that I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of
the Lord. How beautiful, how beautiful
is the Lord Jesus Christ. That was such a blessing. When
you turn back to Galatians chapter one, the last day of the year
is always a time for reflection, isn't it? We think of past mercies
and we think of what may make this coming year a better year.
And we make all kinds of resolutions that we think will make it better
that we always end up breaking. But I've entitled this message,
But the Reason for Hope. But the reason for hope. Now the reason for hope is found
in the conjunction but. Paul said I was going in this
certain direction but when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by his grace. Now this conjunction is also
translated moreover now and nevertheless. But, moreover,
now, nevertheless, the reason for hope. Now, hope is a blessed
thing. Have you ever felt despair? Have you ever felt hopelessness? where you really feel like things
are not going to get better. What a horrible feeling that
is. Life becomes an intolerable burden. That's what it feels like to
feel hopeless. But what a blessed thing it is
to be hopeful. Paul put it this way in Romans
chapter 15 verse 13, now the God of hope fill you. with all joy and peace and believing
that you might abound in hope through the power of the Holy
Ghost, Romans 15, 13. Now what is hope? How would we define hope? What does the Bible mean by this
word? Hope is a confident expectation
regarding the future. Now, I know that in the future,
I'm going to stand before God in judgment. And here's my hope,
that he's going to look me over with the eye of his holiness
that sees all things as they really are, and he's going to
see no sin. and I will be justified. That means not guilty. That means
I never did anything wrong and I always did that which is right. Now I have a hope that that's
going to take place. And I also have a hope that everything between
now and then is going to be working together for my good and His
glory. Now that's hope, isn't it? What
a hope the believer has. And hope is unseen. If you see
it, it's no longer hope. Do I see my justification? I
talk about God seeing me without sin. Do I see me without sin?
No. No, as a matter of fact, to be
honest, as far as my experience goes, in myself, all I see is
sin. This is not something I see,
but it's something I hope. for. I have a happy anticipation
that on judgment day I will be accepted, and the ground of that
hope is based, on what that hope is based is found in this little
conjunction, but. But God. But when it pleased
God. And I'm looking toward 2015 and
beyond into eternity with Hope. And like I said, this is
not about some kind of resolution I'm making that makes me think
the year is going to be a better year. Now, why is there hope? I've
been talking about hope. Why is there hope? Why can a man have this hope
with regard to the future, this confident expectation? How can
there be hope like that with man being the way he is? How
can I have that kind of hope when I am the way I am? I mean,
let's be real. What I am? A sinful man. A man weak, a man unpredictable,
a man unstable, just like the people I'm looking at. That's
the way all of us are. Sinful, weak, frail creatures. How is it that I can actually
possess this hope? Now, according to the scripture,
me and you, are totally depraved. Which is seen in the fact that
we can't even come to Christ unless he causes us to. Now I'm
not asking you right now if you believe in the doctrine of total
depravity. Perhaps you do, perhaps you don't. But I'm asking you
this. Do you believe you personally are totally depraved? Do you believe that about yourself? Do you believe that you're a
sinner by birth, by choice, by practice, which creates some
very painful and grievous circumstances? So how can somebody like me or
you have hope without it being some kind of Pollyanna attitude?
How can I truly have this hope I'm speaking of? Well, as I said,
hope is found in this little conjunction, but. Paul spoke
of his past. He said in verse 13, for you've
heard of my conversation and times past in the Jews' religion. How but beyond measure I persecuted
the church of God and wasted it and profited in the Jews'
religion above many mine equals in mine own nation, being more
exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But there's the
difference. That's 100% of the difference.
But when it pleased God, the one who separated me from
my mother's womb, he had his hand on me before I had any consciousness
of him, and he called me. He called me irresistibly and
invincibly by His grace to reveal His Son in me. And I've said this on numerous
occasions. It won't do me any good for Him
simply to reveal His Son to me because I'll lose that. I'll
forget it. But he revealed his Son in me. That scripture makes me think
of the passage in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1 where Paul says, and
you hath he quickened who are dead in trespasses and sins.
That's who you are. You're dead in trespasses and
sins. Wherein in times past you walked
according to the course of this world. according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation
in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the lust
of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children
of wrath, just like everybody else. But God. There's the difference. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace
are you saved. But God. Turn with me for a moment
to Romans chapter 3. Now Paul had been speaking of
what we are by nature in verses 9 through 18, ending up with
this horrible indictment, there's no fear of God before their eyes.
