This is a sermon that continues in our Devotional: Becoming a People of Overflow, ADVENT! Romans 15:13, You can watch more here.
We typically go verse by verse through books of the bible but this morning we are entering
into a season of “Advent” which simply means “arrival” as we are reflecting on Jesus, and
His birth into humanity through a short series on hope, peace, love and joy. Advent!
Honestly, sometimes I can struggle with this part of the year, because we are preparing to
celebrate something that is incredibly unique, God entering into human history, and at the
same time vaguely familiar. Anyone else feel that?
It’s like the National Anthem at a sporting event. Everyone stands. The song plays. It’s
significant. It matters. But, because we’ve heard the song a thousand times we can just
mumble through the words, “Oh, say can you see by the dah, lah, dah, lah. What so
proudly…”. It’s meaningful and also weirdly routine.
So, what I have found that helps my heart and mind break through some of that tension is
that really, Christmas is a time to celebrate the gospel. The gospel isn’t just an intellectual
exercise where we learn more religious information.
The gospel is efficacious. The gospel changes lives. The gospel, Jesus’ birth, death,
resurrection, and promised return brings transformation, so that if you look at your life,
and you don’t see your heart excited about the birth of Jesus, if you don’t see your mind
engaging in awe of Jesus, if you don’t see your hands lifting in praise, then let’s ask
ourselves, “Where is my hope?” What am I hoping in? What is biblical hope?”
This morning to help us answer these questions we are going to tackle 3 specific questions,
“What is biblical hope?” Second, “What does biblical hope do practically? And, lastly, “How
do we cultivate biblical hope?” You with me? Let’s start with the first one. What is biblical
hope?
What is biblical hope?
Romans 15:13, “13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so
that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
This morning, we are only going to look at one verse, so lean in with me. Verse 13, “May
the God of hope…fill you with joy and peace, so that we abound in hope!” Isn’t that great
language, “Abound in hope?” The word “abound” means to exceed. It means to spill over.
It means we have so much “hope” we are overflowing in hope. Therefore, we need to ask
the question, “What is biblical hope?”
In our culture today, we use the word “hope” like a “maybe.” We say things like I hope the
Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl? Or I hope the Dallas Cowboys go to the Super Bowl?
Or, more realistically, “I hope the Dallas Cowboys win another game?” It’s like, “Maybe,
who knows!” But, in God’s Word we see the word “hope” used completely different. Listen
to some of these verses for a biblical understanding of “hope.”
Acts 26, “Standing trial for the hope of the promise.” 2 Corinthians 3, “Because of our hope,
we can enter the presence of God with greater confidence than Moses.” Galatians, “We are
waiting with hope.” Ephesians 1, “Spiritual eyes opened so that we might know the hope to
which we’ve been called.” 1 Thessalonians, “Those not with Jesus who have no hope.” Romans
5, “We rejoice because of our hope!” Romans 8, “Saved in hope.” Romans 15, “The Word of God
is written down for the sake of hope.” And in our passage this morning, “He is the God of
hope!”
Do you see the difference? Cultural hope is a maybe? Biblical hope is certain! Biblical hope
is assurance. Biblical hope is confidence. It isn’t confidence in ourselves, but confidence in
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, so that biblical hope is a rock-solid certainty that we are
secure, and despite our circumstances, we can rejoice, because our hope is grounded in
Him! Amen?
Listen to me, anyone ever been in a season with a lack of hope? Maybe the future isn’t
looking great? Maybe we are worried about our finances? Maybe that boy or girl didn’t
end up being everything we hoped? We crash, right?
Maybe our career path feels like a dead end? Maybe Trump or Kamala or Mamdani isn’t
able to bring the solutions they promised? Maybe our physical health starts to show some
cracks in the system? Ugh! When we lose hope it’s like a downward spiral!
This is why it is important to be clear on biblical hope, because the celebration of Advent,
the arrival of God in the flesh, Jesus’ birth, reminds us that biblical hope isn’t circumstantial.
Biblical hope is certain, because our hope is in Him.
Lean in with me, because biblical hope doesn’t mean we don’t have questions about our
faith in Jesus. Biblical hope doesn’t mean we don’t have doubts. Maybe you are walking in
with a spiritual limp this morning? Maybe you feel emotionally distant? Biblical hope is
what shapes how we walk through those doubts and navigate those limps. Does that make
sense?
Biblical hope isn’t something we feel. Biblical hope is the truth we turn to for security and
confidence and assurance, so that it shapes how we walk through the ups and downs of life.
It’s like the Dallas Cowboys. Stay with me! A few weeks ago, I wasn’t able to watch the
Dallas Cowboys game live when we played the Philadelphia Eagles, so I started watching
the game later that night, and in the first half the Dallas Cowboys were losing 21-0. It was a
familiar pain for a Dallas Cowboys fan!
