The Hope of the Christian - Paul Kropf

Greetings again this morning in the name of Jesus. It's

good to be here with you again. And as Brother

Leland says, it's that time of the year, seems like

we're all busy, we're tired, but this is a day

of rest, and it's really a blessing. But it's not

just a day of rest. It's not just a time

to take a nap. But it's a day of worship.

And I was thinking about, you know, leading that animal along.

Now that's not our focus so much as we're looking

to the Lamb of God this morning, and I trust

that's our desire to worship him well. This morning, I'd

like to think about a subject that I think, if

you're a Christian, we have it in our hearts, but

it's not yet reality. We've never seen it, even though

it's as though we already possess it. And that is

the hope of the Christian. There's a saying that in

the human heart, hope springs eternal.

You know, hope is a beautiful thing.

It's part of just part of the human spirit that

reaches out to anticipate something better.

But you know, so.

Often in this world, the hopes and dreams that we

have are never realized.

It's probably never going to happen.

Things I'd like to do, I'm not sure if I'll

ever get him done. And so often what we hope

for is it's kind of elusive and things happen, and

reality is that things happen that we don't hope for.

Even the most well laid out plans, you know, many

times don't.

Work out like we hope for. It's always seems to

be that little worm in the apple.

I had to think about the lower angle. Wilder's books

seems to me I haven't read him for years, but

it seems like pa Ingles was a man that he

was a.

Man of hope.

You know, next year the crops would be better, they

would pay off that debt, there'd be money to bear.

And sometimes it seemed like they were just so close,

you know, they there's a beautiful field of rightening wheat,

and suddenly the grasshoppers just came in and flattened it,

or the fire came through, and that was the end

of the crop. It's almost discouraging sometimes to read the story,

but you know, again, he would replant or move out

west further, always chasing that hope for something better. You know,

I had to think, even if our hopes, our dreams

all came true, you know, isn't there's something always just

a little bit more to hope for. And you know,

we come to the realization that if our hope is

only in the thing in this world, we're going to

be disappointed. We got every last thing that we hope for.

It is the Bible says it is still appointed unto

men wants to die?

And then what.

And even though in temporal things, even with all the

stuff we have, with all the things we can accumulate,

people often feel useless, unhappy, insecure. We heard about our

mental health this morning. You know, people that have totally

lost hope. Life is empty, there's no more goals to fulfill,

nothing to hope for.

Leave.

It was Elvis Presley. Maybe some of you hardly remember

that anymore, but but you know he had everything that

money could buy. You know, he drugs women, whatever, whatever

he wanted he could have. But he said, I'm not

sure exactly if it's toward the end of his life.

He said, I am the most miserable man that ever

lived Without Christ. Life is without hope. I like to

read a few verses from Romans eight this morning. Romans

eight twenty two to twenty eight says, for we know

that the whole creation growneth and travaileth in pain together

until now, And not only they, but ourselves also, which

have the first fruits of the Spirit, Even we ourselves

grown within ourselves, waiting for the adoption to wit the

redemption of our body. Or 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 that we see not, then

do we with patience wait for it.

Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth.

Our infirmities, where we know not what we should pray

for as we ought. But the Spirit itself maketh the

intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that.

Searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the might of the Spirit,

because he maketh the intercession for the saints, according to

the will of God. And we know that all things

work together for good to them that love God, to

them who are the called according to His purpose. And

then going on to verse thirty five, who shall separate

us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress,

or persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, all these hopeless things,

as it is written, for thy sake, we are killed

all the day long, for we are accounted as sheep

for the slaughter nay, and all these things. We are

more than conquerors for Him that loved us. For Ian

persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,

nor powers, nor things to come, things present, nor things

to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature

shall be able to separate us from the love of

God which is in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. I think

Paul is saying here that you know, all the hopes,

the dreams really are fleeting. Even creation is groaning and

travailing and pain. But as Christians we await the redemption

of the body. We are saved by hope. And the

Greek meaning there for the word hope is to anticipate

with pleasure. You know, we anticipate with pleasure the day

when our bodies are fashioned like His glorious body. You

hope that is seen is not hope anymore.

We hope for.

Things that we do not see as yet. And this hope,

it says it takes patience. We have to wait for it.

Sometimes waiting can be pretty difficult because we want it now,

you know, we want deliverance from sin, temptations, corruption around us.

