Hope Lived out
Colossians 2:7-16
Introduction-
This morning we have a lot of people hoping that their team wins the big game. Fly Eagles Fly… or Patriot Nation. One will get their hope fulfilled and one will be disappointed.
The Bible talks a lot about hope and as believers we have to understand the proper definition of God’s hope and the hope that we have that a team will win or a wish comes true.
Let’s look what the Word of God says about hope.
Colossians 2:6-15 Read slow and clear from Bible
Mans hope is based upon a wish or event coming true.
Man’s hope has a lot of particulars that are out of our control.
We wish for our team to win but we have nothing to do with the outcome of the game and we will not benefit from it either way.
I don’t believe anyone here will be getting a check from the wining team and no one will have lost money unless you have gambled that the actions of others will benefit your pocket and risk losing money by others action.
If we treat God’s hope the same way that we treat mans hope, we can get disappointed and lose focus on what God wants for our lives.
Mans definition of hope-Webster-
“A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. A person or a thing that may help or save someone. Grounds for believing that something good may happen.”
God’s definition of hope-
Hebrews 11:1-
“Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Godly faith and Godly hope are wrapped up tightly together. (Hands together) It is putting your trust and confidence in the things of God not only in what you can see but in things that you cannot see because you know that the promises of God are true.
Mans hopes are feelings and Gods hopes are promises that you hold unto too.
It is why when things are not going your way, you still have hope, you still know that God is somehow working and that you are not doing these things in your own faith, but in the faith that God has got this. No matter what it looks like or how I feel at the time.
Fun Fact-
Over 147,000 words in the Oxford English dictionary
Average person knows about 20-35,000 words
Average person uses about 5,000-20,000 words regularly
If you Google how many words in English language , which you won’t because you are listening to your preacher right now, you would get some that say 1.2 million words- what a difference. It is because you cannot determine how many words.
Is hot dog one word or two words? Is the various ways we use words each one different word? Do you count slang? Or count improper words being used. Do you count Zibolskism? Just because I think it is a word –is it?
The point here is everyone has an opinion- you have to find which opinion is going to be your go too source.
The apostle Paul wrote these verses because he heard that the church was being deceived into believing false teachings and he came back to make sure they were okay. He came to a bunch of believers that he did not know well but was family in God. He made sure the true church knew the true word of God. He did not want them to perish by making their own gospel but lived the gospel of Christ that changes lives Anybody here like that today?
Apostle Paul who hated Christians- not just disliked but hated them. He was angry with them for polluting what He believed was his faith. One day while on the road to Damascus, he encountered Jesus. The persecutor, the hater of Christians met Christ and it changed his life and his actions forever.
It shows me it is never too late as long as you have breath in your body for Christ to change your life.
This same Paul had new hope. It was not based upon his feelings, it was not based upon what others told him about Jesus. He encountered Jesus and it changed him.
Every one of us needs hope. Without hope we are hopeless.
Without Godly hope we are putting our trust in something that will not last.
Biblical change cannot happen without hope.
Biblical hope cannot happen without an encounter with Jesus Christ.
People who face death, divorce, and life shattering things need hope.
People who have faced problems for a long time need hope.
People whos hope has been dashed by people and experiences need hope.
People who have been wrongly accused need hope.
Biblical hope produces something-
Joy- Proverbs 10:28-
“The prospect of the righteous is joy.”
Perseverance- Romans 8:24-25
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
Confidence- Phil 1:20-
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For me, to live is Christ and die is gain.”
You must understand the difference between Godly hope and false hope
False Hope-
False hopes are human ideas of what is pleasurable and desirable. (key- human ideas)
Many people believe problems will disappear if they can just get what they want.
God never promises us we will get everything we want or does He say that what we want will make us happy.
If I get married, everything will be good.
Better job
More money
Bigger house
God never said “name it and claim it”
False hope is based on a denial of reality
Example-
A person who wanted to make a living as a musician. The problem was he was not any good at singing or playing an instrument. His friends told him that he was good when in truth he was terrible.
The best thing someone can do is tell him the truth and let him find his purpose and talent.
False hope is based on magical thinking
False hope is viewed on unbiblical view of prayer
Some believe that prayer is all that is needed. I BELIEVE IN PRAYER AND THE POWER OF GOD!
Sometimes God has us to do what we know to do and just sitting waiting for it to magically happen is the wrong view of prayer.
We ask God for things that we know do not line up with His Word and then get mad at Him when it does not turn out the way we want it. A false hope that we will be the exception and God has special rules for our situation.
False hope is based upon improper interpretation of Scripture
We cannot make God’s Word say what we want it to say. We have to take it in context. Understand that some was for the nation of Israel and some for us today and know the difference because we are reading God’s word.
Characteristics of True Hope
True hope is realistic
Romans 8:28 tells us that “All things work together for good”, but it does not say that all things are good.
Abraham and Sarah’s hope was not based upon an unrealistic view of his capabilities, it was based upon God’s ability to do what was humanly impossible.
True hope stays focus on God
Joseph hope remained solid even when he was sold in slavery, lied about, and thrown in prison.
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
Job lost everything and never knew the greater purpose God had in mind for his suffering. “ Though he slay me, I will hope in him.”
Godly hope is never shaken because of unpleasant circumstances.
True hope is renewed daily
God does not give us a heart full of hope that is expected to last a life time. We must stay focused in our relationship with Him and He renew our hope by His Word and being encouraged as we allow God to work in our lives.
True hope is the accurate study of God’s Word
Energized by His Word, lead by His Word, being obedient to His Word.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
True hope is a matter of the will
Hope is a choice- just like hopelessness is a choice.
True hope is based upon knowledge
Hope is based upon what we know, not what we feel at the time.
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God- Hope comes by experience.
For a believer, it is unscriptural to say “I hope I am a Christian” as much as it would be to say “I hope I am American.”
By knowing God’s Word and His promises, you learn you do not have to hope for something you already possess.
Let’s try to end this morning with positives.
Do you know the difference between Godly hope and false hopes? I hope you do.
1 Peter 3:15- “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you for a reason for the hope that is within you, with meekness and fear.”
Now for a moment, let go back to the text…
Colossians 2:6-10- Read from Bible
Are you a believer? If you are, don’t doubt it everyday, live your life as a believer in Jesus Christ.
Rooted and built up in Him
Strengthened in your faith by Him
Thankfulness in Him
See to it no one…nobody steals what the Lord has given you.
Do not let anyone deceive in believing other than what the Word of God says and you know it because you are reading God’s Word for yourself.
Don’t lose focus- not by anything you are going through or any circumstance out of your control.
He is the head over every power and authority. If it concerns you , it has to get past Jesus Christ and if it does, I will trust Jesus Christ to help me through it.
My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness! That is not a bible verse but it is biblical!
Christ is our hope!
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
We have hope because he is our hope.
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!
