Sermon Central
-
Love That Produces Hope
Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on Jul 1, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: This is a sermon based on 1 John 2:28-3:3 on how our hope in Christ changes the way we live. My wife and I preached this message together.
Love That Produces Hope
9:30 5/16 93 . Psalm 21:1-13 Rom. 8:18-30 Text 1:Jn.2:28-
3:3
.ls2
TOBY
A pessimist sees a glass half empty, but an optimist sees
one that is half full. The difference in interpretation comes
from the hope that each one has, one is hoping it will all soon
be gone, whereas the other is hoping more will soon be added to
it. We all need hope to keep our spirits up when things around
us are falling down. Yet as believers, we are to be careful into
what we put our hope in.
RICK
Out hope is not in wisdom, not in knowledge, not in power,
and certainly not in the good intentyions of others. Our hope is
in Jesus Christ and in His claim to be the Son of God. Our hope
will not disappoint us because it is rooted in the love and
promises that God has made to us. It’s not so much that we love
God, as it is that God has first loved us.
TOBY
Turn with us in your bibles to the book of 1 John starting
at chapter 2 verse 28. In this passage, the apostle John en
courges us, that in the face of trials, defections, and attacks,
to hold on to our hope that comes from God’s love. Verse 28
says, " And now dear children, continue in HIm, so that when He
appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His
coming."
RICK
Why is that the apostle John calls us children. Is it
because we sometimes fuss and argue with one another as children
ð 7 3 Šsometimes do, especially when we don’t get our own way? Maybe.
But it is more likely because of our common relationship to Jesus
Christ in knowing him as Lord and Savior. We have the same
teacher, the same master and the same God over us all.
TOBY
Even though our gifts anf functions vary, we are all impor
tant to God with the same promises, same access, and same respon
siblity to serve God with our whole lives. The word of God says
for us to "continue in Him." This means that we are to abide in
Jesus, move in Jesus, decide in Jesus and live every day for
Jesus. Notice that we are called to continue in Jesus, not in a
church, or in a group or in a program.
RICK
Our allegiance is to always be to Jesus Christ. You see
simply because something was God’s will for us as individuals, or
us as a church, or church group, five years ago does not mean
that God intended it to last forever. The Scriptures says that
God is always willing to do a new thing. The continuing aspect
is of most importance in knowing God’s will for our lives.
TOBY
God is truly desiring to us some of us to accomplish great
things. God puts a much higher value on the ministry He has
called many of you to, than you do. You see, we may only see
ourselves as a little cog in a wheel, but God sees that without
us, a lot of wheels will never turn as He intended. That one
person that you bring to the Lord, may be the next great evangel
ist of our day.
RICK
ð 7 3 Š
We don’t discover the power of God, unless we are willing to
go the distance for God. It’s one thing to get saved. It’s
altogether different to start to grow in God and make yourself
available for ministry. The only reason for a Christian to be
alive on this planet is because God has a job for him or her to
do.
TOBY
We discover in the Scripture a number of people who grieved
the Holy Spirit. They came to know Jesus as their Lord and
Savior, but for various reasons did not continue. The Bible
says, Demas deserted Paul for the love of the world. Diotrophes
who loves to be first opposed the apostle John. Hymanuaeus and
Philetus wandered from the truth and destroyed the faith of many.
Alexander the coppersmith did Paul much harm.
RICK
Each of them had responded to the call of Christ, but then
