Ep 364 | Hope - David Mackey 12-30-07

This afternoon, we welcome again each and every one of you to the

assembly. The worship service of the

Church of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ.

It's been a great day on many different levels, in the sense

that this morning, we had the great privilege as well as

blessing to gather together to worship God.

Through Jesus Christ. Remember, the death burial and

resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. to be able

to have lunch together, for which the ladies and The fellows

that cook deserve our richest. Thank you to be able to sing

together and now to conclude our time together here at this place

in just a few minutes. I want to thank this

congregation for the invitation to come here.

It's certainly like seeing family in more ways than one not

only Brothers and Sisters in Christ, but family members.

And anybody that knows what he knows that she just loves coming

here and so it's just beneficial all the way around.

You encourage us and strengthen us and we thank you for that.

This afternoon, I want to talk to you just for a few minutes

about hope. And it's not hope and a sense

that you probably heard over the years.

It's not the sense of one of those quickie get it out of the

way sermons where you kind of just fluff over things.

But I want to talk to you about Hope and how it can help you and

I and our daily walk. How are you?

And I can use hope as described in the Bible to encourage

ourselves. Strengthen ourselves help others

be a better servant to God. Be a better.

Spouse of better brother or sister in Christ how hope can

help all of us to grow. Have you ever set goals for

yourself in your Christian walk? Have you ever sat down for a few

minutes and on a piece of paper wrote down several goals that

you might have as being a Christian, I suppose on the top

of the list would be to go to heaven.

You'd certainly have in there somewhere.

If you have children, the faithfulness of your children or

family members to help your home congregation grow to improve

yourself to gains in knowledge, which in turn, helps you to gain

in strength and an understanding and the ability to save and help

others. Some of the things that would be

on that list are things that hope Define Nelson's Bible

dictionary defines, hope as a confident expectancy in the

Bible. The word, hope stands for both

the act of hoping. And the thing hoped for and

Romans the fourth chapter and verse 18, The Apostle Paul would

write who against hope believed in hope that he might become the

father of many nations according to that, which was spoken so

shall thy seed. Be course, the Apostle there was

talking about Abraham and those that have spent any time at all

and the Book of Genesis will understand and know exactly the

story as it's laid out. How Abraham had been promised by

God? That it would be his seed.

It would be through Abraham that the promise would be fulfilled,

Abraham and his wife, Sarah were Barren, they'd had no children.

And as only Humanity, can find, a way to infringe upon these

relationships Sarah and gives Abraham her handmade To that

Association is born a son. Ish meal.

Abraham was content if you can call it that that the lineage or

his line would pass through wish meal, but God had other plans

for Abraham. The Bible tells us that when

Abraham and Sarah were both old. Well in years, Sarah became

pregnant and she would give birth to a son, Isaac.

And it would be through Isaac that God's promise would

continue to be fulfilled that God's promise to Abraham would

be fulfilled. You can imagine the kind of

faith that Abraham had to have. Can you imagine being a hundred

years old or close to it? And I want you married couples

to think about this and the wife comes home, one afternoon and

tells you we're pregnant. You'd not only probably fall out

of your seat that you'd probably have a heart attack in the

process. The hope that Abraham had was

his faith and conviction. In God, the Apostle Paul would

also put it to this way in First Corinthians 9, and verse 10 or

saith. He had altogether for our sakes

for our sakes. No doubt.

This is written that he that planteth should plow in Hope.

And he, that thresh's shouldn't hope should be partaker of his

hope, Colossians 1 and 5 for the Hope, which is laid up for you

in heaven. Where have you heard before in

the word of the truth of the Gospel?

The Apostle Paul gives us two points to ponder.

And to think about, first of all, he tells us that no matter

what it is, you're doing in your service unto God, it should be

done to the very best of your ability and with hope and why.

Because of the promise that is laid up for you.

And I and a home in heaven, have any of us ever seen Heaven?

Of course, not have any of us ever had the opportunity to sit

down one-on-one with Jesus Christ.

Of course not. How is it?

