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Please remember that sermon notes are meant to act as a guide and may not be exactly what was preached.
Introduction to the letter…
2:1 – Dead in trespasses and sins 2:2 – Walked in the ways of the world
2:2 – Under the power of Satan’s direction 2:3 – Indulged the desires of the flesh 2:4 – Under condemnation as ‘children of wrath’ (2:5-7) But God (4) – rich in mercy…because of His love…made us alive….raised us up….seated us in the heavenlies….to show His grace in us through Jesus Christ.
2:8-10 Explains how our salvation was/is God’s work in our lives and that it continues in us as ‘His Workmanship’. We can be confident that God is working in and through our lives for His great purposes. This is our Hope! Jesus Christ who came as promised, who died for our sin and rose our justification (Romans 4:25).
Our hope in found in Jesus Christ! In Christ we are set free from sin. In Christ you are a new creation, the old has passed the new has come. In Christ there is now no condemnation, In Christ you are a child of God. In Christ you are made righteous and holy. In Christ you are justified and sanctified. In Christ we are the church, citizens of the Kingdom, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation!
If you find yourself becoming discouraged, if you are losing heart, look back to the birth of our Lord, of the promises of God that were fulfilled and looked forward with anticipation with what He is going to do next! Don’t give up, don’t give in, never surrender to the World.
“Quitting is a final solution to a Temporary Problem.” – Auschwitz Survivor
We have a hope within our souls, Brighter than the perfect day: God has given us His Spirit, And we want the world to hear it, All the doubts are passed away – Hymn 443
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and Righteousness…
People of the world put their hope in many different things. Two of the biggest disappointments are people and money…
Family Life News Cast:
Participation in and with the local congregation of God’s Church is way down; our buildings are not where people gather to meet one another anymore.
Are we failing to spread the gospel? The peace and Hope that are found in Christ? Could it be related to the fact that congregations have forgotten the “Go” of the Great Commission? It is expected that they come to us… Have we forgotten that we are to be out in the world but not of it, that we are to go into all the world into every nation? In John 20:21 Jesus said, As the Father has sent Me , I also send you.” Jesus was sent to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
Have we forgotten that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves? That is to start in our own backyards, where God has called us, where He has placed us, where we are in the “now.” We have to be intentional and, as the news cast said, to think creatively on how to encounter those outside of God’s Church. Like maybe… having movies out there in the world, going into the community with the Youth group, by trying to build relationships over a cup of coffee…
Those out there in the World need not be hopeless! You and I have hope in Christ! We are to carry the message of hope to a lost and hurting world.
In order to give hope to a world that is living without hope and lost in sin, we have got to follow where God is leading us. We need to think outside our building, we need to do what Jesus would do in order to carry the hope we have to a lost and hurting world. We must, Reach Out and take it to them!
In Romans 8:24-25, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
- In hope we rely on God’s presence: No matter your situation you can have hope knowing that God is with you through what you are experiencing. Have hope in the fact, that for those that love God, all things, as Romans 8:28 tells us, are working for our good, conforming us into the image of His Son. God is doing a redemptive work. For Christ followers, those that love the Lord, “redemptive” means that every hurt, disappointment, and setback is being used to shape and build us, to conform us into the image of Jesus.
- In hope we rely on God’s provision: God’s grace is sufficient, And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.He has brought you this far: have faith! Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
- In hope we rely God’s power: Paul said “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9, see also Philippians 4:13). The “weaker” we are the more powerful God has to be to fulfill His purposes. He gets the glory! Rely on His presence, provision, and power!
Digging Deeper
- Do you have Hope?
- How are you sharing the Hope you have?
Further Reading:
- 2 Corinthians 4:15-18, Romans 5:3-5, 1 Timothy 1:1, 1 Peter 1:3-6
- In Christ: Romans 6:18 (See all of 6), 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 3:26, 1 Peter 2:9
Dayton First Church of God 