Our Hope

little over 21 years ago, three pastors got together for coffee and fellowship

at McDonald's here in Richland Center.

Pastor Tom Tarver from the United Methodist Church, Pastor Greg Marsh from the

Free Methodist Church, and Pastor Chuck Hayes from the Church of the Nazarene.

This was something that they did on a regular basis, get together to pray for

one another and lift one another up.

And that particular morning, they began to think about the upcoming Labor Day

weekend and how a lot of people are gone on that weekend.

And so the idea came out, I believe Pastor Chuck was the one that threw out

the idea, what if we just got our congregations together in the park?

21 years later, here we sit today, on September 6, 2026,

We had 150 in that first service And so it is my privilege as the current pastor

of the Church of the Nazarene To welcome Pastor Chuck Hayes He was the pastor

there for almost 18 years,

Him and his wife Kathy now reside in Greeley, Colorado He just recently retired

last year And he agreed to come and share with us And so I'd like to introduce

to you Pastor Chuck Hayes.

Always good to be back in the Richland Center. This somehow feels like home. It really does.

Well, I want to preach primarily from the Old Testament text.

And you can ask my former congregation, they know that I love to spend time in the Old Testament.

And the New Testament informs what we're talking about, and we're going to get there.

But I want to move into to the text from Isaiah, and I love this text,

and I have a confession, and I think the pastors here know this,

that when you're preaching to others, your best sermons are really when you preach to yourself.

I need this text. I need the messages here. I need the hope that it is filled with.

I need the encouragement. I need to be reminded of divine love and our source

of hope, And I need to remember God's costly and risky self-disclosing engagement with his creation,

and how he came to my own heart.

Let it be warmed by his grace.

And so I want to share with you, because Christian unity is one of our greatest

needs, and I love the one Lord, one faith, one hope, one baptism,

one God in all and over all and through it.

We need that. We need to embrace that, that God, because Christianity begins

with a decision to follow Jesus, but the strength of Christianity is the walk with Jesus.

You walk with him. That's the significant part of our journey.

So our unity is strengthened when we understand a little bit more about the

faithful love of our creator, and his heart is revealed in the Isaiah text.

And so we want to just dive into that for a moment. The first thing to remember

is that this really is an exilic text.

Israel is in exile, and the message that is coming is to the children of Israel,

who, because of sin, their own sin, that's a tough part about sin,

we have to own our own sin.

We have sinned, and they are in exile away from the promised land because they

sinned and abandoned their God.

Now, not everybody did, but as a group they did, and they are in exile,

and it's a difficult place.

There are the stories of them being forced to sing the great songs of Zion down

by the river while they are mocked by their captors.

I have a hard enough time singing when everybody is cheering for me to sing.

Ask my wife, when you said something about clapping this morning,

she said, here, you hold the program, so I'll clap because you won't clap in time.

She knows me. It's the truth.

Under the most difficult of circumstance, this text comes to them, and hear the words.

This is what the Lord says, He who created you, Jacob, he who formed you,

Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you.

I have summoned you, or in some versions, I have called you by name.

You are mine.

You know, that's pretty good if you're looking for an identity.

We got a whole world crazy looking for identity. It's right here. God says you are mine.

So let's walk through that for a moment and start with fear not for I have created you.

The foundation of our theology is that God is our creator. He reminds Israel

of that. You didn't create yourself.

I created you I have called you by name there's a sense in this of parental

joy isn't there now those of you who are parents you remember when that first

little bundle of joy showed up.

Wow. Your life was changed. In premarital counseling, I continually tell,

particularly for the young men to hear, right now you have a girlfriend and

a wife, but once you have a child, you have a mama, and it's not the same thing.

That heart changes and goes in a completely another direction.

And if the house is on fire and you and the kids are in there and she can only

save some of you, she's going to save the kids.

Doesn't mean she doesn't love you, but she's going to save the kids, okay?

And I don't mean that fathers don't have the same kind of a heart.

I just am telling you, there's a parental love in what you have.

You can't explain it, but it's created. It's come from your own bodies. It's a part of you.

people talk about having a baby that's going to be a mini-me.

