Broadway Christian Church · Columbia, Missouri
Morning Worship · July 27, 2008
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
Prayer of the Day
Lord, this is the place, this is the time, and we are some of your people. In this hour of worship, may you break into our minds, into our lives, into our ways. Help us to see the whole of life in a new light. And fill us with hope, joy, and certainty for the future! This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Scripture
Psalm 78:5-7
God decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,
So the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget God’s deeds but would keep God’s commands.
They would not be like their forefathers – a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to God.
Message
Leaving a Legacy of Hope
Rick Frost
As always, we are glad to have each and every one of you here today. If you are a first-time visitor or have been away for a while, I offer a special word of welcome. You may or may not know you are visiting a church today that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. We are presently doing a series of messages that we are calling “Leaving a Legacy” – leaving a legacy, not just for us, but leaving a legacy for the next generation. We have been and will continue to look at three different qualities – three of our most important, core values – that, I believe, we want to pass on to the next generation. Today I want us to focus on passing on to the next generation the legacy of hope.
There are a lot of people in this world, maybe some folks that even you know, and maybe even some folks who are here this morning, who are feeling a little hopeless. Things have happened; things are happening. They’re concerned; you’re concerned. Nothing really good seems to be on the horizon. You may be feeling that the future in general, or your future in particular, may look a little bleak. It happens. It happens to many. You may be looking at the facts, as you understand them – the circumstances, the trends, the patterns – and, quite frankly, it may be a little overwhelming. Quite frankly, if I didn’t have certain things in my life, I certainly would be pretty overwhelmed myself.
There are a lot of things that are going on and going in the wrong direction on this planet. Many, many people have really, quite frankly, very good reasons to have lost a sense of expectation, a desire for certain good things to happen. They have lost the ground for believing in, and having faith in, and for being hopeful – if you will – about the future.
What I want us to focus on here today and what I want you to hear today is that we, of all people, have reason to hope. Did you know that? We, of all people on this planet, have reason to hope. I think it is not only our duty, and our responsibility, I think more importantly it is our calling to 1) have that hope, claim it and name it; 2) to pass that hope on to the next generation. According to our text today, that is not an option. It is not something we are going to vote “Yea,” or “Nay” on. It’s a command, folks.
Psalm 78 says, “God commanded our ancestors to teach God’s word to their children to the next generation might know them, and they, in turn, might teach them to their children, so each generation can set its hope anew in God.”
Did you hear that? “So each generation can set its hope anew in God.”
Why are we – you and I and all people on this planet who have Christ in our lives – to be the most hopeful people on earth? That is what I want us to think about today.
I suggest the big reason is we don’t base our hope on the things that many people do base their hope on. We don’t base our hope on anything circumstantial. We don’t base our hope on anything of what we call the supposed facts about the situation, or various predictions about what is likely to happen. In fact, I have learned over the years to get out of the predicting business. I don’t make predictions much any more.
I think what that means is that we don’t base our hope on economists. We don’t base our hope on politicians. We don’t base our hope on educators or physicians. We don’t base our hope on actuaries or clergypersons. Lord knows, we don’t base our hope on what we see on television with entertainers, or programs, or philosophies, or anything else.
It doesn’t mean that we don’t want the skills and the knowledge of learned people, but we don’t base our hope on them. We want the best information we can get. Certainly. But we don’t base our hope on them. Our hope, folks, is in the Creator, Sustainer, Judge, and Redeemer of all that is – the One who has been revealed to us in Christ Jesus.
So, if you or a person you know or love is maybe feeling a little down, maybe a little discouraged, maybe a little concerned about the future, I believe you picked a good day to come to church. Because I believe that you cannot look at what God has promised in you, and through you, and for you, and to you and not come away saying, “Wow! What a God we serve. Lord, you are awesome.”
Let’s jump in. Today we are going to look at probably the most wonderful chapter on hope found in the entire Bible – Chapter 8 of the book of Romans. What else can we do? With Chapter 8, we have to come up with eight reasons – eight reasons why you, or anybody else, never need to feel hopeless.
Because I have the audacity to trust Jesus Christ, there is:
Number 1: No condemnation. There is no condemnation. That, simply put, means I am forgiven. That’s the number one factor in hope. The truth is none of us is perfect. We all know that. We all make mistakes. Some of those mistakes are huge. Sometimes, many times, we don’t get it right. In fact, many times we do all kinds of things that are wrong. There are a lot more than we like to admit.
