I  HOPE  SO    

SCRIPTURE:  I  CORINTHIANS  1.1-­‐13  CONCEPT:  FAITH  IS  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  HOPE  (REAL)  AND  LOVE  IS  THE  POWER  TO  MAKE  IT  LAST    

THERE  IS  A  LOT  OF  HOPELESSNESS  IN  THE  WORLD  TODAY.    PEOPLE  

SEEM  TO  BE  MORE  AND  MORE  EXPRESSING  THE  PREVALENT  FEELING  

AND  OUTLOOK  OF  THINGS  GETTING  WORSE.  

 

SO  MUCH  HOPELESSNESS.    AND  WHY  NOT,  WITH  SO  MUCH  PAIN  IN  

THE  WORLD,  SUFFERING,  SICKNESS,  CATASTROPHIC  AND  

TRAUMATIZING  SITUATIONS.    IT’S  EASY  TO  SEE  HOW  PEOPLE  WOULD  

FEEL  HOPELESS.  

 

NOT  BEING  ABLE  TO  TRUST  FOLK  WHO  SHOULD  BE  TRYING  TO  HELP  

AND  PROTECT,  BUT  INSTEAD  IN  TOO  MANY  CIRCUMSTANCES    

 

SO  MUCH  HOPELESS.  WHY,  BECAUSE:  

THERE  IS  SO  MUCH  DISAPPOINTMENT,  SO  MUCH  DESTRUCTION,  AND  

SO  MANY  FILLED  WITH  SO  MUCH  DISMAY.    SO  MANY  PEOPLE  

UNEMPLOYED  AND  BEING  FORECLOSED  ON.    LAY  OFFS  AND  

DOWNSIZING.      SO  MANY  PEOPLE  FEELING  DEFEATED.  

 

SO  MUCH  HOPELESSNESS.    WHY  BECAUSE  SO  MANY  FOLK  ARE  NOT  

FINDING  MEANING  AND  PURPOSE  IN  LIFE.    SO  MANY  HAVE  LOST  

FAITH  IN  OTHERS  AND  IN  THE  PROSPECT  OF  A  BRIGHT  TOMORROW.    

SO  MUCH  VIOLENCE  IN  THE  STREET,    AND  DRUGS  RUNNING  

RAMPART.    THE  RICH  KEEP  GETTING  RICHER  AND  THE  POOR  

GETTING  POORER.    JUST  LOOKS  LIKE  THE    DECK  IS  STACKED  AGAINST  

US  AND  THAT  IN  SO  MANY  CASES  IT  LOOKS  LIKE  OUR  SHIP  IS  NEVER  

COMING  IN.  

 

HOPELESSNESS.    UNHOPEFUL  ABOUT  THE  FUTURE  OF  OUR  RACE.    

DISAPPOINTED  YOUNG  PEOPLE,  BY  PARENTS  WHO  CAN’T  FIND  THE  

TIME  TO  LISTEN,  OR    UNDERSTAND  HOW  HARD  THINGS  CAN  BE  FOR  

Y’ALL.    HURT  BY  THOSE  WHO  ARE  SUPPOSE  TO  LOVE  YOU  BUT  TAKE  

ADVANTAGE  OF  YOU.    WOUNDED  YOUNG  PEOPLE  BY  FOLK  WHO  KEEP  

SAYING  ONE  THING,  BUT  DOING  ANOTHER.    

 

HOPELESSNESS.      BECAUSE  OF  BEING  DISCOURAGED  ABOUT  OUR  

YOUTH  WHO  SEEMINGLY  DON’T  KNOW  HOW  HARD  WE  HAD  TO  

WORK  TO  GET  THE  THINGS  THEY  SO  OFTEN  AND  SO  EASILY  THROW  

AWAY.    LOOKING  AT  OUR  YOUNG  PEOPLE  AND  NOT  UNDERSTANDING  

WHY  THEIR  PANTS  ARE  HANGING  DOWN  AND  THEIR  STOMACHS  

HANGING  OUT.    WE  ARE  AFRAID  AND  APPALLED.    HOPELESS  THAT  

THINGS  WILL  EVER  GET  BETTER.    HOPELESS  THAT  THINGS  WILL  

EVER  TURN  AROUND.      

 

THERE  IS  SO  MUCH  HOPELESSNESS  IN  OUR  WORLD  TODAY.    