They don't quite turn out like that usually.

But it's still part and parcel of you. parental bond is there.

That's what prophet is talking about in the words that come from God,

his attachment to his creation, his involvement with his own creation.

And now I ask you, those of you, especially those of you who've been parents

a long time, so when do you stop being a parent?

Never. Your kids don't always appreciate that, okay?

There's times from about four where they start saying, I can do it myself.

Sure you can. Go ahead, try.

And then you feel like saying that to them when they're in college as well. Okay, you know, it's...

But your heart is always with them, no matter their age. For those of you who

remember our kids, Isaac just turned 42.

I can't believe I'm the father of a 42-year-old. don't know how that happened.

I remember carrying him around in my arm.

But I'm still his dad. I still worry about him and Andy, wherever they go and whatever they do.

And this is the connection that God has to his children.

They disobeyed.

They are in captivity. God's heart is still with them and for them.

There is a love that cannot be denied, cannot be separated.

As parents, you don't quit, and God, our creator, doesn't quit loving us.

That doesn't mean we're fellowshipping with him. That doesn't mean everything

is perfect in our relationship, but his heart is with us.

So think about that for a moment.

We were talking a little bit about that yesterday, about the messiness of the world in which we live.

And the world at large is pretty messy. okay?

Difficult place. God still works among us in spite of the mess.

I want to go a step further.

The church, and I don't care what church you're a part of, church life's messy.

It just is. Things happen. Things are said. Things are done.

Strange things sometimes happen in the church, but it is a vehicle God chose

to work through, and he works in the middle of the mess.

Don't ever miss that. Don't stop going to church because you're frustrated.

God is still there, and he is at work.

And then there's the mess in our lives.

Some of the things we would never admit to anybody. And God is still at work

in the middle of our mess, where we are and how we are.

They are in captivity, reduced to singing the songs of Zion by the river while

they are mocked by their captors.

And God says, I'm still with you.

I have created you. I have chosen you.

And he says in point two, if you're one of those note takers,

fear not, I have redeemed you.

Now, redemption in the Old Testament often takes an economic sense where we

talk about kinsman redeemer, i.e. the story of Ruth. I won't reiterate all of

that for you or repeat it for you. You can go back to it and read it.

But the kinsman redeemer comes and pays the debts for the kinsman and rescues

them from a life of ruin or poverty or whatever the circumstance is.

And Boaz is that for Ruth, and that's a marvelous story.

But there's more to it than that.

God redeems Israel from their sin.

He will bring them back from captivity and the message is, hang on.

It may be dark now, but the morning light is going to come and it's going to

be okay for I am with you. I have not forgotten you.

That is important to understand that he He forgives sin to the point of restoration.

That's huge. He is with us. He is working on our behalf.

Forgiveness is kind of an odd thing,

isn't it? And sometimes we say it too flippantly. Oh, yeah, I forgive you.

We don't really mean it. Sometimes what we say is, I forgive you because I can't remember what you did.

Which is actually a good thing. I think sometimes God's grace just helps us forget, you know?

But the essence of real forgiveness is not forgiving what you have forgotten,

is not saying I don't remember.

It is knowing exactly what happened, where you were wronged and probably justified

in your anger about what happened to you,

but you decide to let go of the anger and the malice and lay aside your right

to justice or retribution or anything else and forgive and have peace.

It is a knowing forgiveness.

Do you understand today that God knows everything about you?

He knows where your heart is today. He knows what you're thinking about.

He knows if you're fighting sleep this morning, and that's okay.

If you're tired and you have sleep, that's all right. God knows where you're at. He'll bless you.

But he knows all the things where you have sinned in any possible way.

And his love is not separated from you unless you refuse to receive it.

That's that's an incredible incredible thought that he knows what maybe nobody

else knows maybe not your kids maybe not your spouse maybe not your parents,

and if you are willing he will forgive and redeem you and change you i have redeemed you.

I can't even imagine that. I mean, my heart is open to it and I believe it.

But this is the kind of forgiveness God will bring if we will receive it from him.

He starts over with people where the grace of God comes. And now you hear me.

