Dante, in the Inferno, said the sign over the gate to hell reads, “Abandon all hope ye who enter here”.
How important is hope in the life of a Christian? Remember last week I had a “Moment” when we talked about how James challenges us to patience in suffering? What got me was that I confessed that my desire would be to suffer with a purpose –that purpose being to make others laugh and lift God up despite my “hopeless” situation.
Keep in mind: “There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them. “ Clare Boothe Luce.
My whole point (In case I didn’t make it clear) was that in my opinion, the fact that we have hope in ALL SITUATIONS is what sets us apart from the world isn’t it?!
Psalm 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
If we don’t continue to have hope then how are we different from anyone else? Faced with a horrible illness or situation anyone can continue to breathe and appear “patient”. But wouldn’t it testify to our faith if we could in that situation praise God and be hopeful?
1 Peter 3:14-15 "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
Wouldn’t the world be especially amazed at God’s ability to make you hopeful in a very bleak situation? They naturally would ask you how you remain so upbeat in such a stressful time which in turn gives you a chance to witness to them and give God the glory for your hope.
Romans 12 :12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.(be joyful)
Websters Dictionary defines it as “desire accompanied by belief in fulfillment”. Desire accompanied by what? (belief)
So how are faith and hope different or are they?
This tells me that faith is being sure that God will give us the desires of our heart (if it’s in His will)
Think about a situation you were in or a situation someone you knew was in where you almost lost hope. What (or who) caused you to regain a sense of hope?
A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope!
Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should is effect be on our lives. Today in the Word, May, 1990, p. 34.
God serves as that giant, all knowing hand that reaches down when we are struggling to stay afloat. He lifts us out of the water; not permanently (we are told to expect struggles and persecution) but He lifts us up to Him for a time. Long enough to restore our souls and renew our hope.
Read the following verses. What do they say we can hope for?
· Titus 3:5-7 He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
· 1 Thess. 5:8-10 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
· Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
· Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
· Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Story: From Parade magazine comes the story of self-made millionaire Eugene Lang, who greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in
Sometimes a glimmer of hope is all it takes to rejuvenate us. It makes us fight. It gives us a will to live. Janet could probably share a lot about hope. Because through her ordeals it’s obvious she’s had hope.
Romans 5:3-5 but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
In closing let me leave you with this verse: Thess. 2:16-17 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
