Hope in Christ does not disappoint

Hope in Christ does not disappoint – Romans 5: 2-5

Thinking and praying through todays topic, I noticed how easy it is to become dejected especially during these times. We live in times of both geopolitical and economic uncertainties and it seems as if there is always a consistent presence of negative occurrences somewhere in the world’s landscape; From upheavals and news of possible upheavals in the middle east, to political instability in some parts of Africa to the rise of right wing hate movements in Europe and to the projection of stagnating world trade. In all of these, there appears to always be a dark cloud on the horizon. Even in our individual lives there could be one challenge or the other, from work, to school and to living in our respective communities. However, St. Paul gives all of us a simple and direct message today- the message of hope.

St. Paul seeks to remind us that, for us our hope is not based on the happenings around us but our hope is based on what happened on the cross on calvary, the redemptive act of Jesus. He begins in versus 1 to 2 reminding the church in Rome that through faith in Christ they enjoy access into the grace of God and thus they can boast in the hope of the glory of God, who is Christ Himself. So why is this reminder important. It is crucial because it presents the facts right from the beginning, that the bedrock of the hope of the Roman church and indeed that of ours as well is the cross of Christ. His redemptive act manifests the glory of God throughout humanity, and as the book of Hebrews reminds us that this sacrifice was once and for all, it cannot be shaken, cannot be undone. Thus, it is apt that our hope is based on this solid standing and not on a weak base of our own accomplishments and will.  

Brothers and sisters our hope in Christ does not disappoint because through Him, with Him and in Him the battle has already been won. That is why I believe that Paul could continue in versus 3-4 where he writes that “ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.” He encourages them despite their suffering, because he is convinced that the battle has already been won through Christ. Beloved this should be our song, that regardless of the storm clouds, regardless of the apparent challenges we will move ahead with hope in Christ because the battle has already been won. The step by step nature of versus 3-4 also shows that hoping in Christ through our challenges doesn’t necessarily come easy. We must remind ourselves daily of His promises for us through the study of scripture, we must be willing to encourage one another, bearing ourselves up in prayer and we must endeavor to remain at His feet to pray and listen. 

In verse 5 St. Paul reminds us that this hope we have will not put us to shame. This is because this not a fleeting hope. It is not a façade or is it based on empty arguments. The spine of this hope is God’s love, and since God is love (1 John 4:8) then God Himself holds together our hope in Him. He Himself provides us with the grace and strength to keep up our hopes. Again, this point is crucial because it reminds us of the constant presence of God with us His children. Beloved, today I may not know the exact situation you find yourself in but what I know is that through it all God is with you, God is with us. I will like to end my sharing with Psalm 46 which mirrors the exact thoughts expressed by St. Paul in today’s text:

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Amen.

Change from underground

Of its own accord the land yields fruit. (Mark 4:28) 

Are you familiar with the Chinese bamboo tree? This fascinating plant grows to a height of ninety feet and can be used for everything from home construction to furniture, from paper to pipes. It also has a very unusual growth pattern. It takes five years for a bamboo seed to sprout, but once it does, that tiny sprout reaches its full height in only six weeks—almost overnight! During those first five years, the farmer must water the seed every single day, all the while never seeing any growth. You can imagine an inexperienced farmer wondering if anything will ever happen. He might even give up.

Just as with the bamboo tree, the same is true both in the kingdom of God and in our own spiritual life: the most important growth is invisible. In today’s Gospel parable, the farmer plants a seed. But that seed doesn’t become a plant overnight. It takes the right combination of soil, water, and, the most important ingredient, God’s grace, to turn that seed into the “largest of plants” (Mark 4:32). In the end, it looks awfully impressive, but most of the work has already happened underground!

This is the encouraging message in the Gospel: God is always working beneath the surface. He is always providing the nourishment of his grace so that we can grow and blossom. Yes, we need to cooperate with that grace, but like the bamboo tree, the growth that we experience will far outstrip the effort we put into it. 

Because most of God’s important work happens unnoticed, we should be careful to water that seed of faith even when we don’t see impressive results right away. We can trust that God will bring the growth in his time and in his fashion.

So imagine yourself as that bamboo farmer. Every time you pray, you’re going to the well to get water. Every time you repent, you’re improving the soil. You may not be seeing or feeling much growth right now. But every day that you come to Jesus, growth is occurring. God is making you holy. One day you, too, will stand tall with the saints. 

“Lord, I trust you to bring about my growth. Help me cooperate with your work of grace.”

from wau.org

Guilt

How much more will the Blood of Christ . . . cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. (Hebrews 9:14)

It’s easy to recognize a child with a guilty conscience. He avoids making eye contact and stays away from his parents and the “scene of the crime.” If he can’t make a quick getaway, he’ll put on a fake smile and try to get back into his parents’ good graces.

Most parents know what the child has done and have already forgiven him, but often the child will still try to “fix” what he has done. Sweeping up the pieces of a broken plate won’t repair the plate or make things right, but still he tries!

How often do you relate to God your Father like a guilty child? Maybe you walk around with your head down, convinced that he is unhappy with you. Even after you have confessed your sin and received absolution, you may still carry it around like a burden. You may try to ease your conscience by doing as many good deeds as you can to try to balance out the bad ones.

So you work hard—really hard. But try as you may, your efforts only obscure the central issue: you have broken something that only God can fix.

The writer of Hebrews understood that it’s not only about what we do; it’s about what Jesus has already done! By shedding his blood, Jesus has already won our forgiveness. Even more, he has already cleansed our consciences of that nagging sense of guilt that says, “I must be better. I must try harder.” We don’t have to convince him to forgive us or to welcome us back. Our good deeds are meant to be a response of gratitude for what Jesus has done, not an attempt to muster up enough goodness to please God. 

