CONQUERING THROUGH HOPE: THE CONQUEST BY HOPE

"Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth." (Genesis 42:6)

Joseph's story is the stuff of dreams.  He had two dreams about his brothers someday bowing to him.  His brothers had other ideas and did all they could to destroy the dreams.  But Joseph never lost hope and when in prison two men each had a dream and Joseph's interpretation of those two dreams would eventually lead to his release.  Two years later, Pharaoh has two dreams.  When none of the Egyptian soothsayers could interpret the dreams, the butler recalls Joseph who had precisely interpreted his dream and Joseph is summoned.  Joseph tells Pharaoh that there will  be seven years of bumper crops followed by seven years of famine.  He goes on to make a recommendation.

“Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one- fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.” So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:33-43)

Eventually Joseph's brothers would come during the famine to find food and would bow before him as God said!  He will end up saving his family from starvation and in so doing will keep the hope of salvation alive.  If the Hebrew race had not survived we would have no Savior--and no hope!

When their father dies, the brothers fear Joseph would get revenge.  Note Joseph's response:

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21)

Joseph recognizes the sovereign hand of God in this and was submissive to God’s plan.

Our hope rests in this--God's will cannot be thwarted!  His purposes will be fulfilled!

Hope is unconquerable!

CONQUERING THROUGH HOPE: THE CONFLICT FOR HOPE

“Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.  And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.” Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.  Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”  So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.” And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.  Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.  Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming!  Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!” (Gen.37:12-20)

Joseph’s brothers are not so thrilled with his dreams.  They determined to end them—and crush his hope.  They do a good job! 

There will always be dream-dashers whose mission in life is to pull you down to their level.  They have a pit to chunk you into as these brothers did to Joseph. 

But for Joseph, it was out of the frying pan and into the fire.  It seemed all downhill—into a pit, into chains, down to Egypt, into prison—down, down, down!  Ever feel like life itself is a “downer”?  It is hard to maintain any semblance of hope when every circumstance cries out to the contrary!  You will have to fight for hope—there is a conflict and you are in combat to keep what God has put in you from being conquered by all that is happening around you!

From his brothers’ evil clutches, Joseph will be delivered into the hands of the Midianites who make him a marketable commodity.  He will be a good slave and a blessing to a man named Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh’s guard, but Mrs. Potiphar lusts for him and seeks Joseph’s affections.  Salivating at the possibility of bedding with this Hebrew hunk, she appeals, “C’mon over big boy!”  She sets the temptation before him wrapped in perfumed sheets of silk day after day.

He rejects this as a sin against God!  It still is by the way!  When she grabs hold of him and seeks to pull him into bed, he runs and she tears loose his garment and then cries out that Joseph tried to rape her.  The proof is in her hand.  As has been oft repeated, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

All he had tried to do was honor God—and what did he get for his faithfulness?  Fetters!  His reward for devotion was the dungeon!  He is cast into prison. 

But when Pharaoh’s baker burns the biscuits and his butler spills wine on the carpet, they just so happen to wind up sharing a cell with Joseph.  No coincidence—it was providence! 

They have a dream and Joseph interprets it—good news and bad news—the baker will have his head lifted off in execution and the butler will have his head lifted up in employment. 

The butler promises Joseph that he won’t forget him!

But, he did.  Joseph would be there in shackles for two more years!  It seemed all hope was gone—but Joseph trusted in the promises and timing of God.  There is more to the story than meets the eye.  The butler may have forgotten Joseph, but God had not.

Yet, it does seem at times that God has forgotten us.  We languish long in a prison of problems.  Just when we think things can’t get any worse—they do!  Our prayers echo from the ceiling and mock us.  There is a conflict in our soul between the assurances God has expressed and the adversity we are experiencing.

Will you fight for hope?

CONQUERING THROUGH HOPE: THE CONCEPTION OF HOPE

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.  ‎So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”  And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.  Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”  So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”  ‎And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. (Genesis 37:5-11)

This hope that was conceived in the heart of Joseph was implanted by God.  It wasn’t a childish fantasy like I had, but it was the intended purpose for which God brought Joseph into this world—that one day he would make a difference in the world—and what a difference he would make! 

