Romans 15:13 (KJV)
“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.”
Let us pray.
Our gracious Heavenly Father,
We thank You for gathering us together in Your house this morning. As we open Your precious Word, we ask that You quiet every distraction and prepare our hearts to hear what You would have us hear.
For those who come rejoicing today, we rejoice with them.
For those who come carrying burdens too heavy to describe, remind them that You are still the God of hope.
May every word spoken bring honor to Your Son, Jesus Christ. May Your Holy Spirit speak to every heart in a way that no human voice ever could.
Lord, hide me behind the cross. Let these not be my words, but may Your truth be proclaimed with love, compassion, and conviction.
For we ask these things in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Our Scripture begins with four words that have stayed with me all week.
“Now the God of hope…”
Church, those four words are enough to carry us through life’s darkest valleys.
Paul could have written, “Now the God of strength.”
He could have written, “Now the God of mercy.”
He could have written, “Now the God of peace.”
Every one of those would have been true.
But under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote,
“Now the God of hope…”
Hope.
It is a word our world desperately needs today.
Hope for the family that is struggling.
Hope for the person sitting beside a hospital bed.
Hope for the one waiting on a phone call.
Hope for the one whose prayers seem to have gone unanswered.
Hope for the one who walked into church this morning wondering if God even sees what they’re going through.
This week I received a phone call from a dear friend.
Many of you have been praying for him.
He has been battling brain cancer.
Some time ago he was told he was not a candidate for a clinical trial. From every human perspective, the outlook was discouraging. It seemed as though every door was closing.
Then an unexpected door opened.
He was accepted into the trial.
Just this week he called me and said, “Pastor, they’re sending me home.”
Now let me say something very important.
He is not cured.
His journey is not over.
There are still difficult days ahead.
But there was something in his voice that stayed with me long after we ended that conversation.
Hope.
Not because every problem had disappeared.
Not because every question had been answered.
But because God had reminded him that He was still there.
As I reflected on that conversation, my thoughts naturally turned to my own journey with cancer.
People have asked me, “Pastor, how do you keep going?”
The answer is really very simple.
My hope has never rested in a cure.
My hope has never rested in what the next doctor’s appointment might reveal.
My hope has never rested in what tomorrow may bring.
My hope rests in Jesus Christ.
There have been days when my spirit has grown weary.
There have been moments when questions came more easily than answers.
Through every appointment, through every test, through every uncertainty, Jesus has walked beside me.
He has strengthened me when I had no strength left.
He has reminded me that my life has always been safely held in His hands.
And I have a feeling this morning that I’m not the only person in this sanctuary who needs that reminder.
Paul said,
“Now the God of hope…”
Paul didn’t tell us to place our hope in hope.
He pointed us to the God of hope.
There is a tremendous difference.
Our hope is not wishful thinking.
Our hope is not positive thinking.
Our hope is not crossing our fingers and hoping everything somehow works out.
Our hope is a Person.
His name is Jesus Christ.
Paul goes on to say,
“…fill you with all joy and peace in believing…”
Notice what Paul did not say.
He did not say joy and peace after the storm has passed.
He did not say joy and peace after every prayer has been answered.
He did not say joy and peace after the doctor gives you good news.
He said,
“…in believing.”
Church, that is where faith lives.
Faith doesn’t wait until tomorrow to trust God.
Faith trusts Him today.
Faith doesn’t wait until the storm has passed.
Faith trusts Him while the storm is still raging.
Faith doesn’t wait until every question has an answer.
Faith believes that even when I don’t understand what God is doing, I know who God is.
Isn’t that where so many of us live?
There are things we simply do not understand.
We do not understand why some prayers seem to be answered immediately while others seem to linger.
We do not understand why one family rejoices while another family grieves.
We do not understand why suffering sometimes stays far longer than we think it should.
But we do know this.
God has never stopped being God.
God has never stopped loving His children.
God has never broken one promise.
Paul said,
“…fill you with all joy and peace in believing…”
Our joy is not found in circumstances.
Our peace is not found in circumstances.
They are found in believing.
Believing that God is still faithful.
Believing that God is still working.
Believing that even when I cannot see His hand, I can still trust His heart.
That is the kind of hope that carries a believer through the darkest night.
Not because the night is not dark.
But because Jesus is walking through the darkness with us.
