A Faith That Gives Hope
Griffith Baptist Church – 1/4/09
A.M. Service
Text: Hebrews 11:22 (Gen. 50:22-26)
Key verse: Hebrews 11:22 - By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Premise: Faith without hope is not faith at all and we need to anticipate the working of God if our faith is to produce any results.
The Introduction
One night at dinner a man, who had spent many summers in Maine, fascinated his companions by telling of his experiences in a little town named Flagstaff. The town was to be flooded, as part of a large lake for which a dam was being built. In the months before it was to be flooded, all improvements and repairs in the whole town were stopped. What was the use of painting a house if it were to be covered with water in six months? Why repair anything when the whole village was to be wiped out? So, week by week, the whole town became more and more bedraggled, more gone to seed, more woebegone. Then he added by way of explanation: “Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.” Halford E. Luccock, Unfinished Business.
Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for . . .
The Story of Joseph is one of absolute faith and trust in Almighty God, regardless of the circumstances
(Relate the story of Joseph in regards to faith)
Joseph teaches us something concerning hope through a simple request concerning his bones.
Let’s go back to Gen. 50:22-26 and discover three motivations for having a hopeful faith.
Body
1. A Joyful Hope
A. A pastor was talking to a group of young people about the high cost of dying. "People today waste thousands of dollars on coffins and monuments," he said. "Jesus was so unconcerned by His death that He had to use a borrowed tomb." Leave it to our youth to get to the bottom line and put things in perspective. A teen-ager raised her hand and said, "But Jesus only needed it for three days." (Joyful Noiseletter, 4/2001, p. 2, The Lord’s Laughter. Contributed by Dr. John Bardsley)
B. Joseph found joy in serving God (vv. 22-23):
i. God was faithful in all the ups and downs of Joseph’s life
ii. Joseph was blessed with long years and family
iii. He was reunited with his brothers and father
C. We have a great God that it is a pleasure to serve
D. Times of despair can still give way to a wonderful joy
E. What is this joy we have because of our faith
i. Salvation – joy in sins forgiven – Psalms 35:9 - And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
ii. The Holy Spirit – joy in God’s indwelling – Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
iii. The Bible – joy in God speaking to us – Jeremiah 15:16 - Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
iv. Prayer – joy in the privilege of speaking to God
2. An Expectant Hope
A. A young man had been watching her walk by his house for days. Every day a certain neighbor gal walked by, the more he noticed her long dark hair - her gentle smile - her soft features - they were all things that beckoned his heart to go beyond the living room window and meet this girl of his affections - he was “in love”. After days and seeming months of expectation, he finally decided to try and break the barrier - to tell the girl how he felt. So one afternoon he planned it just right. At 3:15, he went out and started drawing his feelings on the sidewalk. That way, when she walked by at 3:30, he wouldn’t have to tell her to her face. He thought, “What would be cute? What would be an indirect way of showing her my feelings?” Finally, he figured it out. He would draw out an eye, a heart, and then a female sheep - a ewe. His heart seemed to be jumping through his chest as this specimen of beauty walked by. She stopped, looked, and said, “oh, you love sheep, that’s nice”. She didn’t get the meaning of the message he was trying to convey.
B. Joseph gave a prediction that God would bring them into the land of promise (24-25)
i. He would visit them (used twice), which means to attend to or pay attention to
ii. This gave them a positive expectation of a promise of God – Genesis 13:15-17 - 15For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
C. What can we as Christians have an expectant hope in:
i. Blessings of God – Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
ii. Answers to prayer – Proverbs 15:29 - The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
iii. Seeing Jesus someday – John 14:3 - And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
iv. Seeing loved ones again who are in Christ
v. The return of Christ – 1 Thessalonians 2:19 - For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
3. A Future Hope
A. When Bishop Philip Brooks, author of “O, Little Town of Bethlehem,” was seriously ill, he requested no friends come to see him. But when an acquaintance of his named Robert Ingersoll, a famous anti-Christian propagandist, came to see him he allowed him to come in right away. Ingersoll said, “I appreciate this very much. Especially when you aren’t letting any of your close friends see you.” Bishop Brooks responded, “Oh, I’m confident of seeing them in the next world, but this may be my last chance to see you.”
B. Joseph had a certain future hope, being a man of faith:
i. That the people of God would return to their land of promise
ii. That his bones would be returned to the land of promise
iii. That was fulfilled in Joshua 24:32 - And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
C. Our future hope is:
i. A new home – eternal and with Christ – John 14:2 - In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
ii. A new body – we will be changed into a body like Christ’s
a. 2 Corinthians 5:1 – For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
b. Like Christ’s body - 1 John 3:2 - Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
iii. A new freedom – from sin and its effects (Matt. 12:23; 1st Cor. 15:47-50; 2nd Cor. 5:1-4)
Remember “Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.”
Conclusion:
Does your faith include hope?
Do you have joyful anticipation in your faith?
Do you expect results from God or does your faith act more like a gamble?