I was ready to turn off the game, sleep away my sadness, and I happened to look at my
phone and a friend had sent me a text saying, “Can you believe Dallas won that game?” It
was the best spoiler!
Remember, I am still at half-time, 21-0. I thought, “Dallas winning this game is impossible.”
I read the text more slowly. I thought to myself, “Did we really win?” I decided to keep
watching the game, and listen to me, knowing we won the game changed how I watched the
second half.
My whole attitude toward the game had changed. Fumbled ball by Pickens? No big deal! I
knew we were going to win. Offense stalls out. No big deal. I knew the score. Knowing the
score changed everything!
I woke my wife up, and I acted like I didn’t know what was going to happen. It’s been a
hard 30 years! You got to milk these wins! I said to my wife, “Babe, you got to watch this
game!” The Dallas Cowboys need our support! I got my son up and said, “Tuck, you have to
watch, what if we come back and win?” Knowing the score to the game changed
everything! This is biblical hope!
Because I knew we won the game, it changed how I walked through the ups and downs of
the game. Does that make sense? This is why we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is the
time of the year where we have a tangible, global reminder, “Jesus has already won!”
Jesus told us the end of the game! We know we’re going to the Super Bowl! We know we
win the Super Bowl. We don’t have to wring our hands and wander; therefore, biblical
hope calls out to our soul, “Fix your eyes on Him! Amen? Let’s talk about our second
question, “What does biblical hope do practically?”
What does biblical hope do practically?
Saying the word “hope” is common in our culture, but the biblical hope we just talked about
isn’t very familiar or popular in our culture today, because right now, our culture loves to
be skeptical and cynical about hope. Have you seen this? Oh, you’ve seen this!
Of course, we don’t trust institutions and corporations. What? Another CEO did something
corrupt? What another politician or a pastor involved in a scandal? In fact, if someone
does something great or achieves something great, there is a layer in our thoughts like,
“They probably cheated. They were probably born wealthy and had it handed to them.”
We’re cynical and skeptical about hope!
And, I am the guiltiest of them all! I had an old college friend reach out to me recently to
connect with one of his friends about a new opportunity of multi-level marketing
(Recruiting your friends) and I am skeptical, but because we are friends, I took the call.
On the call, my friend and his “coach” tell me about their chemical free cleaning products,
and so pretty quickly I say, “Look, I just turned 51. I am not looking to live forever. I want
all the chemicals!” Didn’t faze them. They kept selling!
Then, I said, “How much money did you say you made with these chemically free cleaning
products?” The coach said, “Last year alone, I made $7 Million!” I said, “$7 Million?” Well,
then, you should probably retire! You’re rich! Why are you still doing this? I thought they
would take the hint. They kept selling!
They said, “We do it all for Jesus, and the relational community this chemically free cleaning
product builds.” I said, “You’re talking to a pastor. If you’re looking for Jesus and a
community, I’ll see you on Sunday!”
A good friend would have been supportive and polite about their chemically free cleaning
products. But I am skeptical and cynical, and I see skepticism and cynicism everywhere,
because right now, it is so easy to be skeptical and cynical. It is so easy to push people
away. It’s so easy to poke fun! And, this is what makes the gospel so powerful today! (This
is what biblical hope does practically!)
Jesus knew all about our skepticism and cynicism, and Jesus still enters into human history.
Merry Christmas! God in the flesh! Name above all names. King of Kings! He knows we
have trust issues, so He comes and draws near so that we can know Him and trust Him!
God’s Word doesn’t just tell us to believe! God’s Word invites us to bring our skepticism,
cynicism and hardened hearts, so that He might make them soft as we come face to face
with the One who will never let us down. Amen?
For those of us who have met Jesus by grace through faith, do you remember the first time
you met Jesus? Our parents had let us down. Our government had let us down. Our
friends had let us down. We let ourselves down, but then our eyes are opened to Jesus and
finally our soul comes in contact with someone who will never let us down. There’s nobody
like Jesus! Therefore, we need to take some time to draw out what biblical hope actually
does in our life.
First, biblical hope steadies us in those seasons of waiting. When the Lord isn’t moving
when we want, how we want, and where we want, we get nervous, we get anxious, but as a
follower of Jesus we can wait just like everyone else, but we are waiting with our trust in
Him.
Remember, our series in 1 Peter the waiting on earth will have ups and downs, but in the
span of eternity it is just a little while so that biblical hope shapes how we wait.
Second, biblical hope redirects our thoughts and emotions while we are waiting.
Typically, when I am in a season of waiting my thoughts are all over the place.