Now, I would not suggest that all of us will become a Joseph in the magnitude of impact we will have—some are set apart by God for the greatest works—greatness as defined by numbers and notoriety.  Maybe the teenager in our home or church youth group will be the next Billy Graham.  God does call modern day Josephs!

One thing is for certain—whatever God has for us to do is never a small work if done for Him.  It has a weight of glory and an impact of eternal significance.  If we do not make a difference on a global stage, as Joseph did, we can nevertheless exert an influence in our little corner of the globe in the spirit of hope that filled the heart of Joseph. 

I want to remind you that it is faithfulness to what God has set before us to become and achieve that determines your success irrespective of human evaluation.  God created you with certain capacities and competencies that you can develop and employ to the full.  When you were born again, He bestowed spiritual gifts upon you. 

Not all of us are equal in the size of the capacity we have to serve Him.  The reality is that some have a bigger stage and a larger ability.

Do not be discouraged!  God has equally distributed to all His children the opportunity to be all He has called us to be!  It isn’t the ability we have potentially, but the availability we have practically that brings the smile of heaven.

What is the hope God has birthed in your heart?  Why are you here in this world and in this time?  What difference does it make? 

God intends for us to make a difference.  You—yes you—can be a modern-day Joseph!

CONQUERING THROUGH HOPE

When I was a boy, I wanted to be Superman.  I was inspired by the TV show that came on our old black and white Motorola each weekday afternoon that began: “Faster than a speeding bullet; more powerful than a locomotive; able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.  Look—up in the sky!  It’s a bird; it’s a plane; no, it’s Superman!”  I would tie a towel around my neck for a cape, extend my arms and jump off the porch, “flying” around the yard for a while until I encountered kryptonite—Mom’s kryptonite!  She would say, “Get in here and clean up your room right now!”  Then I became Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for the Daily Planet, took off my cape and put on my glasses—robbed of my super powers!

Superman wasn’t the only afternoon show to grab me.  Another one came on around suppertime—the Lone Ranger.  It would hear the William Tell Overture and I was captivated by it immediately.  So, that evening I might be the Lone Ranger, and would cut out a cardboard mask, grab my cap pistol, and mount a rocking horse with, “Hi, ho Silver—away!”  I’d chase outlaws until time for bed—and was quite successful at it.

Our local TV affiliate would periodically run the old Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies.  If I watched one, I whipped off the shirt and shoes, beat my chest and did my best Tarzan yell as I swung from the swing set.  It was a jungle call that surely struck fear into all the lions in our neighborhood—or, at least, the elderly lady next door!

Youth is a time for dreams—a time when hope fills our hearts. 

That was true of a young man named Joseph.

Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.  ‎This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.  ‎Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.  ‎But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.  ‎Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.  ‎So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”  And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.  Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”  So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”  ‎And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. (Genesis 37:1-11)

But this was no childish fantasy inspired by a television show; it was a God-given dream implanted in his heart.

Do you have one?  What are you doing about it?  God has a purpose for your life—and it’s time to find out what it is and fulfill it—to take the first step, or the next step—even perhaps recover from a misstep. 

HOPE DECLARED

“Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” (Genesis 12:1-3)

Abram is called to hope!  God declares it.  The promise of God is given of a family and a future—an unbreakable covenant of grace grounded on the unshakable character of God! 

Picture this: Abram was a wealthy man living in idolatry in Ur.  But despite all that he had outwardly, we would suppose that there is a longing inwardly—a questioning, “Is there any hope?”  We can imagine that nagging doubt as at his age, someday—maybe soon—he will leave it all behind, and then what? 

It is an age-old question isn’t it? 

We know that something is missing—what some have called a God-shaped hole in our soul.  What we need is a life-changing encounter with God—for that alone can bring us hope. 

That is the call Abram receives and he responds with faith and obedience.   He does not know where he is going, but he knows where he is—in sin and condemnation—and so he casts caution to the wind and ventures all on the promises of God.

Have you done that? 