I saw a cartoon some time ago that said, “If a man is in a forest by himself without a woman, is he still wrong?”
Ladies, yes or no? Men, yes or no? The right answer is, “Of course, Dear.” That’s the right answer.
We all know about this thing about doing wrong. OK? We all know we don’t always measure up to our standards, much less God’s standards. That means we all carry around little secrets. We carry around some guilt. We carry around some regrets. We carry around some shame. We live with various forms of self-condemnation.
In one way or another, I have observed, we tend to take those things out on guess who? Ourselves. It’s amazing. In fact, I believe you are a lot harder on yourself than you realize, because when you violate your conscience, your conscience keeps score. It just has a way of finding little ways to get even. Have you noticed that?
How does it do that? How does it manifest itself? We sometimes tend to sabotage our really dear, loving relationships. Sometimes we sabotage the successes we are experiencing. Sometimes we sabotage the health we enjoy – we get sick. Some doctors say they could take 80% of the people in hospitals out of hospitals if they could remove such things as resentment and guilt. Isn’t that interesting? Guilt and shame are hope killers. So, the first verse of Chapter 8 says, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
I think that means, because of what Christ has accomplished once and for all, for all of us, on the cross, that your wrongdoings, my wrongdoings, your mistakes, my mistakes, your sin, my sin, that – God knows – we wish had never happened but did, are forgiven. It’s over. It’s done. It’s been removed from God’s memory, according to Scripture, as far as the East is from the West. How far is that? That’s as far as it gets. That’s infinity.
Some people say, “That’s ridiculous. That’s not fair. That’s not just.”
My answer to that is, “Of course it’s not fair. It’s not what we deserve, but let me tell you, it’s what we need. It’s not what we deserve; it’s what we need. That’s why we call it “grace.”
If you have never screwed up big enough to know this, then this cross you see behind me is never really going to mean a great deal to you at all. Because of what Christ has done for us on the cross, the judge throws down the gavel and says, “Case closed. Penalty paid. You are free to go.”
Did you know that? Do you know that in your heart of hearts?
Some people say, “That’s nuts. Nobody can pay for your wrongdoing but you.”
If that could be, then what would stop you from going out and doing it all over again? Do you want to know the truth? I think when I know, when I experience, God’s grace, when God gives me what I need as opposed to what I deserve, that feeling, that reality is so huge it makes me want to love God more. In my heart of hearts I want to stop doing the things that aren’t working well and are wrong, and start doing the good, the right, and the loving thing.
“There is no condemnation,” means I’m forgiven. What I’ve learned, of course, is that is just Step 1. I need more than forgiveness. I need more than that in my life. That leads me to…
Number 2: I need the power to change. To be forgiven doesn’t mean I’m going to change. I need the power to change, which is Step 2.
Because I trust Jesus, there is, not only no condemnation, there is no domination.
We are going to play with words today. You know the words, “I’m set free.” Everybody, as you and I know, is manipulated by something. We all have far more things, I think, influencing us than we realize. There are genes. There is our environment. There are circumstances. There is our culture. There are our background, our peers, our habits, and our passions. The list goes on and on. There are things that are out of control. There are things that do control.
People say, and I hear it all the time, “I really would like to change, but I can’t. I’m stuck. I’ve tried, but I don’t, and I can’t.”
Our response to that is: “You’re exactly right. Of course, you can’t. If you could, you would. But you can’t, and you won’t.”
The reason is very simple. You need more than your own power in order to do this. This is more than just will power. We all know about that. What the Scripture offers us is God’s power, and that’s a whole different ballgame.
How do we break free? The witness of the ages says you invite, you allow, you welcome God’s power and God’s Spirit into your life. Romans 8:2 says it this way: “Through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of Life has set me free from the law of sin and death.”
What is that? Well, what is it that you are afraid of? What is it that is holding you back? You can name it, whatever it is. What is the fear? Is it the fear of worries, shame, resentment, boredom, loneliness?
I know people who are close to me who are very concerned about the approval of others. Does anybody else suffer from that? We often want everybody else to be so pleased all the time.
There are people who need to be free from the fear of what the future holds. There are a lot of people who are very afraid about that.
There are people who need to be freed from the fear of dying. People are afraid about that.
Whatever; it doesn’t matter. Folks, the good news today is that if you are willing to trust Jesus, the Christ, we are given the power to make changes in our lives that we never thought were possible. That power is called the Spirit of the Living God.