You know, we can't see that really the outcome of

our life. We don't know where the journey is going

to take us, or how the crossing is going to be.

These things we don't understand as yet. But then he

goes on to say that those who love God there's

purpose things in life that we don't understand. Helps us

to keep that hope alive so that we can see

things from an eternal perspective. Then he asks the question,

who can separate us from that love of Christ the

hardship's difficulties. No, we're more than conquers. As though victory

is already one. Nothing can separate us from the love

of Christ. That's a genuine hope, isn't it. It's said

of Abraham and Robins four eighteen, who against hope, believed

in hope. You know, when we come to the end

of our reasoning, that's as far as we can see,

and we discover our own hopelessness. You know, all that

we have left is to cling to the hope which

is anchored in God, which is beyond our reasoning. You know,

I think Abraham came to that place. You know, he

didn't understand how God was going to fulfill his promises.

He didn't understand how God could do those impossible things.

But he hung on to that hope. He believed God anyway.

Lamentations three twenty six. It says it's good that a

man should both hope and wait quietly for the salvation

of the Lord. Oh we know the joys the sorrows

of life, they're a transient. It quickly goes away. The

poet Robert Burns wrote, pleasure are like poppies spread. You

seize the flower, the bloom is shed, or like the

snowfall in the river, a moment white then melts forever.

The hopes and dreams of the world is going to perish.

But for the Christian we have a solid, enduring hope.

So we think about hope.

You know, faith and hope they're very similar, and that

the object of each one is unseen. Hebrews eleven one says,

now faith is a substance of things. Hope for the

evidence of things not seen. So faith and hope are

walk hand in hand. And I believe the Church of

Jesus Christ stands as a door of hope to a

world that's gripped in hopelessness. I believe the Christian is

a living expression of hope, even though he recognizes the

futility of earthly hope. Revelation three eight says, behold, I

have set before the end open door.

No man can shut it.

I believe this open door signifies hope. I have set

before you hope, and I believe that hope that we

have within us needs to be shared for Speedter three

point fifteen. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,

and be ready to give an answer to every man

that asketh you of a reason, of the hope that

is within you, that is in you with meekness and fear.

So this morning, what is your hope? What do you anticipate? Most?

I have six.

Things here this morning, different facets of hope that a

Christian has. The first one I have is that of

a living hope. You know, this living hope is so

much more than the things on earth that we hope for. Probably,

if you're a farmer, you hope it doesn't rain tomorrow,

or you may hope for a good crop, or maybe

you hope the Boss gives you a raise. You know,

these earthly hopes may or may not happen. We have

a living hope. First Peter one to three. Blessed be

the God and Father. From Lord Jesus Christ, which according

to his abundant mercy hath given us, has begotten us

again into a lively hope or a living hope, by

the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. You know,

without that resurrection of Christ, there is no hope, no

hope in this world. Of that in the resurrection chapter

and First Corinthians fifteen, verse twenty nineteen and twenty or

twenty to twenty two.

But now.

Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits

of them that slept. For since by man came death

by man, also came the resurrection of the dead. For

as an Adam all die, even so in Christ shall

all be made alive. That's a living hope. Ephesians two

talks about, you know, the times that we were without

Christ or aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from

the covenants of promise, having no hope without God, in

the world world, that's where we were no hope. But

now in Christ Jesus, you are sometime afar off, are

made nigh by the blood of Christ. So why do

we cling to this hope. Well, it's because Christ, it

was once dead, shed his blood. He's alive forevermore. It's

a living hope. It's the resurrection of Christ really that

makes Christianity stand above all other religions. And our leader

is alive. I am he that liveth and was dead. Behold,

I am alive forevermore. And without Christ means no hope.

With Christ, there is hope.

It's pretty simple.

And this morning, if Jesus is not Lord and Savior

of your life, there's no assurance of hope for you, because.

He is our hope.

He is our living hope. Secondly, it's a steadfast hope.

Hebrews sixth eighteen to twenty. It says that by two

immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie,

we might have a strong consolation. Have fled for refuge,

to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which

hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both

sure and steadfast, and which enter it in to that

within the veil, that hope is a lot more than

just wishful thinking. Nothing is going to diminish that hope.

It remains the same conditions are will never change.

Now.