You need do nothing to stay where you are—without God and without hope.  That is our natural state.  But, as happened to Abram, God is speaking to you through His Word today—calling you by name to a future and a hope—the hope of heaven!  Heed His call now!

CALLED TO HOPE

“Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.  ‎I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.  ‎I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” (Genesis 12:1-3)

A number of years ago a submarine was rammed by a ship and sunk to the bottom of the sea.  The crew was trapped, even as frantic attempts were made to rescue them.  One of the divers thought he heard a tapping on the submarine’s hull—and putting his head against the steel shell recognized Morse Code and the repeated question  “Is…there…any…hope?” (paraphrased from Swindoll’s Ultimate Quote of Illustrations and Quotes) 

In the Garden of Eden, humanity was struck by sin and began to sink.  In fact, mankind sank so rapidly that by the time of Noah, the depth of depravity caused God to wash over them in waves of wrath. 

Only Noah and his family emerged from the ark, for a fresh start.  But that didn’t last long and by the time we reach Genesis 12, the world is immersed in idolatry.  At the bottom again, comes a tapping, “Is there any hope?”

It was then that the sovereign grace of God reached into the hotbed of heathenism and called a man named Abram.  He was called to hope, and in his story we find hope in our perverse age.  This week we will listen to that tap, tap, tap, “Is there any hope?” and hear how grace responds.

“But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom.5:20b).  Now—there’s some hope!

 

 

"I'VE GOT TO GO TO WORK" OR "I GET TO GO TO WORK"

How we a start out a Monday morning in a workaday world sets the tone for the course of the week.  God knows we need a break; He set the Sabbath principle for our good.  Still, following our rest from weariness, there is to be the renewed cycle of a return to work.

For the child of God, all things are to be done “Christianly.”  The dichotomy between secular and sacred is an unbiblical notion.  We do not hang up our faith in the closet with our Sunday clothes after church, and don a secular suit for the remainder of the week.  While out apparel may change, our attitude toward life is to be constant—that we are ambassadors for Christ at all times—in the church, in the home, at our play, and even in our work.

There is a DUTY in our work.  “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” (Gen.2:15)  Work is not a punishment associated with the curse.  The difficulty associated with work is a consequence of sin.  But, from the outset, humanity had this assignment from God—to care for His creation.  I show my humble devotion to God when I go off to work.  Unless I am asked to do that which is contrary to the will of God, then I am to fulfill my duty to God as I work.

There is a DIGNITY in our work.  “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’” (Gen.1:28)  We are, as it were, God’s agents to govern His creation.  We have a sacred stewardship to care for God’s world, and when I do my job well I am joining in partnership with His purposes—carving out a little bit of paradise again, reclaiming it from the curse of sin which lies like a somber cloud over creation.

There is a DELIGHT in our work.  God looked with pleasure on all that He had made and declared our creation and our assignment as, “very good” (Gen.1:31).  What He finds pleasure in should bring joy to us!  Paul would put it this way, “Slaves, obey your human  masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men…” (Co.3:22-23 HCSB).  If the Apostle expected a slave to so respond to his master, then surely the Spirit of God intends for us to find delight in working for our employer!

There is a DECLARATION in our work.  If we are slothful, or somber, we silence our opportunity to declare the hope we have in Christ.  People ought to see something different about us on Monday—a spirit, a joy, a hope—that they don’t have and that they need and crave.  This will lead them to inquire as to this amazing spirit and we can respond with a declaration of the difference Jesus makes, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…” (1 Pet.3:15)  To claim to follow Christ and to be a slacker on the job—or grouse about it—undermines the credibility of our testimony.

There is a DEADLINE for our work.  Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”  We all have a limited number of days on this planet. One day we will punch the clock for the final time.  As long as God gives us strength to rise out of bed, we should be grateful and industrious.  A glad and thankful attitude ought to mark the realization that God provides us the opportunity to serve Him and supply our needs by having the health to be on the job for another day.  We then are, “redeeming the time,” by exchanging the coin of this realm for the currency of eternity.

