Church of God in Harvey
Sunday Morning, August 7th, 2011
Let us pray
Welcome….
“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 118: 1)
Has God been good to you, despite all that has been going on? If we are depending on the stock market, we might be on the loosing end, because last week the stock market took a plunge. If we are depending on the president, and all those who work along with him, we might have to wait for awhile, and just simple trust in God. If our trust is in God, let’s just keep on trusting, because God is the source of all our help. All around us might fail, but God, the one who is our source, he will never fail.
We were blessed in our Missionary Day last Sunday, as Sister Williams shared with us on “The Quality of the Christian Life.” In order to have that quality life, there are certain fruit we have to produce. Just in case we all might have forgotten them, let us be reminded as to what is expected of us as Christians. In Galatians 5 verses 22 and 23 we read, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. Let’s ask ourselves this question, am I as loving as I should be?
During Vacation Bible School I was talking with a few of the saints at the main entrance, and I found myself saying, “faith without hope,” and then I stopped. Then someone continued by saying, “faith without works is dead.” As I went home that night, I pondered as to why I said faith without hope. I pondered why that idea came to my mind. What happened on that day during Vacation Bible School, leads to the topic of my sermon for today, “Can you have faith without hope.” Is faith and hope the same thing? Can you have one without the other? Is it possible as God’s child to have faith in God, and yet feel completely hopeless? Is it possible as a child of God to feel so hopeless that you are willing to take your own life?
Our scripture reading for today will be taken from Hebrews 11 verse 1, and Romans 4: verses 17 through 25..
Have you ever felt frustrated? Have you ever felt downcast? Have you ever felt uncertain as to what to do? If you have, then you are in good company. Elijah had just witnessed the moving of the mighty hand of God. He had prayed to God, and God had sent fire from heaven consuming the burnt sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. The prophets of Baal were destroyed, and it appears all was well with Elijah, but shortly after we find Elijah was on the run, he was frustrated, because Jezebel decided she was going to have him killed. Elijah in his frustration went and sat under a juniper tree, and he made a request to God, that he might die. Here is what the prophet of God said, “It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” When is enough, enough? At what time in life do you think you have had it, and you just can’t take it any more? Elaborate…
Bro. Jonah the prophet had seen an entire nation spared. He had cried out to the city that in 40 days the city would be destroyed. The people heard the warning , they believed God and turned their lives over to God. God demonstrated his mercy, and repented of the evil, that he had said he would do to the people. Most evangelists would be praising God for such a revival; most pastors would be jumping and shouting just to see one person turning to the Lord, but Bro. Jonah was displeased, he was downcast, he became very angry, and prayed to the Lord to take his life. Here is what Jonah said to the Lord, “Therefore now, O Lord, take I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” Have you as God’s child ever found yourself so down that you want to give up, and even die?
Jesus our Lord had to face the cross, he knew he had to die for sinful man, but there in the Garden of Gethsemane with the tired disciples we found Jesus praying to the father, ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I wilt, but as thou wilt.” Jesus finally resigned to the Father’s will. Thy will be done.
A few weeks ago as I was having breakfast, I felt somewhat downcast, and my daughter asked me what was happening. At the same time I was feeling downcast, God laid it upon the heart of someone who just wanted to call me, and pray for me. God knew at that time I needed some encouragement; he knew just what I needed, and allowed someone to call me at the right time. I want somebody to know today, God knows exactly what you need. The doctors might just want to get your money, but God knows just what you need. The God whom we serve is the doctor of doctors, and he knows just what you need……..
When you come into the sanctuary on a Sunday morning, with your mind made up to worship the Lord, with your mind made up to truly praise the Lord, do you see a sanctuary that is almost empty, or do you see a sanctuary that is almost full? When you look at a half glass of water, do you see a glass that is half empty or a glass that is half full? The pessimist sees hopelessness, and will see things as almost empty, and half empty, while the optimist have hope, and see things as almost full, and half full. Both the pessimist, and the optimist are seeing the same things, but in a different light.
Caleb and Joshua and the other ten men saw the same land, but there was conflicting reports. The ten men said we can’t do it, in fact we are like grasshoppers in their sight, while on the other hand Caleb and Joshua were ready, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it: for we are well able to overcome it.
Can you have faith without hope?
What is faith? The American heritage Dictionary defines faith as, “A confident belief in the truth, value or trustworthiness of a person, idea or thing. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. Belief and trust in God.”
What is hope? Same dictionary, “To look forward to with confidence or expectation. To expect and desire. A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment.
Most of us when we are asked, what is faith, we immediately go to Hebrews 11 verse 1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” All of us here today have a certain measure of faith. For those of us who drives, we got into our car believing that when we turn that starter the car would start, and once we are on our way, we believe that car would take us to the house of God. We came into the house of God, and sat in the pew, believing that pew would not break no matter how much weight is placed on the pew. We go to the restaurant after church, and eat the food without thinking how that food before us was prepared.
