
trial and he would come to trial and
they would say Paul or they call him
Saul still saw why are you preaching
this you know wrong teaching about Jesus
and he said you know what I've got
nothing to apologize for i am standing
here on trial because of my hope in the
resurrection my hope for israel that you
said you love he says i'm not afraid
that's why he wrote to the Corinthians
saying because we have such a hope we
are very bold hopeful people are people
who have faith and hopeful people are
confident people resilient people
sometimes even I would dare say a bit
cocky because they know if God is for me
who can be against me and there is a
boasting that comes in that is a good
thing the Apostle Peter says that we
should
always be prepared to give an answer for
the hope that we have people saying why
are you so optimistic you know it's
because of my god and I'm not afraid to
say it he's proven to be reliable in my
life and I've learned to trust him and
that's why I'm hopeful about the future
now it doesn't mean we pretend
everything is going well when it's not
okay sometimes we think faith means i
have to lie about how bad i might feel
at the moment that's not biblical the
Apostle Paul says we are hard pressed on
every side but not crushed perplexed but
not in despair persecuted but not
abandoned struck down but not destroyed
he said we do not lose heart though
outwardly we are wasting away yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day
for our light and momentary troubles are
achieving for us an eternal glory that
far outweighs them all so we fix our
eyes not on what is seen but what is
unseen because what is seen is temporary
but what is unseen is eternal and I'm
going to boast about it I'm going to
take it to the bank and I'm going to be
unbeatable unstoppable unbreakable even
when not down I can get up again because
my god is with me I love that some of us
are a little too polite it's time to
start boasting boasting in hope because
your God is not going to let you down
now sometimes though hope involves
wading through the hard painful
situations and there's something else
that we do sometimes as we hope as we
wait and it's not a pleasant word but
it's a word that goes together with hope
if you go ahead with me to Romans
chapter 8 22 there's another side to
this Romans 8 verse 22 it says we know
that the whole but wait i'm going to
start up again in verse 18 there's hope
i consider that our present sufferings
are not even worth comparing with the
glory that will be revealed in all of us
that's boasting in hope for the creation
we
because hope means I was waiting the
creation waits in eager expectation for
the children of God to be revealed for
the creation was subjected to
frustration the world is frustrated
right now the world is not the way it's
supposed to be okay there are bad things
that happen that shouldn't have happened
the creation is subjected to frustration
not by its own choice but by the will of
the one who subjected it in hope that
the creation itself will be liberated
from its bondage to decay and brought
into the freedom of the chill glory of
the children of God hope that one day
this world will be liberated from its
misery and it's groaning and we brought
into the glorious freedom of the
children of God but for now look at this
it says in verse 22 we know that the
whole creation has been groaning
groaning in hope groaning as in the
pains of childbirth right up to the
present time not only so but we
ourselves who have the firstfruits of
the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for our adoption to sonship the
redemption of our bodies for in this
hope we were saved but hope that is seen
is no hope at all who hopes for what
they already have but if we hope for
what we do not yet have we wait for it
patiently hope often and sometimes
involves groaning but it's okay because
it's part of the waiting the comparison
here is childbirth anyone ever groaned
in Java River screamed anyone ever you
know express themselves because it hurts
as you're waiting but what motivates
women over the millennia to go through
that groaning the hope of the new life
on the other side if we are going to
learn to hope we're going to have to
learn sometimes too grown in the pain
we're going through but it's hopeful
groaning because we know on the other
side there's freedom and there's life
and I'm going to get through
this and there will be new life on the
other side groaning here but hope on the
other side hope gets us through the word
for hope in Spanish is the same word for
waiting you know that los que hablan
español esperar hope and wait it's the
same thing in Spanish there's a reason
for that because if you're hoping for
something you don't have it yet you're
waiting for it and sometimes that is a
painful waiting even youth grow tired
and weary and young men stumble and fall
but those who hope in the Lord they will
have renew strength they will soar on
wings like eagles run and not grow weary
walk and not be faint as I was doing my
word study on the word hope in the Bible
the word hope is used an awful lot in
the book of Job anyone know the story of
