"choose HOPE"

Text: Acts 27:13-44 (Pew Bible page #794) & Selected

Man cannot live without hope, we need hope. When hope ceases, despair about tomorrow seeps in. If we lose hope, we begin to feel there’s no reason for living. Hope is absolutely essential for man to live and work and have a meaningful existence. With hope we have everything; without hope we have nothing. Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.

Def of Biblical HOPE – the anticipation of a favorable outcome under God’s guidance

Hope is inseparably linked with faith and love in 1Co 13:13

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing—we’re behind." "Boy," said the spectator, "I bet you’re discouraged." "Why should I be discouraged?" replied the little boy. "We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!"

Many examples of lost & found HOPE…

Moses, Joshua, Joseph, Daniel, Gideon, Nehemiah, Job, David…

David lost his position as General, his wife Michal, his mentor Samuel, his friend Jonathan, even his self-respect… He fled for his life from King Saul to a cave named Adullam where he wrote…

Psalms 42:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Example in the life of Paul… (arrested & being taken to Rome… a storm hit)

I. You will Encounter Hopeless Situations… Acts 27:13-20 (p794)

13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island… 17 they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground… 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

Gentle breeze turned into a sweeping Northeaster – pounding winds & waves

Fear grips the hearts, all human effort fails, all hope is lost

o Seasick, fear of dying, throwing overboard the ships tackle & cargo… violent battering

o All human effort fails… all hope is lost… they gave up all hope

o Hope is not found in possessions, riches, prestige, gov’t, politicians… but in God

Psalms 62:5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

 

 

II. God is the Answer to Hopeless Situations… Acts 27:21-26

21 Paul stood up before them… 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul… God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."

God raises up difference makers – 21 Paul stood up before them…

o Moses, Gideon, Joseph, Daniel, David… Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchhill…

o "When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better". -- Pauline R. Kezer.

o You too can be a difference maker… choose hope… I CAN because of Christ

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

God restores our courage - 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me

o Paul was a believer, he belonged to the Lord and serve Him… God sent an angel

o Where does hope, courage & strength come from… The Lord

o The discouraged, fainthearted become strong… hope is restored

Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

God grows our faith - 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God

o Trials, impossible situation, hopeless circumstances… matures our faith

God uses detours - 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."

o They became shipwrecked on the island of Malta where lives were touched for Christ

 

III. My Personal Response… Acts 27:27-35

27 On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land… 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight… "For the last fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food--you haven't eaten anything… 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away… 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head." 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

Choose to…

Sense the gravity of the situation - about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land…

o Still being driven after 2 weeks… wind, waves, rain, hungry, tired, praying for daylight

o Midnight, Not a good situation… senses peaked… could crash & drown at any time

Romans 13:11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

Get Anchored in God’s Word - Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed

o Notice they dropped 4 anchors from the back of the ship

o If we’re not anchored our hope diminishes into despair… anchor your heart with God’s

Psalms 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

 

Severe worldly ties - So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away…

o Some sailors tried to escape the hopeless situation via the lifeboat…

o They were stopped and told to cut the ropes… let the lifeboat fall away

o We may be tied to the world… in bondage/control… we got cut the ropes

Titus 2:12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

Stay physically strong - Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive.

o The people were physically weak… not sleeping, not eating, hopelessness gripped…

o Paul told everyone to eat or you’ll die… stay strong physically

Be bold and Stand up for Christ - he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all.

o As a prisoner on his way to Rome… Paul stood strong for Christ…

o At the right time God’s man in God’s place… in a hopeless situation stood strong

2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope!

Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should it’s effect be on our lives. Today in the Word, May, 1990, MBI, p. 34

 

Are we facing Hopeless Situations? Am I in a hopeless situation?

Apathy, wickedness, idolatry, moral crisis, greed, crime

Marriage, Relationships, Financial, Employment

World shaking events - Islamic terrorism, fear, panic, uncertainty, financial institutions

Politicians, taxes, lies, lost confidence in the stock markets, 401K’s,

PPT - It’s so easy to have feelings of despair & hopelessness… world is spiraling out of control

When you’re down to nothing – God is up to something! Take heart, look up!

God is in control, noting is impossible for Him, God ain’t dead!

I read about a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family's sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with a small boy clutching a pair of patched overalls. It was evident that the child was crying. Beneath the picture were the words which the artist felt the old man was speaking to the boy. They were simple words, yet they presented a profound theology and philosophy of life. Those words were, "Hush child, God ain't dead!"

Let that vivid picture of that burned-out mountain shack, that old man, the weeping child, and those words "God ain't dead keep returning to our minds. Instead of it being a reminder of the despair & hopelessness of life, it has come to be a reminder of hope! We need reminders that there is hope in this world. In the midst of all of life's troubles and failures, I need mental pictures to remind me that all is not lost as long as God is alive and in control of His world. When God Was Taken Captive, W. Aldrich, Multnomah, 1989, p. 24.

Choose hope in Christ… (only two choices)

Without Christ…

Ephesians 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

With Christ…

1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Titus 3:7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 6:19a "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…"

 

 

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

 

 

IV. Resulting in HOPE Restored! (repeat)

Keep Trusting!

Keep Praying!

Keep Serving!

Keep Looking Up!

 

The hopelessness we see around us are pointing to the return of King Jesus!

Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Choose HOPE in Jesus!

Aren’t you glad you belong to Him?