Sermon – “Take Hold of Hope”

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’” 4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His win-nowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The message Smalling is titled take hold of hope. And some we need to grab a hold of it and don’t let go of it take hold of hope for I have the scripture I have a little story to share this true story. A number of years ago a couple traveled to the offices of an adoption society in England to receive the baby. They had been on the waiting list for a very very long time they had been interviewed and carefully scrutinized now at last their dreams were to be fulfilled but their day of happiness would turn out to be another person’s day of pain arriving at the offices of the society they were led up a flight of stairs and into a room away after a few minutes they heard someone else climbing the stairs. It was the young student mother whose baby was to be adopted. She had met and she was met by the lady responsible for the adoption arrangements and taken into another room. The couple heard muffled conversations in a few moments later footsteps on the stairs as a young mother left. They’d heard her convulsive sobbing until the door the front door of the office was closed. Then there was silence. The lady in charge then escorted them next door. And a little crib was a six week old baby born on a chair beside it was a brown paper bag containing a change of clothes and two letters. One of these addressed to the new parents thanking them for for providing a home for her baby and acknowledged that under the terms of the adoption that each would never know the other’s identity then a young mother added one request would they allow her little son to read the other letter birthday. C. assured them that she had not included any information about her identity. The couple entrusted that letter to a lawyer and one day that young man will read that message which is mother wrote on that day when with breaking heart she parted with him. We don’t know what she wrote in that letter. Though if you had to condense all that you feel about life and all that you feel about love into a few precious words what would you say. There’d be no time for trivial matters. We would be worried about economics or politics or weather or anything like that we don’t to be concerned about the most profound things of life love and life and what’s absolutely essential in life when we were you know John the Baptists while he’s out in the desert preaching. He wasn’t bothered with trivial matters was easy because he was aware that his time was going to be short. So in that short period of time of his ministry. He had to focus on what was the most important things of life. He had a burning message of repentance in his heart for the people. For all who would listen for all that would come. Sometimes his message may have seen sharp to some people but his message was a message of hope and that’s a message we’re going to hear from today. Matthew three one three twelve. And in those days. John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah saying. The voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord make his pads straight. So he’s saying essentially prepare your hearts. That’s what it means he didn’t get the bulldozers out prepare the pathway. But prepare your hearts prepare your hearts for the coming of the Lord. Not John himself with was close with camels hair with a leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then it then. Jerusalem all Judea and all the region around the Jordan went out to. Him and were baptized by him into Jordan confessing their sins but when he saw me the fair season Sadducees coming to his baptism. He said to them. Broda vipers who warned you to flee the coming wrath or the wrath to come. Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not think to say to yourselves we have Abraham as our Father for us say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones and even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire sharp words right. I indeed baptize you with water on to repentance. But he who is coming after me is mightier than I who sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Fire his winnowing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his week into the barn but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. May God it is blessings to the hearing the reading of His Holy Word. Let us pray. While the God we do thank you and praise you we thank you for the message you have sent into the world. The message of your kingdom the COM and Father God we know that that message still stands true today by the we know that the Lord is coming back. Lord as we enter into this advent season. We look forward we look forward to not only the to celebrate Christmas but look forward to Christ second coming. By we got our pray that your spirit would be here today that your spirit would move and speak to our hearts God touch us or God from your throne room today and may we glorify you in Jesus name Amen. So John the Baptist’s the ambassador for the king of the Kings he came into the wilderness a Jesus the wilderness of Judea with a message of Repent repent and be baptized for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You know the idea of baptism is not. Something new. It’s not just the New Testament idea. It wasn’t a strange message for the hearers of John the Baptist they understood. Because according to the law baptism was part of the process for becoming a Jew if there were foreigners Gentiles which ever that. Said in their heart I want to become a Jew I don’t become an Israelite they had a method they had a way that they had to be baptized. So what they would do course you know the very first thing that if a gentile decided they want to become a Jew the very person A was would do to them a circumcised. So as soon as their wounds would heal from the circumcision they would take that person and place them in the water and whilst standing in the water. They’d have to listen to again to the instructions of the law and once they heard these instructions. Once they were completed speaking then the man was to immerse themselves in the water completely and when he came up he was a Jew. So it’s really the same principle we