Hope with a Heartbeat
1 Peter 1:3-5
November 14, 1999
1. High school football
A. A major game
1.) We were in a tie for first place
2.) The opponent was not impressive
3.) The game was great – We were down by 7 at the half
- There’s still a lot of hope for a championship
B. The second half
1.) The opponent gets the ball first and scores
2.) The opponents defense gets an interception and scores
3.) The opponent scored 28 unanswered points in the second half and blew us away. Final score – 21 to 58
Q – Have you ever felt that your hope was in vain?
2. Anne Sullivan
A. A “hopeless Case”
1.) The Boston Mental Institution – Little Annie
2.) Annie was an extreme case and was incredibly violent – Locked in a cage and placed in the basement of the institution
3.) One elderly nurse believed that there was hope for Annie
4.) The nurse began to eat her lunches beside Annie’s cage
B. A simple gesture of love
1.) The nurse began leaving brownies for Annie
2.) This started a remarkable process of change
3.) The doctors brought Annie upstairs and after time the “hopeless case” was allowed to leave the institution
C. Annie finds another “hopeless case”
1.) Annie dedicated her life to helping others
2.) She found another “hopeless case” – A girl who was blind, deaf and mute.
3.) Annie worked miracles with this girl – Little Annie was none other than Anne Sullivan and the girl was Helen Keller
Q – Have you ever felt like you were a hopeless case?
3. B- 17 Bomber
A. Bombing mission over Germany
1.) The plane was hit by shells
2.) There were several hits to the fuel tank
3.) By some miracle the plane did not explode
B. The plane lands and the shells were removed from the fuel tank
1.) Eleven 21 MM shells were removed from the fuel tank
2.) All eleven shells were empty of their explosives
3.) Inside one of the shells was a note written in Czech – “This is all we can do for you now”
4.) Underground operatives had produced at least eleven shells without the explosives but may have never known what they did
Q – Have you ever lost hope in what you do in life?
4. Things that sap our hope
A. Broken homes
1.) Massive divorce rate
2.) People running from one relationship to another
B. Broken lives
1.) The high amount of drug and alcohol abuse
2.) Unwed and Teenage mothers
3.) Violent crimes being committed by children
C. Broken dreams
1.) Dreams get dashed
2.) Potential that will never be realized
D. Broken hope
1.) Life often is filled with overwhelming problems
2.) Everything seems to lead to broken hopes
Q – Have you ever felt that your hope had been broken?
5. Boy in the hospital
A. Teacher was assigned to tutor children in the hospital
1.) The teacher was asked to visit a particular boy
2.) She was asked to work with the boy in English – Adverbs and nouns
3.) The teacher agreed and went to see the boy
B. Teacher arrives on hospital burn unit
1.) No one had prepared her for the extent of the boy’s injuries
2.) She entered the room – “Your teacher has asked me to help you with your nouns and adverbs.”
C. The next day
1.) Nurse asks – “What did you do to that boy?”
2.) Teacher began to apologize
3.) The nurse told the teacher about the boy’s previous condition and the improvement he was making since her visit – He’s decided to live
4.) The boy said he had given up hope because he thought that he was going to die – “They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?”
Q – Where do we find hope that is alive? Where do we find hope with a heartbeat?
Read Text – 1 Peter 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6. Three facts about hope
A. God has given us a living hope
1. God has given us new birth through Christ
2. This new birth allows us to have a living hope
3. A hope that will never perish, spoil or fade
B. Hope is more than just wishful thinking
1. Hope is based in fact – God loves you
2. Hope is based in firm conviction – God cares for you
3. Hope is based in final assurance – God wants to be with you
C. Hope can and must be a vital part of your life
1. We cannot make it through life without hope
2. Quote: "We can live forty days without food, eight days without water, four minutes without air, but only a few seconds without hope."
3. Hope is our greatest asset in life
4. Quote: Other men see only a hopeless end, but the Christian rejoices in an endless hope. -- Gilbert Beenken
7. What Does Hope Do For Mankind?
Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest.
Hope motivates when discouragement comes.
Hope energizes when the body is tired.
Hope sweetens while bitterness bites.
Hope sings when all melodies are gone.
Hope believes when evidence is eliminated.
Hope listens for answers when no one is talking.
Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping.
Hope endures hardship when no on is caring.
Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing.
Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking.
Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging.
Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.
Hope brings the victory when no one is winning.
- John Maxwell from Think on These Things –
Q – Do you feel like you hope is running out? Do you need a fresh supply of hope? God has more than you need all you need to do is ask. God has hope with a heartbeat!