This is where we get uncomfortable.

The grace of God that brings forgiveness is also transformative.

Now, grace is free. You don't earn it. Okay. But even Luther said,

after you've received the grace, you're not going to be the same.

It changes you.

And the way it changes you is the evidence of its presence.

And what the gospel talks about is the newness of life. Paul talks about that.

We become new creations in him. Fear not, I have redeemed you.

You aren't stuck where you are. I can make you new, transform your life if we'll come to him.

Dennis Kinlaw, longtime president of Asbury Seminary, had a statement that I

just really love. Some of you read the book. It's a little book. What about Jesus?

And he writes in there that so often when we think about salvation,

we think about it in legal terms.

Now, don't misunderstand me. The legal terms are there.

That you have been judged, you have been found wanting, you need the forgiveness of Christ.

That's all there and so we talk about it sometimes like god is the judge and

jesus is the advocate and the holy spirit does that work in us convicting us

that's all true i am not pushing any of that away and this is from kinlaw not me,

but he said the courtroom theology of the church is good to a point,

but the grace of christ is more like kitchen table theology you remember being a teenager and.

And you'd done something that you didn't want to talk to your dad about. And your dad knew.

And you got to go to the supper table. Now, I know we've gotten into a culture

where we don't eat supper together often enough, but my family always did.

And you got to come to the supper table and you got to have an uncomfortable discussion with dad.

But that's different than having the judge. Because we forget when we talk about

the judge that God is our father. He loves us.

He wants to forgive us. Does not mean we won't have to make some restitution.

Does not mean that we will not have to change some things.

But there is a place at His table set for us if we will come and receive His grace.

And I don't know about you, but I'd a whole lot rather talk to Dad than I would talk to a judge.

Dad could be a judge. My dad could meet out punishment. Yes,

he could. He was old school that way.

But his love would shine through, and that's the way it is with God.

And that's the word to Israel.

Fear not, I have created you. I have redeemed you. If you will come to the table, there is grace.

And the grace is transformative. And finally this, fear not, I am with you, he says.

Isn't that good to know? I am with you.

That God does not forget his own. Like parents, you don't forget your children,

even when they won't come home, even when you're praying for them because they're outside the fold.

You love them. You hurt for them.

God is that way with us. He does not forget us and he will be with us.

And I've said this in a lot of sermons. You can ask my former congregation.

Mama kept saying and I hated it when she said it, birds of a feather flock together.

Just hated that. Lived in a small community. I think mom knew the family of

every girl I ever tried to date.

And she just, you know, would remind me of that kind of thing talk about

birds of a feather flock together. What did she mean by that?

She meant that you become like the people you hang around with.

Now, we got to take the gospel to a world that's lost, but we really do need each other.

And here's the really big key for your Christian walk. You want to be like Jesus?

Not going to happen unless you hang around with Jesus. Spend time with him.

Get to know Him. Let Him be your Savior and your Redeemer and your Sanctifier.

Let Him have His way in your life.

Grace is always transformative.

Those who have been forgiven much are grateful for much and love much, right?

Sometimes we don't take our salvation seriously because we don't take sin seriously.

Sin kills, sin destroys. That's another sermon.

But it's understanding that that helps us understand how great the Father's sacrifice for us,

and how loved we are and the call we have to walk with him and to know him and

to experience him and being transformed not by our own discipline,

but by his presence in us.

That's the message. I created you. I've called you by name. I have redeemed you.

You are mine, and I am with you.

Maybe it doesn't look like it some days, because we have a hard time sometimes

recognizing the presence of God, but he is always with us.

And it is that presence that transforms, that changes us, and that's how you win the world.

You know, coming from Wesley, you don't transform the world by debating with him.

You outlive them, you outlove them, and you outdie them.

That's who we are. That's what it's about. That's the transformation.

And that wins the world and that changes everything.

And it should be reflected in our churches and how we love one another and how

we bless one another and how we try to lead each other better than we found

each other and how we encourage one another.

It doesn't mean there isn't place for correction and adjustment.

There is, but all done with love and with grace.

little story to end. When I went to.

