TCC–1335
1
HELPED BY HOPE
A. Introduction: We live in a world that has been damaged by sin. When Adam, the first man, sinned,
humanity and the earth were infused with a curse of corruption and death. Everything and everyone has
been affected. Consequently, this life is filled with constant challenges, ranging from minor irritations
to major tragedies. Gen 3:17-19; Rom 5:12
1. There is no way to keep troubles out of our lives. They are part of life in this sin damaged earth.
But God has help for us in this life, and we are talking about what that help looks like.
a. God’s help does not include stopping all the suffering and heartache in this world. God’s
primary help now is peace of mind in the midst of trouble. This peace comes from
understanding that He is working out a plan, and knowing that what is ahead when the plan is
completed will far outshine anything we deal with now. This gives us hope which lifts us up.
1. Rev 21:4—(God) will remove all of (our) sorrows, and there will be no more death or
sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever (NLT).
2. Rom 8:18—Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later…
All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death
and decay (Rom 8:18-21, NLT).
b. God created humans to become His sons and daughters who live in loving relationship with Him.
But all have chosen independence from God through sin and are disqualified for the family.
Right now, God is working His plan to recover His family and the family home. He is working
salvation in the midst of the earth. Eph 1:4-5; Rom 8:29-30; II Tim 1:9-10; Ps 74:12
1. Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin to open the way for people to be restored to their created
purpose through faith in Him. God’s main purpose now isn’t to make this life the highlight
of our existence, but to draw people back to Him before they experience irreversible
destruction (eternal separation from Him) and are lost to their purpose. Matt 16:26
2. Although God takes no pleasure in the suffering in the world, He is able to use it and cause it
to serve His ultimate purpose. Because He is All-powerful (Omnipotent), All-knowing
(Omniscient), and present everywhere (Omnipresent) He’s able to bring genuine good out of
genuine bad—some of it in this life, but most of it in the life to come. Eph 1:11; Rom 8:28
2. We made the point last week that there is much mystery in God’s plan—aspects that are not yet fully
revealed to us now—including fully understanding the presence of evil and suffering in this world.
a. But we can’t let what we don’t yet know or understand undermine our confidence in what we do
know. God is good and good means good. Jesus (God Incarnate) shows us that. Deut 29:29
b. We also admitted last week that although the information we covered last week is accurate, none
of it lessens the hurt and sorrow that life in a fallen world brings our way.
c. Tonight, we’re going to talk about the emotional help that comes from God through hope in the
midst of our troubles. Hope is a confident expectation of coming good.
B. One of the challenges in talking about dealing with the hardships and sufferings in this life is
understanding the place of emotions. Knowing that God is working out a plan in the midst of hardship
doesn’t lessen the emotional impact of life altering tragedy in our lives or the lives of others.
1, We have the mistaken idea that if you are a strong Christian, you won’t feel bad when you face
painful situations. We can even feel pressure to act happy when we aren’t—especially around others.
a. Feelings are not our enemies. They are part of who we are as God’s creations. God created us
with emotions, with the capacity to feel (or experience) a variety of emotions. Emotions, in and
of themselves, are not evil. But, as with every part of our being, they have been corrupted by
the fall (Adam’s sin), and can get out of control and lead us to sin. We aren’t going to do a
TCC–1335
2
detailed study of emotions now, but I do need to make two brief points.
1, Emotions can overwhelm you, like a fast flowing stream. You do have to exercise your will
against being carried away by emotions, particularly negative ones such as anger, fear, and grief.
2, Emotions are an appropriate response to the world around us. When you lose something or
someone important to you, sorrow is the appropriate response. When you encounter something
potentially hurtful or harmful and you feel fear, that is also an appropriate response.
A, However, it is possible to misperceive the facts in a situation and experience emotions
that are not appropriate.
B, For example, Elisha the prophet’s servant was afraid when the Syrian army came after his
master. But there was no reason to be afraid, because a greater army of angelic beings
surrounded Elisha to protect them both. II Kings 6:16-18
1, We don’t have to deny what we see and feel. But we do need to recognize that there
is more to reality that what we see and feel in the moment, and that what we see and what
we feel is subject to change by God’s power, through His Word.
