Hope Has Risen!
Luke 24: 21 But we trusted (hoped) that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.
Two disciples were walking to their home in Emmaus and as they walked they were rehearsing the recent events, the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. They were remembering a time when they had HOPE in someone and in something.
Things hadn’t turned out the way they thought they would. Now their HOPE is a thing of the past. They speak of HOPE in the past tense; “We had hoped He was the Redeemer”. According to their conversation, they had heard from the women who were first to the tomb, then from Peter and John who had also been to the empty tomb, that the body of Jesus was missing. Jesus, the reason of their hope was missing and they were confused (vs. 22).
But they just hadn’t put it all together yet. Their theology was right but their experience was lacking. When they experienced the Presence of Jesus, much like you will in the worship service today, everything changed. Their hearts burned to hear more about Him! Their HOPE had risen!
Jesus said, ” because I live, ye shall live also.” Luke 14:19b
HOPE is alive! HOPE HAS RISEN! HOPE is here!
Hope is real. Hope is relevant. Hope is everlasting!
HOPE IS HERE!
-Pastor T.H. Sheppard
Hope!
Proverbs 13: 12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
When life hurts and dreams fade, nothing compares to hope.
Without hope, incarcerated men and women waste away and die.
Without hope, prisoners of war languish and die.
Without hope, students get discouraged and drop out of school.
Without hope, sports teams slump and keep losing.
Without hope, alcoholics return to their alcohol.
Without hope, married couples decide to call it quits, and divorce.
Without hope, discouragement would reign in the preacher’s life, rendering him useless.
Without hope there would be no new businesses, nor new inventions, nor new songs.
Hope is our lifeline. Hope keeps us engaged in this process and pilgrimage of life.
Next week is Easter. We celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior, who took our sins upon Himself, causing His death, then He Resurrected from the dead, giving us the example for our new life. He gave us hope through His Resurrection.
Leaving God Out
4360 The Cuticura Corporation
George Robert White was a man whose God-given beliefs made him both a material and a spiritual millionaire at thirty as he built a small soap manufacturing plant in Boston into the multimillion-dollar Cuticura Corporation. He did this in spite of giving away a large part of his net profits to charity. He gave nothing for the spreading of the Gospel.
In 1952, Dr. Samuel M. Best said in This I Believe: “Since Mr. White’s death, I have endeavored as his successor to adhere to his code of ethics. Two dollars out of every three dollars profit earned by our corporation is shared with others in helping to make our nation a better place in which to live … for the advancement of medicine and science, for chemical research, for art and beauty.” But he made no effort to support the work of God.
There is no mention of our Lord’s great commission—of the spreading of the gospel. Perhaps that is why, despite their 2/3 of their profit giving, there is no longer a Cuticura Corporation in existence. Today the remaining Cuticura products are manufactured and sold by the Campana Corporation of Batavia, Illinois.
The sustained faithful giving of a large percentage of income money does not of itself guarantee continued success and God’s blessing with riches. There are many businesses which were founded and built up by faithful Christians who once gave richly to God’s evangelical causes—businesses which have capitulated to the humanist causes of their next-generation leaders.
Offering Hope: That Produces Fearless Joy
Romans 8:37. Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
Paul is speaking of the things that might seem likely to separate or wedge in between the saint and the love of God;… but none of them is able to wedge in between the love of God and the soul of the saint.
The bedrock of our Christian faith is the unmerited, un-understandable marvel of the love of God displayed on the Cross of Calvary.
Paul says this is the reason we are more than conquerors in all these things, super-victors, with a joy we would not have but for the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us.
The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surf-rider the super joy of going clean through it.
Tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us the super, fearless joy. We are more than conquerors through Him in all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them.
The saint never knows the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it. “I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation,” says Paul.
The experiences of life, terrible or monotonous, are powerless to touch the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Church is Offering Hope, real, relevant, everlasting and FEARLESS HOPE through the Gospel.
– Pastor T. H. Sheppard
Offering Hope: Rise, Let Us Be Going!
Matthew 26: 36-46.
Jesus and the Disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. He took three of them in with Him and instructed them to watch with Him. He came back three times and found them sleeping. He told them to “sleep on”.
The Disciples had just made a colossal mistake that they couldn’t undo. They were tired and had failed their Lord by sleeping when they should have been watching. Some mistakes are irreparable. They cause feelings of failure and despair.