had the day baptism the same symbolism that the old man the old the foreigner the Gentile was buried and behold he comes up. He’s a Jew today the same way the old man has buried the sinful man we come up a new creation in Christ. So they understood baptism they knew what it meant it buried the old man and you know believe it or not John the Baptist even though some of his words were very sharp he was a very popular preacher in his day the Gospel said that they flocked to hear him to be baptized by him. They came from Jerusalem. Judea in all the regions around the Jordan to hear John preach. He was a very popular preacher and it might be a little surprising when you think about his image. Well I mean to us. I know it’s a very wild image I mean if we see a guy out on a street dressed like John the Baptist’s we think what lunatic is this. I make a more nice dressing camel hair with a leather belt around and I’m sure you’ve probably was kind of way. Probably a con and kept looking. I mean in a locus. Those ugly little creatures with them. Beady eyes. You know I’d have to close my eyes the one of them saying I don’t know about you. But he ate locusts now the honey part’s not bad. You know wild honey I’m sure was good. Maybe at Sally ate the locust maybe put on and on him first. That might work. But you know look at his his images kind of strange that we would think it was I’m sure a little strange even to them. And look at the amount of judgement that was in his message he did not hesitate to call people out on their sins. When he seen a fair season the scribes coming. He called them a broad of vipers who warned you to flee. And we know that he also spoke to others. There was Herod the Tetra are he spoke to Herod and he boldly spoke claim you should not have your brother’s wife. Your sinning against God It’s a simple thing that you’re doing and we know that eventually that costing because whenever her odious his daughter dance before him hair was so pleased that he said two or whatever you want up to half my kingdom us will give you and her mother enticed her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. But even knowing that it could cost him his life he did not water down the message he did not take over the rears he told him like it was so with all that in mind. Why did to people come. Why did they come from all the regions around to hear this hold back. Nothing preacher. He didn’t hold anything back. What drew the people to him. Because apparently it wasn’t his appearance. They came because his message was a message of hope and you might not have picked it up in that reading of the Gospel but it was a message of hope the people in that region desperately needed hope. They had grown weary of the oppressive Roman rule. They were looking for someone more sympathetic towards the Jews. They were looking for someone actually to deliver them from the Roman oppression is what they wanted they wanted a king the calm that would the take them out of that Roman rule. I mean think about it. How would we like it here in America if some leaders from Russia came and became rulers in our nation we wouldn’t like it or from China or any other nation we would not take it lightly would we we would not want it. We want to be led by our own people. They were tired they needed hope. John’s message had just two points repent for the kingdom of heaven is near to be a citizenship of that kingdom of heaven. The key was you had to repent. You will not be a part of that kingdom unless one repents. But by him announcing a coming Kingdom. It simply means a coming rule. So for them. Wow We’re going to be receiving new rulers a new kingdom. Another way to put that is that the rule of heaven is near the rule of heaven is coming. It’s going to be near God has always ruled over the heavenly sphere since the beginning of creation. But now Joe Johns pocket mation means that God’s heavenly rule was about to be extended directly into the earthly spear of things God’s rule over the earth has had dog had drawn near and was about to be instituted through the Person of the Messiah Jesus Christ whom John was preparing the way for. For no one hearing John’s message ask him what he was talking about why because they had been looking for the Messiah. They have been looking for the Messiah because it has been a common thread woven throughout the entire Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah was one day going to come. So they were looking for him. But again the requirement was to repent repent because the kingdom of heaven is near the someone want to be part of that kingdom. They must repent hope is a wonderful thing. The Greek word for hope is LP say which comes from another word help which means to anticipate. Hope is to anticipate and it usually means to anticipate with pleasure. Or it means expectation to have confidence in do we expect something with pleasure to have pleasurable thoughts when we think about this thing that we are expecting. You know with the recent elections still fresh on everyone’s memory and you’re going to say why would you even bring that up again. I’ve been trying to forget about it. But whether it is the national elections or the local elections rather it’s this just the state elections or local elections. There is one thing that is common with every single campaign. That we’ve had to listen to for the last two years. One thing that is common. Rather it be Democrat Republican independent no matter which one they relied on capturing the hope of the voter. But that sink in for a moment. They relied on capturing the hope of the voter. If they could get that voter to put their hope that they vote for them would mean that next year is going to be better than the past four. For the next four years be better than the previous four years so they played on the people’s hopes did they not. They played on the hope that maybe economically we do better. Or maybe we would have greater peace in our nation or in our state or in our community. They played on your hope that you would expect things to be better under their leadership that is a common thread woman throughout every campaign. It relies on people’s hope. What do people hope for they hope for peace. They hope for better health. They hope for safer neighborhoods the hope for Prosperity some hope to find