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. Romans 15:13

My question or challenge you for this morning, is what gives you hope? Many people try to find hope within different places, many people try to find hope in their occupation or in politics, or in their bank accounts. However none of these things will give you hope, because they are here today and gone tomorrow. Many people don’t want to confront the truth about this world, that its corrupted and fading away on a daily basis. 

Our only true hope is Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul states “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” Why is Jesus our only hope? Is it just because I’m a Christian? What is your greatest enemy? Everyday you get closer to the grave, everyday our world is falling further away from Paradise, every day disease and sin overtake our bodies, who can cure such things?

This is why Jesus Christ is your only hope, this is why Jesus Christ is the God of hope, when Christ went to the cross, He defeated sin and death forever. When Christ rose from the dead on the 3rd day, the grave and the devil are left powerless. Oh death where is your sting? Oh grave where is your victory? (1 Corinthians 15:54-57) All enemies have been put under the feet of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:25) Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33)

Because of what Christ accomplished , “you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit” We are victorious through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57) So what must we do? As the Apostle Peter said “You must repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37) We are saved by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8) This is your Victory, this is your living hope in our Lord Jesus Christ! As Christ said on the cross “It Is Finished” (John 19:30)

So I’ll ask you, do you have hope today? Have you given your life to Jesus Christ our Lord? Don’t look to the temporary things of this world that are fading away, look to the eternal Son of God who has overcome sin, death, the devil, and this world, our living Hope Jesus Christ, Amen!

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:1-6

One of the many purposes of the Church, is to “Bear each others burdens” (Galatians 6:2) The Church is a community of believers, the family of God, that is there to help and support one another during this long road as a Christian. This is why being part of a local Church, is essential to your walk with Christ. Most who forsake the assembly of believers (Hebrews 10:25) typically fall away from the faith. Why? Because you were never meant to go this path alone, this is why Christ built His Church, and the gates of Hell will never prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, not to please ourselves” Now we can look at this a couple different ways, we can look at it spiritually and physically. Those who are weak in the faith, you can be an anchor for them. Maybe someone at Church is going through a personal crisis, help guide them through with the Word of God, the prayers of the Church, and the Holy Spirit. One day we will need emotional support also, this is a function of the Church, to bear each others burdens, to be there for one another. Also the Church should watch out for the physically ill, the shut ins, maybe somebody hasn’t been to Church in awhile, visit them and make sure they are alright. A simple phone call can change someons day. You are brothers and sisters in Christ as the Church, we need to act like it!

“Let us please his neighbors for his good, to his edification, for even Christ pleased not himself” We need to have a servant mentality like our Lord Jesus, who washed the feet of his own disciples.(John 13)We shouldn’t have the attitude, that we are too important or the problem is too little, to help these people. If they are part of your Church, they are your brother and sister in Christ, serve your Church just as Christ served the Church! 

“So that through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” The Word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12) Share the scriptures to comfort your brothers and sisters, and also come to Church to hear the Word of God preached. The Sunday Sermon is manna for your soul, feed your soul with the Word of God, be edified by your brothers and sisters in Christ, pray for one another (James 5:16) Because the Church is the body of Christ, we serve because He served us, we love because He loved us first, we forgive because Christ has forgiven us , Amen!