ROMANS: How to Find Hope

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That that soul that all hell should endeavor to shake.

What the great hymn writer is telling us is that greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

What the hymn writers reminded us is what the 27th Psalm says when it says, The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Of whom shall I fear?

Of whom shall I be afraid?

You've reminded us today that you're not here to punish us.

You're not here to wipe us off the face of the earth.

You're not here to overwhelm us.

You are here to consume the dross in our life, the impurities, to skim off the surface of our life, all that is unnecessary, all that keeps us from reflecting you to the world that so desperately needs to see you.

So we can trust you today.

Whatever we're going through in our business, in our marriage, with our kids, with our families, with our sister-in-law, with our mother-in-law, we can trust you with that.

So we've come to do that.

We've come to lay that down before you and say, speak, Lord.

Your servants are listening.

And so, Lord, as we open up your word, let it open us up.

Give illumination and guidance, we pray.

We're listening and you're speaking.

And that's a great combination.

Speak, Lord.

Your servants are listening.

We pray and we listen now in Jesus' name.

And everyone said, Amen.

You can have a seat.

If you have a Bible, I invite you to take it and open up to Romans chapter 15.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

If you're our guest today, let me say welcome and thanks for being a part of our service today.

Some of you came to sit to see your children or your grandchildren in the choir, and I want to say thanks for being here.

If you have a church home, you go back to your church next week, okay?

Not that you wouldn't be welcome here.

That didn't come out right, did it?

Let me walk out here just for a minute.

I feel like I'm in jail back here behind the microphones.

I'm like, uh, but but but no, if you if you're a part of a church, active part of a church, thanks for you.

You're more than welcome here, but you support your church.

But if you're not connected to a church, you're more than welcome to come and be a part of what God's doing here at Grand Parkway.

We're glad you're here.

Let me also say this.

Some of you may be visiting, maybe it's a long time since you've been to church, and you may walk in today and kind of thought, wow, what in the world?

This is how I roll, this is my posse right up here.

Uh no, no, but let me say this.

Sometimes you come to church and you don't understand the songs, you don't know the words, and you look and you kind of think, this will be my first and last time I do this for a while.

Just relax.

Just chill out, okay?

Because the more you come, the more it begins to make sense, and it kind of all of a sudden begins to take on a holy momentum.

So just no one's gonna press you into doing anything.

We're not gonna dim the lights at any point, hum kumbaya, none of that stuff, okay?

Here's what we're gonna do.

I'm gonna read a section of the Bible, and then I'm gonna do what it says, and then we're gonna have some time to think about it.

At the end of our service, I'll open up the altar and so you can come and pray.

You may want to come and just kind of spend some time, just you and God, and you can come and go back to your seat.

Or if you're like, hey, I'm good, you can pray in your seat or whatever, and then we'll be dismissed, okay?

Fair enough.

All right.

Uh we're we're preaching through the book of Romans, and uh, this last section, Romans uh really 12 through 16, we've just titled everything.

Everything, because Paul covers uh a litany of different topics, but he comes uh to chapter 15 and he says these words.

I want to talk to you this morning about where we find hope or how to find hope.

Because that's what the Bible talks about.

Romans chapter 15, verse 1, he says, We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Romans 15:1

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of those that reproached you fell on me.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God.

Now I want to talk, I said earlier I want to talk about how to find hope.

I really want to just focus on verse 4.

Uh look back at verse 4.

It kind of gives us a thr uh three-step process.

He says this for whatever was written in the former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of Scriptures we might have hope.

Real simple outline this morning, just three points, and I want to put them all up on the screen at the same time.

I want to talk a little bit about the first one.

I want to demonstrate the second one, and then I want to do the third one, okay?

How do you find hope?

The Bible says, first of all, through instruction.

He says, what was written down in the former times was written down for our instruction.

The Bible is the most tangible reminder that God not only wants you to kind of have some guidance in life, but he kind of wants you to understand him.

He wants you to know what he's like.

It's not, he doesn't want you going through life just with your eyes closed, just kind of groping around, going, Marco, waiting for someone to say back.

There you go, you've been to the pool.

And God's not that way.

He's not watching you kind of go, Marco, and no one's saying anything back.

He's the one that kind of calls out first and says, Marco, and you may be a you may feel a million miles from God today, and all you can get out is just a little polo, the God of the Bible, the God that we believe the only God who was and is and is to come.

