Hope
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Intro
Intro
I was only 6 or 7. We were living in Blacks Harbour at the time and Christmas was approaching fast. Like many children I too was making my Christmas list for my parents.
Have you finished all your shopping yet. Sometimes I think this Christmas gift buying has gotten completely out of control.
In 1985 Nintendo has released a new consol gaming system in North America that was taking the world by storm. The NES. Up to this point the greatest and latest was an Atari. With high quality games like space invaders and the like.
but by 91’92’ I was really hoping that our family would join the rest of the world in this Nintendo craze.
So like many children I put together my list but made it known what was on the top. My hope was that my parents would spend the 100.00 to make a little boy’s dream come true.
Christmas morning came and we unwrapped all of our gifts under the tree and then there was one more. I don’t really remember but I assume it was for all of us.
I knew what it was. I had been waiting for this moment for, I don’t know how long. As we gathered around the present my heart leapt within my chest. Finally my hope was going to turn to reality, my dream realized.
As we ripped into the paper my enthusiasm was quickly wained, for what was supposed to be an NES turned out to be a Commodore 64 .
Anyone here ever own a commodore 64? Truth is, it was a really nice gift, and as far as games went, there were way more games for the C64 than the NES but as a child it was hard to appreciate the fact that my parents did their research and tried to buy what they believed to be the best option.
No all I knew was all my friends had a NES and I had a computer? Oh great like that fade was ever going to last.
I tell you that story for a couple reasons. One I probably owe my mother an apology. It was a great gift and looking back I miss my C64 .
But mainly because this morning I want to talk to you about hope.
See Christmas is a time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. You know When the Father sent the Son for us. And in reality this was the greatest gift ever given.
But did you know the baby in the manger was not the only gift we got that night?
In fact let me put this into Christmas terms for us. Jesus was like the big family gift. This is the type of Gifts parents hide and don’t bring out till all the other gifts are opened. You know the big one. But the Father also gave us some stoking stuffers that night as well. Through Jesus Christ were were also given Peace, Joy, Faith and Hope.
In fact these are the gifts we remember during the advent season leading up to Christmas Eve when we would lite the white Candle representing the birth of the Saviour. I told you we save the big one for last.
So this morning I want to look at one of these Stoking stuffers in more detail, and then tonight we will look at a different one.
So this morning we will look at HOPE. Hope is a tricky gift because most of us only have a vague idea as to what hope actually is.
So today I want to try and add to our understanding of Hope by answering the question....
What is Hope?
What is Hope?
To do this I want to look at a Proverb found in proverbs 13:12. While you are turning there I want you to know what I am about to teach you is not even close to all you need to know about hope. My hope is only to add to what you already know that our understanding of this great gift might be fuller and more defined.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
This morning we are asking...
What is Hope?
What is Hope?
This morning I would suggest to you...
Hope can be Risky
Hope can be Risky
Me: I thought about how to illustrate this to you, and I thought I might ask Fred to assist me. I want you to see what a Hope differed looks and sounds like. The way I am going to do this is Fred I want you to Stand here facing everyone. I am going to put up a number and a colour on the wall that I believe will invoke some kind of emotional response from you. All I am asking is you try and respond as honestly as you can. Ok. Fred has no idea what is about to come all He knows is what I just told all of you so let’s see what happens. Here we go...
Insert blue slide with Toronto Maple Leaf blue and the year 1967
Insert blue slide with Toronto Maple Leaf blue and the year 1967
OK Fred how does that make you feel and why.
We: All of us have hoped for something that never happened or took way too long. For me it was a NES, For Fred and a lot of leaf fans it is a Stanley Cup. Hope can keep us going but as what we hope for gets further and further away our hope can actually make our hearts sad, pr sick can’t it.
God: That is what the author of this Proverb was getting at. Sometimes Hope is risky. Unfortunately for some people That is as far as they read and so they decide, I will never hope again. They say things like hope is for suckers. But look at the second part. Not only can Hope be risky, it can also be
Rewarding
Rewarding
The trick is making sure your hope is placed in the right thing. says...
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
says...
And his name will be the hope of all the world.”
You: Yes Hope can be risky but it is also a great gift from God and I don’t want you to ever lose hope so I urge you to place you hope in God.
We: For when our hope is in God and not in man or things, there is no more risk. For what God said He will do… He will do.
Next Step: I want you to look at your neighbour and tell them...
a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. So put your Hope in God.
a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. So put your Hope in God.