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.
We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the
Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
would like any additional information or you would like to
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Please email us at info at True Church of Christ
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at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
M, please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our
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