Hope Has A Name
Our staff and elders hope that all of you are doing well during these very uncertain times of the COVID-19 health crisis - we were so glad to be able to meet with you at the Drive-In Movie Theater this past week - we will be also having this upcoming service there also! More information will continue to roll out through our Social Media platforms to keep you up to date. You can continue to find information on this subject going forward here. If you were not able to make it to our Gathering this past Sunday, know that we missed you and we hope to be able to engage with you from our cars!
This past week we ended up trying something new, something that we didn’t know how everything would go - we decided to reach out to the Greenwood Drive-In theater and see if they would be willing to host our Gathering. They were thrilled to be able to provide the space, so thankful in fact, that we will also be having services there until further notice! Again, this will be done specifically in-line with social distancing measures in places, from our cars but still gathered together!
In light of everything going on, Pastor Robbie boldly proclaimed some very outright and powerful truths from Scripture - Hope Has A Name church! During all of the chaos and turmoil that is going on around us, we know that the God of our world has everything under control, that nothing escapes His view and mind! Ps. Robbie began by saying, ‘Listen, just because we're practicing social distancing doesn't mean that we're practicing spiritual distancing. Although we are not touching physically, how many of you know that today we're gonna connect spiritually because of the power of God's Word and presence?! And, hey church, here's the good news about our God - while we practice social distancing, the worse it gets for us - the closer God gets to us. The Bible says he's close to the brokenhearted, the psalmist David said if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. You cannot get away from God's love, he is close no matter what season you are in. And so maybe you’re here today and you’re afraid, you’re nervous, you’re anxious about this pandemic. I want you to hear me say this: God is near. Your hope should be in him, and with that hope comes a peace that passes all understanding. Hope is attainable, peace is attainable - not just attainable, but readily available.’
‘I am convinced that hope is something that we all need right now. But what does Hope mean, seems like a broad word that could mean different things to different people. It’s a word we throw around too casually, honestly, and the true essence of the word gets lost. So, let’s start with what we don’t mean. Hope is not “I hope my favorite restaurant doesn’t close down during all of this” or “I hope the MLB still gets to have a season.” Hope is not “Will the kids get to go back to school this semester? I hope so.” That is biting your nails waiting to see how things play out and anticipating a chance they will work out. That’s not hope church, that’s wishful thinking.
So what IS hope? Here’s my definition: hope is an expectation based on the truth and promises of God. Hope is, as one writer put it, not a “hope so” but a “know-so.” Hope is knowing there’s peace before you while circumstances currently wreck you. Hope is knowing deliverance is coming when your circumstances suggest it never will. Hope is knowing that although your tears are flowing, your laughter is coming. You see, Hope is always linked to faith. And true hope and real faith are always rooted in God. Hope, true hope, living/breathing hope, biblical hope, is always grounded in God—His ways, His promises—and trusting God and His ways and promises despite the circumstances we’re in. Despite the pandemic. Despite the uncertainty.’
Pastor Robbie speaks out of 1 Peter 1:1-7 (ESV) which has to do with some difficult things going on in the ancient world, particularly with the Christian communities! Read this portion of Scripture in light of the rest of this article.
‘Those of you that attend Legacy City know that I love teaching exegetically, and it takes every ounce of self-control to not go off target here, so I’ll skip some of the juicy bits in order to focus on our topic for today. Peter starts by telling us who he is, he defines his audience. But what’s really at the heart of Peter’s first words here?...I’ll answer, it’s this: YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN! Maybe this is a Truth you needed to hear!’
‘Verse 3 talks about not just hope, but a living hope the Word says. A hope that is full of life, a hope of immortality, a hope of eternity spent with God, a hope whose root is found in the grave of Christ, the empty grave from which he has risen and which is the assurance that because He has risen, you also shall rise. Because of Jesus, we have a past, present, and future hope.’
Living hope keeps our hearts in that world while our lives are in this one. Living hope that’s convinced that laughter is coming though tears are flowing. How do you keep your heart in that world and in that Truth? By keeping your heart’s eye on something we read earlier: 1 Peter 1:4-5 inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Focus on eternal things, church. Focus on the joy set before you. Focus on the God who is guarding you with his power through faith. Focus on HOPE. Why? Because we know-so. Salvation isn’t just wishful thinking, it’s truth. Deliverance isn’t just “I’d like this to happen”, it’s as if it already has happened, that’s how much we can count on God. That’s why we have Hope, because we know that Jesus Christ died for us as a fulfillment of God’s promises. Jesus became our hope! In the good times and the bad, our Hope has a name. In the midst of your trials, your hope has a name. During however long this coronavirus stuff lasts, our hope has a name and we shout it at the top of our lungs, Jesus!!!
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Hope Has A Name: ‘More precious than anything or anyone in this life, more precious than any experience in this life, any financial wealth, fame, and security in this life, is born-again faith that leads to living hope.’
‘Hope is knowing there’s peace before you while circumstances currently wreck you. Hope is knowing deliverance is coming when your circumstances suggest it never will. Hope is knowing that although your tears are flowing, your laughter is coming.’
YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN! - Our Staff and Elders are praying for each and every one of you; reach out if you’re in need!
‘Focus on eternal things, church. Focus on the joy set before you. Focus on the God who is guarding you with his power through faith. Focus on HOPE'.’
If this topic piques your interest or if you would enjoy listening to this sermon in more depth, check out Legacy City’s Podcast, available here, or on Spotify and Itunes.
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Join us next Sunday as we return to the Drive-In Movie Theater for our Gathering!
We hope that you and your family are well, and know that You Are Loved!