When you have a medical problem that resists all efforts of cure, you feel hopeless. On these Sundays of Advent, leading up to the season of Christmas and beyond, I want to share with you how the light of Bethlehem still shines on us. Many people are deeply discouraged, even as we move into a time of the year that should bring out the best in us. Tagged Sermons on Hope. Then after the birth of each of my two children, the despair sucked me into a darkness I had never known before. This unwanted distress brings forth problems reserved for Christs intervention. Call him a singer, call him a preacher, or call him a prophet; whatever you choose, he gave the Israelites words of hope. 7 Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold itwith justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. His name was Bill Anderson. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Tamar (1 of 3) Scott Maze. The Bible says that he knows every sorrow and he knows the reason for every tear we shed. But our hope lies in what Christ has done: he overcame sin and death. King David related to this struggle. On the other hand, if you have been a chain smoker and contract lung cancer or have an aortic embolism due to smoking, your thought and actions have been the cause. Two Responses: Co-worker who gave birth to a still-born child. Normally people face the stress of life and just keep plowing through, day after day. Please subscribe to my list so I can keep in touch. where there is injury, pardon; This morning we are looking at the hope that Jesus has given us. It reminded me that my hope and joy are not found in what I can do but in what Jesus has already done. In other words there are eternal consequences that occur when we reject Jesus. While this conversation with my pastor may not seem earth shattering, and though what we discussed was not some amazing new concept, the conversation reminded me of a truth I had forgotten. No wonder parents like Wilf are forced to threaten: If I thought that Rod wouldnt have suitable care when I die, I would take him with me! (http://www.dice.org.au/~viccid/letters1.htm). wondered how It is the "in-between times" when faith grows, and God brings life to the dead. Each candle represents a portion of the blessings that Jesus Christ has brought to us hope, peace, joy, love, and life. If you're looking for more sermon ideas on hope, be sure to head over to SermonSearch.com to find 100's of sermons on hope to help you out! I refer to these essentials as entrance ramps. We do not hope in the glory of human life on planet earth; we hope in the glory of God. A few verses later in 11-12 we see, "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. November 2, 2022. I praise God for what he has promised. Sermons on Christmas / AdventSermons on Hope. The people who heard those words of God from that preacher needed to hear them because there was darkness all around them. 4 For the yoke of his burden,and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor,you have broken as on the day of Midian. John 12:20-33, Psalm 51:1-13, Denomination: Archie said, Yeah, you add up all your hostile feelings and then you just vent them on somebody. That power awakens within us awareness that we are not alone. Perhaps you, or you know of others who lost one of these or have gone through a major loss in life. 3 You have multiplied the nation; You have increased its joy; they rejoice before You as with joy at the harvest,as they are glad when they divide the spoil. This scam went on for two years. How can we negotiate life when the road is filled with one pothole after another, blind curves, and dead ends? some such manner as this: "I'm sorry my wife isn't home. In many of these services (like our own), worship ends when one-by-one the light of a single candle is passed from one person to another, until the entire sanctuary is filled with Bethlehems light. But I havent heard you tell me how you are trusting in what Christ already did for you, he responded. directs his love, at night his song is with me a prayer to the God of my life. When despair weighs heavy on my heart, I need to "take heart" and remember that Jesus "has overcome the world." And because he overcame the world and conquered sin and death, I know he can resurrect hope in a heart filled with despair. He was bleeding too badly to see how to drive. Jeremiah 33:14-16. He relates to us as a loving parent. This passage shows us three things we need to remember if we are going to pass the test with flying colors. Maybe you have not felt abandoned, but God seemed distant, non-responsive, not present. Apr 24, 2022. Suffering is the crucible of testing. DARE TO BELIEVE When Hope Seems Gone How can you trust God more in your desperate situation? You know, it really doesn't take much light to shine in the darkness. Hermon. The depths of despair (vss 1-2); B. Gods forgiveness (vss 3-4); C. The process of waiting and hoping (vss 5-6); D. Motivation to tell others (vss 7-8). Isaiah called it a great light. But it wasnt that great in the beginning. I was watching one of my favorite HBO mini-series the other day for the umpteenth time Band of Brothers about the 501 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during WWII. Isaiah also wrote how the joy of the nation had increased, how the people rejoiced, how the yoke of their burden was broken for this child shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Thats elementary, you might be thinking. How can I move from a spirit of despair to a life of hope? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A glory that is certain. For eighteen years of this time Rodney had no day placement and they coped with only several hours of support from the local councils Specific Home Care service. That is what makes this point exciting. Living with Hope in the Face of Despair - Sermons & Articles Living with Hope in the Face of Despair John Davis Romans 5:1-10 Over the next four weeks we will be anticipating the celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Lord. Isaiah gives us more detail about this great light in verse 6: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given (Isaiah 9:6). This glory is so brilliant that the New World and the New Jerusalem need no sun, moon, and stars, or manufactured light of any kind because the brilliance of Gods glory will illumine the universe. He asked her if she thought the light shone into the stable. I have battled depression on and off since adolescence. Jesus did not sugarcoat what it means to follow him. Believe me, its worth the effort. read more, Scripture: 1. Perhaps many of their family members had been killed. Not only do we have the hope of forever, but we have hope right now. The final point I want us to consider this morning is this: Not only does the light of Bethlehem still shine in the darkness, and not only does the light of Bethlehem shine so that you can find your way, but you can share the hope of Bethlehems light so that others can find the way. New sermonlink topics every Friday. When fear grips us, hopelessness is right behind. Like Adam in the Garden of Eden, we are experts at passing the buck. This places our focus on God and not here on earth. When we are under pressure we are able to see the way God provides and cares for us, and that brings hope. What is this hope we need and how is it possible? Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near. This I know: God is on my side! The other children started calling him, Hopeless. He didnt like that, because he was not hopeless. He was running as fast as he could. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, SOARING ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES! I believe in love, even though I dont feel it. Then add to that all of the relationship dynamics that come along with missing out on church, missing the kids and grandkids, missing school friends, missing work colleagues, and on and on. He certainly gives us something to think about. The pressure was on to bow to Caesar. The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. When she asked what happened, he told her, The star of Bethlehem fell on me.. My hairline is in recession; my waistline is in inflation; and altogether I am in depression!" When he was younger he had the prayer support of many of his friends. Your community. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. Its the way I connect with God and the powerful impact it has in changing my spirit. David left Gath and was so alone that he despairs. Sin has a terrible way of making us all dirty and giving us feelings of despair! Isaiah 61:1-3, Denomination: Despair is the complete loss of hope. I realize that hearing that there is hope to be discovered in the middle of pressure might not be exciting to some. Why is it important to apply Gods word to your situation? G.K. Chesterton, Signs of the Times, April 1993, p. 6. His church were the first body of skeptics in the Christian church. So, when she got to his name it was Hope, Leslie. How many people sit down with a checkbook each week and feel despair as they realize a growing inability to meet their obligations. Bring your fears to him and allow him to take care of the details. Baptist (505) Christian/Church Of Christ (218) . Great for families, small groups, and one-on-one mentoring. When the pressure of life is on, I'm more motivated than at any other time to want hope surging through my spirit. When hard times come, it's easy to blame God for our problems. The new conductor had a reputation for excellence, and the wealthy fraud was not going to be able to influence the new leader as he had the previous one. He spent all His time doing good for others, but His works . Psalm 42:11 Verse Concepts Why are you in despair, O my soul? Step one: Pray. 1. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. our blessed hope, Sermon series on our blessed hope, Sermon series about our blessed hope. So one day, I met with my pastor to seek his help. In a day of despair, there is hope in the promised Messiah of God. Perhaps you just discovered that your spouse is having an affair or your child is addicted to drugs and spiraling out of control. He loves us and is on our side! read more, Scripture: An entrance ramp is found in verses 8-9. She noticed his lantern and said, That lamp doesnt give much light, does it? He replied, No. Hope is the opposite of despair. There are millions of African women who face despair over their plight at the hands of Islamic invaders who rape them, kill them, or take them as sex slaves. This sermon was preached by Mrs. Ann Oommen during the worship service for India International Church. As Paul writes this he points out some interesting things that are taking place. Hope in Times of Despair Lamentations 3:1-6, 16-25 INTRODUCTI0N The year is 586 BCE. Hes the source of hope. As unpalatable as Edwards's message might have been, his significance can't be doubted, and . Outreach 100. Then one day the man was driving his new sports car, coming through an intersection, and a drunken driver crashed into his new car causing him all kinds of injuries. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. The key is to trust God when were in the midst of the struggle. Over 2,000 years theres never been a time when that light has gone out. Beyond that, we might just see that pressure can motivate us to hold on to hope in ways we've never considered. Psalm 56:8-9 You keep track of all my sorrows. But in the midst of those years of darkness, even before the worst had come, the people were offered hope. Conclusion - Christians are called to Lament, and perhaps when we live like Jesus in this world of brokenness we should be characterized more by being honest about our despair. As the pressure starts to build, it's important to trust God for peace in the pressure, and that gives us hope. Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. He thought of everything. But because he was sinless, the grave could not hold him. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion. It seemed like their enemies had the upper hand - Oppression and Torture and evil by the Babylonians. Broken relationships that cant be healed? She stood there looking at everything: the manger, the holy family, the Wise Men, and the shepherds. A driver crosses the middle line and smashes head-on into another car. I just want the pressure to end!" King David related to this struggle. Because they were dead, they weren't able to pray for him anymore. Heres something we both can agree on is Christs hope isnt from this world but of heaven. Isnt from this world but of heaven in God, for I yet. Are trusting in what Christ already did for you, or you know it... Can I move from a spirit of despair, there is injury, pardon ; this morning we are to. To shine in the middle line and smashes head-on into another car the.... Child is addicted to drugs and spiraling out of control to apply Gods word to your situation such manner this. Hope lies in what I can keep in touch 3:1-6, 16-25 the... Forever, but his works of Christ ( 218 ) of Christianity in a simple, command. 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