Pandemic Preaching - Hope Does Not Disappoint

A Wonderful Future for God’s People

"I am sure that what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us. In fact, all creation is eagerly waiting for God to show who his children are. Meanwhile, creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused. God made it this way in the hope that creation would be set free from decay and would share in the glorious freedom of his children. We know that all creation is still groaning and is in pain, like a woman about to give birth.

The Spirit makes us sure about what we will be in the future. But now we groan silently, while we wait for God to show that we are his children. This means that our bodies will also be set free. And this hope is what saves us. But if we already have what we hope for, there is no need to keep on hoping. However, we hope for something we have not yet seen, and we patiently wait for it." Romans 8:18-25 (excerpt from the letter of Paul to the early church in Rome, 57-58 A.D.)

Hopeless

When the body of Jesus was still in the tomb, sealed behind a large rock and being watched by guards, the closest followers of Jesus who were with Him before and when He was arrested, placed on a mock trial, given extreme punushment, sentenced then put to death and buried were all in one place, they were all distraught, confused and were suffering mentally and emotionally.

For A Little While

For a time they were hiding, suffering in silence behind closed  doors, shut in from those who have the power to condemn them to death and from people who could give them up to be arrested and put to death just like what was done to Jesus.

Help is Coming

At that time, they still did not know that their present suffering was nothing compared to the glorious hope that is to come on that first Resurrection Sunday when Jesus will come back to defeat death itself, and on the appointed day when they would all receive the Spirit of God becoming God's children and co-heirs with the Risen Christ.

Helper, Comforter, Advocate

No, not until the Spirit of God was finally indwelling in their mortal bodies and not until the Spirit has revealed and explained to them what has happened, what is yet to happen and why all these and more have to happen, did they fully understand what Jesus taught them and what was written in Scriptures.

And not until the Apostle Paul who was compelled by the Spirit of God to go out and teach and start the first churches outside Jerusalem and among the non-Jews; and then to visit and write these letters to these different groups of believers, were they finally able to understand these mysteries as they were slowly being revealed and explained to them

Even today, the Spirit of God is revealing to His people these mysteries at the appointed times that they need to be revealed.

Today, we might all be suffering. We might all be confused, but the Spirit of God and the words written in the bible will give us what we need at the right time.

Romans 5:1-5

"By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God’s undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that’s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love."

Pandemic Preaching Series