Sermon Central
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The Hope Within Series
Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Apr 19, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: There is no greater hope than the hope of Christ doing what He has promised to do. You do not have to live with "I hope I make it to heaven"
The hope within us
Introduction-
This morning as we continue to look for answers.
I want us to look at bettering our relationship with Christ.
Everyday Christians walk around wondering if they will make heaven.
You ask them the question- “when you die, will you go to heaven? They respond, “I hope so,” and then go into what accomplishments they have done in their life and how hard they have tried to be a good person.
This morning, the text 1 john 3:1-10, toward the back of your Bible a little before the book of Revelation. 1-2-3 John, Jude, and Revelation.
Everyone of us has an opportunity to be a child of God.
Because God cares and loves each one of us.
Each one of you has value.
Each one of you Jesus chose to go to the cross for. But not everyone in the world will make heaven.
Each one in the world is not a child of God.
The difference between a child of God and who the Bible calls children of the devil is our response to Jesus Christ, and how we live our lives.
The question I want to ask you as we look for answers is “How do I know that I will make heaven? How can I be sure?
Have you seen the commercial “Got Milk?” well, I will begin to answer and ask you- “Got Hope?”
Our ability and strength to live healthy, productive lives depends on the hope that is in our hearts.
I think that a life without hope is a living hell.
The one thing that scares me about hell is that there will be an absence of hope. (you can never for eternity change the situation)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
You ask God to fill you with joy and peace as we trust God. That hope may overflow us by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
Hope is a contagious thing!
I like being around people with hope.
I love being around people that I can see the Holy Spirit working in them.
John tells us (v1) “How great is the love the Father has lavished, that we should be called the children of God.”
That God loves us.
That He cares for us.
He desires to be a part of our lives.
That gives me hope! That should give you hope.
Unless, you’re here this morning and you do not know if you are a child of God.
Unless you battle everyday struggling inside of who you belong too.
Being a child of God- keeps me going when my tank is empty.
Because of that great hope of one day standing before God and enjoying heaven because of Jesus Christ.
That is hope in action.
I also know that the devil knows how powerful hope is, and that he does everything he can to rob me/ us of that hope.
Society trying to answer the heaven question with I think so…., and God is saying put your trust in Jesus Christ and know so this morning.
I am not a child of God because I am better than anyone else.
I am a child of God because I have received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Amen!
Song-
My hope is build on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness
When darkness seems to hide his head, I rest on his unchanging grace.
When He shall come with trumpet sound, may I then in Him be found.
Chorus
“On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
I am not a child of God for what I accomplished, it is because of what Jesus Christ did for me.
John is speaking to believers, believers who are being deceived, distracted, and had doubts of who they are in Christ.
John tells us to remember or recall how much God loves us.
This is the foundational love that makes us a part of the family of God.
By the power of the Holy Spirit we are in a relationship with God and have spiritual communion with Him.
The Father gave this love, we did not earn it. He offered it to us first!
It is what the term Prevenient grace is all about! Two Latin words meaning “to come before.”
Prevenient Grace makes coming to God possible, because God has first come to us.
Participation in the family of God makes the believer a mystery to the world, because, “They don’t understand the Christian because they do not know Jesus.
The standard of holiness is quite clear. We are to be just like Him as children of God. We must reflect His character, His attitude, His values, His life-style.