the book of job where everything went
wrong where he suffered in so many
different ways he lost everything he was
physically sick there's a lot of
groaning in the book of Job and he
struggles with hope he's like I feel
like I'm looking for hope and I just
can't find it until finally he comes to
the point where he says you know I know
that my redeemer lives and I know that
in the end he will stand on the earth
and after my skin has been destroyed yet
in my flesh I will see God even if I
don't get through this I still have hope
because as Christians we believe that
there's more than this life even in
death Christian's can be hopeful where O
death is your is your staying where is
your is your pain we are more than
conquerors through the one who loves us
we believe in something called the
resurrection that Jesus rose from the
dead and we also will rise again and
have a new life the Apostle Paul said if
only for this life I have hope in Jesus
I should be pitied above all people
because I am one dumb guy because
Christians if you're going to be a
Christian it's going to involve some
suffering in this life
and you know this is a problem because
sometimes we encourage people come to
Jesus and you'll be happy right in this
life which is true in this life you come
to Jesus there are some problems that
will go away that you can conquer
there's happiness in this life there's
all kinds of beautiful things but
there's more than that sometimes when
God calls us and we follow him it
involves suffering and sacrifice the
Apostle Paul says if I fought while
beasts in Ephesus with no more than
human hopes what have I gained if the
dead are not raised let us eat drink and
be merry for tomorrow we die what's that
phrase Yolo Yolo you only live once so
just live it up now cuz this is it see
Christians have hope that there's more
than this life so it's worth it to push
through because I know on the other side
there's glory Christ in you the hope of
glory it enables us even to grown
through pain in childbirth knowing that
that baby will be born my new self will
be born on the other side Jesus will hug
me there and Jesus himself did this as a
human being the Bible says that when he
was in the Garden of Eden in the Garden
of Eden huh I think he was there trying
to help Adam and Eve not do what they
did but anyway when Jesus within the
Garden of Gethsemane before the cross
and he was saying father if there is any
way for this cup to pass for me please
let it be but this is not what I will
but your will be done in the Bible says
for the joy set before him Jesus endured
the cross scorning its shame and then
sat down at the right hand of God I
believe that Jesus saw the glory that
would come after he saw that he would
live again and he saw that a lot of his
spiritual brothers and sisters would
live again because of him I think he saw
you and me and said it's worth it for
the joy that is set before me I'll
endure this for a little while because
then I'll sit down at the right hand of
God that's hope
we as Christians need to be willing to
know that there is a glorious future for
us and that we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love
him and who have been called according
to his purposes you ever heard someone
say well it's all for the best it's all
for the best no not necessarily there's
some things that are bad that shouldn't
have happened but for a Christian if you
are called according to his purposes and
love God then all things work together
for our good now what does that good
mean it means for those God foreknew he
predestined to be conformed to the image
of his son God wants to make you look
and shine like Jesus and he's going to
use everything to make that happen and
you will shine with glory one day and we
can know whatever happens God is going
to work it in for that glorious future
that waits for me what should we say in
all in response to all this if God is
for us who can be against us we can
boast we can rejoice in hope says he who
didn't spare his own son but gave him up
for us all how will he not also along
with him graciously give us all thing
who shall separate us from the love of
God now who shall separate us shall
trouble or hardship or persecution or
famine or nakedness or danger or sword
no I am convinced that in all of these
things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us neither death
nor life nor Angels nor principalities
neither the present or future nor
anything else in all creation can
separate you from the love of God that
is in Christ Jesus you can groan but you
can groan hopefully knowing that there
is glory on the other side we can
rejoice in hope hopeful people are happy
people hopeful people have a happiness
that overflows because nothing can snuff
it out and I've seen this I have visited
enough hospital beds of hopeful men and
women of God who even though they're
suffering their hope is not snuffed out
the shine with the joy of the Lord in
the midst of difficulty because they
know
redeemer lives hope is something to hold
on to hope is a powerful thing now it's
a decision we have to make if we are
going to be hopeful people it's going to