If all you can get out today is polo, he hears that.

He doesn't say it's all your God.

He says, Yes, yes.

Why do you say that?

Because he says what was written down in the pat in the former times was written down for our instruction.

The Bible.

The Bible is God's way of saying, hey, I'm not hiding.

I'm straight up, I'm right here.

You can understand me.

That's why it's important you go to a church that, number one, teaches the Bible, and secondly, teaches it in a way that you can understand it.

You shouldn't go to church and walk out and go, well, I thought I was dumb, and then I went to church and the preacher confirmed it for me.

No, you should go to church and walk out and have a little bit of hope, a little bit of, okay, I think I understand a little bit more than I did before I walked in.

Okay, got it.

Thanks.

That's the goal of instruction.

But Paul says right there in verse 4, he says, hey, what for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction.

How do you find hope?

Number one, through instruction.

And then he says this that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.

When the Bible says that through endurance, what that means to all my friends in this section over here is that you're gonna go through some things you do not want to go through that you didn't plan on going through, you didn't pick and prepare to go through, but you're gonna go through them anyway.

You just saw.

Your marriage that is going great right now, it's all of a sudden gonna hit a dry patch, and you're gonna wake up and look at your wife, and she's gonna look at you and kind of go, tell me your name again.

Hello?

Hello?

Because you focus on your kids.

When the last kid leaves the house, you look at each other and you're kind of like, I'm not sure I like you as much as I used to like you when them kids was here.

And now they're gone.

I got some words in me, got your name on them.

And your husband's kind of like, oh, okay, whatever.

Like today, after church, after the next service, I'm gonna go to Katie and play tennis and put a beat down on some of my friends.

And I tell my wife last night, she said, What you got going on this weekend?

I said, Well, got church tomorrow.

After that, I'm going to Katie to play tennis.

And she went, Oh, good.

I get the TV all to myself.

Oh no, while I'm gone, you need to be taping the Daytona 500 so I can watch it when I get back.

And she looked at me and said, Oh no, we're not doing that.

See how unruly marriage is after 21 years?

I work hard to support that woman, and that's the way she talks to me.

I'm like, we need some counseling or something in here.

No, but you're gonna go through things.

You're gonna raise your kids to do the right thing, and they're gonna leave your home, and they're gonna go out and do the wrong thing, and you're gonna think, What in the world?

We raised you better than this, and your wife's gonna lay in bed and cry, and you're gonna be out of words, and you're gonna fucking got ten thumbs and no tongue.

You're gonna be like, and then your kids are gonna come home and drop their laundry off and go, I need some money.

I need you in the backyard so I can knock you out what I need.

That's why you gotta learn to endure.

That's why you gotta endure.

It's not God's not punishing you, it's just that we live in a fallen world and people know better, and sometimes they do the wrong thing.

And sometimes, by the way, endurance is it's not nobody did the right thing.

It's just, hey, all of a sudden it all starts just piling up on you.

I could talk a lot about endurance, I could point you to some biblical examples.

But a couple weeks ago, very clearly God said to me, Hey, by the way, don't forget, I tell my story through my people.

And I was like, Okay, I'll write that down.

That sounds spiritual.

I have no idea what that means, God.

And so I the next day, again, I tell my story through my people.

And then the next Sunday, I was sitting over here and I looked up here on the worship team that day.

We had like four or five people singing on the worship team, and one of them was a lady in our congregation named Lisa Deal.

And that's the great part about pastoring people is I look out here on the congregation, I know your stories.

You you you should have a pastor that knows your stories and doesn't judge you and doesn't hate you and doesn't look down on you.

I just kind of like, oh, I wish these people could know what that woman's going through.

And then I thought, yeah, they can.

So instead of me talking about endurance, I want you just to give your attention to this video because I asked Lisa just to tell her story of endurance about what she's going through right now.

Hi, my name is Lisa Deal.

I'm a charter member here at the church.

I'm a proud mom of three.

I have two precious granddaughters and a third granddaughter on her way in May.

That we're looking so forward to meeting when she comes.

Last Sunday marked exactly six months since my sister became a widow at the age of 48, when her husband died tragically while they were vacationing in Switzerland.

At the time of dealing with his death, my mother's cancer of the tongue returned with a fury and caused her excruciating pain.

Since our family was together so much, we also began to notice that my father had an unusual lingering cough.