2, When David faced a life-threatening situation, he was afraid—an appropriate
response to his circumstances. He wrote, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In
God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me”
(Ps 56:3-4, ESV). David exercised his will, and looked to God for help, recalling God’s
Word to him.
b, Back to the point for this lesson. When we’re feeling sad or afraid, well-meaning people
sometimes try to help us by telling is to snap out of it, trust God, and believe the Bible.
1, However, negative emotions don’t go away just because you choose to trust God and believe
the Bible. To be told not to feel what you’re feeling can be an invalidation of appropriate,
genuine emotions and do more harm than good.
2, Paul wrote that we need to recognize and acknowledge people’s emotions: Rejoice with
those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep (NKJV, Rom 12:15).
c, Keep this in mind when bad times come and you feel bad. Don’t be surprised or presume that
you have done something wrong. This is life in a sin cursed earth. Admit that this is beyond you
and trust in the One who can do the impossible.
2. You can’t pray away or believe away emotional pain. You need hope in the midst of the pain—the
hope that you will get through what you are facing and feeling.
a. To hope means to desire with the expectation of fulfillment (Webster’s Dictionary). Hope is
an expectation that somehow things will get better.
b, Hope is more than a propositional truth, something you accept as true, but it has no direct
effect on your life. Hope is something that you experience. It is meant to be felt.
c, We need to feel hopeful in the midst of sadness. Hope comes to us from the Bible through
the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enlightens our mind by revealing Jesus to us in the
Scriptures, and it lifts us up by giving us hope.
1, Rom 15:4—For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that
we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope (NKJV).
2, Rom 15:13—May God, the source of hope, fill you with a joy and peace by means of
your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit
(Good News Bible); May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit
(NLT).
3, Paul instructed Christians to: (Live your life) rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing
steadfastly in prayer (Rom 12:12, NKJV).
a, The Greek word that is translated rejoicing is chairo which means to be cheerful (as opposed to
TCC–1335
3
feel cheerful). To cheer someone means to give hope or comfort. When you cheer someone, you
give them reasons why they have hope, in order to comfort them or urge them to keep going.
1, We think of rejoicing an emotional expression. And it certainly can be and is. But Paul
wrote about being sorrowful (feeling sadness and/or anguish) yet rejoicing.
2. In the context of the many troubles, calamities, and pain that Paul and his ministry partners
endured, he described himself and them as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (II Cor 6:10, KJV).
b. However, rejoicing is more than a verbal expression, more than an emotional expression
(although it can be both). Rejoicing is an expression of an attitude you have as a result of your
faith in God, an attitude based on hope.
c. You have hope that, no matter how bad things are, all will eventually be well because you belong
to Almighty God. You will make it through whatever you are facing. Rom 12:12—Base your
happiness on your hope in Christ (J. B. Phillips).
4. Note something that James the apostle wrote: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various
trials (James 1:2, NKJV).
a. The Greek word translated to count means to consider. The Greek word translated joy is a form of
the word that Paul used when he urged Christians to rejoice in hope and stated that, even when he
was sorrowful, he rejoiced.
b. In other words, when you encounter hardship, consider it an occasion to rejoice, to be cheerful, to
encourage yourself. To rejoice in hope means to cheer yourself with the reasons you have hope.
This isn’t emotional giddiness, nor a rational, emotionless response (like Dr. Spock in Star Trek).
1. The word joy has the idea of delight of mind that arises from a consideration of the present, or
assured possession of a future good (Unger’s Bible Dictionary).
2. In other words, because of the way you see things (your perspective, your attitude, what you
know to be true) you are able to cheer yourself with the fact that whatever you are facing, it isn’t
bigger than God, and He will get me through until He gets you out. You have hope.
5. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Philippians while he was imprisoned in Rome, facing possible execution.
Note two statements Paul made about rejoicing. Phil 3:1—Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord
(NKJV); Phil 4:4—Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice (NKJV). Paul used a form of
the same Greek word that he used in Rom 12:12 and II Cor 6:10.
a. Paul’s statements make it clear that Christians are supposed to rejoice continually. We rejoice
because it is the right thing to do, even when it makes no sense, even when it seems unreasonable.
b. Remember that when Paul and Silas were unjustly beaten and jailed in the city of Philippi after Paul
cast a devil out of a servant girl, they prayed and sang praises to God.
1. That is an example of unreasonable rejoicing. That is an example of being sorrowful, yet
rejoicing. They couldn’t have felt like praising God physically or emotionally, yet they did so.