UNFULFILLED  DREAMS    AND  UNMET  EXPECTATIONS.    CLOSED  DOORS  

AND  UNREACHABLE  OPPORTUNITIES.    FEAR  AND  FRUSTRATION  

OVERTAKING  CONFIDENCE  AND  FAITH  IN  THE  FUTURE.  

 

WE  NEED  A  WORD  FROM  GOD  TO  HELP  US  DEAL  WITH  THE  

HOPELESSNESS  AND  DISCOURAGEMENT  IN  OUR  WORLD  TODAY.    IN  

OUR    PEOPLE.    IN  OUR  FAMILIES  AND  YES  EVEN  IN  OUR  CHURCHES.    

WE  NEED  A  WORD  FROM  HEAVEN  TO  HELP  US  DEFEAT  AND  DESTROY  

THE  HOPELESSNESS  THAT  EXISTS  IN  OUR  WORLD  TODAY.  

 

OUR  TEXT,  I  CORINTHIANS    13.13,  TELLS  US  THAT  NOW  ABIDES  

FAITH,  HOPE  AND  LOVE  (CHARITY).    THESE  THREE,  BUT  THE  

GREATEST  OF  THESE  IS  HOPE.  THE  NLT  SAYS  IT  LIKE  THIS,  13  THREE  

THINGS  WILL  LAST  FOREVER—FAITH,  HOPE,  AND  LOVE—AND  THE  

GREATEST  OF  THESE  IS  LOVE.  

 

IT  SEEMINGLY  MUST  BE  OUT  OF  DATE  OF  NO  LONGER  RELEVANT.    

BECAUSE  IT  SAYS  THAT  HOPE  LASTS  FOR  EVER.    THAT  IT  ABIDETH.    

BUT  WE  JUST  CONCLUDED  THAT  SO  MANY  ARE  LOSING  HOPE  AND  

GIVING  UP  ON  THEIR  DREAMS  AND  HOPE  FOR  THE  FUTURE.    HOW  

CAN  THE  BIBLE  DARE  SO  THAT  THESE  LAST  FOREVER,  WHEN  SO  

MANY  ARE  LOSING  HOPE  OR  HAVE  LOST  IT  ALL  TOGETHER.  LORD  

YOU’RE  GOING  TO  HAVE  TO  MAKE  THIS  PLAIN  OR  WE’RE  JUST  GOING  

TO  HAVE  TO  WRITE  THE  VERSE  OFF  AS  BEING  JUST  ONE  MORE  

SCRIPTURE  THAT  SOUNDS  GOOD,  BUT  DOESN’T  APPLY  TO    US.  

 

WELL,  WALK  WITH  ME.    THE  LORD  REVEALED  TO  ME  THAT  THE  

ORDER  OF  THESE  THREE  WORDS  AND  THE  MEANING  OF  THEM  IS  

SOMETHING  THAT  EVERY  BELIEVER  NEEDS  TO  UNDERSTAND.  

 

NOW  ABIDETH,  NOW  LIVES  FOR  EVER  FAITH,  HOPE  AND  LOVE.  

 

IN  OUR  MEN’S  AND  WEDNESDAY  NIGHT  BIBLE  STUDIES,  I  ASKED  THA  

QUESTION,  IF  THERE  WAS  A  DIFFERENT  BETWEEN  FAITH  AND  HOPE.    

IF  WE  HAVE  FAITH  OR  IF  WE  HAVE  HOPE,  WE  CONSIDERED  WHETHER  

THEY  WERE  BOTH  THE  SAME  THING.      IF  NOT,  I  ASKED  WHAT  MIGHT  

THE  DIFFERENCE  BE.  

 

AS  WE  EXAMINED  FAITH  AND  HOPE,  IT  WAS  SUGGESTED  THAT  FAITH  

WAS  BELIEVING  GOD    FOR  SOMETHING  .    TRUSTING  GOD  TO  DO  

SOMETHING.    WHILE  MANY  STATED  THAT  HOPE  WAS  SOMETHING  

THAT  WAS  NOT  CERTAIN.    LIKE  SOMEBODY  SAYING,  “I  HOPE  SO”.    IT  

WAS  NOTED  THAT  FAITH  WAS  SOMETHING  SURE,  AND  HOPE  WAS  

SOMETHING  THAT  WAS  NOT.    I  HOPE  SO.  

