Hope Luke 12:27-32 Doubtful mind-by a metaphor taken from ships that are tossed about on the deep by winds and waves to cause one to waver or fluctuate in the mind to agitate or harass with cares to make anxious Romans 15:4,13 Ive met quite a few optimists in my time and probably far more pessimists and cynics. I like optimists better because they tend to lift me up. Pessimists tend to drag me down with them. Like anywhere else, in the church there are both optimists and pessimists. Often a pessimist will hold a church back with its gloom and doom while an optimist will get the church to think and act in positive ways. Now, Ill admit that there are times when Christians are unrealistically optimistic. But by and large, I feel that we Christians are not optimistic enough. Why should Christians be optimistic? Its because of a little four letter word called hope. Hope is something that God provides for the Christian. Romans 5:1-2, Romans 5:5, Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 13:13 Now when we think of the word hope, we often think of somebody doing some wishful thinking, like I hope I get that raise, or I hope I pass that test, or I hope the Pirates win the World Series, or I hope Mom serves apple pie for dessert. But according to James Montgomery Boice, in the Bible the word hope means certainty. Boice says, …the only reason it is called hope rather than certainty is that we do not possess what is hoped for yet, although we will. James Montgomery Boice, Romans, Volume 2, ©1992 by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, page 525 Hope one of the three main elements of Christian character (1 Corinthians 13:13). It is joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing (Romans 8:24; 1 John 3:2). Hope is an essential and fundamental element of Christian life, so essential indeed, that, like faith and love, it can itself designate the essence of Christianity (1 Peter 3:15; Hebrews 10:23). In it the whole glory of the Christian vocation is centred (Ephesians 1:18; 4:4). Unbelievers are without this hope (Ephesians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Christ is the actual object of the believers hope, because it is in his second coming that the hope of glory will be fulfilled (1 Timothy 1:1; Colossians 1:27; Titus 2:13). It is spoken of as lively, i.e., a living, hope, a hope not frail and perishable, but having a perennial life (1 Peter 1:3). In Romans 5:2 the hope spoken of is probably objective, i.e., the hope set before us, namely, eternal life (comp 12:12). It is my desire that this church would be full of Christian optimists. Christian optimists have a tremendous impact on other Christians and on unsaved people. Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Peter 3:15 If we are going to be Christian optimists we need to know something about hope. This morning Id like to encourage you that: WE NEED TO ASK IN HOPE Now, you probably already know that faith is a requirement for answered prayer. James 1:5-8, Mark 11:24 If we are going to see God answer our prayers, we certainly need to pray in faith. I think of hope as an extension of faith. First we believe that God is going to answer our prayers, and then we look forward to the answer. 1 John 5:14-15 When we ask for something that is the will of God, we believe that God will answer the prayer and we are also confident. I believe that confidence is akin to hope! If I am not confident I dont have hope. If I am confident, I have hope. WE NEED TO ACT IN HOPE The way we act should be a reflection of our hope. If we are Christians we should want other people to become Christians too. Therefore we will want to act in such a way that will bring others to Christ and encourage other Christians. Matthew 5:14-16 The first way to impact others for Christ is to preach a sermon to them. I mean a sermon of actions, not a sermon of words. Let them see your good works of acting the way a Christian should and they will glorify God because of you. Christians are also supposed to use their words for Christ, but people will not listen to you unless your words are backed up by your lifes actions. 1 Peter 3:15 As people see in your actions the hope that Jesus gives, they will want to hear your words. As you live a godly life, people will ask you the secret of your hope in Christ. And our actions of living and witnessing for Christ will be blessed! Psalm 126:6 The precious seed is Gods Word. As we sow it in tears, we will reap results in joy. It might be the joy of a soul saved or the joy of a Christian who was helped to grow. Christian, when you act in hope, you live and speak for Christ. WE NEED TO ABIDE IN HOPE The Christian has a very special hope. The Christians very special hope is that Jesus is coming. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 We are to look forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus. And we need to realize that Jesus could come at any time. Luke 12:40 Looking forward to the Lords coming is to affect our behavior and our attitude. Titus 2:11-13 - The blessed hope of the Christian is the return of Christ. It is His glorious appearing. If you are looking forward to his coming you need to deny ungodliness. Ungodliness is simply anything God does not approve of. There should be no time for it in your life. If you are looking forward to his coming, you should also deny worldly lusts. Worldly lusts are those desires that get out of hand and cause us to sin. In 1 John 2 they are described as the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. If you are looking forward to Jesus coming, youre sober or serious about your behavior. If you are looking forward to Jesus coming, youre doing what is right or righteous. How would you feel if Jesus returned and He caught you doing something that did not please Him? If you are looking forward to Jesus coming, you are doing what pleases God or what is like God. Your standard of behavior is high. Thats godliness. The coming of Jesus for you should be such a blessed hope, that you look forward to His coming and want your life to be in order when He arrives! WE NEED TO ABOUND IN HOPE Romans 15:13 - Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. First of all notice that God is the God of hope. God is the one who is responsible for hope. The reason you have hope at all is because of what Jesus did for you on the cross. Jesus died for you there. Because of His death and your faith in Christ, you have hope! God made the plan that made your hope possible. He is the God of hope. Notice two essential things that God wants you to have. God wants you to have joy. God wants you to have peace. And He doesnt want you to have just a little joy. And He doesnt want you to have a little peace. He wants you to be filled with joy! He wants you to be filled with peace! John 15:11, John 14:27 Joy and peace come in believing! If you trust Jesus enough to obey Him, you will be filled with joy. If you trust Jesus enough to pray and cast all your care upon Him, you will be filled with peace. If you are filled with joy and peace, you will abound with hope. Hope appears to be a result of our joy and peace! But hope is also the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The fruit of the Spirit includes both joy and peace. The filling of the Spirit also fills me with hope. God wants you and I to abound in hope, and He helps us to do this through His Holy Spirit!
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 13:33:03 +0000
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