We managed to muddle through the first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas, and New Year's with zero trace of any normalcy.

The emotions and shock of sudden loss have been gut-wrenching at best, and we watch as my parents' health continues to decline.

Fifteen hours after my mother's surgery, as we were experiencing some sort of relief that my mom's surgery was finally complete, my father received a phone call from his doctor with news that his he has lung cancer.

It's stage four, it's spread to his bones, and the prognosis is poor.

So here we are.

My sister is in deep grief.

My mother has tongue cancer.

My father has lung cancer.

Both my parents are living in my sister's home because they are unable to care for themselves, and I work full-time.

Last week I was part of the morning worship team, and when I left church that day, I had multiple text messages from sweet friends here at church saying things like, I can't believe you're able to sing, or asking me, How in the world are you up there on stage today?

My answer to that question is, I have no idea, except that the word of God says in Colossians that there are glorious riches in this mystery of Christ in me.

The hope of glory.

So I don't have to do anything except rest and breathe in, God.

If you are one of those who says that God never gives us more than we can handle, I urge you to erase that phrase from your vocabulary.

You see, if any of us could handle life's challenges on our own, there would be no need for Him and His new mercies every morning.

There are days that I've gotten behind the wheel of my car and just screamed at the top of my lungs.

I'm sure at the amusement of any passers by.

Shut up, preacher, more of her.

The Bible says that we comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

And Lisa has received from things some things from the Lord.

And some of you, men and women, uh may want to avail yourself to that.

And so I just want to say that she'll be available down front afterwards to pray and talk with you if you if that's you.

Uh Paul says this is how we find hope.

He says in verse 4 of Romans 15, for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, number one, that through endurance, number two, and then through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.

And so here's what I'd like to do.

I think it's interesting that in verse 4 it talks about that through it uh endurance and then through the encouragement of the scriptures, and then in in verse 5, it refers to the God of endurance and the God of encouragement.

And so, why do I tell you that?

Because it's a subtle way of the Bible saying that when the Bible speaks, it's God speaking, okay?

And so instead of talking to you about how to find encouragement in the scriptures, I just want to read some scriptures and encourage you with the word of God.

Would that be okay today?

And so I just want to read and just kind of let this wash over you and just ask the Holy Spirit, what has my name on it?

What is it that when I hear it, just kind of my spirit kind of leaps and says, Yes, that's for me today.

So I want to encourage you towards how to find hope by the encouragement of the scripture by just reading God's word.

Like, for example, 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 16, uh Peter says, For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty, for when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was born to him from the majestic glory, saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

2 Peter 1:16

We ourselves heard the very voice born from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain, and we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Knowing this, first of all, that no prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The word of the Lord from 2 Timothy chapter 3.

2 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God, that the woman of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

The word of the Lord from Isaiah 55.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth.

It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

The word of the Lord from the twelfth Psalm.

The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

Romans chapter five.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.

And endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

And hope does not put us to shame, it does not disappoint, we don't feel foolish, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom has been given to us.

First Peter chapter 5.

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.

Be sober-minded and be watchful.

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

And you have suffered, after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who's called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

To him be dominion forever and ever.

Amen.

James chapter one, account of all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect.

Let what God's doing run its full course.

Don't cut it off short, don't quit too soon.

Why?

That you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial.

For when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Speaking of God, Colossians 1 says this He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.

All things were created through him and for him.

And he is before all things, and in him all things.

Hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church.

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, you, us, all of us who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he is now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.

If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister, according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations, but now revealed to his saints.

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom.

And why do we warn everyone?

And why do we teach everyone?

That we may present everyone mature in Christ.

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy, that he powerfully works within me.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those that lay Odyssey, and for all those who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance, of understanding, and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The word of the Lord from Hebrews 6.

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, Surely I will bless you and multiply you.

And because of this, Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.

For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes, an oath is final for confirmation.

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath.

So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie.

It is impossible for God to lie.

It is outside the realm of his nature for God to not tell the truth, and which is impossible for God to lie.

We who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters in into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus is gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.

And finally, from Romans chapter 15, verse 4.

Romans 15:4

For whatever was written down in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

Stand to your feet.

Let me speak a blessing over you.

Hold your hands out.

May the God of encouragement and endurance calls you to so live in harmony with one another that in accord with Christ Jesus, you may together with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Bless you, you're dismissed.