Greeley, Colorado. I did not want to leave Richland Center.

You can ask my wife. I wrestled and struggled and I really wanted to stay here

and the Lord was prodding and he worked and opened the doors for us to go.

And so we moved and God blessed us in some really incredible ways out there.

But I went to this church, which looked a lot like the Richland Center Church,

another way to say it, somewhat aging congregation, congregation,

good hearts, and there.

And you know, they're all praying like most of us, we need young families in

the church. We just need young families.

And the church is surrounded by, Greeley is about 54% Hispanic.

And so I figure, Lord, you must want me to reach the Latinos that live all around the church.

And so I started to try to do that, and I would get some to come,

and then pretty soon they wouldn't come anymore, and let's just tell it like

it is, I just failed, okay?

I didn't get it done, and I'm going, Lord, I believe you brought me to Greeley,

but I'm not seeing it, and so I prayed and fasted and said, you got to show

me what it is you want to do here, because,

I've evidently missed the boat.

So, couple weeks later.

On a Sunday morning, my district superintendent was preaching, not me,

and a young Asian man slipped in, and he slipped into the back of the church,

and he listened, and my DS preached a message that was as simple as this,

that is the time, this is the place, and you are the one to get the will

of God done. It was a strong message.

And that young Asian man came to me after the service. he says,

Pastor, just one question. Sure.

Can I bring my family with me next week? Of course. So he showed up next Sunday with eight of them.

Okay, that's great. Two weeks later, he showed up with 17.

Four weeks later, he showed up with 35. And then he said, could we have a Bible

study in our own language?

He was from Myanmar and had grown up in the jungle. I mean, grown up in the

jungle and had somehow managed to get educated.

And by educated, I mean high school interesting background. I said, sure.

You want a Bible study? That's great. Pretty soon the Bible study is big enough.

He said, we got to have a bigger room. Okay.

Use the sanctuary. Come on in. Well, pretty soon we have a service in the Karen

language, which is a province in Myanmar.

And most of the people were persecuted for their faith and they ended up in

refugee camps in Thailand and then got to the United States and Tata was the young man's name.

George W. Bush is his favorite president because he signed the paperwork that

got him out of the refugee camps and into the United States.

It's a fascinating story.

Pretty soon we had a service in the Krenn language at one o'clock.

Not long after that, people from the Chuuk Islands started showing up.

I didn't know anybody from, they spoke two keys. I'd never heard of two keys before.

That's the official language of Micronesia, as it turns out.

Pretty soon, we had a service at three o'clock and two keys.

And then the Karenis started coming.

Now, that's a different language. Suddenly, I've got three major different language groups than English.

And I did say to the folks, I said.

Let's not be separate congregations. Let's find a way to be one.

So let's have a unity service the first Sunday of every month.

And started having food after that, which when you have that many different

groups, your potlucks become really weird.

You know, it's like, I'm assuming the soup you brought me is octopus.

How do you know that? because of the tentacle hanging over the edge of the,

I'm not making this up, or the chicken foot soup. Some of you have had that before.

I found out if I sit at a table through the children, I can share the chicken

feet because they like them.

And because I was a pastor, they'd bring me a big bowl with extra chicken feet in it.

It wasn't long after that, the Haitians started coming. And I'm sitting here

going, what is going on? And part of what happened is I got out of God's way

and he started bringing people.

So on Sunday morning, we've got multiple languages for whatever we're singing

and trying to find hymns we all know.

And it wasn't as hard as you might think.

Have you ever, maybe you haven't, but if you've ever stood in the congregation,

and you have listened to Amazing Grace sung in six different languages at the

same time, you're kind of going,

I wonder if this is like Pentecost.

And I tell you all that, and I tell you this part of the story that caught me off guard.

Tata's wife came to me after they'd been there a while, and she had tears streaming down her face.

And she said, I want to say thank you. And she was saying it really to the whole

congregation, but she was expressing it to me.

And she said, you know, we've been in the United States for a few years now.

They were already citizens by that time.

And she said, and we've been to many churches.

And she says, most of they're willing to give us a room somewhere.