That leads me then to say, there is a DESTINY in our work.  Heaven will be an extension and elevation of the good of this life.  We will be rewarded for our labor if done in the right way and for the right motive,

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  ‎Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.  ‎If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Cor.3:11-15)

We are wrong to consign this judgment to only those “spiritual” works we do in connection with the church.  None should neglect what happens within the four walls of the church building, but God is watching what happens inside the walls of the factory too!  God bless the missionary who travels overseas to share the Gospel, but God rewards the missionary who journeys to the office and lives the Gospel, also!  You may not get the paycheck you merit in this lifetime.  But, what can compare to the payday in that Day?

Let me challenge you with a DEMONSTRATION of our work.  Two men have been instrumental in teaching me the virtue and value of industry—my father, Homer Thurman, and my father-in-law, Bob Crayton.  My Dad exhibited a work ethic that was superlative in going to the grocery store as a produce manager, going to the church as a choir director, and laboring at home mowing grass, planting gardens, washing cars, building and repairing houses.  Perpetual motion was his lifestyle.  His health has now declined but his example remains in my memory and challenges me.  Though I did not know him as well or as long, my wife’s father struck me as the same kind of man.  During the time I knew him, he was the foreman of a large cemetery—not exactly the most glamorous of jobs (though I did remark, “He’s over a lot of people”).  Yet his attitude was great and his effort was excellent.  Those who worked for him had a model supervisor.  His last years were spent caring for an invalid wife—which he did with the same devotion and more.

So, which will it be, “I’ve got to go to work,” or, “I get to go to work!”?

 

CREATED FOR HOPE: REGENERATION

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NKJV)

The generation of human life began with God making a man in His own image—molding him from the mud and breathing life into Adam.  Before the day was done, a woman was fashioned to perfectly complement him, as the Lord created Eve.  They were blessed of God and given an incredible purpose.  They were created for hope.

Then, the catastrophic choice was made one day.  The one forbidden fruit was sampled.  Their rebellion brought the curse.  Immediately generation surrendered to degeneration.  Decay and death supplanted life.  Hope was shattered.

But, into this darkness there burst a ray of light.  The serpent will have his head crushed.  The Seed of the woman—singular and particular—will do the job.  He is the Seed—Jesus the One and Only.  He would be the Seed of the woman—what an unusual expression!  Typically we would think of the seed as being of man, and the egg of a woman.  The miracle of the incarnation is implied here—that the Crusher of the serpent would be born without a human father, and indeed He was—Christ, the virgin born Son of God.  Satan’s demise, however, would not be without pain for Him—His heel bruised on Calvary—the agonies of the cross where the serpent’s deadly venom of sin would surge through the sinless One’s veins for the first and last time!

In this messianic prophecy hope is found.  No sooner than sin entered than a Savior was announced.  “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom.5:20b). That which the first Adam lost will be restored by the last Adam—for that is also the title of Jesus Christ, magnifying His founding of a new creation.  Consider Paul’s words:

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.  But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.  And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned.  For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.  For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)  Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.  Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Romans 5:12-21)

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  ‎However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.  ‎The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.  As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.  ‎And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49)

There is assured the reverse of the curse!  Hope will rise like a phoenix from the ashes!

Regeneration brings the hope of BEING LIKE JESUS.  The image of God, marred by sin is restored.  Having a new birth means that we are being shaped into the likeness of Christ.

There is also the settled hope of REIGNING WITH JESUS.  We were created for dominion, but allowed the usurper, Satan, to take authority over this fallen world—but, not absolutely.  Those who receive Jesus are assured they will reign with Jesus.  Christ will come and take dominion and His bride will be at His side.

Hope comes as we are UNITED IN JESUS.  We are reconciled to God and each other.  Sin built a barrier, but the Savior built a bridge!  The connection with God that was broken is re-established.  Not only that, the sin that separates us from each other is overcome.  Nowhere is this more demonstrable than in a Christian home, where a wife can submit in love to her husband’s leadership as the Son is equal with God and yet submissive to the Father, and a husband can sacrifice in love for his wife’s welfare as Christ did for the church.