take some effort okay it's not just
going to happen you can decide to be
miserable or you can decide to hope God
even God won't make the decision for us
we need to make that decision in in
romans 15 14 15 verse 4 it says if
you're going to be a hopeful person
you've got to read your Bible you got to
read your Bible because thats the beta
it says everything that was written in
the past was written to teach us so that
through the endurance taught in the
scriptures and the encouragement they
provide we might have hope are you read
your Bible and when you read it you say
God you're the God the separated the
waters of the Red Sea maybe you can help
me today you're the same God who who
provided bread in the wilderness you can
provide for me God is the same yesterday
today and forever I can trust in you
we're gonna have to read our scripture
and know that he is the same God he has
not let you down he has not changed and
he will be faithful to you just like he
was in ages past and we need to worship
if you read the verse in Romans 15 verse
13 it says may the god of Hope fill you
with all joy and peace as you trust in
him so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit we hope
because we worship the god of hope and
though God fills us with joy and peace
it's a supernatural thing if I stay away
from worship for too long i'm going to
start letting myself get discouraged but
if you are worshipping the living god
the god of hope you are not going to
stay discouraged at least not at that
moment because god is the god of hope
and we start over flowing as we worship
Him supernatural filling psychological
health but sometimes we are going to
have to give yourself a pep talk no have
you ever had to give yourself a pep talk
you ever had to look in the mirror the
book of
arms is full of self pep talks where the
psalmist looks himself in the mirror and
says why my soul are you so downcast why
so disturbed within me put your hope in
god 4i will yet praise him my savior and
my god that verse is repeated at least
23 times in the Psalms where the
psalmist looks themselves why so why are
you so downcast put your hope in god
you're going to praise him again God's
going to lift you up but you're going to
need to tell yourself I encourage us us
to be people who encourage others to
hope if you have a friend who's
discouraged you have the power to look
them in the eye and say don't give up
God is faithful with you and maybe you
have seen the miracles that God has done
in those people's lives and you can tell
them remember when God got you through
that he can do it again don't give up
hold on keep putting your hope in god
but sometimes that friend isn't going to
be there and you're going to have to
talk to yourself you can have to talk to
your soul and say why are you so
downcast o my soul why so disturbed
within me put your hope in god I will
yet praise him I am going to get through
this and I rejoice in hope joy is a
decision joy is spiritual happiness that
comes from faith-filled hope in God joy
isn't just I'm happy because
everything's going well joy means I know
that God is alive and I trust him to do
good things for my future and so I can't
help but be joyful because I know it's
going to be okay joy is a decision that
we make to believe and put our hope in
the Living God that's a decision that
each of us needs to make if we're
willing to do that hope can be the
medicine for discouragement
discouragement is a deep pit
discouragement is something where we
just start cycling down and we start
thinking and we start hearing voices in
our mind that says it's not going to get
any better it's no good it's not going
to get better I can't face this I just
can't do it and then we need to say you
be silent in the name of Jesus my god is
faithful and I trust in him and we
replace those negative depressing
thoughts with the truth of the Living
God and even facing the grave itself we
can know that jesus said I am the
resurrection and the life the one who
believes in me though he die yet will he
live that there is a feast on the other
side there is a table spread for me in
the presence of my enemies my cup
overflows now anointest my head with oil
surely goodness and loving kindness will
follow me all the days of my life and I
will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever and ever I can hope for good in
my future because God is for me and not
against me do you really believe that
God is on your side do you really
believe that God loves you that he wants
what's best for you and even through the
hard times when you might be groaning
that you can still boast in that hope
let's be a congregation of Hope brothers
and sisters we need to be people of hope
and we need to overflow with hope to the
people around us we need to be like that
woman i met in the breakfast yesterday
who had the button that said i am loved
and she said my name's hope and i
couldn't look at her and not smile I
want us to be people who transmitted
hope to the people around them who say
we worship the god of Hope in this place
and if you come here you can know that
there is a hope for you not because of
us but because of the God that we serve
amen