HOPE

Sermon notes from Sunday 23 September 2018 pm Mr S Condy

John 21 verses 1 - 17

There is a word that means a great deal, it is the word HOPE.  A powerful word.  That word hope can be translated as wishful thinking.  "I hope tomorrow that the weather will be great, that there will be sunshine all the way."  That could be wishful thinking.  What I want you to grasp and understand is that biblical hope is completely different.  It is not wishful thinking because if I have put my trust in Jesus hope means something different.  It is a sureness and confidence in knowing that God is always faithful and he always keeps his promises.  If you are saved tonight, have put your trust in Jesus, are following his ways then you have a great hope.  When your energy is spent and you are discouraged you have hope.  Whenever you feel like giving up, whenever you feel everything is hopeless you have confidence that God is always faithful and keeps his promise.  It is important to know where our hope comes from.  

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15 verse 13.  

"And now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee." Psalm 39 verse 7. 

There are thousands of people who are looking for hope tonight and they are searching for it in the world, trying to find peace and hope and satisfaction in so many places.  The bible is full of answers.  As you read through the scriptures God says you will not find real peace, joy and happiness until you put your trust in Christ.  Hope is to be sure and confident that God is always faithful and keeps his promises.  It is found in Jesus.  Can we really have that hope that is talked about in the Bible?

In life plans do not always work out the way we want them to work out.  Sometimes our plans can go terribly wrong.  When you read the New Testament and come to the gospels gives a clear picture of what happened.  When you read the Bible it shows the disciples were men just like you and I, they went through hard times.  They had a great Saviour.  When you read about Peter he experienced a miserable heart wrenching time.  He was strong willed.  He was a passionate, expressive, courageous man.  Before Jesus was arrested and tried, during the Last Supper Mark tells us what happened afterwards.  After they left the Upper Room they went to the Mount of Olives.  

"And Jesus sith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered." Mark chapter 14 verse 27.  

Peter speaks up in verse 29 "But Peter said unto him, although all shall be offended yet will not I."

Jesus then said to Peter "Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice."

Luke gives us an insight into the conversation.  Chapter 22 verse 31 "And the Lord said Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not and when thou art convereted strengthen thy brethren."    

Peter had seen Jesus doing amzing things.  Jesus was able to do great and mighty things because he was the Son of God.  Peter could see and recognise that.  The heart wrenching experience Peter suffered.

 

In Luke 22 verses 54 to 62 we read that 3 times Peter denied Jesus and then remembered what he had been told by the Lord himself.  It is so easily to ask why did he do this.  When you read Romans 3 verse 23 alarm bells ring.  "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  Every single one of us is born rebelling God.  We want to be in control of our own lives.  We are born as sinners, that we deny God every day.  He is a great creator.  The one who made us, who knows us intimately, calls and wants what is best for us but because of sin we must be separate from that holy God.  When you read that Peter denied Jesus and let him down Jesus offered Peter great hope.  It is not where it ends.  In Mark`s gospel we read of the women who came to the tomb.  Jesus the great I am, the perfect one, gave his life on the cross so that we could have our sins forgiven, to provide a way we could be part of his family, forgiven for ever.  Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James came to the tomb and saw the empty tomb.  The angels gave them this message.  

"And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified; he is risen; he is not here; behold the place where they laid him.  But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you." Mark 16 verse 6 and 7.  

You see grace is getting something you do not deserve.  Peter denied his Saviour yet the angel singled Peter out.  Jesus cared.  Peter was so sorry he had let his Saviour down.  We have an amazing gospel message of good news.  The story is not just we are born in sin, we deserve to be separated and punished for that sin but because God out of his great mercy and grace gave his life, took the punishment, that he has made the way to have our sins forgiven, a way to have hope, real hope, real peace found in Jesus.  

"Blessed be the God of Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ froom the dead." 1 Peter 1 verse 3.  

That is inconceivable.  I am thankful that I have hope in Christ.  It is nothing I have done but  everything he has done for me.  Hope in a world that is difficult no matter what I feel, I have hope, no matter what happens tomorrow.  I have hope, peace and joy found only in Jesus.  Does that not thrill your heart no matter what you face tomorrow?  You have hope.  Do you know Jesus?  Are you saved?  The Bible clearly tells us in Acts 16 verse 31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Crist and thou shalt be saved."  There is only one way to be saved tonight - through Jesus and trusting in him.  The Bible tells us you are lost.  That is not the end. God in his mercy and grace offers hope.  The question is tonight - what will you do with Jesus?  Peter received forgiveness and hope.  If you love Jesus and have put your trust in him thank him for the hope that God is faithful and good, that he always keeps his promises.  You can have that hope, sureness that you are safe and secure in Jesus because he deeply loves you and deeply cares.  You can have hope found in Jesus alone tonight.