Hope Again Series

Dear brothers, and sisters in Christ once again I welcome every one of you in the sweet name of Jesus Christ who is the master and author of all preachers.

Our heavenly father wants to show his love to the world. Therefore, he sends his one and only begotten Son Jesus Christ, our Savior, to this world. The Word of God says to us, in Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The Lord gave his Son as a gift for the world. The God’s gift includes his promises and his righteousness.

As we are traveling towards Bethlehem, to celebrate the Christmas day the important thing is hope. I got a question, what is the big deal with Christmas anyway? You may answer in a different way, Jesus bring the salvation, light, ete., There could be a lot of answers. To me, I got one word, HOPE. Hope that is found in and through Jesus.

Charles Swindoll wrote a book titled Hope Again, with the subtitle of “When Life Hurts and Dreams Fade.” On the back cover describing the contents of the book with the following words: Hope is more than mere wishful thinking. Hope is a vital necessity of life — a gift that God wants to give to you. Hope Again is a voice crying in the wilderness ... a word of enthusiasm for life in the midst of any difficult situation you are in.

The Old Testament Prophet Zephaniah’s time people could identify with that need for hope! They were overwhelmed with grief and prolonged distress, along with a history of disobedience of God’s commands. The prophet’s purpose was to shake the people of Judah out of their self-satisfaction and return to God.

Zephaniah’s main theme is the coming of the day of the Lord, when God will severely punish the nations. It will not be a day of rejoicing and celebration in which the enemies of God’s people will be destroyed and the people of Judah exalted. According to the prophet there is coming a time of accountability and judgment.

We can see the progress of Zephaniah’s philosophy in his short book. Chapter 1 includes God’s thunderous judgment and punishment for all who disobey him. There is wrath and pronouncement of destruction. “I will consume man and beast; I consume the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea, and stumbling blocks along with the wicked, I will cut off man from the face of the land” says the LORD” (Zephaniah 1:3).

In chapter 2 there is a whisper from the prophet of hope. He calls on the people to plead to the Lord to save them and perhaps he will listen and respond (2:3). Later Zephaniah writes that there will be a remainder of survivors from the judgment that will fall on them as a people. “Restoration” is a hopeful word! (2:7).

The hope rises to an increasing flow of passionate care and love from God who will bring salvation and forgiveness to those who are faithful to him. There is almost a rhythm, as the prophet writes,

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your judgements, he has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more. — Zephaniah 3:14-15

Hope to press on ... hope to endure ... hope to stay focused ... hope to see dreams fulfilled ... that is what God is giving them in the midst of judgment and despair!

That need still exists! In a world filled with hopelessness and abandonment, we need to hear the voice of God saying that he will live among us! He will bring hope in the midst of fear. He has brought that hope in the being of the Messiah, Jesus!

Zephaniah has two themes in his prophecy ... one is negative and the other positive.

First Is a Negative Theme (Zephaniah 1—3:13)

As we look through Zephaniah’s message to Judah we begin to feel a deep dark dread. It begins as he delivers God’s message, “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the Lord” (1:2). This negative theme includes: There is a Fear, despair, and sorrows.

Fear. One day in hot July, a farmer sat on the porch of his house, smoking pipe. A stranger came from the city who asked, “How’s your cotton coming?”

“I don’t have any,” he replied. “I Didn’t plant any. ’I am afraid of the boll weevil.”

“Well, how’s your corn?”

“Didn’t plant none. ’I am afraid of drought.”

“How about your potato garden?”

“I don’t have any. I am afraid of tater bugs.”