 

AND  IF  THE  TRUTH  BE  TOLD,  THEY  WERE  RIGHT.    HOPE  IS  

UNCERTAIN.    BUT  ONLY  WHEN  IT  IS  THE  HOPE  THAT  COMES  FROM  

THE  WORLD.    WORLDLY  HOPE  IS  BASED  ON  WHAT  CAN  BE  SEEN  AND  

WHAT  EXISTS.    WORLDLY  HOPE  IS  UNCERTAIN  AND  IS  BASED  

COMPLETELY  UPON  WHETHER  SOMETHING  HAPPENS  OR  NOT,  OR  

UPON  IF  SOMETHING  MATERIALIZES.    WORLDLY  HOPE,  HOPES  SO,  

BUT  IS  NOT  SURE,  BECAUSE  WORLDLY  HOPE  REQUIRES  EVIDENCE  

AND  PROOF  BEFORE  HOPING  SO,  BECOMES  BELIEVING  SO.  

 

BUT  THAT  KIND  OF  HOPE  IS  NOT  THE  HOPE  SPOKEN  OF  IN  THIS  SCRIPTURE.    ROMANS  8.24  SAYS,  “ For  we  are  saved  by  hope:  but  hope  that  is  seen  is  not  hope:  for  what  a  man  seeth,  why  doth  he  yet  hope  for?  

 

IN  OTHER  WORDS,  GODLY  HOPE  IS  NOT  A  HOPE  THAT  IS  BASED  ON  

THE  SEEN.    GODLY  HOPE  IS  NOT  UNCERTAIN  OR  BASED  ON  EVIDENCE.    

HOPE  THAT  CAN  BE  OR  MUST  FIRST  BE  SEEN,  IS  NOT  THE  HOPE  THAT  

GOD  GIVES  US  OR  IS  SPOKEN  OF  IN  THIS  SCRIPTURE.      

NOW  ABIDETH,  NOW  LASTS  FOREVER,  FAITH,  HOPE  AND  LOVE.  THESE  

THREE.  

CAN  I  SUGGEST  TO  YOU  THAT  HOPE  EXISTS  IN  THE  MIDST  OF  FAITH  

AND  LOVE  AND  CAN  NOT  EXIST  BUT  IN  THAT  POSITION.    WHAT  DO  

YOU  MEAN  REV.    I’M  GLAD  YOU  ASKED.    IN  ORDER  FOR  FAITH  TO  

REALLY  EXIST,  IT  MUST  BE  BUILT  UPON  A  FOUNDATION  THAT  IS  

STRONG  ENOUGH  FOR  IT  TO  STAND  UPON.    NOT  STANDING  IN  

UNCERTAINTY  OR  WONDERING  OR  WISHING,  BUT  NOT  STANDING  ON  

A  SURE  FOUNDATION.  

WHAT  IS  THE  FOUNDATION?    YOU  KNOW  ALREADY,  IT’S  RIGHT  HERE  

IN  THE  TEXT.    THE  FOUNDATION  IS  FAITH.    FAITH  IS  THE  SUBSTANCE  

OF  THINGS  HOPED  FOR  BUT  THE  EVIDENCE  OF  THINGS  NOT  SEEN.    

GODLY  HOPE  CANNOT  EXIST  WITHOUT  IT.    FOR  THE  SUBSTANCE  OF  

THINGS  HOPED  FOR  IS  AN  INVISIBLE  SUBSTANCE.    A  REALITY  THAT  

WE  ACCEPT  WITHOUT  ANY  EVIDENCE  OF  IT  BEING  REAL.      A  

SUBSTANCE  THAT  WE  RECEIVE  WHILE  IT  IS  INVISIBLE  AND  UNABLE  

TO  BE  SEEN.      

HOPE  THAT  SEEKS  TO  BE,  WITHOUT  THIS  FOUNDATION,  ONLY  EXISTS  

AS  A  WISH.    HOPE  WITHOUT  FAITH  IS  LIKE  A  HOUSE  BUILT  ON  

SEEKING  SAND.    IT’S  A    LIKE  TRYING  TO  STAND  UPON  THE  OCEAN,  

HOPING  NOT  TO  SINK.    HOPE  MUST  BE  BUILT  ON  A  FOUNDATION  

STRONG  ENOUGH  TO  BEAR  THE  WEIGHT  OF  DISAPPOINTMENT  AND  

DISCOURAGEMENT.  IT  MUST  BE  BUILT  ON  A  FOUNDATION  STRONG  

ENOUGH  TO  DEAL  WITH  THE  HURT  AND  SUFFERING  THAT  COMES  AS  

A  PART  OF  THIS  JOURNEY  CALLED  LIFE.    HOPE  THAT  COMES  FROM  

HEAVEN  MUST  BE  BUILT  UPON  FAITH.  

