Sermon: Eternal Comfort and Good Hope

Would you join me in prayer as we? Come to the preaching of the word. Let's pray. Lord that song says it all Christ Our Hope in life and death Christ Our only comfort in life and death Christ are our greatest joy in life and death father we pray that you would recapture our hearts today. As Augustine said that you would strike our hearts and we would love you. We pray that you would Open the Eyes of our hearts open the ears

of our hearts that we might see and hear your glory. We pray that you would change us Lord as we Behold The Glory of Christ that we would be transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to the next. We pray that he would be exalted in this word now and that you would be exalted father through the power of your Holy Spirit. And that we would not be the same. We give you glory father and trust you to speak now

to us in the Name of Christ Our Savior. amen There is a saying that is attributed to an ancient. Anonymous Saint those are the best kind ancient and Anonymous Saints. And the saying goes like this be kind to every person you meet. For every person you meet is carrying a heavy load. And that's true this morning. There's not a person in this room that has not come in carrying some load and some of you are feeling crushed beneath an overwhelmingly

heavy load. So what is your load today? Is it Financial insecurity? a painful relationship lingering depression or anxiety Maybe it's past trauma or abuse. addiction or some be setting sin. Or maybe spiritual dryness in a sense of great distance from the Lord. As we look around us. and then as we look Within we cannot help but conclude life is really hard. sometimes overwhelming we know we're supposed to persevere and stand firm.

But frankly that seems easier said than done. Sometimes we know we need help but we're not even sure what kind of help we need. There was a 19th century Scottish pastor and him writer named George Mathison. George was blind from birth and he knew what a heavy load was. This is how he once prayed. My father I have moments of deep unrest moments when I know not what to ask by reason of the very excess of my wants. I have in these hours no words for you.

No conscious prayers for you. But you know what I ask. Oh God. You know the name of that need which Lies Beneath my speechless grown. You know that because I am made in your image and I can find rest only in what gives rest to you. therefore you have counted my unrest for righteousness And if called my groaning. Your spirit's prayer. I'll bet there are people in this room right now that could relate to that prayer. And don't you just love how good

God is to us? God knows what even we don't know. We don't always know what we need. We don't always know even what we want the most but God does. And not only that he actually writes prayers for us to pray. And as good as George mathison's prayer is I'm talking about something much bigger much better the prayers that God wrote in the Bible. Now most of those are found in the Psalms, but this morning I want to share a little gem with

you. It's tucked away in second Thessalonians. So if you want to grab your Bibles and turn to Second Thessalonians chapter 2 We're going to look at verses 16 and 17. It's a short two verse prayer. It's actually a benediction which is kind of strange because it's it's a benediction before the final benediction in second Thessalonians 3.

So here's what Paul says now. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself And God our Father. Who loved us and gave us Eternal comfort and Good Hope. Comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work. and word So today's going to be a little different kind of sermon. It's just two verses and I'm actually only going to preach verse 16. And you're thinking well, this is great. This will not be a long sermon. Haha, don't be don't be so sure.

It's only one verse but I'm actually going to preach it almost word for word. And it will be a bit of a fire hose. It'll be too much to remember. And for those of you like me who like to take notes, you might just throw the pencil down at a certain point, but that's okay. What I want to do is just show you the unsearchable riches of Grace in Christ in this one verse so that you'll be motivated this week to come back to this verse These two verses many times.

So I'll preach through verse 16 and then we will end the sermon. using verse 17 as a guide for some quiet Personal prayer so that's the plan. So how does this start? Well, it starts with the word now. You didn't believe me when I said I was going to preach it word for word. So what is now? What is that about? Well, primarily it's just a transition word between verse 15 where Paul says. Stand firm and hold fast to the Traditions. You were

taught by us in verse 16, which is a prayer. So it's it's mainly just a transition but it is the word now. It's not and or but or so or therefore And so it's an indirect reminder. That the help we need. We need now. We know we've received help in the past. We know we're going to ask for help again in the future. But how many of you if you're honest when you walked in this room today, you're realizing you're thinking I need help today.

I need help now. Well, this word is addressing us now. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself. Beautiful phrase. What does God want us to see in that phrase? Well notice. First of all Paul says now may our Lord Jesus Christ. It's kind of like Jesus teaching us to pray Our Father. It's a helpful reminder that this is a communal prayer. We are all in this Christian life together. It's obvious. It's more obvious on Sunday when we come together, but

it's often forgotten. We so much in our culture want to be independent individuals. We forget we're a family we forget that we are a band of brothers and sisters and we so equal easily focus on our own problems that we forget that others have problems too sometimes much worse than ours. So we not only need the Lord we need the Lord together. This prayer is meant to be prayed together. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ. That's just a four letter word.