We’ve all been there. You may be there now.
But after finding them asleep the third time, Jesus didn’t rebuke them, correct them, nor did He comfort them. He tells them; “the hour is at hand”. Guilt washes over them. They have failed! But then Jesus says, “Rise, let’s be going”. There’s something ahead of greater importance than the past; “Rise. Let us be going”.
The past is past. Don’t linger there. It’s only good for education. Get up! The hour is at hand!
HOPE IS HERE! Get up! Leave the past. Hope now gives faith for the future which destroys despair and feelings of failure.
God is offering hope. Rise. Let us be going.
Offering Hope: Through The Church
The Church is God’s idea. Jesus established the New Testament Church upon the rock of the revelation of Who He is; the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. He further stated that “the gates of Hell would not prevail against” the Church.
The Church is now made up of imperfect, fallible people, yet by God’s grace it will be victorious over every foe, including death itself.
As the Church, we have joined our diverse gifts, callings, talents, and resources together for combined strength to fulfill God’s will.
Matthew 16:18b…” upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
The Church is a safe harbor, saving station, emergency room, hospital, a lighthouse, a schoolhouse, and a shelter from the storms.
The Church is a Temple, built with lively stones, where the Spirit of God dwells.
The Church is a Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an Holy Nation, God’s special people.
The Church is the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, and the Family of God.
I’m thankful to belong to this family. Thank God for the Church!
Offering Hope: Rise, Let Us Be Going!
Matthew 26: 36-46.
Jesus and the Disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. He took three of them in with Him and instructed them to watch with Him. He came back three times and found them sleeping. He told them to “sleep on”.
The Disciples had just made a colossal mistake that they couldn’t undo. They were tired and had failed their Lord by sleeping when they should have been watching. Some mistakes are irreparable. They cause feelings of failure and despair.
We’ve all been there. You may be there now.
But after finding them asleep the third time, Jesus didn’t rebuke them, correct them, nor did He comfort them. He tells them; “the hour is at hand”. Guilt washes over them. They have failed! But then Jesus says, “Rise, let’s be going”. There’s something ahead of greater importance than the past; “Rise. Let us be going”.
The past is past. Don’t linger there. It’s only good for education. Get up! The hour is at hand!
HOPE IS HERE! Get up! Leave the past. Hope now gives faith for the future which destroys despair and feelings of failure.
God is offering hope. Rise. Let us be going.
Offering Hope, Lots of Hope!
Romans 15: 13 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.
When you accept a situation or a person as hopeless, you are slamming the door in God’s face.
The Holy Ghost Power will cause an abundance of HOPE! Our human spirit is effected by circumstances and will cause us to see things as hopeless. But the Holy Spirit will cause us to have HOPE! – Lots of HOPE, an abundance!
Our opening passage calls God “The God of HOPE”. God’s kingdom is described in Romans 14: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Lots of joy – lots of hope. As you rejoice in the Holy Ghost, HOPE begins to increase until there is an abundance of HOPE.
Pastor T. H. Sheppard
Offering Hope: The Bible
John 20: 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
1 John 5: 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Romans 15: 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Zechariah 9: 12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope:…
The Bible is the window in this prison of hope, through which we look into eternity.
In every Service, every song, and every sermon we are Offering Hope!
God is still “Making Whole Families Whole”!
God can, and will make your family whole!
Pastor T. H. Sheppard
Hope Is Here!
This is our Specialty, HOPE.
When life has been disappointing, people have let you down, dreams haven’t come true, and prayers haven’t been answered yet, there is still HOPE!
When the very thing you have given years of your life to, or the people, or person you’ve done so much for let you down, there is still HOPE!
You may have had marital disaster, financial disaster, career disaster, or any one of a number of things that have brought you down and maybe almost destroyed you.
Maybe some of these things have happened in your life and you’re wondering, “Is there any way out?” Yes; there is HOPE!
Hebrews 6: 18b, we… have a strong consolation (peace), who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,…
“Never leave shore without an anchor…” is the advice of the experienced.
We are OFFERING HOPE here in everything, for anyone, everyone.
The Christian life is a lot like a ship out on the sea. Storms can come from out of nowhere and come they do.
Like a ship we too have an anchor, His name is Jesus.
When you can’t change the wind, adjust your sails. God has promised He will be our anchor.