We mention that every single Sunday when we worship here, just like we did a few minutes ago. We say every Sunday, “Welcome to where the Spirit of the Living Christ is encountering people and changing lives right here in this place this very day.”
No condemnation; no domination…
Number 3: No termination. A third reason we, of all people, have hope is because you are going to live forever. Let’s just put it out there. Let’s just say it. You are going to live forever.
The reason you are going to live forever, according to Scripture, is because you have been made in the image of God. This is God’s design.
Now, true it is: one day your heart is going to stop beating, and one day my heart is going to stop beating, but that is not the end of our story. That will be the end of our body. Yes. But it will not be the end of you. You were made by God to last forever. Did you know that? Have you accepted that? You are going to spend eternity with God if… (oh, the “if” word).
Romans 8:11 says, “And if the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal body by the same Spirit.”
I believe what that means is just as Jesus was raised on the very first Easter, God is going to literally resurrect you. This life is not all there is. You are going to live forever.
I have to tell you something. In nearly 40 years of ministry, you know I have stood at the graveside of hundreds of families. I have looked into the eyes of people there. I have seen the message those eyes communicate that go far beyond and deeper than their words. I’ve looked into their eyes, and I see people with hope. I have looked into other people’s eyes and have seen other people without hope. The fact is, the funeral is the acid test, folks, of what we believe. It’s where the rubber hits the road. I’ve seen those who believe, and I have seen those who do not. Those whose eyes stand there and tell me, “It’s over. It’s done. This is all there is to life,” I see the terror in those eyes. I can tell you, for a fact, you do not want to be there. OK?
I compare that to the celebration of the life of a believer – a person who knows they come from God, they know they live because of God today, and they know they will return someday to God forever. They know their time on this earth is short. They know they are sojourners – that they are just traveling through here. They know the day will come when they, too, will pass on and be with God for eternity. Folks, if you do not have that hope, you have a huge reason, I think, to be hopeless in this world and in this life.
The fact is, in Christ, we have no condemnation, no domination, and no termination.
Number 4: We have no limitation. Again, we are playing with words here. No limitation. But I think it says it.
What I think that means is that you and I, according to this Scripture today, are going to share in God’s glory. Romans 8:16-17 says it this way: “The Spirit itself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are God’s children, then we are heirs of God, and coheirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
I believe that means that, as a child of God, I have an inheritance coming. I like that. That sounds pretty good to me. Does that sound good to you? You have an inheritance coming. The Bible calls that “glory.” I think “glory” translates in our world and our day today as “the unlimited access to all of God’s resources.” Let me say that again. Glory is unlimited access to God’s incredible resources.
Folks, if you were Bill and Melinda Gates’ son or daughter, there stands a good chance that someday you are going to receive a rather hefty inheritance. Is that right? Our text today says that, as a child of God, your inheritance is far and beyond anything the Gates can provide or even dream about. Indeed, Scripture says that everything that is given to Christ is going to be given to you. Oh, my gosh! That’s amazing.
Now, from my experience, here’s the part that millions of folks have forgotten. Have you ever noticed that God, like a good parent, wants to know that the children are responsible and capable of handling an inheritance before they receive the inheritance. Have you ever noticed that? Often times, my experience has been, parents, who have something to leave to their children, will often test their children by giving them simply some small amounts before they turn over the whole enchilada. Have you noticed that?
I think that is where your ministry, and your mission, and your purpose come in on this life. I believe every single one of us has been put here for a purpose and a reason. You have a role to play, a part to play in God’s amazing drama of salvation – the healing of this world. There’s an entire world out there that needs to be helped. It needs to be healed. It needs to be saved. There are peace, and justice, and reconciliations issues on this planet galore. If I’m reading this text correctly, what it says is if we share in this work… If we engage the powers that be… If we stand up for what is good, and right, and loving… According to Christ Jesus, we in turn will share in God’s glory. We will experience God’s unlimited access. There will be no limitations.
Point: your inheritance, my inheritance, according to this text, rests on our ability to demonstrate to God our ability to handle that inheritance. The way we do that is by the decisions and the actions we take concerning the things God has given us to use. If I hear that correctly, then that means life is not about amassing the greatest number of toys before I die. What it means is this life – your life, my life – has some testing going on, even if we don’t know it. No one is exempt from that. If we are to share in God’s glory in eternity, we must also share in his sufferings. That’s what it says.