Hope restores our productivity as we are FRUITFUL FOR JESUS.  We can reproduce “after our kind” and that is the spiritual progeny we bring into the world.  The seed of the Gospel produces the fruit of salvation by the work of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit works through believers that He indwells.  A new spiritual race of descendants from the last Adam is begotten.  Heaven will be populated with these saints!

You must be born again—that’s where hope is found.  If you are born of the first Adam only, you are still a sinner and under the curse—without God and without hope.  But, to receive Christ by faith and repentance is to be regenerate and born of the last Adam—spiritually—into God’s forever family.

Here is the promise:

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”  Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Rev.21:1-5)

CREATED FOR HOPE: DEGENERATION

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden”?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.” ’ ” (Genesis 3:1-3 NKJV)

In the first two chapters of Genesis, we have the generation of all things.  God creates the heavens and the earth, and all that is in the earth including the pinnacle of His creation—Adam and Eve.  We find that they are created for hope—a hope that rests in their CONFORMING to the image of God, as they were made in His likeness.  Their hope also resided in their CONTROLLING, as they were commanded to exert dominion over God’s creation.  Hope was found in their CONNECTING—the man and woman designed to connect in a love relationship with their Maker and their mate.  Humans were created for hope in CREATING, by bringing new life into the world.

But, the hope that was given in the first two chapters was spurned in chapter three.  Generation turned to degeneration.  In the sad story we read is found the cause of all the sorrow and suffering in the world—a huge three letter word—sin.

There was A DEADLY DETOUR.  Discontented to bear the likeness of God, they wanted to be as God (Gen.3:3).  It was choosing this path that first turned the beautiful angel, Lucifer, into the malevolent devil, Satan, and the cunning proposal that would cause human beings who were generated to bear God’s image, to degenerate into more resembling the spawn of Satan than sons of God.  God had a great destiny intended for Adam and Eve, but they decided to take a detour, beguiled by the devil.  It sounded so appealing, however, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Prov.14:12)

Degeneration also brought A DETHRONED AUTHORITY.  Man forfeited his dominion.  He failed in his stewardship and all creation came under the curse.

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.  Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.  In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.” (Gen.3:17-19)

Adam was generated from the dust, and would—because of sin—degenerate back to dust.

Degeneration would also be displayed in A DISRUPTED RELATIONSHIP.  Immediately there was a disruption in the relationship of man and his Maker.  Where there had been an unbroken fellowship—as man walked with God intimately and joyfully, at peace as they traveled the same direction, all would be turned on its head through Adam and Eve’s rebellion.  Peace would yield to fear.  Transparency would be supplanted by a cover-up.

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Gen.3:8-10).

But the disruption would not only come between the man and his Maker, but the man and his mate. 

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings…. To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” (Gen.3:7, 16)

The battle of the sexes begins—male chauvinism and radical feminism—rooted in sinful self-interest for manipulation and domination.

Degeneration would further be marked by A DIFFICULT CHILDBIRTH.  The productivity of childbirth would bring the pain of childbirth.  Every woman who has gone through labor can attest to that. 

But, sin causes pain from children beyond birth.  Imagine the ache in the hearts of Adam and Eve as they stood over the first grave, belonging to their son, Abel.  I have been with parents in hospitals as they held a stillborn infant in their arms and have witnessed that little form christened with their tears.  I have made the journey to a cemetery with grief-stricken parents whose child’s lifeless form would be encased in the sod. 

Another son, Cain, would not attend that first funeral.  Adam and Eve watched him walk away.  His rebellion against God that led to such brutality was judged with banishment.  Unlike the father in the story of the Prodigal Son who would see his lost boy come home, insofar as we know, Adam would go to his grave with his son still estranged from him.  What woe!  This is the disruption from the degeneration of sin.

We see it all around us.  We have tasted the tantalizing fruit and found it toxic.  Ours appears to be a hopeless world, degenerating rapidly.  Paradise has been lost. 

Can paradise be regained?  Stay tuned.  There is more to the story.

CREATED FOR HOPE: GENERATION

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV)

The best place to begin is with the beginning.  To know what God intended for humanity to experience, we need to see His original blueprint.  Genesis is about generation—you note the similarity in the words.  To generate something is to create it, and that is what God did in bringing all things into existence.

