Acts 27:20,25 All hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
· “Hope” (1680 Strongs) = to look forward to with expectation and desire. To anticipate with pleasure.
· We are designed to be a people of hope – looking forward expectantly.
· God is a God of all hope – wants us to abound in hope (Romans 15:13).
· God’s plans for us are good so can abound in hope (Jeremiah 29:11).
· Without hope – people live day to day.
· “Hope taken away” = No storm can steal your destiny! “Can let it go!”
· vs25 “I believe” – must exert faith in what God says about the future. Not what people or circumstances say.
Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is.
· “Trust” (982 Strongs) = run for refuge; be bold; be careless; have confidence.
· “Hope” (4009 Strongs) = assurance; security; hope.
· Must choose what you put your confidence in and who put it in.
· Blessings abound for man who trusts the Lord and hopes in Him.
· ie looks forward expectantly and joyfully for what God will do!
Word picture: Tree planted by rivers of water
i) Draws from hidden source of life – not dependant on circumstances
ii) Stability – roots go down deep
iii) Confident – unconcerned by seasons of ‘heat’
iv) Vitality – green leaves
v) Peace – not anxious during difficult season
vi) Fruitful – continually producing fruit to be eaten and to sow
· Hope can be lost – “taken away”.
i) Don’t get what you expect – delays
ii) Get something didn’t expect - disappointment
· Can gradually “lose heart” – hope withers away.
· When hope is lost Þ faith decreases (Hebrews 11:1)
· When hope is lost Þ other things substitute
Example: Luke 24:13-33 Disciples
a) “Two of them” Þ Disciples; Followers of Christ
· Felt call of Christ and responded to follow
· Inspired by person, teaching, miracles
· Full of vision and hope for future
· Now – disappointed, perplexed, grief, loss of hope
b) “Departed from Jerusalem”
· Jerusalem = City of Peace = centre of worship – local church
· Place of conflict, pain, cross, lost hope
· “Eyes hidden” Þ unable to recognise Jesus
· Departed from Jerusalem for substitute place
· “Emmaus” = “Warm springs” = place of comfort
· What is your Emmaus – place of comfort for pain?
· Cross - always part of discipleship Þ Will of God crosses your will Þ sorrow, rejection
· Many want blessings of God without ways of God!
· “Enemies of the Cross” Philippians 3:18 – mind earthly things
c) How Jesus restored hope
i) He drew near to them Verse 15
· Presence
· He went with them
ii) He drew out their condition Verse 17-25
· Facts – what had happened (vs17)
· Feelings – how they felt about it (vs17)
· Beliefs – “we trusted” Þ source of loss, hope cut off
· Confusion – uncertainty what to think
iii) He exposed the core problem – unbelief Verse 25
· “Fools” - without understanding how God works
iv) He renewed their focus on the Word of God
· Opened their understanding
· Explained the cross
· Their hearts “burned” = to set on fire, kindle, burst into flame
· Word of God – fuels your faith and feeds inner man
· Note: Word calls for a response – “They constrained him”
· “Constrain” = to compel; pressure by words; be forceful
v) He refocused them on covenant Verse 30-31
· 2 Timothy 2:13 If we believed not, yet he abides faithful
· 1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calls you who will also do it