Number 5: There is a life of no miscalculations. That means your life has a purpose. My life has a purpose. We have a reason for being here. The sooner you know what that purpose is, and you can name it and claim it, the better off you are.
Sure, we make mistakes. Sure, we take the wrong path. But God does not. You are not a mistake. You’re not an accident. God doesn’t make mistakes. But God seems to, according to Scripture, take our mistakes, whatever they are, and use them. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love God, who have been called according to God’s purpose.”
People ask, “You mean… In spite of the bloopers and mistakes I have made? In spite of the abuse I may have offered, or given, or inflicted, or received? In spite of the divorce, the unfaithfulness, the abortion? In spite of the accident, the crime, the mess I’ve made? The answer, in today’s text, is, “Yes. In all things, God works for the good of those who love God.” Now notice. That is not a promise for everybody. It says quite clearly, “For those who love God.”
No wonder, we should be the most positive, the most confident, the most hopeful people on this planet. We believe in a God who can take the good, the bad, and the ugly and, if we say in the depths of our hearts, “Lord, whatever that is, please use it, please use it somehow for good,” according to the testimony of the ages, God will, and that’s amazing.
That leads us to…
Number 6: The reason for hope is found in Romans 8:31. It says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
This is the text that most often gets misused all the time. I think what it really means is that it is possible to live a life without intimidation. No intimidation. Intimidation is caused by fear. Research has identified over 600 fears that human beings struggle with. People are plagued with fears. This text says there is no reason to be intimidated if you are in Christ. You don’t have to fear anything. Why? Because if God is near, God enables and empowers us to lose our fear. When we put our trust in Christ, God is for us. God is for you. God is own your side. God is on the side of the people who trust God. Not who use God or misuse God, but those who trust God. If that’s the fact, then there is no reason to be afraid of anything.
That leads to…
Number 7: The seventh reason for hope is, if you are in Christ, there is no deprivation. That means, if you trust God, all of your needs – mental, emotional, spiritual, physical – will be met. Not your desires, not your wants. Those are a different category. But in terms of your needs, they will be met. That means you don’t have to worry.
Romans 8:32 puts it this way: “Since God did not spare even God’s own Son, but gave him up for all of us, how will God not also, along with Christ, graciously give you all things?”
What we need, folks, is going to be provided. You don’t have to worry.
That leads to, finally…
Number 8: If I put my trust in Christ Jesus, there is no separation. What that means to me is God will never, ever, ever stop loving me. Never! You are always going to be loved. There is nothing, according to this text, absolutely nothing that can destroy that relationship.
If you ever grasp that concept… If this Scripture ever comes alive in your life… I can guarantee it will change the way you go about doing life.
Romans 8:35-38 says it well. It is one of the most loved, most powerful texts in all of creation. It goes like this: “Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? Shall trouble or hardship, persecution or famine, nakedness or danger, or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, nor the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will ever be able to separate from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I take that to mean that when you decide to put your hand in God’s, God grasps it and does not let it go. God will not reach down and take your hand and force you. God never forces anyone to do anything. You have to put your hand in God’s hand. But if you do that, you will be secure in ways that most of us don’t even know. No matter what comes along, no matter what we face, we are never alone.
Folks, I think this is the most incredible, hopeful phenomenon. We should be… If we are not, why aren’t we… The most hopeful people on the planet.
I think everybody needs to know this. I think everybody needs to hear it. I think everybody needs to be grasped by it – this thing called “hope.” Nobody, but nobody that I can imagine, can offer this world what Jesus Christ offers this world.
I’m not talking about just this community. I’m not just talking about people who think and believe like us. I’m not just talking about people in the United States of America. I’m talking about God’s entire creation. No situation is ever hopeless, according to Jesus, when we give it to God. Nothing!
So, let me implore you. Let me solicit you. Let me beg you to live a life worthy of such credible, wonderful blessings. It’s our privilege. It’s our duty. It’s our responsibility. But more, it is our calling, folks, to live with hope.
Please teach it. Please model it. The reason I implore you to do that is so the next generation can set their hope anew in God.
And all the people say… “Amen.”
Benediction
God, thank you for giving us a reason to hope. Thank you for the life of Jesus. Please help us to replace our worries and hopelessness with thanksgiving and hopefulness that we might be your beloved, hope-filled people. Amen.