In our text for today, we see that old man Abraham did not have a child with Sarah his wife, but God informed him, “I have made thee a father of many nations.” Something is wrong, because in order to be a father, you have to have a child. Is something wrong? No. If God says it is going to happen, no mater what the circumstances might dictate, then it will happen. We many times based our faith on what we see. We many times based our faith on what we can relate to, but the Bible says, faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.
People many times try to put their faith in man, “but the source of Abraham’s faith was God and God alone.” Abraham believe God, and he believed what God had said, “I have made thee a father of many nations.” One of the problem many of us have, is believing God. According to man’s calculation, both Abraham and his wife were beyond child bearing age. If Abraham and Sarah was ever to have a son, that son would have to come from God. “God would have to be their source, for only God could do such impossible thing.” Even though everything was working against Abraham and Sarah, Abraham still believed God. Abraham still had his faith in God.
Abraham knew that his body was dead, but because the source of his faith was God, he knew it was God who has the power to bring life to a dead body. The promise to Abraham might have seem impossible, but because the promise was made by God the impossibility is removed. I might promise to give you a million dollars, but if I write a check for a million dollars it is going to bounce all over the place, because it is the wrong source, but if a millionaire write you a check for a million dollars, you can smile all the way to the bank, because it is backed up by a good source. The God whom we serve is the God who possesses all power, we call him the Almighty God, we call him omnipotent; this same God , he is able to quicken and resurrect the dead. This same God is able to call those things which be not as though they were. This God I am talking about, the one who was the source of Abraham ‘s faith, he is able to create. This God I am talking about is able to make something out of nothing. This God I am talking about , he spoke in Genesis chapter one, let there be, and it was done. What a mighty God we serve.
The earth was in darkness, and Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. That is power.
Abraham firmly believed in God, he believed whatever God said it would take place, because he served a God who was reliable. He had faith to believe that the God who created something out of nothing, if it was necessary could create life in the organs of his and Sarah’s bodies. The source of Abraham’s faith was God. What is the source of your faith and my faith?
The strength of Abraham’s faith was God. Can you have faith without hope? Abraham’s faith was based upon what God said. Abraham had nothing else to rely on, but the Word of God. As God’s children today, are we relying on the Word of God?
Abraham who against hope believed in hope. This man of God who believed God, was past hope. It seems Abraham was in bad condition, he was “beyond all human help and any possibility of having a son. Even though Abraham’s situation was beyond hope, he still believed God, “he placed his hope in God and in what God had said.” Maybe today you are saying, pastor I am beyond hope. There is no way out for me. For me life is hopeless. For me there is no reason for living. For me I just cannot see any way out. I want to encourage you today, that no matter how things might appear, there is hope for you. In Psalm 42 verse 11 we read, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance.” Thank God there is hope for you. Right now you can’t see it, but you can have that confident expectation.
Someone has said, “keep hope alive.” Someone has also said, as long as there is life, there is hope. Someone else has said, “So many people today are depressed and discouraged because they seem to only focus on their present circumstances. They are constantly dwelling on their problems, what they don’t have, and what’s wrong with them. They don’t seem to realize that they are allowing the enemy to steal their hope. This (negative) frame of mind is what keeps people from moving forward in their life.”
I want to encourage someone today, don’t allow anyone or anything to steal your hope. God told Abraham that he had made him a father of many nations. Abraham didn’t try to question God, but simple believed God. God said it, I believe it. The strength of Abraham’s faith was in what God had said. Abraham get thee out of thy country, leave your father’s house…….elaborate…
There are people today who will believe anything somebody else says, but stumble on believing what the Word of God says. Abraham was strong in faith, “not staggering at the promise of God.”
This man Abraham started to glorify God. It is quite likely he might have started to tell others that he and Sarah were going to have a son. Abraham was totally convinced of God’s power and ability. He did not know how God was going to do what he said he would do, but he simple believed God, and started to glorify God. Abraham was fully persuaded that he who had promise would be true to his promise. Abraham did not know if God was going to quicken his body. He did not know if God was going to “recreate his reproductive organs.” He did not know if God was going to make him look young again. One thing he knew that God was able to do what he had promised.
Can you have faith without hope? Or, Can you have hope without faith? “Faith is the substance of things that we hope for, but if there is no hope there wont be any faith.” Whatever God says he will do, he will do. The promises of God are true, can we by faith accept God’s promises? Here are a few promises for us from the Word of God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever (that means you and me) believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3: 16) “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1: 9) “ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55: 6) “Come unto me , all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28) In order to be saved you have to put your faith in action and rely upon the promises of God for your life. Once you are saved, once you have trusted Christ as Savior, you can start looking forward to that day when you shall leave this world of trouble and sorrow, and be with your Lord, that’s hope.
Let us stand
Call to discipleship
Closing song/prayer