We are created for hope in CONFORMING.  We see that human beings—male and female were created in God’s image.  God made us to be conformed to His likeness.  The likeness of God in man means the capacity for rational thought, emotional expression and volitional decision.  We were designed to think God’s thoughts after Him, to feel the same desires and make godly choices conformed to His will.  As Adam and Eve walked with God the truth would captivate their minds, their hearts would become intertwined with His so God’s passions would become theirs and they would progress in faith and obedience directed by God.  That was and is God’s intent for humanity!

But more, we are created for hope in CONTROLLING.  Adam and Eve were given dominion—meant to control and be stewards of God’s creation.  They were to manage the beautiful world God had fashioned.  All was to be in subjection to man.  In so doing they would rule the world under God’s authority.

Then, we are created in hope in CONNECTING.  They had the capacity for connection to the Creator.  He walked with them in fellowship. There was an intimate bond—a relationship that was profound and personal.  Out of that connection, Adam and Eve were to be connected to each other.

And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Gen.2:18)

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.  ‎Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.  And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”  Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”  (Gen.2:21-25)

Love was to permeate their relationship.  We are not to live life in isolation, but connection.

Finally, we are created in hope for the purpose of CREATING.  As God created mankind in His image, so they would create new life in their image.  Adam and Eve were designed and directed with the capacity and the call to be fruitful and multiply, filling the earth with those they had brought into being.  Humans were bestowed with a marvelous creativity—for art and music and architecture—all manner of invention—planted in us by the Creator.

So, there was a pristine paradise and in Adam and Eve so much potential.  They were created for hope—and what a hope it was!  Man would never be God, but was made to reflect God.

Yet, something had gone wrong—very wrong—impacting every one of these areas in a horrible fashion.  That will be the subject of the next study in this series.

CREATED FOR HOPE

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV)

‎‎Close your eyes and picture in your mind, the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen.  Now, imagine it a thousand times more wondrous. 

So it must have been in Eden. 

Over and again, God spoke in creative power and assessed, “It’s good,” and then He made Adam and Eve, declaring, “Very good!” 

So what happened?

As we look around us—even though creation still shows God’s imprint—we see something far from paradise.  Instead there is a world that is broken—shattered lives, sorrow and suffering, disease and death, woe and war.

The big question we ask, “Is there any hope? Can paradise be restored?” 

The Bible has an answer.  This week we will see that there is hope!  We are created for it, and all will be consummated in what the Word of God declares is, “the blessed hope” which is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

THERE’S HOPE FOR THE CHURCH THAT EMBRACES THE SAVED: Our Sufficient Resource

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Col.3:4 NKJV)

Here we see the flip side of the same coin.  Much of what Paul writes in the third chapter of Colossians concerns our position in Christ.  But, in verse four, the Apostle notes our provision of Christ.  Yes, we are in Christ, but also, Christ is in us!  These are two sides of the same Christian coin.

Jesus doesn’t just give us life as something apart from Himself—He is our life!    This means that Jesus, by His Spirit, now indwells you—the all-sufficient resource for all you face. 

The Christian life is simply Jesus being Jesus in and through you.  We may think the Christian life is difficult.  No!  It’s impossible!  We could never hope to live up to the standard set by the sinless Savior.

Only one Person has ever lived the Christian life as it is meant to be lived—that is Jesus Himself! That is still the way it works—the Christ life expressed through the Christian’s life.

 Rather than rely on our puny resources, we can rest in His powerful ones!  That’s why we are more than conquerors through Him. 

It isn’t a victory at the end where we barely pull it out.  We may have the erroneous idea that on one side there is the devil and on the other side there is Jesus.  They are up and down the court of time scoring basket after basket—nip and tuck all the way.  Then we come into the final seconds of human history, with God’s team down by two points.  As the clock goes to zero the last shot has left the Lord’s hand and it swishes through the net for a three pointer—the buzzer sounds—and we win!  The truth is that the contest isn’t even close—more like 9,000-0!  Scripture doesn’t just say that we conquer, but that we are super-abundant conquerors through Jesus!