2. God delivered them from jail and brought good out of bad. Numerous people came to faith in
Jesus, including the jailer and his family. Acts 16:16-34
C. Conclusion: Let’s look at an example of unreasonable rejoicing recorded in the Old Testament in the
Book of Habakkuk. Remember that the Old Testament was written in part so that we, through patience and
comfort of the Scriptures will have hope. Paul would have been familiar with this book.
1. Habakkuk was a prophet in the southern kingdom of Israel (known as Judah) in the final days of its
national existence. Judah as a nation had abandoned Almighty God to worship idols, and was about to
be destroyed by the Babylonian Empire.
a. Habakkuk was among several prophets who were sent by God to warn the people of Judah to
repent or face the complete destruction of their nation. The people did not repent, and all but
the poorest people in in the land were deported to Babylon as captives. The city of Jerusalem,
TCC–1335
4
including the great Temple of Solomon, was burned to the ground by the Babylonians.
b. Although Habakkuk was a godly man who did everything that God asked him to do, his life was
forever altered because of the wicked behavior of their fellow countrymen.
2. In his book, Habakkuk recorded that he asked the Lord two questions about what was going to
happen and why. God answered both questions and gave Habakkuk a vision of His glory, similar to
what Job experienced in Job 38-41.
a. In his first question, the prophet asked the Lord: Why haven’t you done something about the
wickedness (the violence and injustice) in our land? Hab 1:2-4
b. God answered Habakkuk that He was about to take care of it by allowing Babylon to bring
judgment on Judah for their sins through the coming invasion. Hab 1:5-11
1. That answer led to a second question: Why are you going to use the Babylonians, a people
even more wicked than Israel, to punish your own people? Hab 1:12-17
2. God answered: This is the plan I have chosen (Hab 2:2-3), assuring the Habakkuk that there
is a good end ahead: Hab 2:14—For the time will come when all the earth will be filled, as the
waters fill the sea, with an awareness of the glory of the Lord (NLT).
c. God went on to say: The righteous are to live by faith, by trusting me. Hab 2:4—Those who
are right with God will live by trusting in him (NCV); by (their) faith and faithfulness (Amp).
God assured Habakkuk that the unrighteous will finally receive just punishment (Hab 2:5-20).
3. In His answers, God reaffirmed His goodness and His righteousness, making it clear that everyone
will eventually face judgment for their wicked actions. And He reaffirmed the fact that He is the
Sovereign Lord: As Almighty God I will accomplish my ultimate plans for good. Despite how things
may look, I am fully in control, and all will be well.
a. Habakkuk responded to the Lord’s answers by praying a prayer that began: I have heard all
about you, Lord, and I am filled with awe by the amazing things you have done. (Hab, 3:2, NLT.)
b. The prophet went on to speak of God’s bigness (His power, might, and majesty) and His past
help to His people (Hab 3:3-16. And Habakkuk realized that all will one day God’s plan for good
will be realized and all will be made right again
4. The historical record doesn’t tell us what happened to Habakkuk. But at the end of his book, we see
his mindset in the midst of it all the calamity. He had an attitude of hope which let him to rejoice.
a. Hab 3:17-19—Even though the fig trees have no blossom, and there are no grapes on the vine;
even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in
the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God
of my salvation. The sovereign God is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and
bring me safely over the mountains (NLT).
b. Habakkuk wasn’t simply being poetic with his language. He was describing the complete
economic collapse of his country and life as he knew it. Yet, he chose to rejoice. The Hebrew
word used for rejoice can be translated to triumph.
c. Habakkuk could not have been emotionally giddy about all that he was witnessing (the
wickedness of his own people, the impending calamity that was coming). But seeing God gave
Habakkuk hope, and he was lifted up emotionally. (We see God in His Word, the Bible.)
d. Habakkuk chose to acknowledge God and His bigness, chose to trust Him. He stated: God is
my salvation and He will bring me through whatever I must endure. I will triumph in Him.
1. God is working salvation in the earth (Ps 74:12) and He is able to use the hardships and
sufferings of life and cause them to serve His ultimate purposes for good.
2. Habakkuk and Paul realized this. It gave them the mindset that all will ultimately be well,
and this led them to rejoice even when their hearts were broken and it made no sense. You may
be heartbroken, but you have hope because you serve the God of hope.
