The importance The importance of hopeof hope

Matthew 8:5-13Matthew 8:5-13

This centurion’s faith This centurion’s faith elated Jesus because elated Jesus because

he believed that he believed that Jesus was able to Jesus was able to

help him BEFORE he help him BEFORE he saw it happen. saw it happen.

Three Amigos of Three Amigos of Destruction:Destruction:

doubdoubttdepressiondepression

self-pityself-pity

These are NOT what These are NOT what God desires for us! God desires for us! Isaiah 61:3 tells us Isaiah 61:3 tells us that God wants to that God wants to

make some make some exchanges:exchanges:

a crown of beauty a crown of beauty for ashes for ashes

oil of gladness oil of gladness for mourningfor mourning

a garment of praise a garment of praise for a spirit of despairfor a spirit of despair

Christian hope is a Christian hope is a steady expectation steady expectation

of good based on the of good based on the promises of God’s promises of God’s

Word. Word.

Definition of hope:Definition of hope:

Christian hope is a steady expectation

of good based on the based on the promises of God’s promises of God’s

Word. Word.

Definition of hope:

Christian hope is a Christian hope is a steady expectation steady expectation

of good based on the of good based on the promises of God’s promises of God’s

Word. Word.

importance of hopeimportance of hope

1 Thessalonians 5:8 1 Thessalonians 5:8

““But since we belong to But since we belong to the day, let us be self-the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on controlled, putting on

faith and love as a faith and love as a breastplate, and the breastplate, and the hope of salvation hope of salvation

as a helmet.”as a helmet.”

“But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on

faith and love as a breastplate, and the the

hope of salvation hope of salvation as a helmet.”as a helmet.”

the connection the connection between between

faith + lovefaith + love(breastplate)(breastplate)

and hopeand hope(helmet)(helmet)

Hebrews 11:1Hebrews 11:1 Faith is being sure of Faith is being sure of

what we hope for what we hope for and certain of what and certain of what

we do not see.we do not see.

For those of you who For those of you who don’t have Jesus you don’t have Jesus you

can’t have hope can’t have hope against the Three against the Three

Amigos. Amigos.

Ephesians 2:12-“ Ephesians 2:12-“ Remember that at Remember that at that time you were that time you were

separate from Christ, separate from Christ, excluded fromexcluded from

citizenship in Israel citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the and foreigners to the

covenants of the covenants of the promise, without promise, without hope and without hope and without God in the world.”God in the world.”

citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the

covenants of the promise, without hope and without without GodGod in the world.”

citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the

covenants of the promise, without without hopehope and without God in the world.”

citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the

covenants of the promise, without hope and without without GodGod in the world.”

citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the

covenants of the promise, without without hopehope and without God in the world.”

But for those who do But for those who do have Jesus, He is the have Jesus, He is the hope that is within hope that is within

us. us. ; no one can snatch them out of

my hand.

Colossians 1:27Colossians 1:27“To them God has “To them God has chosen to make chosen to make

known among the known among the Gentiles the glorious Gentiles the glorious

riches of thisriches of this

mystery, which is mystery, which is Christ in you, the Christ in you, the

hope of glory”hope of glory”

1. Pray for His power 1. Pray for His power to help us trust Him to help us trust Him to fulfill His promises to fulfill His promises in our life, even when in our life, even when

we don’t see Him we don’t see Him working.working.

2. Spend time with 2. Spend time with Him regularly and Him regularly and learn to love Him learn to love Him more and more.more and more.

3. Implant the truth 3. Implant the truth of God into our of God into our

minds.minds.

4. Live our lives with 4. Live our lives with a hope based on the a hope based on the promises of Jesus. promises of Jesus.