Now, that should fill us and thrill us with hope!

THERE’S HOPE FOR THE CHURCH THAT EMBRACES THE SAVED: Our Secure Relationship

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  ‎Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  ‎For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  ‎When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4 NKJV)

The Devil has to go through the Father and then the Son to get to us.  Then, he encounters a believer indwelt by the Spirit. By the time Satan reaches us, his intended evil has become God’s intended good. That’s security!

Knowing we are secure in Christ is foundational to spiritual growth.  A believer who lacks assurance will never be what he could be. Picture two men who each own a parcel of land.  Both plan to build.  One of them, however, checks the deed repeatedly.  He is concerned that maybe the deed is not really filed, or maybe it is filed improperly, and can think of a host of issues that worry him.  The other man accepts the facts and builds rigorously.  You will not be built up in faith until you see that you are secure in Him.  
                                                                                                                                       
•           WE ARE IDENTIFIED WITH CHRIST’S REDEEMING DEATH (v.3)  When Jesus died, we died with Him! Paul develops this doctrine in Romans 6 in great detail. Being crucified with Christ means we are dead to sin. What if I told you Bonnie and Clyde just robbed a bank? You’d say, “They can’t!  They’re dead!”  So, we are dead to sin.  The sinner that I was has been nailed to the cross with Jesus.

•           WE ARE IDENTIFIED WITH CHRIST’S RESURRECTION LIFE (v.1a)  The power that brought Christ from the tomb now brings us out of spiritual death and into resurrection life. That power now enables us to meet and overcome every challenge in life. Today you can exchange human weakness for heavenly power.  That is enough—more than enough!

•           WE ARE IDENTIFIED WITH CHRIST’S REIGNING VICTORY (v.1b-2)  We are seated with Christ. So we seek after heavenly things, because we’re seated in heavenly places. Christ is seated in the position of authority and in Ephesians the Word of God says we are seated with Him. There He reigns as Lord and in union with Him we are masters of every situation. There is nothing over our head that’s under His feet.

•           WE ARE IDENTIFIED WITH CHRIST’S RETURNING GLORY (v.4)  We are returning with Christ. Christ has promised to come for His bride. At the rapture, the dead in Christ will rise and living saints will be transformed—all caught up to heaven. After the seven years of tribulation, when judgments are poured out on a Christ rejecting world, we return with Him to reign. The godly, growing Christian looks for the heavenly city.

THERE’S HOPE FOR THE CHURCH THAT EMBRACES THE SAVED

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  ‎For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.   When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.  ‎Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  ‎Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  ‎But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  ‎Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” (Colossians 3:1-11 NKJV)

We dip ‘em and drop ‘em—have you heard that expression before?  It means that Baptists are notorious for getting decisions, but not much for gaining disciples. 

Last week we rightfully celebrated baptism, but already we are making plans for those children to be taught more about what it means to follow Christ.  We know that physical growth is to be paired with spiritual maturity.  This past Sunday morning, we had a group of folks who met beginning at 8:00, and stayed until the afternoon as through this new member class, and ongoing ministry, we make every effort to connect them with the church.

As someone has well said, “We are good at obstetrics, but poor at pediatrics.”  Yet, all the New Testament shows that the Gospel not only is meant to save sinners, but is meant to strengthen saints.

There is no hope for the church that is distracted from disciple-making.  At best, such a church becomes a revolving door, with members coming in and others going out, as fast—or faster.  The front door of evangelizing the sinner is essential, but the back door must be nailed shut by embracing the saved.

It has been noted that a lot of Christians have a spiritual experience like an old iron bedstead—firm on both ends and sagging in the middle!  They are firm on the end of their conversion by Christ and on the end of the consummation with Christ, but in this present time, they aren’t amounting to much.  Our story commences with regeneration, and concludes with glorification, but the chapters in between need to be connected by sanctification—and that’s what Paul is calling for in the third chapter of Colossians.

There is hope for the church that welcomes new people with open arms, connects them to truth through the teaching of the Word, gives support and encouragement that strengthens them in the challenges which must surely  come—that has a love that will not let others go.