Season of Hope—The Faith and Hope Connection

Season of Hope—The Faith and Hope Connection

[Rom 15:12-13 NASB95]

· Paul emphatically states that apart from Christ people do not have hope (Eph. 2:12); that is, they do not have the kind of hope the Bible talks about.

· Hope and faith is central to the Christmas message. Jesus’s birth is the embodiment of our faith and hope. Faith and hope work together, especially during the Christmas season.

What does Romans 15:13 show us about the faith and hope connection?

Here are five details Romans 15:13 show us about the faith and hope connection.

I. God is the source.

a. God is identified as the “God of hope,” emphasizing that true hope originates from Him. He is not just a source; He embodies hope.

b. Hope is God’s nature: His faithfulness, promises, and ability to fulfill His word.

c. [2Ch 20:12 NASB95]

d. Keep your faith and hope based upon Him.

II. Filled with joy and peace is the goal.

a. The ultimate aim is to be filled with “all joy and peace,” which points to a holistic experience of God’s presence.

b. Joy represents an inner contentment and delight in God, while peace refers to being grounded and secure amid life’s storms.

c. [Isa 26:3 NASB95]

d. When hope and faith are in our lives, this is the state we will find ourselves filled with.

III. It comes as we live in faith.

a. This joy and peace are connected to our faith in God. The phrase “as you trust in Him” emphasizes that our faith is the channel through which we experience hope.

b. Living in faith involves dependence on God’s promises and actions, not just intellectual belief.

c. [Heb 11:1 NASB95]

d. [Heb 11:6 NASB95]

e. Remembering last week’s sermon (Romans 15:4) that hope comes through the Scriptures stay focused the Word (Romans 10:17).

IV. Your hope will be stronger than your struggle.

a. That your hope may be steadfast and strong. (Albert Barnes)

b. Hope does not negate struggles; rather, it empowers us to face them. Our hope in God sustains us through trials and tribulations.

c. [Zec 9:12 NASB95]

d. [Rom 8:18-25 NASB95]

e. God is strengthening your hope to be unstoppable.

V. Your relationship with the Holy Spirit will tap into the power.

a. The last part of Romans 15:13 mentions “the power of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the agent who fills us with joy, peace, and hope as we live in connection with Him.

b. There is a necessity of nurturing a relationship with the Holy Spirit for the overflow of hope.

c. [Rom 14:17 NASB95]

d. [Act 1:8 NASB95]

e. The Holy Spirit empowers you to live in hope and walk by faith.

· God is our source of hope, our goal is to be filled with joy and peace, faith activates this process, our hope empowers us through struggles, and a relationship with the Holy Spirit taps into the divine power.

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