This sermon explores the hope found in Jesus Christ, its triumph over suffering and sin, and our responsibility to share this hope with gentleness and respect.
Good morning, church family! It's so great to see all your smiling faces today.
You know, I've been pondering something that John Newton once said. He wrote, "Our righteousness is in Him, and our hope depends, not upon the exercise of grace in us, but upon the fullness of grace and love in Him, and upon His obedience unto death." That's a pretty big thought, isn't it?
So, let's think about God together today. Specifically, let's think about hope. Hope is a powerful thing, isn't it? It's like a light in the darkness, a hand to hold onto when the path gets rocky. And where does our hope come from? It comes from Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.
This brings us to our Scripture for today, from 1 Peter 3:15:
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
Isn't that beautiful? And isn't it powerful? It's not just about having hope, but being ready to share that hope with others. And doing it with gentleness and respect. That's what we're going to talk about today.
But first, let's pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for the gift of life, for the privilege of gathering together as a community of believers. We thank you for the hope we have in Jesus Christ, a hope that transcends our circumstances, a hope that triumphs over suffering and sin. As we reflect on your Word today, open our hearts and minds to understand it, to be transformed by it, and to share it with others. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
So, we have three main points we're going to talk about today. First, we'll look at the gift of hope through Jesus Christ. Then, we'll see how this hope helps us triumph over suffering and sin. And finally, we'll discuss how we can share this hope with others.
I'm excited to get into it with you all. Let's get started, shall we?
When we think about hope, we often think about it as a wish or a desire. We hope for good weather. We hope for a promotion at work. We hope for our favorite team to win the game. But the hope we have in Jesus Christ is so much more than a wish or a desire. It's a certainty. It's a guarantee. It's a promise from God Himself.
Not based on our circumstances: It's not dependent on our feelings. It's not affected by the ups and downs of life. This hope is based on the person and work of Jesus Christ. It's based on His life, His death, His resurrection. It's based on His promises. It's based on His love for us.
Jesus Christ is the source of our hope: He's the reason for our hope. He's the guarantee of our hope. He's the one who gives us hope. And this hope is a gift. It's not something we earn. It's not something we deserve. It's something we receive. It's something we accept. It's something we cherish.
Grace: This hope is a gift of grace. It's a gift of mercy. It's a gift of love. It's a gift of peace. It's a gift of joy. It's a gift of life. It's a gift of eternity. It's a gift of God.
Transformative: This hope is a gift that changes everything. It changes how we see ourselves. It changes how we see others. It changes how we see the world. It changes how we see our circumstances. It changes how we see our future. It changes how we live our lives.
Strength: This hope is a gift that gives us strength. It gives us courage. It gives us peace. It gives us joy. It gives us purpose. It gives us meaning. It gives us life. It gives us eternity.
Discipleship: This hope is a gift that we can share. We can share it with our family. We can share it with our friends. We can share it with our neighbors. We can share it with our coworkers. We can share it with our community. We can share it with the world.
Long-lasting: This hope is a gift that lasts. It lasts through the good times. It lasts through the bad times. It lasts through the ups and downs. It lasts through the joys and sorrows. It lasts through life and death. It lasts for eternity.
As we journey further into the heart of our faith, we find ourselves standing at the crossroads of suffering and sin ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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