SO  WHAT’S  THE  DIFFERENCE  REV.    BETWEEN  FAITH  AND  HOPE.    AND  

KEEP  IT  SIMPLE  REV.    WELL  LET  ME  SAY  IT  LIKE  THIS.    FAITH  IS  

WHAT  WE  MUST  DO  NOW.    NOW  FAITH  IS  THE  SUBSTANCE  OF  THINGS  

HOPED  FOR,  WITH  NO  EVIDENCE.    WHEN  WE  BELIEVE  GOD  FOR  THE  

SUBSTANCE  AND  BELIEVE  THAT  EVEN  THOUGH  IT  IS  INVISIBLE,  WE  

BELIEVE  IN  ITS  EXISTENCE  IN  THE  UNSEEN  REALM.    WHEN  WE  

BELIEVE  IT  IN  THE  NOW,  THAT’S  FAITH.    BUT  THEN  WHAT  IS  HOPE.    

HOPE  IS  BELIEVING  THAT  WE  WILL  SEE  WHAT  WE  SEE  THE  

SUBSTANCE  OF  WHAT  WE  HOPED  FOR,  BUT  IN  THE  FUTURE.  

 

IN  OTHER  WORDS,  FAITH  IS  NOW,  BUT  HOPE  IS  LATER.    FAITH  IS  

BELIEVING  AND  RECEIVING  NOW  SOMETHING  FROM  GOD  THAT  CAN  

NOT  YET  BE  SEEN.    THAT’S  FAITH.    HOPE  IS  WAITING  AND  KNOWING  

THAT  IT  WILL  BE  SEEN.  THAT  IT  WILL  BE  MANIFESTED.    FAITH  IS  

NOW  AND  HOPE  IS  LATER.  

 

THAT’S  WHY  HOPE  THAT  IS  SEEN  IS  NOT  HOPE.    IT’S  NOT  HOPE  

BECAUSE  HOPE  THAT  IS  SEEN  IS  NOT  HOPE.    HOPE  WAITS  TO  SEE  

SOMETHING  THAT  ALREADY  EXISTS,  BUT  JUST  CAN  NOT  YET  BE  SEEN.  

HOPE  IS  WAITING  TO  SEE  IT.      THAT’S  WHY  THE  BIBLE  SAYS  IN  

ROMANS  8.25,  “25But  if  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not,  then  do  we  with  

patience  wait  for  it.  

AND  NOW  ABIDETH,  LASTS  FOREVER  FAITH,  HOPE  AND  LOVE.    THESE  

THREE,  BUT  THE  GREATEST  OF  THESE  IS  LOVE.    I  SAID  TO  YOU  THAT  

THE  MEANING  AND  THE  ORDER  OF  THESE  THREE  EVERLASTING  

ATTRIBUTES  WAS  SOMETHING  EVERY  BELIEVER  NEEDED  TO  

UNDERSTAND.      

I  SAID  THAT  FAITH  IS  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  HOPE.    IT  COMES  FIRST  

AND  MUST  BE  IN  PLACE  BEFORE  HOPE,  GODLY  HOPE  CAN  EXIST.    IT’S  

THE  FOUNDATION  FOR  HOPE.    BUT  IN  ORDER  FOR  HOPE  TO  

CONTINUE  IT  NEEDS  LOVE.    LOVE  IS  THE  POWER  OF  HOPE  AND  IT  

GIVES  HOPE  WHAT  IT  NEEDS  TO  MAKE  IT.    IT’S  WHAT  HOPE  NEEDS  

TO  GO  ALL  OF  THE  WAY.    REV.  WHERE  DO  YOU  GET  THAT  FROM.  

IT’S  RIGHT  THERE  IN  I  CORINTHIANS  13.  THIRTEEN  THINGS  THAT  

LOVE  DOES  THAT  WITHOUT  WHICH  HOPE  CAN  NOT  BE  STRONG  

ENOUGH  TO  GO  ALL  OF  THE  WAY  FROM  I  HOPE  SO,  TO  I  HAVE  HOPE  

FOR  TOMORROW.      