Then that we can go from what we considered to be reasonable.

Rational human beings to believe, that Jesus Christ is

the Son of God. And that there is such a entity

as God and of Christ, and of heaven, and all the blessings

and promises that we find in Scripture.

We know, of course, that the foundation is what we find in

the pages of inspiration and our faith.

But what causes us to press on it is our hope in the reward

being fulfilled. It is our hope, and having

confidence. And believing that God is a

rewarder of those that diligently seek his son and our

Savior Jesus Christ. It is the Hope and knowing that

what God has said, welcome to be weather tomorrow or a long time

out in the future that a day is coming.

When all of The promises of God will be fulfilled.

Now, you and I can read in the Bible about heaven and we can

read about what a wonderful place Heaven is and we can read

that is the home of the redeemed and we can read that, we will be

there all of eternity. But it is our hope.

That helps us to carry on. Faith is something that can be

proven. Faith is also tied into hope,

but Faith, takes it a step farther in the sense that We can

have assurance. Based on our convictions and

what we find in scripture, for instance.

We've never seen heaven. We can't find anybody, that's

lived on the face of the Earth, that can testify that they have

seen heaven. Yet, we have witnesses, both

those for and against that's all Christ.

We have witnesses, both those for, and against that witnessed,

the birth of the church. We have testimony and witnesses

that lead us to believe through our faith and conviction.

That the things that we read about Christ, his ability to do

Miracles, his ability to heal the sick.

His ability to walk on water and most importantly, his ability to

raise From the dead. There were Witnesses.

It's not just a matter of the written testimony, but there

would be those that could be put on the witness stand.

That could say that were alive at the time of Christ.

I saw the man. I witnessed The Works of this

man. I saw what he did.

Hope is something that you and I can only drive for instance,

dealing with Heaven from scripture.

We won't be able to find a witness that can testify because

they've seen firsthand the wonders of Heaven.

But we can believe that God is a rewarder of those that

diligently seek him. We can believe that.

God does not lie. We can believe that there is a

reward for those that diligently follow him.

We can believe that there is a home for the saved.

All in heaven. Hope.

Does not arise or change from an individual's desires or wishes

but from God who is in himself, the Believers hope.

David would say in Psalms 39 and verse 7, my hope is in you, you

know, genuine hope is not a wishing for or a, what if You

know, I have you ever thought to yourself?

Well, you know, I wish I could go to Italy or I wish I could do

this or I wish I could do that. Hope is not wishing.

Hope is the firm assurance. That God is the author of The

Salvation of humankind that God will definitely fulfill all of

his promises. And it leaves no chance to

mankind. You know, I can hope.

That my guys do a good job at work.

I can hope that they're productive but unless I am there

to oversee and to make sure there's room for air, there's

room for failure. With God, there's no such thing.

With God, there's no such thing as failure or room for are

because God himself is the Believers hope?

Because God himself cannot and will not fail in Romans the 8th,

chapter verses 24 and 25. The Apostle Paul would say for

we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen, is not hope for

what a man seeth. Why doth he yet hope for But if

we hope for that, we see, not then do we with patience?

Wait for it? I'm sure in other translations

that would be laid out a little bit easier to read and

understand but really in essence the Apostle Paul puts it as

clear as he possibly can for our understanding.

Why would you hope For something that you can see.

You see that conflict? Then he takes it.

A step farther, and brings it right to you.

And I as members of the body of Christ, will we be patient

enough? To run the race to its

conclusion. To be rewarded with all that God

has promised. And that's really what it comes

down to. There's Legions of people in

this old world. That it one time.

Put all of their hope and trust in God.

And now have gone off to do whatever it is that they feel

they must do that. It's contrary to the will of

God. You see their patients wasn't

honed where they could fulfill and finish the race.

But the Apostle Paul tells you or not.

That the hope that we have. The hope that is in God himself

and all that that entails. Will be ours and fulfilled.

If we run the race with patients, can you?

And I finish what we start, can you?

And I get to the finish line and be rewarded for our efforts.