love. We can tell them where they can find that love. In Jesus and in this church some hope that their children will grow to be respectful responsible adults we hope for a long life. We hope to someday retire and I could go on and on and on and on hope is what moves us hope is what keeps us going because if we had no hope. We just lay down do no more first Corinthians nine ten says or does he say it all together for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written that he who plows. So the plow in hope and he thrashes in hope should be partaker of this hope. You know when we plow the fields and the spring time we plow the fields and we call of a dispute woods. We dissed the fields all this work before we eventually plant the seed and we plant that seed in hopes that that seed will sprout that that seed will produce a plant that will produce a harvest. But we plant the seed in hope that it will have a harvest. So we plan and hope hope is in that which is to come. We don’t get that immediately soon upon painting the sea. But hope comes as a future thing. I want to read to you. I didn’t have this scripture when I sent the scripture to Rizana from Hebrews Chapter six verses thirteen through twenty four when God made a promise to Abraham but because he could swear by no one greater He swore by himself saying. Surely I will bless you and multiply and I will multiply you. And so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise from men indeed swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Those God determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by the by an oath. That by two Immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie. We might have on consolation. Who have fled for the for refuge to lay hold of the hope that before us. This hope we have you know this hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Both sure and said. Fathi and which enters the presence behind the veil where the four Runner has entered for us. Even Jesus having become high priest forever. According to the order of milk as a deck what that passage is talking about is the hope that Abraham had. God promised Abraham he couldn’t promise by anybody other than himself. There is no greater being or a greater promise than could have made other than himself because we know that God does not lie and we know that God’s promise to Abraham was that I will make of the a great nation your you will be as your descendants will be as the stars of the sky. They will be that great. And at the time of this promise Abraham had no children. There was no heir. But that Abraham have hope. Yes he had hoped he had confidence. In God because it was twenty five years. After God toting this before he finally had his son. So that’s the hope is what kept being gone. It was forward it was in the future. John came promising a new possibility he preached his preaching revive the people’s long Cherry’s hoped for the coming Messiah and jobs message was clear that the only way to be part of that kingdom. Again was to repent and the general populace was ready. They were ready and willing to repent the Sadducees in a fair season on the other hand they were not so willing. But John did not tipple the rears he didn’t fluff the message up to so he could draw all the men. His message was the hard truth. Verse seven said that when he saw the many fair season Sadducees coming to the baptism he said to them brought a vipers who warned you to flee the coming wrath. Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance. What about us do we have a hunger. Do we have a hope for the future. Do we have a hope the Gobble fulfill in our lives. The promises that he gave the promises of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. If not why not have we become so confortable when our ways so confortable in our things that we have that we feel that we were little need him. Because we have everything we want do we not have anything we’re looking forward to because we think we already have it but we need to be looking forward to it as we are in our what we call the advent season which is commonly known as the preparation time for the Nativity the preparation time as we celebrate the birth of Christ. That’s what the advent season is all about Advent the word. That Latin for for Advent means coming calming that’s what it means but there is a greater meaning to this that we have hope in the second coming of Christ. The second ad been a Christ. Christmas is the first I’ve been a Christ but do we have a pleasurable anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ. Do we have good and pleasant thoughts when we think about Christ returning a second time. I’m afraid that there are too many people in the world today there are too many people within the churches today the do not have a place you went to supply a shrine of the Second Coming of Christ. There are many people within the church as you start talking about Christ coming back again and man a just like whoa whoa whoa wait a minute put the brakes on I don’t want to talk about that. That’s just carry for May. It shouldn’t scares us shouldn’t bring fear to our hearts we think about the second advent of Christ. It should be plays a role expectation come Lord Jesus Allah lujah. Because there’s got to be a I don’t know what you’ve prepared is better than this. I know that what you’ve prepared is better than this. So breaking down body. I know that what you prepare there will be no darkness allow there be no violence or be no curse no more I meant no more cold Scott says Hallelujah. Does it bring pleasant thoughts to your mind pleasant anticipation. This is our hope church. This is our hope. John reminded to people came to hear them that Israel had always believed in a God who was at work to save their very understanding of who they were as a people was based on a memory that how God The livered them from Egypt. He was a God that saves. Church. God is still a God that saves he saves us from our sins hope is available to us today. We just need to take a hold of it. Believe in Jesus. We need to claim it. It begins with with us. Remembering what we believe about God then reminding ourselves daily they gobble meet our needs and our greatest need is forgiveness of sin guys that work in our lives and work in the world today to save those