INTRODUCTION:
We have been called by Christ to bear fruit for Him, but it seems as if nothing is happening, that is, it seems as if we cannot see any fruits in our lives and in the church. For some the situation is looking frustrating because it seems as if time is running out on them and they have nothing to show for all the years they have served God. To make matters worse it seems as if age is telling on them and as if nature is against them. They ask themselves every day sometimes in tears if they can still be fruitful for God.
Today considering certain things that have happened to us individually and as a church, we still ask ourselves the following questions: can we still evangelize? Can we still work effectively in our given responsibilities? Can we provide for our families; be good fathers or mothers? Can we have enough money to give for the work of the ministry? Can we get married to a good spouses, bear children and nurture them? Can we still contribute to the growth of the church both physically and spiritually?
In this convention God wants us to know that there is still hope. No matter how we look at it, no matter the fruits we are expected to bear, there is still hope for us to bear fruits for Christ. The fact is that as long as we are not dead yet there is still hope.
WHAT IS HOPE?
Looking at it as a noun, the Miriam Webster dictionary defines hope as: a desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment. Also it is an expectation of fulfillment of success. So in a nut shell, what we are saying is that you will succeed. You will find fulfillment in life. As a church, family, and individual, we shall succeed and find fulfillment.
NOT DEAD YET
Our text talks about a tree when it is cut down, in comparison with man when he dies. But thank God we are not dead. Figuratively, many have been cut down by circumstances or situations beyond their control. But cutting down does not mean death. Our roots are still in the soil, that means there is still hope.
For some it seems as if we have been dug up and our roots exposed. But by virtue of this convention reminding us of what Christ has done for us by his blood and what he did for us when we were baptize; there is a replanting. We are not dead yet. We will be tucked back into the soil and nutrients will get into our roots gradually. It will go through the trunk to the branches. And as water is being poured; water signifying the word of God, the Holy Spirit quickening us (keeping us alive), we shall sprout again. So no matter the condition we are in right now; cut down or uprooted; since we are not dead, there is still hope to be a fruit for Christ.
GOD KNOWS (Psalm 10:17)
Sometimes we might be tempted to think that God does not know what we are going through, or He does not hear our cries. Especially when the calamity we are facing seem to be our fault. Psalm 10:17 says: “Lord you know the hopes of the hopeless surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.” As we cry and call out to God, He will hear and comfort us. He knows what we are going through. His comfort will bring about our fruitfulness. It is just like a plant that was uprooted and left to dry up and die, but someone picks it up, digs the ground and puts it back into the soil. As long as that plant was not dead and the necessary nutrients are contained in the soil, it will sprout again. God will cause us to sprout again because he knows and he hears our cries.
DOUBLE FOR EVERY TROUBLE (Zechariah 9:12)
I know we are aware of the fact that some of the problems making us hopeless were caused by us. Other times, they are brought about by forces beyond our control; they hold us bound and in one way or the other try to torment us, but God is giving us a promise in Zachariah 9:12. God wants us to keep hope alive because He will give us double blessings for every trouble. And in case we have forgotten, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has given us that double blessings; freedom from sin (bondage) and life everlasting. If that has been settled, then the cares of this life are nothing for God to handle for us. So keep hope alive.
HOPE IN GOD ALONE (Psalm 42:5)
To some, this is something that every Christian should do. But sometimes situations forces us to put our hopes on man, institutions, etc. Since we cannot see God, our human instinct and reflexes makes us to quickly think about certain people or organizations when we are faced with certain kinds of problems. But we know deep within us that God is our only Hope in this life. We should show that our hope is in God by praising Him even when we have not gotten what we requested for from Him.
CONCLUSION (Hebrews 12:1-3)
I believe we all know that the hope we are talking about is not just for us to have the good things of this life, enjoy the world and later die. If our hope is only in this world, the Bible says we are of all men most miserable. (1st Corinthians 15:19).
There is still hope for us to make heaven. Let us look at our lives, and consider everything that we have done wrong and are still doing. Then we should ask God for grace to sincerely repent of them now that we are not dead. Now that there is still hope.
If it’s difficult to have hope, look to Jesus. Call upon Him at all times and he will always be there for us. (Hebrews 12:2).
Papa Mbos 