Restoring The Spirit Of Hope

How many of you would agree that life’s tough at times? Have you ever cried, "Doesn’t anyone care what happens to me, or what happens in my life?" Have you been lonely and isolated? We are living in a generation of hurting people who want to know that someone cares truly about them. Sometimes so many things hit you all at once that you begin to unravel. That is called “getting the hope kicked out of you.” Some of you may feel pretty hopeless this morning. Maybe you feel hopeless about a marriage situation, about your children, about your financial situation, or an illness. Maybe you are struggling in the school — perhaps graduating from college soon for some—larger questions loom on the horizon: What does God have for my future? What am I going to do exactly? Especially in a recession economy nowadays? Most of us are not graduating from any school at this time, but the challenges are no less in our daily lives, such as job security or in dealing a difficult personal relationship. Or maybe it’s because you believer you are in a situation that is just never going to change - it did not matter what you have done. You were hopeless, felt nobody care, and the world is sinking all around you and you know you may be the next to sink down. No way out; no possible escape? Thinking that no once cares about you and no one is available to help you? Where to find hope? Where it is hopeless, how to restore the spirit of hope?

One in Christ 11Therefore, remember tat formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men) - 12Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Uncircumcision is the most direct term to describe that fact that Gentiles were outside any covenant relationship with God. Who are the Gentiles? All non-believers. What happen to them? There are five estrangement (alienation, loss of friendship of love) of Gentiles (1) separate from Christ, (2) excluded from citizenship in Israel (3) foreigners to the covenants of the promise, (4) without hope and (5) without God in the world. You may say I don’t need citizenship in Israel; I have American citizenship. How about citizenship in heaven? Being separate from Christ is the fountainhead of futility and hopelessness. Everything we mentioned when we first started the sermon today. All non-believers need to understand what a great deal this is that’s being offered to you. It’s an offer you cannot afford to refuse.

But you may say Christians experience the same frustrations and hopelessness! Because we even as Christians fail to place our total trust in Jesus Christ! Notice the verse 13 ‘But now’ joins with “but God” (v.4) as gloriously pivotal words upon which everything in life turns from death to life, sin to salvation, and hopelessness to hope. Our text gives us reasons for hope. In the past you were without Christ and you had no part in the promises God made to His people. But now you’re in Christ. This text tells us if we put our trust in Christ, we can always be hopeful. We are always hopeful. We cannot be hopeless. Why? Because of what God’s promised. What are His promises to restore my hope? Look at Chapter 8:1-2, 28-32 of Romans, it is an incredible chapter and it lists six promises we have from God to help us keep our hope alive.

Romans 8Life Through the Spirit 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. …28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.