Continuing Pastor Kyle’s message, he spoke of four things that will happen when we choose to take our one shot at hope, seeing and believing in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; for the first time or in a new rededication right now. First, Jesus’ shot of hope neutralizes the disease of negativity in the long run and makes it less severe in the short run. Jesus’ shot of hope offers full neutralization of the disease of sin and death by His finished work at the Cross. That once and for all, anyone who would believe in Him as their blessed Redeemer would not perish in Hell but would have everlasting life in Heaven. On this side of eternity, living in a fallen world, negativity is always going to be around us. Jesus’ shot of hope gives us a way out of a negative cycle for us now and is the only thing that can lessen the negativity of this world on us now. Jesus shows us the way to hope in a negative world.
In Matthew 19:26 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Real hope is powerful and changes lives. Though hope begins in a moment of time, but the process of hope transforming our heart can take a period of time. Rewiring negative thoughts into positive thoughts can be a lifelong process of sanctification. In becoming a Christian, a huge seed gets planted in our soul on the day of our salvation rebirth that is nurtured, maintained and watered. Nurture the hope that is in your heart. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, God will always offer you a path out of the negativity of this world and into hope. Jesus, the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight and transforming lives still today. Sadly, many will throw away the shot of hope that only Jesus offers. We have this one shot at this thing called “life” and we need to make it count. Only God can give us the fresh shot of hope that we need to find for meaning in the midst of life and offers it freely. Start the year 2021 Anno Domni with hope.
Secondly, Jesus’ shot of hope exchanges peace for praise. Peace comes from taking that shot of hope, and that is done by praising and obeying God. Jesus says in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Jesus brought His heavenly peace into the world, but it is truly up to us whether we get to experience it. The depth of our hope is directly measured by the depth of our trust, dedication, devotion and our obedience to the Lord of all. Peace in hard and trying times is one of the promises given to Christ’s flock, who obediently puts their life in God’s hand. May we all continue to trust God with our lives and give Him praise today, tomorrow and till we meet Him face to face.
Thirdly, only Jesus’ shot of hope can fill the hole in our hearts – now and always. With the current pandemic upon the world, we feel a sense of emptiness because of the separation for safety sake due to the risk of infection and spread of the virus. Today, Jesus offers hole for the holes in our heart that this world brings. It comes when we treasure up the things of the Lord and ponder them in our heart. We treasure who He is and what He has done for us. We treasure what He has given us and ponder the goodness of our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the only One who can fill the Christ-shaped hole in our heart., gives us hope and the strength to get through.
Forthly, Jesus’ shot of hope promises that we will grow through what we are going through and we will be stronger at the end of it. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.” Only Jesus’ hope can give us the perseverance and the endurance we need to get to the other side. The purpose of our perseverance is to build up our spiritual strength with a sure hope. Hope is not some mystical idea. The hope of the Lord is real, a promise from God to anyone who walks with Him and available today to everyone who repents and trusts in Him. God sent this shot of hope into this world when He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to live the life that we were meant to live but couldn’t because of our sin; to suffer the punishment that we deserved for those sins; to die the death that we should have died on that Cross; and rose from the grave so that death itself would not have the final word of humanity.
Will you take the shot that Jesus is offering you today? Anything is possible when you take that shot of hope. Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Amen.
In Christ, Brian
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