that are lost. Paul in his coffin and said All things work together for good to those who love God who are called according to His purpose and Romans eight twenty eight we should approach life in expectancy and open as eager to see what God will do in our lives. John called people to repent and that’s to be ready to change when God suspected that some of the religion. When John suspected that some of the religious leaders were going through the motions of claiming hope he scolded them and told them that they must bear fruit that shows that they had repented. We must bear fruit our lives must bear fruit. If not the axe is at the root of the tree ready to chop it down it will be burned. What does it mean to lay hold of hope. What does that look like I want to share a story with you that I found and they say it is a fictional story but it is a composite of the experiences of some real people. Bill was a middle aged man with a wife and two teenage children and a job that he liked very much. He was a concerned person so was very active in his church and his political party and hope of helping to make the world a better place. Life was good for Bill and he knew it he had the grace to be grateful that so many Fortune people lacked bill was a person of faith and he was able to see that God was giving him life as a good gift day by day it was fairly easy for Bill to take hold of hope and meet life expectantly. Then things changed. There was a routine medical examination with a surprising discovery a Bobsy an announcement. Bill you have cancer. One of the bad kinds and you need to get it. Attended to right away suddenly Bill had more to cope with than he was able to able to name. There was fear anxiety for him self and for his family and anger. There was wise enough to recognize those things and deal with them. It was no longer easy to just take a hold of hope but Bill knew that God works to heal but through the scientist and medical people and also through the capacity for healing that was at work in his body. So Bill made an intentional decision to take hold of hope and let hope rather than the other things that he was feeling guide his life. This time there would be a cost to claiming hope he would have to work with the healing process there would be physical pain possible disfigurement major financial cost and enormous inconvenience. Lots of things would have to be reorganized and bills life hope was no longer easy for Bill. He began to make some practical we were reorganizations of his life in case he did not survive. He began to value things differently. He began to spend more quality time with his family when he saw a bright blue sky he paused to enjoy it. His hope began to focus more on the present than on the future. He did what needed to be done because he chose hope in spite of all efforts the disease. All the efforts to defeat the disease. The doctors eventually so. Said Bill. We can’t cure you. You have only about one year to live and again Bill felt himself being drawn toward the depths of anger despair and hopelessness. There was human. He spent some time dealing with those bitter experiences but eventually he again chose to take hold of hope he did a lot of talking to himself but instinctively hope that something would happen to change things but he knew better than to count on that he began to intentionally make the most of each day he began to make the practical preparations for the end of his life. Drawing on his faith he told himself that God would still be at work in the life is a life of his family and that others would be able to do the important things he had hoped to do for them. He told himself that God would still be at work in the world and that since he believed. The things he hoped to accomplish that his religious and political endeavors were right. They would eventually prevail. He also told himself. The God who had given him life for years is eternal and will be there to give life beyond death in these ways Bill took hold of hope and let it shape his life. He had never been a person who thought of his faith primarily as having to do with what would come after death. But now it was time to think about that Bill began to gather up the aspects of his traditions that had to do with it that to do with that and let them minister to him he remembered passages from scripture do not let your hearts be troubled in my Father’s house are many dwelling places John’s fourteen one and two. Nothing in the whole creation not even death will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans eight thirty nine he began to remember the old songs that they used to saying he thought too often going home and away his grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace Will Lead Me Home singing with all the same sing glory. Bill knew better than to take the words of these old songs literally but he knew they came out of a witness of hope he let that ministered to him he prepared to entrust himself to a hope that would take him beyond all that he had ever known. He chose to take a hold of hope this is a story about how one person might take hold of hope other stories could be told of how people cope with guilt divorce business failures and many other life situations might take hold of hope is something that has to be done very intentional. It’s something it has to be a matter of choosing hope choosing high hope in spite of the many things that would discourage us how about you. Have you chosen to take hold of hope. Regardless of the circumstances in your life you can choose to take hold of hope. Because our hope is in the Lord our hope is in that which is to come eternal life then ask myself the question as a church. Do we deliver a message of hope because there’s a lot of people out there in the world today that need to hear a message of hope because there’s a lot of the spare out there and society today in our communities today. There’s a lot of people the need to hear that message and hopefully grab hold of that hope we need to be messengers of hope because we know that the hope is in Jesus. We know that the hope of forgiveness of our sins in Jesus Christ our Lord we know that the hope of life eternal is in faith in Jesus Christ and the work of the cross. So let’s be messengers of hope not just in this have been season but every season.