Hope
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The Power of Hope (Rom. 5:1-11, 18-21) Hope (conventional definition) = an uncertain desire (e.g. I hope it will/won’t rain today) What kinds of things do you hope for? Immanuel Kant, said that there are 3 questions that everyone asks: “What can I know? What shall I do? For what shall I hope?” Psychologist William Marston asked 3,000 people, "What have you to live for?" He was shocked to discover that 94 % were simply enduring the present while they waited for an uncertain future. (See 1 Cor. 15:19) Hope (New Testament Greek definition, Elpizo) = trust or confident expectation The command, "Hope fully" (1 Pe. 1:13) means be intensely desirous and fully confident. (See also Heb. 6:11) What is the source of our hope? (2 Thess. 2:16-17, a gift from God, Rom. 15:13, through the Holy Spirit) Hope is awakened/announced by the gospel (Col. 5:1, 23) On what is our hope based? On the knowledge of God’s Character, Power & Faithfulness as recorded in the Bible (Ps. 71:5, 78:7, 121:1, Rom.15:4 & 13; 1 Pet. 1:5, Titus 1:2, Col. 1:5 & 23) On the resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:19-20, Rom. 8:11; Col. 1:27; 1 Tim. 1:1; 1 Pe. 1:3,4 & 21) Demonstrated by: The Empty tomb The Appearances of Christ, to Peter (Lk. 24:34), to the Twelve (Lk. 24:36-42; John 20:1920), to James, the half-brother of Jesus (Acts 1:14), to all the apostles (Acts 1:22), to Paul (Acts 9:1-9) The Transformed lives of His Disciples/Followers (Then and now) On the continuing, living presence of God with us (Matt. 28:20, Heb. 13:5, Phil. 1:23. Acts. 7:5556; 1 Thess. 4:17; Rev. 21:22-22:5) Remember the words of the song – Because He lives, I can face tomorrow … On the promise of His return and of our resurrection unto eternal life into His kingdom (John 5:25-29, 14:1-3, 19, 17:24, Titus 1:2, 2:13, Col. 1:5, 23, 27, 1 Pe. 1:3-5, 13, 2 Pe. 1:10-11, 1 Thess. 4:16-17, Rev. 1:7, Heb. 9:28, Acts. 24:15, 1 Cor. 15:50-58, Matt. 25:21 & 34; Gal. 5:5; Col. 1:5; 1 Tim. 6:19) Hope gives the power to stand firm in our convictions
Our assurance is so sure that none are able shake us from our convictions (2 Tim. 2:16-18; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 Tim. 1:19-20, Heb. 6:11-12, 17-20) Hope gives the power to endure adversity But as we, imitating Jesus, set our minds and hearts on the hope and joy that is set before us, we are able to endure all hardships (1 Pe. 4:13; Luke 6:22-23, 1 Thess.:5:5, 2 Cor. 4:16-18). Hope gives the power to motivate The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the city’s hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child’s name and room number and talked briefly with the child’s regular class teacher. "We’re studying nouns and adverbs in his class now," the regular teacher said, "and I’d be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn’t fall too far behind." The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, "I’ve been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn’t accomplished much. But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse. "You don’t know what I mean. We’ve been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He’s fighting back, responding to treatment. It’s as though he’s decided to live." Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?" Bits & Pieces, July 1991. A self-made millionaire Eugene Lang, greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these predominantly black and Puerto Rican children even to look at him. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you." At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. Said one student, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school. Parade Magazine. True Hope vs. False Hope (Ps. 25:3, 5, 21, 62:5) Relationship between Hope, Faith & Love (Col. 1:4-6) Hope is the root, faith is the plant, and love is the fruit To demonstrate faith is to act upon hope We should be prepared to explain our hope to others (1 Pe. 3:15)
Our assurance is so sure that none are able shake us from our convictions (2 Tim. 2:16-18; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 Tim. 1:19-20, Heb. 6:11-12, 17-20) Hope gives the power to endure adversity But as we, imitating Jesus, set our minds and hearts on the hope and joy that is set before us, we are able to endure all hardships (1 Pe. 4:13; Luke 6:22-23, 1 Thess.:5:5, 2 Cor. 4:16-18). Hope gives the power to motivate The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the city’s hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child’s name and room number and talked briefly with the child’s regular class teacher. "We’re studying nouns and adverbs in his class now," the regular teacher said, "and I’d be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn’t fall too far behind." The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, "I’ve been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn’t accomplished much. But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse. "You don’t know what I mean. We’ve been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He’s fighting back, responding to treatment. It’s as though he’s decided to live." Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?" Bits & Pieces, July 1991. A self-made millionaire Eugene Lang, greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these predominantly black and Puerto Rican children even to look at him. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you." At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. Said one student, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school. Parade Magazine. True Hope vs. False Hope (Ps. 25:3, 5, 21, 62:5) Relationship between Hope, Faith & Love (Col. 1:4-6) Hope is the root, faith is the plant, and love is the fruit To demonstrate faith is to act upon hope We should be prepared to explain our hope to others (1 Pe. 3:15)
