#2 LIGHT THE LAMP OF HOPE!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 33:18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
I. HOPE IS LIKE A MATCH, A GREAT FIRE CAN BE KINDLED BY ONE SMALL MATCH.
A. I HAVE A KEROSENE LAMP, I PRETEND THE ELECTRICITY IS OFF, I NEED LIGHT. I HAVE A KEROSENE LAMP FULL OF KEROSENE --- BUT I NEED A MATCH TO LIGHT THE LIGHT.
B. I STRIKE THE MATCH, LIGHT THE LAMP, AND SEE WE HAVE LIGHT.
THE DARKER THE NIGHT --- THE GREATER THE LIGHT.
C. THE MEMORY OF HOPE AND GOD’S DELIVERANCE WILL BRING GREAT HOPE!
I CALL THE MATCH: HOPE! HOPE AGAINST HOPE!
James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course
of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
D. The Bible warns us about the power of the tongue. Seems the tongue has a great ability to be so small. HOPE HAS POWER!
E. Can we picture what the potential ability of one match MIGHT BE?
Sure the match might light a lamp, or burn many thousand acres of land.
F. Sure the tongue is a little thing with great potential, BUT THINK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT HOPE COULD ACCOMPLISH IN CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS!
II. TO STAND FAITHFUL TO THE CROSS ONE MUST DEVELOP THREE FUNDAMENTAL ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS.
1 Cor. 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
A. And now abides FAITH --- HOPE --- AND LOVE!
B. JESUS IS THE OBJECT OF OUR HOPE.
We hope to daily walk in the presence of our Lord and Savior. In the presence of the Almighty we find great hope.
C. We also have a GREAT AND BLESSED HOPE IN THE IMMINENT RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST.
III. WE MUST GROW PERENNIAL HOPE, a lively hope, a living hope:
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
A. Perennial:
Present at all seasons of the year.
Growing and persisting for years.
Persistent, enduring.
Continuing without interruption, constant ---
B. In our gardens in Kentucky we have a term called VOLUNTEER. A plant that grows volunteer means that it was a seed left from last year that grew on it’s own.
Might I add, you can grow this years garden based on VOLUNTEER SEED
from last year. You might starve to death if you depend on VOLUNTEER SEED?
C. You must plow the ground, till the ground, fertilize the soil, plant the seed, water, and hoe out the weeds.
D. You will never GROW HOPE BY VOLUNTEER SEED, you must plan and apply effort to develop Godly hope.
E. SICKLY OAKS FROM SICKLY ACORNS GROW.
Hope must not ever be weak, perishable, fainting, and frail.
Matthew 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
F. Our hope must not be wavering.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;(for he is faithful that promised;)
G. OUR HOPE MUST BE IN GOD ---
OUR HOPE MUST BE ON GOD ---
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
IV. GOD CREATED MAN. THE CREATION TELLS US SOMETHINGS.
GOD NEVER PLACED AN EYE IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD.
GOD DESIGNED MAN TO BE FOWARD LOOKING.
HOPE KEEPS A MAN LOOKING FORWARD.
A. Hope says: Impossible --- difficult --- hope and faith --- DONE!
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
B. QUIT LOOKING BACKWARDS, REACH FORWARD!
C. My uncle Hugo’s transmission went out of his Ford station wagon.
So for some time he drove to work in reverse.
CAN YOU SEE WHY THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS?
Philip. 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
D. HOW SAD MANY CHURCH MEMBERS BUILD THEIR FAMILY ON THE VISIBLE?
At best the visible things are temporal.
2 Cor. 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
E. I MAY HAVE HAD TO BE HERE TO GET TO THERE!
HOPE REACHES FORWARD, AND SEES BEYOND WHERE I AM TODAY.
V. WHAT MOTIVATED THE PRODIGAL SON TO GO HOME?
THE SON KNEW AND HAD GREAT HOPE THERE WAS SOMETHING BETTER AT HOME!