It doesn't need that disclaimer that says you know, this

hope may change without notice or tomorrow.

That warranty is nolan.

Void, but it's sure. It's steadfast. It's like a ship

that's in the harbor. It's anchored. It's there. The hope

that was set before us is now realized. Jesus is

sitting at the right hand of the Father, and I

believe that's a hope that you and I can count on.

Even if our earthly hopes have all faded away. We

have that steadfast hope. Thirdly, this hope is laid up.

It's reserved.

Calastions one five for the hope which is laid up

for you in heaven, whereof you're before in the Word

of truth, whereof you heard before in the world Word

of truth of the Gospel.

Verse Peter one.

Force is to an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, that fateth not away,

reserved in heaven for you. Back in Romans eighth again

Romans eight sixteen to nineteen says the spirit itself maketh

witness with our spirit that we are the children of

God and of children, then heirs, heirs of God, join

heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with Him,

that we may be glorified together. If I reckon that

the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to

be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in

us for the earnest expectation, or we call that the

eager hope of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of

the sons of God.

And if.

You know, if we are a child of God this morning,

we are a joint heir with Christ.

Isn't that amazing? You know what?

What did Christ inherit Hebrews one too, it says that

God hath appointed him heir of all things. As believers,

we have a share in those all things. It says

all things are going to be one day put under

subjection under the feet of Christ.

You know, I don't know.

I can't even imagine what that inheritance will be like.

But it's reserved, it's Christ is going to share it

with us. It's laid up for every child of God

in heaven for you.

Or before.

It's a hope that calls us to holiness. Maybe that's

an aspect we don't like to think about so much.

Fir John three two and three. It says, beloved narrow,

we the sons of God. It doth not yet appear

what we shall be, but we know that when he

shall appear, we shall be like him.

We shall see him as he is.

And that says every man that hath this hope in

him purifieth himself even as he is pure. You know

when this hope is alive in our heart. I believe

it's saying here that it's going to make a difference

in how we live, should give a desire to walk

worthy of our calling, separating ourselves from the world it's

ungodly influences. It's not going to be so difficult for

focused on that hope that's set before us. That God

calls us to come out, touch.

Not the unclean thing.

And I will receive you and be a father unto you,

and you should be my sons and daughters, saith the

Lord Almighty. Then he goes on second Corinthians seven to one,

having therefore these promises dearly beloved, Let us cleanse ourselves

from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness

in the fear of God again. A steadfast hope, I

believe will change the way we live. He was r

a tory once gave an example of his friend. He

was walking down the street in Minnesota, Minneapolis, and he

was thinking about the coming of the Lord, and the

thought came to him, see here now, at the time

he was puffing away at his cigar. Came to him,

See here, how would you like the Lord to come

and meet you with this cigar in your mouth? And

he took that cigar out of his mouth and threw

it in the gutter, never lighted another. Well, it's good

to think about the return of the Lord. What would

we want to be doing when the Lord returns? Or

where would you like to be found? You know, the

hope that we have should clear up those questions, purify

our hearts. Number five, it's a good hope. Second Thessalonians

two sixteen and seventeen. Now our Lord, Jesus Christ himself,

and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and

given us an everlasting consolation and a.

Good hope through grace, comfort your heart, establish you in

every good. We're in work.

Now God has given not just consolation and hope, but

everlasting consolation. It's a comfort, and it's a good hope.

This consolation will last forever, and God is going to

make good on all his promises. Number six, the last

will probably spend more time here than on any of

the previous ones.

But it is a blessed hope.

Titus two thirteen says, looking for that blessed hope and

the glorious appearing of the Lord of the Great God

and our Savior Jesus Christ, a blessed hope. You know,

throughout the centuries of Church history, true believers have waited

expectantly for this glorious event. This the things, the thing

that we hope for the most, or we should hope

for the most. Apostle John, writing from the Isle of Patmos, says, behold,

he cometh with clouds, every eye shall see him, and

also which pierced him.

Revelation one seven.

And the New Testament alone mentions the return of Christ

in about three hundred places. You know, many scholars, many

even religious scholars. News magazines today they've virtually dismissed the

idea of the real second coming of Christ.

They prefer to believe that the Bible accounts are just symbolic.

You know.

Maybe it could mean that Jesus comes again at the

conversion of every sinner.

Or maybe it could mean.