Simply put I would say this. If you have no hope.

If you don't believe in God or you don't believe in heaven or

you don't believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and

your hope is shattered so to speak, then I would recommend to

you that beginning. As soon as we're finished this

afternoon, that you go out and live life for all the Gusto, you

can grab because if you don't have hope in God, and you don't

believe in heaven and you don't believe.

That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then all that, you can hope

to expect is what you can accomplish and gain in this

whole life. And you'd better go out and live

with all the Gusto, you can conjure up and you'd better go

out and sin and sin and sin like there's no tomorrow because if

your hope is a non Heavenly things than it can only be on

things on this Earth. And you'd better make the very

best effort. You can to go out and be

fulfilled. I'm not quite sure what the

Fulfillment of that would be. I would imagine it would leave

you broken and empty and desolate and morally bankrupt.

but if we cannot put our hope and trust and faith in God, Then

all you and I have is what we can see in this whole world.

And we'd better get right out there and grab for all we can

get. And Hebrews 11 and verse 1.

Now, Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of

Things Not Seen and Hebrews 11 and verse 7, by faith, Noah

being warned of God of things, not yet.

Seen moved with fear prepared an ark to the saving of his house

by the, which he condemned the world and became heir of the

righteousness, which is by faith.

The Hebrew writer there and eleven, and one tells us that

hope. I don't want to misquote.

This faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of

Things Not Seen. Now, let's look very quickly at

the example of Noah, you all know the story of Noah and the

Ark, but let's back up just a little bit and let's put this

all into perspective in a way that brings it right to our

front porch. Ryan decides that.

He's been told by God to go out and build a massive boat.

He doesn't decide, he's been told by God to go build a boat.

So he goes out and begins to accumulate all the materials and

he begins construction on this massive ship.

That wouldn't be very long till those that know, him would begin

to laugh and joke and ridicule and he's gone over the edge.

He's lost his mind, whatever it is that you want to throw out

there. It wouldn't be very long.

Until that is exactly what was being said.

That's the position. Noah found himself him.

But with Noah, it also went a step further and that is family

members. Thought that he had lost his

mind. Never once was he dissuade from

his task. he labored and labored and labored, now, I don't know

about you, but most of us I think are pretty thin skin and

we'd stand a few days maybe of ridicule and Being the punchline

to everybody's jokes and commentary on our conduct.

But we sooner or later give up. He finished the task.

Because he believed that God was going to use him.

And destroy the world. And here's something I think we

sometimes overlook. Until the flood.

There had never been rain upon the face of the Earth.

The Bible is clear and its teachings and understandings

that all things have been watered from the do And can you

imagine what people must have felt?

And what they thought of that man.

Has he continued on? Now.

Each and every one of us for a minute become Noah and we're not

talking about building a boat. In your daily walk.

Does your Faith and Hope and confidence in God set, you apart

in that, you don't partake of things that co-workers or

schoolmates may do that. Are contrary to the will of God

or do you just kind of go along with the flow because your Faith

and Hope and conviction in God, cause you to be different not to

the point of drawing attention to oneself, but the point of

following the will and word of gone to the very best of your

ability. Does your language reflect the

fact that you have hope faith and conviction in God?

Or do you get swayed by friends and those that?

Use profane language in any other manner of speak.

You see you and I can be Noah in this day and age.

The question is, do we have faith and conviction?

Like Noah had that will stay the course.

Or do we kind of get bumped around from place to place that

will win. These friends were one win when

with these people were another way.

And ask yourself this. If you went to a co-worker

tomorrow, And it wouldn't matter who it was a co-worker.

And you ask them to go to church with you.

What would their reaction be? Would they be surprised?

That you go to church. Would they be surprised that,

you know, anything about the Bible or about God?

Or would your life and speech? Be a reflection of the way that

we should be in the sight of God?

And even though they might not take you up on the invitation,

they know full well where you stand.

They know full well where you stand.

On spiritual matters on things that count because of your faith

hope and conviction. In First Peter 3 and verse 15.