By shedding his blood, Jesus has made us a new creation. His blood—his very life—changes everything it touches, even us! We can walk in freedom because we have already been made children of God, forgiven of every sin and washed clean by the power of Jesus’ blood.

What a loving God we have! What a merciful Savior too! How can we help but worship him with our hearts?

“Jesus, thank you for your blood, poured out for me!”

from wau.org

Anchor for the soul

. . an anchor of the soul, sure and firm. (Hebrews 6:19) 

 

The Letter to the Hebrews was addressed to Christians wavering in their faith. Persecution, including imprisonment and loss of property, was tempting some to give up their faith in Jesus and embrace the more customary, and therefore safer, traditions of Judaism. And so the author reminds them that they are anchored, surely and firmly, to the hope and promises found in Christ. He now is their “high priest” before God, the One who intercedes for them every day (Hebrews 6:20). Hold on to Jesus, the author urges. He is steadfast, and he will keep you safe in any storm.

Think about what an anchor does. It stops a boat’s progress. The boat may still move a bit with the current, but the weighty anchor, dug into the bottom of the sea, will hold it fast. This is who Jesus is for you! He is your anchor who holds you fast to the mercy and presence of God. He is your source of stability, because his promises are sure, and his faithfulness is absolute. He can also help you remain faithful, as he reminds you of everything that he has said.

When a boat drifts far enough, the anchor is there to tug it back. Some days, you might feel that you have drifted away. Be assured, the anchor can hold you! You may feel its tug in a twinge of conscience, a hesitation to say or do something, a conviction that certain thoughts in your head are not godly, or even an inability to continue in the direction you were headed. This tug assures you that Jesus has not abandoned you. It assures you that you are still rooted and grounded in Christ.

Hebrews tells us that this anchor “reaches into the interior,” right into the presence of God (Hebrews 6:19). That is where you are anchored—in heaven! So go ahead, and approach your heavenly Father today. Ask him for help, direction, and comfort, and be assured that he will hear you. Day after day, challenge after challenge, Jesus is with you, interceding for you and making your faith and hope and trust in him more firm.

“Thank you, Father, for the hope and confidence that your promises give me. Thank you for anchoring me to you!”

from wau.org

Encouragement

The heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove. (Matthew 3:16) 

A young man stands outside an apartment building ready to begin his new job in a city far from his family. His father is next to him. “I know you can do this,” he says. “You’re my son, and I’m proud of you. I’ll be available any time you need me. Keep in touch, and don’t forget who you are.” 

Did you know that Jesus had a similar experience? When he began his public life at his baptism, his Father opened the heavens and spoke words of encouragement to him: Jesus was his beloved Son, and he was both proud and well pleased to be his Father! 

Today as you celebrate Jesus’ baptism, know that God wants to open heaven for you just as he did for Jesus. He wants to speak encouragement to you when you take a new step in your life, just as he did for Jesus. Just as he sent the Spirit to his Son, so he gives the Spirit to you. Just as he proclaimed Jesus as his beloved Son, he tells you that you are his beloved as well. Just as he affirmed and encouraged Jesus at the start of his ministry, he has special blessings stored up for you when you approach a new chapter in your life. 

These new beginnings can be as big as taking religious vows or as small as starting another year as a catechist in your parish. Maybe you’re preparing for the birth of your first child or going back to work after decades of raising children. You may be moving or starting a new job. No matter what, God has words of encouragement for you. He wants you to know he is your Father, and he loves you. He wants you to be convinced that he is blessing you and has great things in store for you. He tells you that he is ready to help you in any way you need it. 

So let the Father open heaven for you today!

“Thank you, Father, for reminding me how precious I am to you and how much you have in store for me!”

from wau.org

Identity

We would like to begin 2017 by reminding ourselves of our place in Christ; Have a blessed year.

Who are you? (John 1:19) 

If you’ve ever attended a family reunion, you have heard this question many times. Many families find it helpful to wear name tags and distribute a copy of the family tree at reunions. That way, you can find out who each person is and how they are related to you.

In today’s Gospel, some of the Pharisees asked John this same question: “Who are you?” (John 1:19). Surprisingly, John responded by saying who he was not. It wasn’t until after they had pressed him further that he replied, “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert” (John 1:23). 

Deep in our hearts, God asks us the same question: “Who are you?” Not just your name, but who are you? We’re very good at saying who we are not: “I’m not all that important,” we might answer. “I’m not the smartest or wealthiest or holiest or the most talented.” But still God asks, “Who are you?” Of course he knows the answer, but he wants to make sure you know it as well. So let’s take a look at who God says that you are.

You are loved. You are a child of God, created in his image and likeness. You hold a special place in his heart. He knew you and loved you before you were born (Jeremiah 1:5).

You are irreplaceable. God is pleased with the way that he made you, with your particular gifts and talents that he has given you. You have a unique role to play in this world, and he delights to see you fulfill it (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-16).

You are part of God’s family—the Church—with many brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins. You are never alone (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12).

You are a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. God lives within you, teaching you, guiding you, making you holy, and filling you with his love (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Who are you? You aren’t Jesus, but neither was John the Baptist. Like John, however, your whole life can be a voice announcing Jesus’ goodness. 

Take these truths with you today. Remember who you are and to whom you belong. Stand firm when other voices tell you something else. And be ready to remind other people who they are as well. 

“Father, thank you for loving me and making me your child.”