He comes again when believers meet together, or it could

mean that Jesus comes again for his people when they die. Well,

it's true that Jesus is there. We don't have to

cross Jordan alone.

He is there. When will we walk through the valley

of the Shadow of death.

But those things are not the second coming. We're told

in Hebrews nine twenty eight that Christ shall appear the

second time, not only to deal with the sin issue.

But he's coming for those that eagerly await his coming.

Or Thessalonians four sixteen, for the Lord himself shall descend

from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel,

with the trump of God. Jesus is coming again to

remove his Church from this sin cursed earth. If you

think about it, there will be a generation of Christians

that will never die, and that could be in our generation.

We don't know the exact day of Jesus' return. You know,

throughout history there's those people that have set dates. You know,

he's going to come in this date.

I still remember.

It's down in La One time, the people were holding signs,

you know, the coming of Jesus May twenty first.

I forget the year, I think. I asked him, you know,

do you.

Really believe that he's coming on that day?

Well, he said maybe about.

Ninety percent of he believes it. Well, he didn't come

that day. That doesn't mean Jesus it will not come,

simply that we can't tell when we don't know the

day or the hour. We do know that Jesus gave

different signs of his coming, and these signs are all

around us. You know, there's a rise in moral decay

across the nations of the world. There's deceivers that about

even within the church. Now, there's unusual things happening in

our environment, you know, the brutal hurricanes, devastating earthquakes, increasing

violence with wars and rumors of wars, all these things.

Our evidence is that Jesus will come again. And maybe

you disagree with me, but I don't believe that there's

one prophecy that needs to be fulfilled yet before Jesus

can return. I believe he could come this minute. Jesus

will return on an ordinary day when people are doing

ordinary things. The wicked will be practicing their ordinary sins.

God's people will be doing ordinary service, their ordinary work.

But one thing is certain. The Bible tells us it

will be sudden and unexpected, like a thief in the night,

like a flash of lightning. For the believer, that's going

to be a glorious experience to meet the Lord and heir,

never again to be separated. First, Thessalonians four eighteen says

to comfort to encourage each other with these words. You know,

for the unbeliever, it's going to be a time of terror.

All the earthly hopes are going to perish. Second Thessalonians

one seven to ten. And to you who are troubled,

rest with us. When the Lord shall be revealed from

heaven with the mighty angels and flaming fire, taking vengeance

on them that know not God and them that obey

not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall

be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,

from the glory of his power, when he shall come

to be glorified in his saints to be admired of

all them that believe there's a time coming of God's

wrath and vengeance to meet it out in full.

You know, sometimes we.

At least I do, I struggle with the violence of

evil men and say prosper and their ungodly deeds. Maybe

they're in power that persecute the Christians, Church, atheistic, bloodthirsty tyrants.

You know, we wonder where is justice? God says, vengeance

is mine.

I will repay.

All wrongs are going to be righted, all evil will

be terminated, says when he shall come to be glorified

and admired in all that belief. I don't totally understand

how this is going to happen, but it seems like

God's glory is going to be reflected in us. Firse Corinthians,

fifteen forty nine. And we have borne the image of

the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Goes on to say that flesh and blood cannot inherit

the Kingdom of God. That I show you a mystery.

We shall all be changed in a moment, in the

twinkling of an eye, the last trump dead shall be

raised increptible we shall all be changed.

And then death, he.

Says, will be swallowed up in victory. You know, for

the believer, death is not the end of the road.

It's really a glorious beginning. First strinth in thirteen says,

now by the faith, hope, charity, the grees of these

is charity, you know, faith and hope, those twin things

that we cling to in this life. It's not going

to be needed anymore. It's going to be lost in reality,

it says, only love will remain well this morning? What

is your greatest hope? I believe if we're as believers,

our hope transcends all other hopes and dreams that we

may entertain. You know, again, we're probably going to have

a lot of unfulfilled des and hopes here on earth,

but the hope of the believer will be realized. P.

Sixteen, Verse eleven.

Now what show me the path of life in Thy

presence is fullness of joy at the right hand their

pleasures forevermore. And then I'll close with a verse in

two Peter three fourteen. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look

for such things, be diligent that you may be found

of Him in peace without spot and blameless. So may

God help us to keep that hope alive in our

lives and let it change our lives.

Lord, bless you this morning.