The God of Hope
Sermon Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Faith, Hope & Love
Romans 15:7-13 (ESV)
7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name.”
10 And again it is said,
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol him.”
12 And again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.”
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Sermon Outline
Joy, peace and hope (v13), the themes of Christmas, are gifts given by God that come to us through Jesus, who “has become a servant” (v8).
1. A Servant of Truth (v8)
“of the circumcised”
Confirm promises given to the patriarchs
v12 “the root of Jesse shall come”
2. A Servant of Mercy (v9)
“the Gentiles”
vv9-12 glorify God: “sing… rejoice… praise… hope”
v13 “May the God of hope fill you”
Questions for Reflection
Do you ever find yourself without joy or peace, but hopeful? Do you ever find yourself without hope, but with joy and peace? Is hope needed for joy and peace? Are joy and peace needed for hope? What kinds or relational connections can you make between hope, joy and peace?
The answer to Westminster Shorter Catechism question #27 begins “Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born…” Why is the birth of Jesus considered to be the start of “the humiliation” of Christ? What makes his birth different from any other birth (in this regard)?
If you were at the table with Jesus on the night he was betrayed (John 13) and Jesus came to wash your feet, would you more likely feel embarrassed because you are not worthy, or likely to lose respect for Jesus seeing him do something even a servant might not do? What should you see or how should you understand such an action?
If Jesus, the king, became a servant, what does that mean for his followers? What difficulties do you have in conceiving of yourself as a servant? How does this mindset effect you (positively and negatively)?
Why is Jesus being born in the line of David, as well as the theme of kingship, so central in the Christmas story?
What hope can you get from understanding that God speaks the truth and holds to His word? What perspective on your life (or our time period) comes from seeing how God fulfilled promises over very long stretches of time (thousands of years)?
What is the connection between hopelessness and powerlessness? How does God’s mercy help those who feel powerless in particular?
The Christmas story tells of Jesus’ birth, born to Jews to fulfill the promises to Abraham, and making good on his plan to show mercy to the nations. How does this bring glory to God? What kinds of things do we learn about who God is from this? What specific things can we celebrate and rejoice in that flow from understanding what the birth of Jesus signifies?
How is God a God of hope? How does God fill His people with hope? How can you receive hope from God?
Prayer of Confession
God of hope, who is like you, generous to the undeserving, merciful to those who have not known you? We confess that our lack of joy and peace is, in some measure, a reflection of our failure to look to you in hope. We have not trusted you. We have not believed what you have said. We have not recognized your integrity, and the lengths to which you have gone to fulfill your intentions to bless us. Forgive us. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, and empower us to abound with hope. Grant us joy and peace, though we have not earned it. Strengthen us to bring you glory by serving others in mercy as Jesus has served us. Amen.