Sometimes we misunderstand what hope really is.
Hope is not denying reality.
Hope does not pretend cancer does not exist.
Hope does not pretend grief is not painful.
Hope does not pretend the valley is not deep.
Hope simply says,
“My circumstances may change.
My emotions may change.
My strength may fail.
But my Savior never changes.”
Church, that is the difference between the world’s hope and the believer’s hope.
The world says,
“I hope things get better.”
The Christian says,
“My hope is in the Lord.”
Paul continues,
“…that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
He does not tell us to manufacture hope.
He does not tell us to work harder to have hope.
He tells us that we may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.
The very God who calls us to hope is the God who supplies the hope we need.
Paul said,
“…that ye may abound in hope…”
He did not say have a little hope.
He did not say hold on to the last bit of hope you have left.
He said,
“…that ye may abound in hope.”
That means to overflow.
Church, God never intended His children merely to survive.
He desires that we overflow with hope.
Now don’t misunderstand me.
That doesn’t mean there will never be tears.
It doesn’t mean there will never be heartache.
It doesn’t mean there will never be another hospital room.
It doesn’t mean there will never be another difficult diagnosis.
It means that even in those moments, hope remains.
Not because life is easy.
But because Jesus is faithful.
That is what carried Job through his suffering.
That is what sustained Paul through imprisonment.
That is what strengthened the early church through persecution.
And that is what still carries believers today.
Church, let me ask you something.
What are you placing your hope in this morning?
Is your hope resting in better health?
What happens if the report isn’t what you hoped for?
Is your hope resting in your finances?
What happens if the economy changes?
Is your hope resting in another person?
People, even those we love the most, will disappoint us because we are all human.
Everything this world offers can change in a moment.
But Jesus Christ never changes.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us,
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
That means the same Savior who walked with Abraham…
The same Savior who strengthened Paul…
The same Savior who comforted John on the Isle of Patmos…
Is the very same Savior walking with you today.
Church, isn’t that what hope really is?
Not that I know what tomorrow holds…
But that I know Who holds tomorrow.
That is why I can continue walking.
That is why my friend can continue walking.
That is why you can continue walking.
Not because we know the road will always be smooth.
But because we know the One who walks beside us.
Throughout this week we have been walking forward in faith.
Some days the pathway has been steep.
Some days it has been lonely.
Some days we have walked through uncertainty.
Some days we have walked together with fellow believers who encouraged us along the way.
Every step has brought us to this moment.
Every step has pointed us to the same place.
Jesus Christ.
Church, the pathway has never really been about the pathway.
It has always been about the Savior who walks it with us.
Paul said,
“Now the God of hope…”
Not the God who occasionally gives hope.
The God of hope.
If you’ve walked into this sanctuary today believing your hope is gone…
May I lovingly tell you something.
As long as Jesus Christ sits upon His throne…
Hope is never gone.
Because our hope has never depended upon our circumstances.
Our hope has always depended upon Him.
If you’re here this morning and you’ve never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there has never been a better time than today.
The hope we’ve spoken about this morning is not found in religion.
It is not found in good works.
It is not found in positive thinking.
Hope is found in Jesus Christ.
Perhaps you’re a believer carrying a burden that has become too heavy to bear alone.
Perhaps you’ve grown weary.
Perhaps you’ve allowed fear to replace faith.
Whatever God has spoken to your heart this morning, don’t leave this place without responding to Him.
The altar is open. Come as the Lord leads.
Let us pray.
Our gracious Heavenly Father,
Thank You for reminding us today that You are the God of hope.
Thank You for Your faithfulness that never changes, even when our circumstances do.
As we leave this place, may we leave with our eyes fixed upon Jesus Christ.
Strengthen those who are weary.
Comfort those who are hurting.
Encourage those who have begun to lose hope.
For those who have responded to Your call today, continue the work You have begun in their hearts.
For those who are still searching, may Your Holy Spirit continue drawing them to Yourself.
Help us to walk forward in faith this week, knowing that our hope is never found in circumstances, but in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
For it is in His precious and holy name we pray.
Amen.
Church, as we leave this place today, let’s not leave the Lord behind. Take Him with you into your homes, into your families, and wherever this week may lead. May others see Christ in us as we continue walking forward in faith.
May the Lord bless you and keep you until we gather again.