July 26, 2015
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
What do we hope in?
All scripture is from
the NIV Bible
Psalm 9:18; Psalm
16:9; Psalm 31:24
Psalm 33:18; Psalm
33:22; Psalm 38:15
Psalm 39:7; Psalm
43:5
“Hope. . . ”
Prayer for God’s Word to be heard through me.
. .
Hope.
. . have you ever hoped for something in your life? We hope that things will
work out for the best in our lives. We have hopes and dreams for our lives and
for the lives of the next generation. We hope that we will get that new job. We
hope that we will be comfortable in our lives and be able to do whatever we
want. . . whenever we want. We hope for. . . fill in the blank. Hope is something that keeps us going even when
things don’t look so good. And when our hopes and dreams do manifest themselves
we can be devastated. We have hope for
our marriage and it winds up ending right before our eyes. We have hope for our
children only to find that they are addicted and are going down a road of
destruction. We have hope for our future and we get that call from the doctor’s
office. . .
Hope - noun
: the feeling of wanting something to happen
and thinking that it could happen : a feeling that something good will happen
or be true
: the chance that something good will happen
: someone or something that may be able to
provide help : someone or something that gives you a reason for hoping
Verb-
archaic :
trust, reliance
a :
desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment ; also :
expectation of fulfillment or success
b :
someone or something on which hopes are centered
c :
something hoped for
It
is interesting that hope is both a noun. . . a thing. . . and a verb. . . a
feeling. But in both definitions there is one thing that it involves. . . trust. Maybe it’s not so much that we
hope but maybe it’s what we put our hope and trust in. . .
Over
the past few weeks, I have truly been pondering on the word salvation and what
it really means. For not just Christians
but for humanity.
Salvation:
1.
the act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss,
destruction, etc.
2.
the state of being saved or protected from harm, risk,
etc.
3.
a source, cause, or means of being saved or protected
from harm, risk, etc.
4.
Theology. deliverance from the power and penalty of sin;
redemption.
There
are so many facets to salvation. There is the grace that we receive from God
within salvation. The grace freely given to us even though we don’t deserve it
but it is through the blood of Jesus that we receive this incredible gift. We
are chosen by God and are adopted by Him through the blood that was poured down
a wooden cross on a hill for you and for me. We are delivered from sin and
death through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. There is love and mercy, joy
and there is HOPE. . . Not just your everyday hope that you feel but hope that
is not defined by our circumstances but is defined by our great and loving God.
. . through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Now
I want you to listen to some of the hope found in the Psalms. These
proclamations will give us hope too if we but believe and rejoice in what and
who our God really is:
v Psalm
9:18New International Version (NIV)
18 But God will never forget
the needy;
the hope of the afflicted will never
perish.
v Psalm 31:24New International Version
(NIV)
24
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.
v Psalm 33:18New International Version
(NIV)
18
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing
love,
v Psalm 33:22New International Version
(NIV)
22
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.
(Are you feeling it yet?)
v Psalm 39:7New International Version (NIV)
7
“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.
v Psalm 43:5New International Version
(NIV)
5
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
v Psalm
16:9New International Version (NIV)
9 Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
(Because
of hope. . . )
v Psalm
38:15New International Version (NIV)
15 Lord, I wait for you;
you will answer, Lord my God.
(Because
of the trust that God is a God of Hope. . . )
Hope.
. . it is both a noun and a verb. When we put our hope in our circumstances, we
are using the verb form and more times than not. . . we will be disappointed
somehow. When we put our hope in God, we are using the noun form. . . trusting
all of our hopes and dreams to God. But we are humans and we will at times put
our hope in the things we see. And when our hopes are dashed to the ground, we
have a God of all hopes who meet us where we are and whisper His hope into our
hearts. Are you feeling hopelessness and
despair? Is your life not turning out they way you hoped it would? Come to the God of all hope and allow Him to
heal your broken heart and put a new song of hope within you. . . the hope that
is found within the cross of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
. .
July
26, 2015
What
do we hope in?
All
scripture is from the NIV Bible
Psalm
9:18; Psalm 16:9; Psalm 31:24
Psalm
33:18; Psalm 33:22; Psalm 38:15
Psalm
39:7; Psalm 43:5
and sermon,
“Hope… ”
video:
text:
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Children’s Message
-
mystery
box – empty wrapper for peanut butter crackers
video:
text:
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
“Ain’t Jesus Good”
“My Redeemer Lives”
“I Will Call Upon the Lord”
“Glory To the Lamb”
offering – “Were You There?”
closing song – “It’s Amazing”
departing blessing
song after blessing, “Ain’t Jesus Good”
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
July 26, 2015
&
July
19, 2015
(All
Scripture Is From the NIV Bible)
Ephesians
2:4-5, 8-9
John
1:14-17
Hebrews
4:16
1
Peter 4:10
and sermon,
“Grace… It’s not Just A Girls Name”
video:
text:
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
July 19, 2015
&
July
12, 2015
We are
chosen and equipped by God
to do His
work in the world.
(All
Scripture Is From the NIV Bible)
Acts 6:1-7
2
Thessalonians 2:13
John
15:15-16
1 Peter
2:9-10
2 Timothy
3:14-17
Exodus 3-4
Acts
22:14-16
and sermon,
“I Have Chosen You…”
video:
text:
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
July 12, 2015
&
July
5, 2015
Seventh
Sunday of Pentecost
4th
of July
Declaration
of Independence
and sermon,
“Just Say Jesus” and Communion liturgy
video:
text:
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
July 5, 2015
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See all 38,610+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
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