December 29th Romans 15 v 12 - 13
We are very mindful of Jesus’ coming to earth as our Saviour. It’s a season of HOPE.
BIBLICAL HOPE is "a confident expectation based on solid certainty - it rests on God’s sure promises."
In the New Testament, the Christian’s "great hope" particularly relates to the return of Jesus.
Firstly, at the end of verse 12, Paul quotes from the prophet Isaiah and says:
1. "In HIM the Gentiles shall trust." (hope)
Isaiah was writing here of JESUS ("the root of Jesse"). And the first thing we must note about all Christian hope is that it always looks to Jesus as a focus. Our hope looks to Jesus:
A. For ETERNITY.
Proverbs 23:17-18 says: "let not thine heart envy sinners, But be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long; for surely there is an end, And thine expectation (HOPE) shall not be cut off."
Our ultimate HOPE is an eternity with the Lord - we believe in the resurrection of the dead, and that Jesus is coming again! The Christian’s ultimate hope is not in this old world.
It’s a HOPE of a better time and place. But then, our Hope does look to Jesus:
B. For THIS LIFE.
Not only do we have One who will walk through the veil of death with us - but we have One who is beside us every step of the way in this life. What is my hope for my lifetime - Jesus Christ!
Our Hope looks to Jesus. "In HIM the gentiles shall hope!"
Then, notice, the first phrase of verse 13 says :
2. "Now THE GOD OF HOPE . . ."
"The God of Hope" - this implies several things about our God:
A. His NATURE is Hopeful.
God is, by nature, FULL OF HOPE. He is a HOPEFUL God. Well, to gain understanding turn over to Romans 8:20 read " In other words, because of sin this old world has been subjected to a process of deterioration God could have destroyed this entire creation and started again, but He didn’t.
He chose instead to use the situation in the plan of His HOPE OF SALVATION; A PLAN COMING TO FULFILMENT IN JESUS. Remember that the Christian hope is not merely "wishful thinking".
Here is another proof - God knows the end from the beginning, and His confident expectation of the success of the gospel (which He has already seen) is called "HOPE".
He is the God of HOPE. When all others would have seen no other option but to destroy the world because of sin, the God of all Hope saw another way!
By NATURE He is Hopeful.
B. He is THE SUPPLIER of Hope to us.
As "the God of Hope" He is able to pour His hope into our lives - all the hope we’ll ever need.
He is our reserve in times should our Hope begin to wane.
If you’ve lost sight of our great hope in Christ, , GO TO GOD.
Ask Him to restore to you the Joy of His salvation - He’ll fill you with His great hope if you call on Him.
C. He has instigated THE GREAT HOPE.
He is the God who has sent Jesus to bring salvation’s plan. God drew up the blueprint of this wondrous plan of redemption through His Son on the drawing boards of Heaven before the foundation of the world! He has instigated this great Hope. He is truly "THE GOD OF HOPE".
v 13. "...fill you with ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING."
Have you ever heard some people talking about their hopes for the future, and all it seems to be is a reason for MISERY AND DISCONTENT now?
"Oh, ONE day . . . over the rainbow . . . then it will all come together for me. Then it will be wonderful.
That is not the Christian position!
Oh, yes, we look forward to an eternal Hope that is far better than what we have here - BUT WE’RE NOT WAITING FOR IT MISERABLY, full of discontent. NO! God forbid!
BECAUSE our hope is an absolute CERTAINTY we have Joy and Peace NOW
Eternal Life for us has already begun! Romans 12:12 says we live "rejoicing IN HOPE".
Speaking of this great Hope we have as Christians, in 1 Peter 1:8-9 we read: "Though now you do not see (Jesus) (with your physical eyes), yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith - the salvation of your souls."paraphrased
Oh, our living Hope should keep us constantly in JOY and PEACE.
Then, moving on to the next phrase of our text (Romans 15:13) we read:
4. "... that you may ABOUND in hope"
This word "abound" which means "to superabound, to have in excess".
He wants this Hope that we have to be filling us up to overflowing so that it pours out of our lives to affect others. THE HOPE THAT WE HAVE IN JESUS SHOULD BE CONTAGIOUS!
You know the Early Church. Whenever they would greet another believer they would say "MARANATHA" - "the Lord is coming!". They expected Him daily; they lived in that hope.
did you get up this morning and say to yourself : " . . JESUS MIGHT COME TODAY!"
I tell you, if you’re a believer, there’s nothing quite like that to put a spring in your step!
"That you may ABOUND in Hope", Paul says !
Then, this brings us to the last phrase of our text - that you may abound in Hope:
5. "...by THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."
We receive this hope, and we live in this hope, we keep this hope alive, BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The word for power here is words like "dynamic" & "dynamite". It speaks of "DYNAMIC ENERGY". Our abundant hope is created and released in our lives by the dynamic ENERGIES of the Holy Spirit at work within us.
It is the Spirit who enables believers to experience in THIS life the blessings of the life to come.
He is the Divine Partner given to us to help us through our Christian walk; we NEED this abundant hope to carry us through thick and thin - and so the Spirit of God energises us with it.
News from the Church New dates
5th January…….Covenant Service at 6-30pm
8th January …..Friendship Group, (this covers all ages and the lonely people)
15th January….. Knit and natter is a time to finish old projects or learn new skills
ANSWERS TO 22nd December QUESTIONS
1) understandest what thou readest 2) the eunuchs baptism 3) Azotus and Caesarea 4) Paul 5) Seven 6) Seven 7) Simon 8 ) Thy money perish with thee 9) Three 10). Silas 11) Debe Lystra Iconium Phrygia Galatia Macedonia 12) Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus 13) Lydia 14) Philippian Jailor 15) Silvanus 16) They were put in prison
Bible Quiz this week’s Quiz is about Paul and Barnabas, Timothy and Mark
1 After leaving Cyprus they visited 3 important towns , Which ones?
2 At what town were they mistaken for Roman gods?
3 What was the outcome of this mistake ?
4 Who addressed the meeting when they returned to Jerusalem?
5 When they arrived back at Jerusalem two people went their separate ways, who were they?
6 Who went with Paul?
7 Who went with Barnabas?
8 Who was the nephew of Barnabas?
9 Who did Mark work with in Cyprus?
10 Mark returned home halfway through doing what?
11 Which Apostle was delivered from prison and he went to Marksmothers house?
12 Did Mark ever work with Paul again?
13 Mark went to Baylon with which Apostle?
14 Who did Mark go to Cyprus with?
15 Are Timothy and Mark ever mentioned together by Paul?
16 Mark cousin was a well know disciple who, was he?
God Bless