Hope Beyond Brokeness

HOPE BEYOND BROKENNESS!

Thesis: Hope beyond brokenness only comes to us when we receive by faith our "Higher Power" who for me personally is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Introduction:

Someone has wisely stated that if you could convince a man that there is no hope, he would curse the day he was born and then give up.

The question of "Is there any hope?" is common in our world today. We hear this question being asked by young, middle aged, and older people.

- We hear the cry of the depletion of the Ozone layer.

- We hear the effects of what could happen in a

nuclear war.

- We hear that suicide is at an all time high.

- We hear about A.I.D.S. and its deadly effect on lives.

- We hear that our country is on the brink of

collapse.

The list could go on and on and we ask, "Is there any hope?" And the answer to this question is, "Yes, there is!" But to clarify this "yes", let’s first look at this term "Hope".

I. Who is our Higher Power? Do we place our hope in our Higher Power?

A. The 12 step program of recovery speaks to us about the role of our higher power the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. In step one, we admitted that our lives are out of control and we ourselves recognize our powerlessness to change it.

2. Romans 7:17, which speaks directly to this life predicament, "I know nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."

B. Step one speaks to us about our brokenness and inability to fix ourselves. Step two which centers us in on our "Higher Power" the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. He is the one with the power to restore my life and repair my broken condition.

2. I have to come to the conclusion here, that I cannot repair myself. Christ is the one who is able to put me back together.

C. This scenario reminds me of the Old Nursery Rhyme, "Humpty Dumpty". (See Overhead) Read it.

1. Let’s make the rhyme more personal!

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

(Using drugs and alcohol.)

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

(because of the drugs and alcohol.)

All the Kings horses, and

all the kings men

Cannot put Humpty Dumpty

together again.

(All the world’s ways and my ways cannot put me together again.)

2. But when the natural ways, and my ways fail, I’m promised through the Words of Christ that He can put me back together again if I place my faith in Him.

Phil. 2:12 "God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey Him."

D. This progresses us to step 3 which involves the decision to let God be in charge of our lives.

1. Romans 12:1,2 speaks to us here

"Dear Friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to Him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to Him." (CEV)

2. But we must make this decision to turn our will to God!

3. Through our brokenness, pain, disappointments and our suffering, there is a promise to all those who suffer.

4. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30)

5. The invitation is still for us today. But the decision is up to each one of you to accept it!

6. But if you accept His invitation you will receive Hope! Strength! and Peace!

II. Hope is not something we have naturally. It’s something supernatural!

- Material from "A Future and a Hope", Ogilivie

A. Hope cannot be humanly induced on demand. I cannot give myself hope.

1. To better understand what "Authentic Hope is we need to see what it is not!"

a.) Hope is not wishful thinking,

- We try to wish our dreams into reality and we try to wish away the hurts of life but it never works.

b.) Hope is not yearning.

1.) Ogilivie states, "We often incorrectly use the word, "hope" to express our yearning. "Oh, I hope so!" We say, expressing a longing for something to be true or to happen. "Here’s hoping," we say in response to a possibility." (47)