HOPE

HOPE
Last Sunday I delivered a sermon on HOPE. Just for fun and because I was inspired to do so, I came up with 21 different acronyms for H-O-P-E. I'll share a few of my favorites at the end. (What can you come up with that describes what HOPE is?)

Hope can be a very hard subject to describe and share with others. We all think we know what it means, but have you ever tried to define it? Words to truly describe what it is to "hope" are difficult to find. We come close, we're even satisfied with our definition, but did we REALLY convey what is meant by HOPE? We have a tendency to view hope with a slightly negative connotation. As in, we HOPE something or such and such will occur. We're not 100% CERTAIN.

Faith, likewise is something we in our hearts may truly understand yet find very hard to fully, substantially define for another to grasp. Faith and Hope are not simple subjects. They are "intangible”. You cannot point to them, like a car for instance, and say, there!, that is Hope or that is Faith.

In the book of Hebrews in the New Testament of the Bible, chapter 11 and verse 1 reads: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is the way to get to Hope - and neither of these can be reached except through Jesus Christ! That indefinable intangible can only be understood, ascertained and received via the Holy Spirit. We, in our flesh without the Spirit, can not fully comprehend. We can get very close, but not get all the way there without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We can "HOPE" that we're going to heaven, or that God loves us, or that something in our lives will happen or change or whatever it is we’re “hoping” for - but there's always that negative aspect to deal with - our HOPE at that point has an element of doubt to it. We aren't utterly certain. The only way to a completely certain, absolute positive HOPE is the Hope found ONLY in salvation through Jesus Christ.

This isn't the most popular option, I know. This is also one of the most offensive statements to a good number of people. I know. This can even be a dangerous point of view to express in our current culture. I know. None of that changes the truth. You can twist words, call it "my truth" and dismiss it. It still won't change THE TRUTH. The dismissal by the Romans and the Jewish leaders 2000 years or so ago did not change THE TRUTH of who Jesus was then, and dismissal by us today cannot change THE TRUTH of who Jesus is now.
Want HOPE for the future? HOPE for your children? HOPE for our country or culture or even just HOPE for our own lives right now? HOPE IN JESUS!

HOPE is:

Holding Onto Positive Expectations (which will cause you to)
Have Outrageous Profuse Enthusiasm (which you will then be)
Healed Of Perpetual Error (which leads to)
Having Only Peace Everlasting!


May this Christmas Season and all of the New Year be a fantastic time of HOPE in your life!
Peace, Love and Joy in the Holy Spirit!
Turn the Tide Ministries