What if this happens? What if that happens? Most of the time I am worried and anxious,
not about the thing itself, but 10 Pokémon evolutions that haven’t even happened. Anyone
else? I am making up fan-fiction type worries!
But biblical hope narrows my waiting by calling out to my thoughts and emotions to focus
on what’s true, what’s happening today, where’s His grace at work, where can I take
responsibility, and where do I need to trust Him.
Third, biblical hope keeps us emotionally engaged in the present while we are
waiting. I have found when I am waiting on the Lord my thoughts go wild and my
emotions get exhausted. Anyone else?
As a result, in seasons of waiting, I find myself wanting to veg out with TV shows, because I
am exhausted by the waiting. I want to scroll on my phone, because I am emotionally
exhausted. I want to numb my emotions because I have already emptied my emotions on
all the “what if” of life. Amen?
Therefore, biblical hope grounds me in truth, steadies my emotions, and helps me stay
present in my relationships with others because with biblical hope I have emotional
capacity leftover. Biblical hope is the gift that keeps on giving! Amen?
Listen to me, biblical hope doesn’t erase sadness, difficulty and hardship. Instead, biblical
hope gives a place for sadness, difficulty and hardship to land.
Biblical hope doesn’t erase sadness, difficulty and hardship. Instead, biblical hope gives a
place for sadness, difficulty and hardship to land.
Biblical hope gives us perspective on the sadness, difficulty and hardship. Let’s look at our
last question, “How do we cultivate biblical hope?”
How do we cultivate biblical hope personally?
God’s Word, Romans 15, teaches us we can, “Abound in hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit,” therefore, we want to dig out how we cultivate biblical hope personally.
This is like a sermon within a sermon. We’ve been talking about biblical hope from the big
picture, so let me give you 3 practically ways to cultivate biblical hope.
Look Back: First, as a non-denominational church in Austin, we will grow in biblical hope
when we are taking time to look back on His faithful hand on our life.
The month of December is a great time to look back on the year, look back on our life. Stay
with me. We’re not looking back on every detail of our life, but we are looking back at His
faithful hand on our life.
Philippians 1 says it this way, “For I am confident of this, He who began a good work in you
will perfect it till the end,” therefore, we want to take time to reflect on the Lord’s faithful
hand in our life.
Listen to me, if you are breathing today, the Lord has been faithful! If you are still walking
with Jesus today, the Lord has been faithful. Consider the parents He gave you with all
their strengths and weaknesses, so that He could draw you to Himself. He’s faithful!
I was talking to a neighbor last week and he said, “I am 55 years old today and if I would
have known what I was going to walk through at 51 I would have told you I couldn’t make
it, but I am here today!” He said this, “I have a new definition of what’s hard today, because
of what I have walked through.” The Lord is faithful!
Each of us would do well, throughout the month of December to consider how the Lord has
been faithful. When we do, we will find ourselves getting super charged in biblical hope.
We will find ourselves thinking, “Oh, if the Lord can carry me through this or that…why
would He stop now!” Look back on His faithful hand!
Look Up: Second, we not only want to look back, but we want to take time throughout the
month of December to look up and remember God’s character. We just talked about
standing firm in the faith by knowing God’s character! So, let me give you some practical
action steps. I am going to rapid fire these, so get ready.
You can take 1 day every day to learn about the names of God; Emmanuel, God with us,
Prince of peace, Everlasting, Light of the World, Wonderful Counselor. When we hear those
Christmas songs, we can pause to listen to those words. Not Frosty the Snowman, but
songs like “Joy to the World, Hark the Harold, Silent Night.” Those songs are rich in God’s
character.
We can read our devotional and look for an example of God’s character in our passage. We
can look at creation and look for an example of God’s character. We can set up group texts
to bring attention to God’s character every day till Christmas! Therefore, take the month of
December to look up and grow in God’s Character. Last one!
Look Forward: We want to look forward to the day when Jesus returns. Biblical hope is
a future hope! The word “will” is used in verse 13, so that we will abound in hope as we
look forward to the day when all things will be made new.
This world will not stay as it is. New things are coming. Justice is coming. Glory is coming,
therefore, throughout the month of December we want to cognitively prepare our minds to
look forward to what is to come when Jesus returns. Amen?
North Village Church
This sermon is brought to you by North Village Church, a non-denominational church in Austin. established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
North Village Church is made up of professionals, married couples, singles, and families who are wanting to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus. If you are a family with children or teens, we can support you with either or both our Kids Ministry and Youth Ministry.
You are welcome to contact us if you would like more information.
NVC Online
Unable to attend this Christian Church in Austin? Don’t worry, because, through God’s provision, we have created NVC online, an Online Church streaming a worship service every Sunday from 10:30am Central Time. You can also watch our short, powerful sermons on demand and follow us on Instagram for daily Christ centered content.