But sanctify, the Lord God in your hearts and be ready.

Always to give an answer to every man that asketh you.

A reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear in

first John, three, and three and every man that hath, this hope

in him purifies himself even as he is pure. you know, it's been

mentioned twice in the public prayers of the assembly here

today. Would, you know?

Where to go in your Bible if someone out on the street ask

you what it took to be saved. Would you be able to give them

some kind of Direction? Or would you have to flip back

to the back of your Bible and look in the text and look in

help mates and well it's here. It's here somewhere and I'll get

it for you. You know, if I ask somebody To

help me find the way to Salvation. and I asked them if

they were a member, Of their church and they've been baptized

and they couldn't tell me how to go about the very same thing.

I wouldn't have a lot of interest in that church because

it would lead me to believe that it was Hollow.

How can something so important? Be so casually treated.

Where is our hope? Faith and conviction?

And Hebrews 7 and verse 9. For the law made nothing

perfect. But the bringing in of a better

hope by the, which we draw nigh unto God in Romans 15 and verse

13. The Apostle Paul would right

now, the god of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in

believing that ye may abound in Hope through the power of the

Holy Ghost. the song that Aaron LED, number 162, If you have the

book in front of you, I want you to look at the course.

We're not going to sing this, but read the words, cares of

this life often make us forget what hope and joy Christ can

give. Let us all remember his words

and for his glory now live doesn't describe the human.

Kind there in the course, cares of this life.

Often make us forget what hope and joy Christ can get.

We get sidetracked so easily. It seems to me we lose our way.

and we forget that we have all of the treasures that matter in

this old world in God, All that matters. we let this thing in

that thing and you know, we have a disagreement with this one or

that one and it's like watching, uh, watching some kind of a

barometer, you know, if we have a disagreement with that one.

Well then our faith cools off, but if things are well, then our

faith gets hot and our faith calls off.

In our faith gets hot, We need to find within ourselves.

According to the word of God. How it is that we can stay

enthusiastic. For God.

And not let the little cares and concerns of this old wife.

Throw us off. Now, I understand there's things

in this life that are terrible but let's let's take it right to

the very Crux of the matter. What's the greatest thing in in

this life that you can hope for heaven, what's the worst thing?

That could happen. Hell.

So you have the greatest and the worst.

And when you look at those two contrast, doesn't it reinforce

to you? The most cares and concerns with

this old life, really? Aren't the big deal.

We make him out to be. And that's really I think what

it comes down to. Where is our emphasis?

Finally, in closing. In 2nd Thessalonians 2 and verse

16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ

himself and God even Our Father which hath loved us and have

given us everlasting consolation and Good.

Hope through Grace Romans 15 and verse 4 for whatsoever.

Things were written aforetime were written for our learning

that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might

have hope. And finally in Colossians 1 and

verse 23 if you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and

be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have

heard and which was preached to every creature, which is under

heaven where of I Paul and made a minister I would leave you

with those words, down there and Colossians 1, and verse 23, if

you continue in the faith, grounded, and settled, And be

not moved away from the hope of the Gospel.

Which he have heard. We don't even need to finish the

verse. Today, ask yourself.

Where is my hope? is my hope tied to things that

really have no bearing on my salvation.

Or as my hope tied to the hope of God, Almighty to the power of

God almighty. Remember this?

God is the author. Perfecter and finisher of our

faith. And it through the death burial

and resurrection of his son and our Savior Jesus Christ.

The way was paved for you. And I instead of being strangers

instead of being estranged from God, to be reconciled to God.

So one of the greatest barriers was not down with the death

burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

But that's not where it starts and stops.

You see if you and I aren't convicted in our faith

conviction. Hope belief in God.

Then we won't take the steps to be saved.

We won't Avail ourselves to the greatest gifts ever been given

to mankind. And I don't know about you.

But I want to spend eternity in heaven. and I believe, That

heaven is real. And I believe that heaven

exists. and not because I said so but because the Bible says so

And that's where my hope. Faith and confidence lie.

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