Message of the Week: Living a life in hope by believing through faith

August 12, 2006

His name was Mike. he had no hope. There was a tumor on the brain. The size and location of the tumor made surgery impossible. There was nothing left to do but die. So, Mike was in a hospital ward, waiting to die in a few days. He had no hope.

His name was Burt. He had no hope. He had struggled most of his life in receiving, finding, and accepting love.

Finally, he met a woman, they fell in love, and they were going to be married. Then, abruptly, she left. Good-bye, so long, farewell. It's over. So, Burt stood on the outside balcony of his building, on the ninth floor. Ready to jump. He had no hope.

Who of us has not been in a hopeless situation? Perhaps you are there right now. You may find yourself located in the middle of one of these situations. You do not know where to turn. You have no hope.

I am reminded of Paul's words to the Christians at Rome when he was talking about Abraham. He says in Romans 4:18, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him.”

You may remember the story. God had called Abraham to be the father of many nations. God was going to create a group of people with whom he would share a covenant. He would guide, protect, bless and multiply these people.

They would, in turn, reveal the character of God in their lives and show the world his love, mercy, compassion, righteousness, and holiness. So, Abraham said, sure, why not? Never mind that I am old (over 90), my wife is old, we have no children and no prospect of having children. If you say so, God, then let it happen.

Reality set in, though, and Abraham tried to help God by having a child through his servant rather than his wife. He just didn't think God could really pull it off, so he needed Abraham's help.

Finally though, Abraham realized that would not work and, in fact, there was no hope. There was no human, physical way this could happen. But God intervened and, in the hope that God was who he said he was, and could and would do what he said he would do, Abraham in hope believed.

Wow, that's powerful stuff. Somehow, though, we think that was just for Abraham and other Bible characters. Well, let's return to our stories.

You remember Mike. He was waiting to die in the hospital with a brain tumor. Down to his last few days. A lady from our church went to visit Mike in the hospital.

Now, she was not the most popular person in the church. She was not on the board or leading any ministry.

In fact, most people thought she was a bit eccentric. You know, the elevator never quite reached the top floor. One of those. But, she had a hope. She had seen the mystery that had been kept hidden for ages. It was revealed to her.

It was “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) So, she encountered Mike there, ready to die. She said to him that she had a hope. His name was Jesus. He could be your hope, too. Mike thought he had nothing to lose. He was going to die. Why not?

So, he said I'll take your hope, this Jesus.

Now, this lady did not have oil or the elders of the church, but she did lay hands on Mike and prayed for him. Mike received Jesus as Savior and Lord. he now had a hope for eternity.

Then a strange and miraculous thing happened. Mike's tumor started shrinking. Within a week, he walked out of the hospital, never to be bothered by that tumor again.

You remember Burt. ™e jumped off the ninth floor balcony, intending to end his life. On the way down, he reconsidered and cried out to God for help. he hit the ground and broke both legs, among other things. Miraculously, he survived.

While in the hospital, some men from our church visited Burt. They introduced him to Jesus. For the first time, Burt had hope. He actually learned how to walk again.

An interesting postscript to the story is that Burt and Mike became roommates and helped each other on their journey of hope with Jesus.

So, what about you? Is there a situation in your life that seems hopeless? Turn it over to God. Listen again to his words in Romans 4, “Against all hope (in the things I can see and control ... in hope (through God in Jesus Christ) believe that God has power to do what he promises.”

You do have a hope. His name is Jesus.