They're willing to rent space to us.

She said, but we came here, and you invited us to be part of you,

part of the fellowship, part of the church.

She never said you wanted to rent space or keep us separate.

And she's just really crying by this point and saying, thank you.

You don't know what that means to us.

And that's not me, folks. That was God at work and a loving congregation of

late people who embraced those who came.

I remember standing in church after

I'm on the front row sitting down here waiting for my turn to preach.

You know, got to use an interpreter, got all kinds of different things we do.

And I'm standing there in this church where the youth group was in their 50s for a while there.

Anyway, as I'm standing there worshiping, a basketball comes rolling down the

aisle and bounces off the kneeling rail and I thought to myself,

you know what, we have kids now.

And somebody said, it's so noisy in here now with all these kids and children.

And I went, you prayed for children, right?

This is what you get. And got it work.

And another, when the Chukis came and broke in English, I asked the Laces, why did you come here?

She said, because I heard this church knows how to love immigrants.

It's the way God's love works through you.

To love people, to share grace, to smile, you are loved by God created for his purpose.

He has chosen you. He knows your name. He knows the number of hairs on your

head. Some of us doesn't take as much work, but he knows the number of hairs on your head.

And he wants to use you to love one another, to bless one another,

to encourage one another.

The safest place that you can go on Sunday ought to be the church where you

worship our God through his son, Christ Jesus, the one who has saved you and transformed you.

And we may all have different nuances in our belief, but who was it Wesley wrote

the letter to? They had the disagreement on communion.

I'll ask you after the service, maybe you remember.

Anyway, he said to the, I can't remember if it was top lady or somebody else, but he said.

If you love Jesus with all your heart as I love Jesus, then let's not fight

over communion. Give me your hand.

We are brothers in Christ. I'm paraphrasing a little bit there,

but that's the gist of it.

That's what we need to bless one another, to encourage one another,

to let the hope that is in God lift us up.

And you may feel like you're singing the songs of Zion down by the river and

being made fun of, but know that God is with you and there is a better day.

And he brought the Israelites home from captivity.

And in Christ Jesus, he has done a new thing to bring our hearts home from captivity

and make us new creations in his presence.

That's the good news of the gospel.

By faith, whatever the future holds, we know the source of the entire future.

And he is our God.

I need that hope. I need to be encouraged. I wish I could tell you that I did

great things that made what happened in Greeley happen.

No, it was all God. It was all God. And that's the good news.

Sometimes you got to get out of his way.

But mostly, you got to give him your whole heart. Otherwise,

you'll never get out of his way. Otherwise, you won't love in his name.

That's the redemption in the New Testament. Wherever God says,

fear not, something new is going to happen, right? You've heard that in a sermon somewhere.

In the New Testament, the fear not was when Jesus came.

So I'll close with this. The beginning of all of this is you got to make Jesus Lord.

Repent and believe, Jesus said. That's a start. But then you got to walk with

him and let him lead and let the grace that was given freely transform you and change the way you live.

And if you hang around with Jesus, he'll rub off on you.

If you hang around with Jesus, your life will be changed. So hang around with Jesus.

We need each other. Bless each other. Let's have a word of prayer.

Father,

We are so blessed to be your children.

You have loved us even when it was costly. You have loved us in the middle of our messes.

And you can make goodness come out of the mess and out of the chaos. That's who you are.

So as we come toward a close in this service, would you wrap your arms around every person here?

I don't know what they're all going through, but remind them they're not alone.

Remind them that you are with them that you are here that you have chosen them

called them by name redeemed them made them yours.

Remind them that there's a place for them at your table and help them to come and dine there.

And then Lord remind us that we're not solitary Christians.

We need each other and we have each other and help us to bless each other and

encourage one another and lift one another up.

Help us as churches to be fans of each other and encourage one another and lift

up the pastors and the leadership and the laity and to glorify God in this community.

Thanks for our faithful leaders.

And thanks most of all for your faithfulness to us. You're our God.

Our hope is in you. We pray it all in the eternal name of your risen Son and

our Savior, Christ Jesus Amen Amen.