LOOK  AT  I  CORINTHIANS  13:4-­‐7  (NLT)  4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

SO  MANY  THINGS  HAPPEN  THAT  MAKES  HOPE  FAIL.    THAT  KILLS  OUR  

HOPE  AND  PREVENTS  HOPE  FROM  BEING  ABLE  TO  WAIT  TO  SEE  

WHAT  WE  SAID  WE  BELIEVE  GOD  FOR.      

LOVE  IS  PATIENT.    LOVE  GIVES  US  THE  POWER  TO  WAIT.    IT’S  KIND.    

IT  DOESN’T  LOSE  HEART  WHEN  OTHERS  TREAT  US  IN  WAYS  THAT  

MAKE  US  LOSE  HOPE.    LOVE  IS  NOT  JEALOUS.    IT  GIVES  US  THE  

STRENGTH  HOLD  ON  AND  TO  HOPE,EVEN  WHEN  OTHERS  SEEM  TO  

GET  WHAT  WE  ARE  WAITING.    LOVE  IS  NOT  BOASTFUL  OR  PROUD.    IT  

GIVES  US  THE  POWER  TO  STAY  HOPEFUL,  BY  BEING  ABLE  TO  BE  

HUMBLE  AND  NOT  HAVE  TO  PROVE  OURSELVES  TO  OTHERS.    LOVE  IS  

NOT  RUDE  OR  DEMAND  ITS  OWN  WAY.    IT  GIVES  US  THE  POWER  TO  

KEEP  HOPE  ALOVE  EVEN  WHEN  OTHER  FOLK  TREAT  US  BAD  OR  

WHEN  WE  FEEL  THAT  WE  SHOULD  HAVE  GOTTEN  WHAT  WE  

WANTED  BY  NOW.    LOVE  IS  NOT  IRRISTABLE  OR  DOESN’T  KEEP  

RECORDS  OF  BEING  WRONGED.    IT  GIVES  HOPE  THE  POWER  TO  NOT  

GIVE  IN  WHEN  WE  GET  FRUSTRATED  OR  GET  WHAT  WE  DON’T  

DESERVE.    LOVE  DOES  NOT  REJOICE  IN  INJUSTICE  .    IT  NEVER  GIVES  

UP,  IT  NEVER  LOSES  FAITH,  IT’S  ALWAYS  HOPEFUL  AND  ENDURES.    

LOVE  GIVES  HOPE  THE  POWER    TO  KEEP  THE  FAITH,  THE  POWER  TO  

NEVER  GIVE  UP  TO  ENDURE  TO  THE  END.    LOVE  IS  THE  POWER  OF  

HOPE.      

NOT  ABIDETH,  NOW  LIVES  FOR  EVER,  FAITH  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  

HOPE.    HOPE  THE  BELIEVE  THAT  THE  INVISIBLE  WILL  BECOME  

VISIBLE  AND  LOVE.    THE  POWER  TO  KEEP  HOPE  ALIVE.      FAITH  IS  

NOW.    HOPE  IS  LATER  AND  LOVE  IS  FOREVER.    REPEAT.  

THE  NEXT  TIME  SOMEBODY  SAYS  I  HOPE  SO,  SAY,  NO  LET’S  BELIEVE  

SO.    THE  NEXT  TIME  YOU  FIND  YOURSELF  NEEDING  HOPE,  REMEMBER  

THAT  NOW  ABIDETH…  THE  FOUNDATION  AND  POWER  FOR  HOPE.  

 

THE  BIBLE  SAYS  IN  LAMENTATIONS  3:21 This  I  recall  to  my  mind,  Therefore  I  have  hope.  22    Through  the  Lord’s  mercies  we  are  not  consumed,  Because  His  compassions  fail  not.  23    They  are  new  every  morning;  Great  is  Your  faithfulness.  24    “The  Lord  is  my  portion,”  says  my  soul,  “Therefore  I  hope  in  Him!”  25    The  Lord  is  good  to  those  who  wait  for  Him,  To  the  soul  who  seeks  Him.  26    It  is  good  that  one  should  hope  and  wait  quietly  

 

DON’T  BUILD  YOUR  HOPE  ON  WORLDLY  EVIDENCE.    NO  WE  HAVE  TO  WALK  BY  FAITH  AND  NOT  BY  SIGHT.    NO  OUR  HOPE  CAN  BE  BUILT  ON  NOTHING  LESS,  THAN  JESUS’  BLOOD…