Hope

The condition of the world today is terrible.

Hope is not just ‘wishing’ but it is an absolute expectancy.

Hope is faith in the future tense.

God’s Word gives us hope

Romans 15:4

Red sea

Water from the rock

Manna

Stilling of the sun

Falling of the Jericho walls

Jesus healing the sick and raising up the dead

When we read these things from the Word of God, we receive hope that God can and will intervene in our impossible situations too.

Hope causes rejoicing

Romans 12:2; Romans 5:2

Christmas time – Dad and all five brothers – TB Tailors

Hope always causes us to rejoice.

Rejoicing is the thermometer which shows our hope.

If you are rejoicing, it means you have hope.

If you are always sorrowful, it means that you have lost hope.

Our God is the God of Hope

Romans 15:13

God always brings hope into our hopeless lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 says - “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

He is not like other gods who destroy people.

Our God is the God of hope.

Train – Muslim – “our faith is between faith and hope”.

But our God is the God of hope.

Hope causes purity

1 John 3:1-3

The faith that Jesus is going to come any moment motivates us to live holy lives and be prepared for His coming.

If Jesus comes in my lifetime, I want to serve the Lord when He comes to take me home.

Hope lessens sorrow

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Death can hide, but it cannot divide.

Death is a promotion for the saints.

Professional mourners – Jesus’ time; even now in Africa.

But we have the glorious hope that we will meet our loved ones in heaven.

Mom and Dad.

Hope is the anchor of our soul

Hebrews 6:19

“As the anchor does not stay in the waters, but enters the ground hidden beneath, and fastens in it, so hope, our anchor, is not satisfied with merely coming to the vestibule (entry) – i.e., with merely earthly and visible goods – but penetrates even to those within the veil, to the Holy of Holies, where it lays hold on God Himself, and heavenly goods.” – Estius.

Hope makes our soul (emotions and will) firm and secure.

An anchor preserves a ship when the waves beat and the wind blows, and as long as the anchor holds, so long the ship is safe, and the mariner apprehends no danger.

In the tempest and trials of life, a Christian’s mind is calm and firm and secure as long as his hope of heaven is firm. If that gives way, he feels that all is lost.

Hope is the anchor of our soul.

Jesus is our Hope

1 Timothy 1:1

Jesus doesn’t just give us hope; He Himself is our hope.

He doesn’t just show us the way; He Himself is the way.

He doesn’t just give us some truth; He Himself is the truth.

He doesn’t just give us life; He Himself is the life.

Circumstances may change, people may change. But Jesus never changes (Heb. 13:8).

That’s why we need to have only Jesus as our hope.

Jesus is our hope!