And then he gives our state before God in verse 19, now we know
That what thing soever the law saith, it saith to them who are
under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. Now that's our state. Guilty. Guilty as charged before God.
Is there anything we can do about this? No. Therefore by the deeds
of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For
by the law is the knowledge of sin, but Somebody once called this surprising
grace. But the righteousness, now the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested. Just this
indictment against us doesn't mean there's no hope. Now the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested. Being
witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness
of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ. Yes, there is
hope. The hope of having the very righteousness
of God himself. Now that's a hope, isn't it?
But down in Romans chapter 4, not to him that worketh, verse
4, not to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace,
but of dead. If you work for salvation, that
means God owes you salvation. But, here's that word, but, To
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. Now that is good news. If you're
one of the people Paul described in Romans chapter 7, verse 14,
when he said, For we know that the law is spiritual, but, there's
that same word, but, I am carnal, sold under sin. Now, Paul was given his experience
of grace. He said, this is how I see myself.
This is how I am. I'm carnal. I'm sold. I'm sold
as a slave to sin. I'm in a prison that I can't
get myself out of. Now, if you see yourself like
that, what good news it is to hear, to him that worketh not. but believeth on him that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Paul said
in 1 Corinthians 1, verses 22 and 23, we preach Christ crucified. That's our message and we got
that out on the sign. We preach the person of Christ,
who he is, and what he did. He was crucified and what he
accomplished by that crucifixion. We preach Christ crucified unto
the Jews. This is a stumbling block. Stumble
at this. You mean to tell me that somebody's
saved by what somebody else did by being nailed on a cross? I
don't believe that. To the Greeks, it's foolishness.
But, there's that but, but unto them which are thee called. Both Jews and Greeks. Christ,
the power of God, and Christ, the wisdom of God. The preaching of the cross, Paul
said, the doctrine of the cross is to them that perish foolishness,
but unto them which are saved. There's that but again. You see
how salvation is in the word but? But, unto them which are
being saved. Christ, the power of God, and
the wisdom of God. In 2 Thessalonians 2, verses
10-13, we read of those who received not the love of the truth, that
they might be saved. Now don't miss that. They received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Oh, they
might have given their sin to the truth, but they knew nothing
of the love of the truth. And for this cause, the scripture
says, God shall send them strong delusion. that they should believe
a lie, that they might all be damned, who receive not the truth,
but have pleasure in unrighteousness. But, but, we are bound to thank
God always for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord. because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth. Now there's but, that's
the difference isn't it? But don't you know that the difference
between you being saved and you being lost is a but God. God did something for me. Now
sometimes the conjunction is translated moreover. You're in
Romans, look in Romans chapter 5 verse 20. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound. That's all the law does, is it
just shows us that we're abounding in offenses. They flow up like
a fountain. But, there's the word again,
but, where sin abounded. Are you a place like that? where
sin abounded, to where that's all there was. Somebody says,
no, I, well, okay, you can't take the promise then. But if
you're a place where sin abounds, if that's you, look at this promise.
But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. that as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal
life by Jesus Christ, our Lord. What a blessed but. In 1 Corinthians 15, 1, Paul
says, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel. May that
be the watchword of 2015. To declare the gospel. That's our purpose. That's our
reason for being here. to declare the gospel. I'd like to read a passage of
scripture from Hebrews chapter 9 beginning in verse 20, this is the blood, God speaking,
this is the blood of the testament of which God hath enjoined you.
Moreover, there's the word, moreover, he sprinkled with blood both
the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry and almost all
things are by the law purged with blood. I think that's interesting
to think about when they talked about the altar and all the vessels
of the tabernacle. You know what they do? They sprinkle
blood on them. But weren't they holy things? Not without the
blood. The only thing that made them
holy is the blood. and he'd take the blood and sprinkle it on,
and almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and
without the shedding of blood, there's no remission of sins. But thank God, with the shedding
of blood, you know what there is? There is the complete remission,
putting away, blotting out, canceling of sin. They're gone. And this blessed conjunction
is also translated by the word now, which fills with hope. You're in Hebrews 10, look in
verse 17. And their sins and iniquities
will I remember no more. Now, same word, that's that same
conjunction. But, moreover, now, where remission
of these is, There is no more offering for sin. Now here's
the good news about that. How many times have you sinned and you felt
so awful and you couldn't come into the Lord's presence the
way you felt because of that sin you'd committed and you wait,
you wait till you feel better. You wait till you, you wait. Do you know that's wrong? Because when I do something like
that, I'm trying to bring an offering. And there's no offering
to bring. Where the remission of these
is, there's no more offering for sin. Don't try to bring one.
