Loud Hope
There is no denying that our nation is experiencing some difficult times. Many are likening it to the times of unrest in the 60's and 70's with all the global tensions, the protests and the financial instability. The upcoming elections have people on edge. The rising inflation in fuel and food and housing costs continue to cause hardship and anxiety. Then there are fears on a personal level such as job security and health scares or injuries. And they all have that same feeling of dread of what's going to happen next?
And those are realities that most people deal with - both those inside the Church and those outside. People in this world are hurting and looking for answers about finances, marriage and family problems, and health and security and many are feeling desperate and clamoring for hope of any kind.
But so many people are looking for hope in politics or government, or people, or money and things that will not last. The Bible clearly says this world will pass away, and as believers, as Christians - we do have answers. Not because we're smarter than anyone else, but because we believe God's Word! I'd like to suggest that in times like these, for the sake of frustrated, anxious people everywhere – the best thing for followers of Jesus to do at a time like this is to…
I. Live like a Christian
Now that may sound a bit obvious, but I think sometimes we may live out our faith a little too subtly. Do people with whom we interact everyday know that we are Christians? Now, I'm not talking about living like a stereotype of a Christian or people's mistaken perceptions of a Christian, but living more like Jesus lived. Do we live as people who have hope despite everything around us?
Despite the division and tumult all around us, we're not experiencing anything new. Believers for the past 2,000 years have been faced with similar and even worse struggles than those with which we're dealing. When the Apostle Paul was writing to the Church in the city of Corinth, that city was under Roman rule. Their government wasn't overly friendly to Christianity. At the time, Corinth was the wealthiest city in Greece. But most of the people in the Church were not really well off but working class. Many had been brought in by Caesar to provide labor in the city.
There were many temples to Greek Gods, so they were surrounded by 'pagan' values and false religions. As the Church was growing, there were divisions in the Church at to what should be taught. Many were being swayed by the culture around them. Paul was writing to correct and encourage them through the rough waters. In one section, he was reminding them of the fact of Jesus' resurrection and the hope that this gives us. And then he wrote this, in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)...
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (17) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (18) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Do you live just like everyone else - or do you actively live knowing that this life is temporary? Do we raise our kids exactly the same way the world raises theirs - or do we do things differently, do we teach them different priorities, do we teach them Godly values? Do we work our jobs the exact same way as the rest of the world? Do we plan our retirements the same? Do we treat our friends and family and neighbors the same as the world treats them? - Or do we live differently?
Now, as I say that, I don't want anyone to think I'm saying we have all the answers. We don't. We know the big picture and what God reveals to us, but the real key to living like a Christian is to…
A. Live by faith
Even though we know the end of the story – this life can be a rough road. It's a matter of trusting God to handle the bigger details of this life's drama. Paul again from 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)...
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Paul didn't need to know all the answers, but he understood that God gave him what he needed to know in that moment.
Years back I was talking to Tom Weissert regarding, at that time, an upcoming heart surgery. Tom's a pretty humble guy, but he understands faith more than he gives himself credit. He told me, sure he was nervous about the surgery – but he knew his life was in God's hands. If it was God's will that it was his time – he'd follow God. But, and here's the thing that stuck with me, he added that if God still had something for him to do in this life – there was nothing that surgeon could do to kill him even if he tried. That's living by faith. God honors faith like that. And Tom's still here...
In order to live like a Christian, we need to learn to live by faith and we need to…
B. Follow God's Word
Again, that may sound a bit obvious for a Christian, but we need to reaffirm Who our Authority is. God has given us what we need to know in the Bible. First we need to read it and then we need to follow it. If we don't know God's Word, we'll never be able to follow it. We need to be seeking God's wisdom as revealed in the Bible - not following our own ideas or values. Paul again, to the Church in Corinth, in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (NIV)...
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. (2) By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
Knowing God's Word and following it will make your life so much easier! Many of the problems in people's lives are simply because they choose not to follow God's directions. I'm not trying to be mean or judgmental here, but think of it this way - 'What are the odds that today if you follow God's Word to the letter that you'll end up in jail?' - Probably pretty slim. What are the odds that if both marriage partners strictly follow God's Word that it would end in a conflict that can't be resolved?
Again - not condemning - but we have to acknowledge that God's ways are always the best ways! - Not the easiest ways, but the best ways! And for the sake of those around us – we need to consistently live like Christians who believe God's Word as truth and are always looking forward to the next life! And in this commitment, we need to…
II. Stand firm
We live in a time when God's Word is not very popular. Again - back in the city of Corinth, it was the same way. Today, even quoting some particular passages of scripture is considered 'hate speech' by many outside the Church.
In fact, even in the Church, some have bought into the lie that we need to change or update our teachings with the times. Research shows that even among those who consider themselves 'evangelical Christians'... - 31% believe science disproves the Bible; - 33% believe gender is a choice; - 38% believe Jesus was not God; - 62% believe God accepts all religions; and 75% believe God first created Jesus. But that's not what the Bible teaches.