A. The son leaves with a bad attitude: GIVE ME!
Luke 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
B. The son develops a PARADIGM SHIFT, HIS ATTITUDES CHANGE WHEN A HOPE OF BETTER WAS RESTORED.
Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
C. HOPE MAKES THE SON ARISE, AND WASH OFF, AND GO HOME...
Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
D. SIN MAKES THE SON FEEL UNWORTHY AND HE WILL SETTLE TO BE A SERVANT.
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
E. THE FATHER GIVES HIS FALLEN SON THE BEST.
SHOES SIGNIFY THE SON WAS ACCEPTED AS A SON, NOT A SERVANT.
Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
F. THE SON HAD HOPE --- IN THE FATHER’S ARMS!
VI. WITHOUT HOPE WE ARE LIKE A DEAD FISH SWIMMING DOWN STREAM. HOPE IS LIKE A FIXED STAR!
A. For navigation you need a fixed star.
The North Star is forever in the same place, the handle of the Dipper points to the North Star.
B. If a sailor or traveler needs direction they go to a FIXED STAR!
C. HOPE IS A FIXED STAR OF A MAN’S SOUL AND SPIRIT.
Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Psalm 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
D. By the bright light of the sun --- you may not see the star. Know this, the darker the night, --- the greater the light.
VII. A SPIDER’S WEB MAY SEEM SO WEAK AND FRAIL.
IF THE SPIDER IS FAITHFUL TO WEAVE IT’S WEB, NO MATTER HOW WEAK IT MAY APPEAR, THE WEB WILL SERVE IT’S PURPOSE AND ACCOMPLISH THE PLAN AND CATCH THE FOOD AND THE SPIDER’S LIFE WILL THRIVE.
A. UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL... Abraham Lincoln? The Bible.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
B. HOPE WORKS BEST IN UNITY AND LOVE.
1 Cor. 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
C. HISTORY RECORDS THE STATEMENT:
WE WILL STAND TOGETHER, OR HANG SEPERATELY.
Philip. 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
D. SYNERGISM --- COMBINED EFFORT EXCEEDS THE SUM OF INDIVIDUAL EFFORT. HOPE SHOULD BE A TEAM EFFORT.
Eccles. 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
E. HOPE FEEDS HOPE.
HOPE BREEDS HOPE --- PASS HOPE ON!
IT MAY SEEM WEAK, BUT LOOK BEYOND HERE!
Col. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
VIII. BY INVESTING IN HOPE A MOTHER FED HER SON, HERSELF, AND A PREACHER.
A. The barrel of meal was almost empty, the cruse of oil was to the bottom.
1 Kings 17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.
B. HOPE CAUSED THE WIDOW WOMAN TO STEP OUT IN FAITH.
WHEN ENOUGH IS NOT ENOUGH --- IT MUST BE TIME FOR HOPE TO PLANT SOME SEED.
C. EVERY DAY THE WIDOW WENT TO THE BARREL, EVERY DAY HOPE FOUND SOME MEAL. Hope stepped to the cruse of oil, and hope was effective all through the drought.
D. HOPE NEVER FEARED AN EMPTY BARREL. HOPE NEVER FEARED THE EVAPORATION OF THE OIL, HOPE FED THE FAMILY AND THE PREACHER!
IX. YOUR EMOTIONS MAY TRY TO PLAY GAMES WITH YOUR MIND AND YOUR SPIRIT. THE WELL IS DEEP, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DRAW? THEN THERE IS HOPE.
A. I made a mess out of this? WHERE IS THE HOPE?
My fears have grown and got the best of me? WHERE IS THE HOPE?
I HAVE FALLEN AND I CAN’T GET UP --- WHERE IS THE HOPE?
B. I HAVE FALLEN IN THE MUD? WILL I STAY THERE? WHERE IS THE HOPE?
FEAR AND BEATING YOURSELF OVER THE HEAD WITH A STICK WILL NOT GROW HOPE?
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked
of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
C. THERE IS A RIVER OF HOPE THAT FLOWS FROM THE ALTAR.
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
D. WATER TO THE THIRSTY
WATER AWAKENS LIFE...
GOD BRING HOPE BACK TO THE CHURCH!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass it on!
