Hope

1. Introduction
   1. Today I’d like to talk about something very important that all of us look towards. That is hope.
   2. You and I, since we’ve been old enough to realize our dreams, have considered hope knowing that we never know when hope will come about.
   3. We are told about hope, encouraged to continue to hope, and are told that eventually, we will see it come to pass.
   4. I use an illustration of myself in regards to hope. Since I was a young boy, I would watch martial arts movies all the time, or you might say action movies.
   5. I always dreamed and put myself in the picture of myself being a great martial artist.
   6. As my interest peaked on a consistent basis, I one day found myself traveling to China Town in Boston, and becoming a martial artist
   7. Another hope that I would dream about and hope to become was an astronaut.
   8. I remember being fascinated with all of the space voyages, Apollo, landing on the moon, and put myself in the position of actually being an astronaut.
   9. I had hoped as a young boy that I would become one. I didn’t become an astronaut working at NASA, but when I was 13 years old, in 1971, there was a science fair project at the Seabrook Elementary School.
   10. There was an opportunity through NASA’s space center to build a simulated space capsule with all of the NASA specs, and to win the World’s Endurance Record for simulated space flight.
   11. I immediately responded and was chosen to be the third astronaut, with the space voyage entitled the JPW-40.
   12. After 18 days of staying in the capsule, and eating everything from chopped meat to vegetables inside of a toothpaste tube, we broke the world record after 18 days.
   13. To break the world’s endurance record for the Guiness book of World Records, we had to stay in 21 days, which we did.
   14. My hope and dream came to pass, just not in the way I thought it would. I thought I’d be a real astronaut. Instead, I was a simulated astronaut simulating the real voyage under the direction of NASA.
   15. God always had His Hand in the mix with me, and God has always had His Hand in the mix with you. There isn’t anyone alive that has not had a hope and dream. Those hopes and dreams are instilled by God.
   16. He says I reign on the just and the unjust. Matthew 5:45: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
   17. Many have given up on hope and many have given up on their dreams, due to a variety of circumstances and also age.
   18. Today, as we look into our subject of Hope, let us be encouraged that in Hebrews 11:1, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.
   19. When you and I give up on hope, and no longer can dream, it’s almost like we’ve given up on life itself.
   20. Today, let me encourage you that hope is very much alive, whether you are a child, or you are at the ripe old age of 95.
   21. Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100. God can do anything. Hope is alive. You just need to believe it. Now, let’s look into our study on

2. What is Hope
   1. Hope is a desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable.
   2. Hope differs from a wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it.
   3. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas a wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.
   4. In the Bible, hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised, and its strength is in His faithfulness. God has given us many promises in His Word. They are yes and Amen. We can take them to the bank. Hebrews 10:23: Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised. We can have hope and expectation that what He says, He will do.

3. Why Do we Need Hope?
   1. You don’t know what the future holds: Things may be tough one day, and then completely change for the better the next day.

Proverbs 27:1: Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. We need hope because it helps us trust God frome one day to the next.

1. You’re not even guaranteed a tomorrow. You might think you have many years ahead of you, but an accident, or illness can change all that. Only God knows how much time we have. We need to live for Him every day to the best of our ability: James 4:14: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
2. Without hope, we’d live for ourselves and what we can get here and now. We’d store up goods for ourselves, and not think about others or God. We’d be like the farmer in Luke 12:16-20 “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him,

Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” We can look on the things of others more than ourselves, because we have the hope and the confidence that God will look on the things we are concerned about as we bless others.

4. How did Jesus give Hope to His Disciples including us? He gave hope to His Disciples as He taught and ministered to them, and He and His Disciples give hope to us as we study the Word.
   1. He gave the hope of eternal life for all who call upon Him. John 3:16-17: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Have you accepted the free gift of eternal life that comes through faith in Jesus? If you have been born again, he gives you that hope and confidence of eternal life.
   2. He gave us the hope that no matter what happens, He is always with us. Matthew 28:19-20: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” He said he would be with us always. We can depend on that. He’s closer than any brother.

1. He gave us the hope that every need He has will be provided for. Matthew 6:31-32 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. We have the hope, no matter what is happening that every need will be met. Not every want, but every need.
2. He gave the hope that one day very soon, He would come and bring His People home. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. As we look at everything happening around the world today, we don’t have to get caught up in the negativity, but we can focus on the Blessed Hope, that one day soon that trumpet will sound, and we will be Heaven bound!

5. How to Share Hope with Others?
   1. Let them know God loves them and wants to have a relationship with them. This is part of that Great Commission we spoke of earlier. You can share with them Jeremiah 31:3 – The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. God is drawing people to Himself. If we are available, and reach out to people and share the love of God with them, they will have an abundant life, filled with peace and hope.
   2. Let them know God has a plan for them: As a parent, you have hopes and dreams for your children. God also has hopes and dreams for you and those you are giving hope to. Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. We can let the person we are talking to know that God is thinking about them constantly, and has good things in store for them, no matter what things look like.
   3. Share with them what God has done for you. Your testimony. God has been building a testimony in you from the day you were born. Revelation 12:11 – And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

As you share your victories and experiences with God, that can inspire them to have faith for what they are going through in life.

6. How can we have more hope in God?
   1. Put God first in everything you do. Matthew 6:33-34: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Do you find yourself worrying and fretting about how you will make ends meet? You may need a little more hope and trust in God. You may need to remember to put Him first above all of these other things.
   2. Meditate on the promises of God.. 2nd Corinthians 1:20: For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. If God says it in His Word, you can take it to the bank. Try putting your name in some of the verses and read them out loud. His Word is true.
   3. Reflect on how He has helped you in the past. Psalm 103:2: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: If you struggle with doubt and need more hope, remember how God has helped you. Then remember that He is the same today as He was then.
   4. Praise and worship can give a more hopeful perspective. Psalm 66:4: All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. Sing a song to the Lord or turn on a radio station that plays worship music and sing along. You will have less of the negativity of the world and be more hopeful and faith-filled.

7. Story – Four Candles in a Room
   1. Once at night time, 4 candles were burning in a room, and they started talking to each other. The first candle said “I am peace,

1. But at present there is catastrophe and robbery everywhere, and it seems like the world doesn’t want me anymore. After saying that, the candle was extinguished.
2. After this, the second candle said, “I am faith, and today there are lies and deceit everywhere. I don’t think I’m needed anymore. Therefore I’m also leaving.
3. After saying this, the second candle also got extinguished.
4. The third candle sadly said, “I am love. I have power to keep burning, but today, everyone is so busy that noone has time for me.
5. People are even forgetting to love their loved-ones too. I can’t bear all of this. Therefore I am also going from this world.” Saying that, the third candle was also extinguished.
6. Just then, an innocent boy entered the room and seeing extinguished candles, he said, “Why didn’t you candles burn until the end? How can you leave like this?”
7. At that, the 4th candle said to the boy, “Dear child, don’t be sad. I am hope, and while I am burning, you can light the rest of the candles again.”
8. Hearing this, the child’s eyes sparkled and he took that candle of hope and relit the candles of peace, faith and love.
9. When everything looks bad, and there’s darkness all around, even then, don’t give up hope, because it has so much power that it can give back what is lost.
10. Keep your hope candle lit, because if it keeps on burning, it can light all of the other candles.

8. Conclusion
   1. Do you have a better understanding of what hope is, and how important it is in your life and the lives of others?
   2. Do you have hope as you go about your day-to-day life, or is everything dark and discouraging?
   3. Do you share the hope that you have in God with others by sharing Jesus with them?