It's a horrible thing when a believer sins. It's a grievous thing when
a believer sins. Don't want to sin. When you do,
don't try to bring an offering. Don't try to bring your sorrow.
Don't try to bring your promises. Don't try to bring your intentions
to never commit that sin again. Know this. There's no more offering for
sin. It's already been put away. It's gone, it's separated from
you as far as the east is from the west. Hebrews 10 11 says,
by the witch will we are sanctified through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ. Once for all. A perfectly completed
action that needs no repetition. 2 Corinthians chapter 2. I love this verse of scripture.
I don't know how many times I've had to remind myself of this.
2 Corinthians chapter 2. Now, there's the word. Now, the
reason for hope is found in this word. Now, thanks be unto God,
which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. So what a reason for
hope. How often do we triumph in Christ? What's it say? Always. Always is always. Well, I feel
as though I live a defeated Christian life. There's no such thing.
There's no such thing. Everything that you've experienced,
if you're a believer, everything that you've experienced is victory. Now you got to take that by faith.
You might not be able to see it by sight, but the scripture
promises, all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose. There are no
defeats to a believer, only victory. And the Bible says that. Now
what a reason for hope. Thanks be unto God which always
causes us to triumph in Christ. Turn to Ephesians chapter 3. Now Paul had been praying for
the church at Ephesus. He says in verse 14, for this
cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would
grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened
with might by a spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith, that you, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth
and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ
which passeth knowledge, that you might be filled with all
the fullness of God." That's some high language, isn't it? Now look what he says next in
verse 20, now. Now, there's the word. Now unto him that's able
to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Come my soul, thy soup prepare. Jesus loves to answer prayer. He himself has bid thee pray,
therefore will not tell thee nay. Thou art coming to a king,
large petitions with thee bring. For his grace and power are such,
none can ever ask too much. He's able to do exceeding abundantly
above all we ask or even think. Here's a reason for hope. Turn
to the book of Jude right before Revelation. Verse 24. Now, there we are. Same word. Now. Unto him that is able to
keep you from falling. Do you fear falling? I do. I fear falling, and I know how
easily I could fall, just like that. I know it. But what a blessed promise this
is. Now unto him that's able to keep
you from falling, and not only that, and to present you, what's
that next word? Faultless. faultless before the presence of his glory
with exceeding joy. Now, he is able to present me
and you faultless. And you want to talk about a
hope for the future. Do you believe he's able to do that? Do you
believe he's able to keep you from falling and to present you
faultless before his presence? with exceeding joy. Do you believe
that? Do you believe he's able to do that? Now let me tell you
how sure this is for the believer. It's so sure because the future
is already history. He's already presented us holy
and unblameable. and unreprovable in his sight. When he ascended back to the
Father as the Lord of hosts, he brought all his people there
and presented them holy and unblameable and unreprovable. And the reason
that I'm going to be presented faultless is because I'm faultless.
The reason I'm going to be presented holy and unblameable and unreprovable
is because I'm holy and unblameable and unreprovable through what
the Lord Jesus Christ did in my behalf. Now you want to talk
about hope. And finally, this conjunction
is also translated by the word nevertheless. We've considered
but, we've considered now, we've considered moreover, and lastly,
it is translated nevertheless. Now, listen to this scripture.
Let me just quote it to you. You can look it up if you want. It's
in Galatians chapter 2, verse 20. Paul said, I'm crucified
with Christ. He didn't say it's as if I were
crucified with Christ. He said I am crucified with Christ. And that's why I can reckon myself
to be dead indeed to sin. Because I was crucified with
Christ. I'm dead to sin. What can the law say to a man
that's dead? It can't say anything to a man that's dead. I'm already
dead. Law has nothing to say to me.
Sin has nothing to say to me. I'm dead. I'm crucified with
Christ. Nevertheless, I live. In spite of all that, I live.
Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now
live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who
loved me and gave himself for me. In Luke chapter 5, Peter said, Master, we've told all night and taken
nothing. You ever been there? We've told all night and we haven't
got a thing out of it. We're making no progress. We're
beating our head against the wall. Nothing is happening. We've told all night. And we've
taken nothing. I don't know how many times that
I've read that on a Monday morning after preaching Sundays. The
Lord have toiled all night and taken nothing. You know what
the next word is? Nevertheless, at thy word, we'll
let down the net. That's all it takes. His word. You may have toiled all night
and taken nothing. Nevertheless, At thy word, we'll
take down the net. You remember who controls the
fish in the sea. He said, fish in the net. And when they had
done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes. So the net
break. You might be empty up to this
point. Have hope though. Nevertheless,
at thy word, I'll let down the net. Turn to Hebrews chapter
12. We've got two more. Verse 11, now no chastening,
for the present time seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. Now
remember this, child of God, that you're not ever going to
be punished. Christ was punished, and you're
not going to be punished. You will be chastened. Look back
to verse 5 of Hebrews chapter 12. And you've forgotten the
exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son
despise not thou the chasing of the Lord, nor faint when thou
art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. And he scourges every son whom
he receives. Now, two things I want to be.
I want to be somebody he loves, and I want to be a son that he
receives, don't you? I want that desperately. Go ahead
and chasten me. And scourge me. I need it. I
need it, no doubt. I need it. But it's done in love.
It's not done in punishment. It's done in love. Verse 7, for
if you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons.
For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if you be
without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you
bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we've had fathers
of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence.
Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits
and live? For they barely for a few days
chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit,
that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening
for the present time seems to be joyous, but grievous nevertheless. Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth
the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby. You know what it does? It produces the glorious fruit
of the Spirit. His chasing hand, love, joy,
peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and
temperance. Nevertheless, 2 Peter chapter
3, this is the last one. beginning in verse 10, but the
day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. I know this, when the Lord returns,
it's going to be when nobody is expecting him. In the which the heavens shall
pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat. the earth also, and the works
that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things
shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in
all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting into
the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on
fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat? Nevertheless, in spite of all this happening, we, according
to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein
dwelleth righteousness. Though we know this world is
going to have this end, it doesn't mean we're hopeless. We're looking
for something better. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that
you look for such things, be diligent that you may found of
him in peace without spot and blameless. Now, the close of
2014 has all been good, every bit of it, because he sent it. Might have been painful. Might
have been a great trial. But it's all been good because
he's in control of it. And whatever he does is good.
Do you trust the Lord to the point where whatever he does
is good whether you understand it or not? He's God. Whatever he does is
right. It may have been painful. It
may have been a lot of fun. But whatever it is, he did it.
Aren't you glad it's that way? And you know everything in 2015
is going to be good too. Everything's going to be good.
And if He comes January 1st, 2015 and takes me and puts me
in the ground, you know what it'll be? It'll be good. It'll
be the best day of my life. It'll be when I'm ushered into
the very presence of Christ and behold His glory. And that will be glory to me. So, remember, there is a reason
for hope. and the believers reason for
hope is found in this glorious conjunction but nevertheless
moreover now let's pray Lord, we come into your presence
in Christ's name with thanksgiving. We're so thankful for thy blessed
son. And we're so thankful for the
salvation that's in him. And Lord, we're so thankful for
the but gods of the scripture. Lord, things can look dire indeed,
but God. Lord, that's a reason for continual
hope and encouragement. I bless your word. for your glory
and our good. And Lord, as we close out this
year together and as we look toward this coming year, Lord,
we pray for great mercy, great grace. Lord, we pray for your
spirit to enable us to preach your gospel in this generation.
Lord, deliver us from shrinking back from a whole declaration
of thy truth. And Lord, give us a greater love
to you and a greater love to men and women. And Lord, we ask
that we might be enabled to be faithful witnesses of your son.
We pray that you'd enable each one of us to preach your gospel
to those who don't know you. And we pray that you would use
it for the salvation of souls. Lord, we pray for your wisdom
and direction upon this assembly. Lord, order our steps in thy
word. And let not any iniquity have
dominion over us. Bless us for the Lord's sake.
In His blessed, glorious, holy, beautiful name we pray. That
name that's above every name. In His name we pray. Amen.