Many 'believers' would suggest that I should stop talking about God's view of the 'sanctity of human life' because that sounds too close to a political issue. Many suggest I shouldn't talk about the sacred view of the Biblical design of marriage between one man and one woman because, 'Well, that's outdated and old fashioned'. Many suggest that teaching that God decides our gender and we can't change that fact is ridiculous and even 'mean'. They say I shouldn't talk about sin or Hell because those things are not very 'loving' towards others.
And while I do agree that we should be very careful and gracious when teaching those subjects - we cannot change what God teaches in scripture! God's ways are always the best ways! Hell is still real, sin is still sin, but then again, grace and forgiveness are still grace and forgiveness - and only found in Jesus!
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. (14) Do everything in love.
I don't get to choose what God's Word says. But I have to have the courage to accept it and speak the truth, in love. If we don't stand firm on the truth of God's Word, nothing else we do really matters. And here's a warning, or disclaimer of sorts – sometimes standing firm will mean...
A. Playing hurt
Back in the 2017 Super Bowl, Atlanta Falcon's player Alex Mack played the game despite an injury two weeks prior that resulted in a fractured fibula. The guy played with a broken leg... And stories like that aren't unusual at that level of play. Guys play with broken noses and fingers, and dislocations and sprains, and serious injuries of all kinds. Why? - Because they accept that the stakes are so high at that level.
There are going to be times when it's not easy to stand firm for the Gospel message. There are going to be times, as we walk by faith – that we're going to be knocked down and beaten up or broken and hurting - and we are still called to stand. We'll have tough times when we'll be wondering how long this will last and will help ever come? Some of us have taken some pretty hard hits in this life.
Paul encouraged us to walk by faith and to stand firm – but he also knew a bit about playing hurt. He encouraged the Corinthian believers when he compared himself to the false teachers of his time, in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 (NIV)...
Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. (24) Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. (25) Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, (26) I have been constantly on the move.
I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. (27) I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (28) Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
Following Jesus is not easy – it never has been. But it's always been worth it. How do we stand firm when we feel like we get knocked down repeatedly? We need to do what Paul did. When it comes to our strength, we have to remember…
B. The source
When we follow Jesus, we are not alone! We never have been and we never will be! When Paul was telling the Corinthians about how he was given 'a thorn in my flesh' to keep him from becoming conceited - he wrote...
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. (9) But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (10) That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
For the sake of a world looking for hope – we need to live like Christians! We need to stand firm, and we need to share Jesus!
When you compare the ancient city of Corinth to today - circumstances haven't changed all that much. But things in our nation have changed drastically over the past few decades. The Church doesn't have the same influence on morality any more. Many say there are no such things as 'evil' or 'sin'. But there is a genuine battle between good and evil raging in our culture. We currently see the rise in hatred against Jewish people - and we see people are now much more willing to accept the idea that 'the end justifies the means'.
A recent report has identified 915 acts of hostility against U.S. churches including vandalism, arson, gun-related incidents, bomb threats, and more. The same report finds that open hostility has doubled within the past year and has increased by 800% since 2018. You probably won't hear much about that in the mainstream media. But according to 'CatholicVote's' violence tracker, there have been at least 413 attacks against the Catholic Church since May 2020.
Now I'm not crying 'religious victim' or trying to fan the flames here. But we need to understand the times and realize we may not be all that far separated from the struggles of the Corinthian Church. But their source of strength was the same as our source of strength - their faith in Jesus Christ and in Him alone!
There are still many who live under the mistaken belief that all religions are pretty much the same. That's not what the Bible teaches. Only Jesus claimed to be THE WAY to Heaven - and then backed it up by defeating death; He didn't stay dead! I talked about this just last week - every other 'religion' is about you somehow doing enough, learning enough, becoming good enough for Heaven or enlightenment.
The Bible tells us that God Himself came down in the person of Jesus, while we were still in our sin, to provide a way for us to Heaven with Him! The Bible teaches - Jesus, God in the flesh came down for us. Doesn't matter how good or bad we've been in the past - Jesus offers to cover our sin if we accept Him.
That's grace!! And there's no other religion that offers grace like that! That's the Good News, the hope in Jesus that we are to share with others. And sharing requires more than just words, it first requires 'going' to people. It requires demonstrating that we care with our actions, and it's then we can explain the hope that we have in Christ.
It's definitely time we're prepared to use our words to give real hope to people in this world by talking boldly, not about religion or creeds or a 'generic spirituality' - but about Jesus!
So What?
People in this world are desperate for hope. There are people all around us who need the hope that we have in Christ.
Many religions talk about 'God' in some way or another. And believing in a 'generic', distant, non-intrusive God is somewhat popular and easy. 'God is in His Heavens, He doesn't place too many demands on you, He just wants you to be a good person and Heaven's your reward.' It's easy to believe in this benevolent, grandfatherly figure. But believing in, and following Jesus – that's a bit radical.
But Jesus brings grace, and then calls us to repent, to change, to obey – that's not as popular. But our only hope to get to the Father is through Jesus! That's the hope we need to share!
If you're willing, God will use you, wherever you go for His purposes – if you're willing to boldly live as a Christian. Live out the hope that you have! Not some 'fake smile optimism', but the genuine hope that we have in Jesus! And live it loudly!