Title: Have a Hope
Contents
have a wish
(Romans 5:3-5)
To fly a kite, a strong wind must blow. When there is a storm, even in a strong wind, if you adjust the angle well by making the sail face the wind, you can go faster due to the strong wind. “He rejoices in trouble...” (verse 3). Therefore, no matter what wind blows in front of us, do not be afraid and live happily.
“We have this hope, like the anchor of eternity, strong and steadfast, entering into the veil” (Hebrews 6:19). When the Israelites came out of Egypt and went through the wilderness, they obtained manna and lived without hunger for 40 years. They lived with the food God gave them. How could the two million Israelites cross in front of the Red Sea? Because God has opened the way. How did Jesus feed tens of thousands of people with five barley loaves and two fish? They had little, but when they were taken into the hands of the Lord and gave thanks, a miracle occurred. If we believe in the miracle of what the Lord has said and that word, we believe that such a miracle will surely appear in our future as well.
As Columbus crosses the Atlantic Ocean and fights the waves with a single gourd-like boat, others on board try to catch him and drown him. Then he says, just a little more patience, a little more patience, and we'll arrive in a new continent. If we live with faith and hope, just as the living God gave Elijah who was expecting a heavy rain when he saw a cloud the size of a palm, Columbus saw the rising leaves and continued to move forward, convinced that the new continent was not far away. It was the discovery of the most powerful nation on the American continent. Our hope is in the Lord. Those who have hope can work. Note that you can leave. “Lord, what can I hope? My hope is in You” (Psalm 39:7).
1. Even the saints have tribulation (verse 3).
“We rejoice in our troubles…” (verse 3). This is not meant for unbelievers. Even if you are a saint, you can face tribulation. It is an unbelieving idea that there is no tribulation for the saints. “...we must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). That's why he told us to rejoice even in tribulation. Some people think that as long as they go to church, they will not suffer at all and only happy days will come. Such a person is a person who has not escaped the influence of the transmitted shamanic beliefs or the ups and downs of Buddhism. Even in the Bible, there were hardships for those whom God chose. But you must be able to see the rainbow after that hardship.
Paul was a man who believed in Jesus. It is said that while preaching the gospel, the Jews were beaten with 40 rods minus one 5 times (2 Corinthians 11:24). How much effort and effort were made for the church to spread the gospel? But even this Paul had a disease that could not be cured. He prayed fervently three times to be cured of this disease (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). But it did not cure the disease. However, because of the disease, Paul prayed more and became a great believer. Why do I have to be spit on and suffer so much to do God's work? Why do we have to suffer when we work in the name of the Lord? We will die someday. I go to God. When you stand before the Lord, if you are asked what you lived for, how would you answer? I hope that we sometimes face hardships and hardships for God for the sake of the gospel, but never weaken and become saints who love the Lord, love the church, and risk their lives for the gospel.
2. Be courageous in tribulation (v. 4).
“Patience produces character, and character produces hope” (verse 4). The Bible also tells us that we must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Jesus also said in the parable of the sower, that the seeds sown on a rocky ground do not take root and, when subjected to tribulation and persecution, wither and disappear. That is why we, too, must be courageous when faced with tribulation. “...In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). At first Elijah was ridiculed in front of 850 false idolaters on Mount Carmel, but in the end Elijah was overcome (1 Kings 18:20).
“Blessed are you who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they curse and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. The reward is great...” (Matthew 5:10-12).
We must be patient during tribulation. Our Lord is seeing and hearing about the persecution that comes from believing in Jesus alone in the family, the persecution suffered by working among unbelievers at work, and the persecution suffered because of believing in Jesus while doing business. We must realize and imitate God's love. “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and chastises every son whom he accepts… How can there be a son whose father does not discipline him? All discipline is received, and if you do not have it, he is an illegitimate son, and not a true son” (Hebrews 12: 6-8). The test of loving God is tribulation. Do you love God only when you are prosperous and prosperous? Or do you still love God even in tribulation? May you have the living faith that loves God more and more not only in times of prosperity but also in tribulation.
3. The Holy Spirit helps (v. 5).
“Hope does not put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, which has been given to us” (verse 5). We are the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells in my heart.
In March, the wind blows a lot. The little trees, the freshly blooming ones now look pathetic. Why? This is to shake up the frozen roots all winter and supply nutrients to the tips of the branches of the tree. God makes us flower and bear fruit. In order to test whether we have real faith or not, he makes the wind blow and shakes us.
“...if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Christ” (Romans 8:9). He helps us because the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
The best perfume in the world is a perfume called Nefolio, which is picked at 2am from wild roses in the Balkans. The best perfume can only be obtained before sunrise, at the coldest hour, at the peak of hardship. In this way, the fragrance of the character and faith of our members should give God the best fragrance that blooms on the night of the most extreme hardship, despair and pain.
Therefore, we must pray earnestly in one accord in the midst of suffering. Let's love the church more and love Jesus more. Let's love God and love the gospel. Let's love our family and our country more.