Sermon- Easter Advent 2 - 2020
- Hope
- How often do we step back & look at how great our God is?
- In looking at second day of Advent for Easter, this day stands for Hope.
- As Jesus was going to the moment He was going to be Flogged By Rome, then
crucified, & placed in the grave. I would look at these moments & say there’s no
hope.
- To be beaten, up to a hundred times by Roman soldiers, & then crucified.
- Looking from the outside in. It would look like a tidal wave the size of the
Empire State Building is getting ready to plow you over.
- But this isn’t a mere man that this was going to happen to.
- This is God in the flesh, Jesus Christ.
- Although He has all the power to stop any of this, He Instead tells the Apostles,
John 10:17-18
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Q- Why did Jesus choose to die?
- It’s because He had hope.
- I know you’re going to say, wait a minute, He didn’t have hope, He knew He
would rise again.
- Ahh! You just got exactly what Hope looks like for us!
- We know, for those who belong to Christ, He will take care of us.
- That’s not something we question, we know it to be true!
- We Hope for it!
Pray
- Through God, we know that everything is going to be okay.
- Well, One little boy questioned that,
> Inspired
A boy was watching his dad, a pastor, write a sermon. “How do you know what to say?” asked the little boy.
“Why, God tells me.”
“Oh, said the boy, then why do you keep crossing things out?”
- I can look at our current situation, & say I don’t know if this will get better or worse,
but I know that in the end it will be better!
Q- Why?
- It’s because that’s what I Hope for.
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
- When we think about what good could come from this virus. I admit, it looks grim to
see a silver lining.
- Then, If you’re looking for it, you see God’s Glory/hand.
- The doors of our church are shut, but God’s Sermon was viewed 195 times.
- We needed C95 masks, & 5,000 were found in a Cathedral in Washington state.
- Satellite pictures showed the fog of pollution had dissipated from over China
during the lockdown.
- In the most subtle of movements God is showing to us He is still in control.
- His Word will not be stopped!
- He will protect His people!
- This is still His creation, & He will use it for His purpose.
- In an instant the businesses shut down, the planes stop flying, & even the
amusement parks shut down.
- That’s power, & that is our God.
- The Psalmist writes in Plasm 62:1-8
Psalm 62-1-8
1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
- Imagine the mischief devised against man. There are so many things we can cry out
to God about that are wrong.
- We could question why this is happening, not just this virus, but all the bad stuff.
- In the end we must agree that they will be slain, put away, & removed from out of
our way!
- That’s Because Jesus is our Salvation, our Redeemer, our High Tower, our ever
present Help in time of need.
- Jesus is our Shield & buckler.
- He protects against the fiery wiles of the devil & secures us throughout our
daily lives.
- When Jesus was sharing what would happen just before His return in Luke 21:. He
went on to say in verse 28.
Luke 21:28
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
- As Jesus described the world roiling in great peril, & turmoil He said, look up your
redemption is coming.
- That’s not just something we want to happen, we know it’s coming!
- On the day Jesus arose from the tomb the angel announced to the women,
Matthew 28:6
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
- The angel affirmed the truth/hope Jesus had given to all people, He is Alive!
- As I begin to close, Think of what God has promised to us.
- Paul wrote to the Church of Rome about God’s promise.
Q- What is it?
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- The Promise is God’s Love.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- No matter what may take you in this life, God’s Love still has you.
- That’s a promise that He gives to every person who accepts Jesus as their Savior.
- So, as we feel like the blinds of darkness are closing ever closer to us. Let’s not
forget we still have the Love of a Father abiding with us, & carrying us on
Through to the end.
Prayer