But that word Lord. Flies in the face of the lives of our culture and it flies in the face of our own rebellious desires. The title Lord Jesus Christ reminds us it tells us it declares to us that we are creatures under a Creator. We are servants under a master. We are subjects under a king. We are disciples under a teacher. We are not autonomous the way our culture tells us in the way. We would like to be we do not discover our

own identity. We do not create our own reality. We do not decide for ourselves. What's right or wrong? We Bow Low before we listen to and follow our Lord now May our lord Jesus Jesus is the name. In Hebrew, it's Yeshua. It means God Saves or God is salvation. It comes from Matthew 21 when the angel tells Joseph. Your wife will conceive and bear a son and you are to call his name Jesus. Or he will save his people. from their sins

Jesus is the one sent from the father who came to save us from our sins. Pastor Jason reminded us a few weeks ago that the real problem in the world is not ignorance. It's not poverty or racism. It's not politics. Those are just symptoms. The real problem in the world the problem underneath all the other problems is sin. And that's crucial to remember. Because it tells us that Jesus did not come into the world to attract a following. He

did not come into the world to dispense some good advice. He did not come into the world to maximize your potential or increase your wealth or fulfill your dreams. Jesus came into the world to save you from your sins. Your sins my sins all sins are deadly. They dishonor God and they destroy our souls. Now there's many things in the world that were legitimately concerned about many things that can hurt us at least temporarily.

But there's only one thing that can sink your ship. There's only one thing that can destroy you forever. And that is Unforgiven sin. That is the one enemy the final catastrophe. But this final catastrophe is the one thing that has been abolished. by the death of Jesus brothers and sisters your sins. All of them are forgiven and you are eternally secure under the shadow of God's Wings if you are in Christ by faith Now may our lord Jesus.

Christ Jesus is the name. Christ is a title. It's the Greek equivalent of Messiah. It means the anointed one. Jesus the Christ is God's final decisive. God anointed Prophet priest and King. Is God's final anointed Prophet long ago at many times? And in many ways God spoke to our fathers by the prophets? But in these last days he has spoken to us by his son. Whom he appointed the air of all things and through whom he created the world.

Jesus is God's final God anointed priest. when Christ appeared as high priest of the good things that have come Then through the greater and more perfect tent he entered once for all into the holy places not by the means of the blood of goats and calves but by the means of his own blood. Thus securing an eternal Redemption. And he is God's final anointed king. And on his robe and on his thigh. He has a name written. King of Kings

and Lord of lords now May our Lord Jesus Christ himself That word is put in for emphasis. God didn't send an angel. He didn't send a messenger or a representative. God sent his own son the Lord the word become flesh. Who dwelt among us? We have seen his glory glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth our Lord Jesus Christ himself. and God our Father now we might be tempted to just quickly go over that one. God our Father. Of course.

He's our father. Brothers and sisters if you think about it God our Father. There's nothing like that in any other religion. It's staggering. God the infinite Transcendent, holy God that you cannot even see and live. Is through Jesus Christ? our Abba Our Father one of the most beautiful descriptions of God. Our Father is in Psalm 103, which I already used as our Assurance of Pardon. I'm just going to read part of it again.

e God our Father does not deal with us according to our sins. Nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the as high as the heavens are above the Earth. So great is his steadfast love toward those who fear Him? And as far as the East is from the West so far. Does he remove our transgressions from us? as a father shows compassion to his children So the Lord Yahweh shows compassion. to those who fear Him God our Father

the high and Holy One Who shows Tender Mercies to his children? Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father. Who Loved Us obviously love is one of the great themes of the Bible. John says God is love. John 3:16 Says for God so loved the world that he gave his only son. I want to talk a little bit here about love and I'm indebted to a book by a person that many of you know as a singer-songwriter Michael card.

Is also a prolific writer and he wrote a book called inexpressible and it's about one Hebrew word. Love the word love is used about 680 times in the Bible in our ESV translation. The most significant word for for love in the Old Testament used about 250 times is the Hebrew word hesset. has said is by by far the most repeated and significant word for love. Now it's crucial that we understand this word even as we think about

New Testament. teaching I want you to just consider something. the Old Testament writers were Jews Hebrew was their native language and it was the language of their faith and their religion. And so they thought in Hebrew and they wrote in Hebrew. But in the New Testament, it's a different time. It's a different culture Greek is now the common language of the Empire and so the New Testament also. Jewish people written by Jewish people they

wrote in Greek, but they still thought in Hebrew. And so when Paul says in the verses we looked at. Jesus Christ himself and God our Father Who Loved Us he uses the Greek word Agape sauce from the Greek word agape. But the word he would have been thinking of the word that it would have formed the dynamic of his understanding of Love would still be has said because he was steeped in the Old Testament. Now there's no one English word. That fully captures has

said the glory and the Wonder and the magnitude of this love. That's why in the ESV. It's translated steadfast love perfectly good translation in other translations. It's unfailing love loving kindness Tender Mercies faithful love constant love great in Mercy abounding in kindness. Great loyal love rich in love. great in kindness and others This is the deepest biblical concept of love that underlies the whole Bible. Now probably the most significant and decisive

time of the use of has said in the Old Testament is when God reveals himself in a special way to Moses. It's an exodus 34 Moses. And God are on the mountain. Again Moses has been pleading for God to forgive Israel after the golden calf. And God says that he will do that and Moses. So encouraged by this praise asks God an incredibly audacious thing. He says Lord Show Me Your Glory. It's crazy. God says you can't see my glory and live.

So he hides Moses in the cleft of a rock and he passes before him and he says you can see my back. and as he passes before him the Lord says the Lord the Lord a god merciful and gracious Slow to anger and abounding in has said abounding instead fast, love and faithfulness. So there's the kind of Climactic time but that's early in the Old Testament and the word is repeated some 250 times in the Old Testament. David a number of times in is Psalms

praised God for has said he said your steadfast level Lord extends to the heavens your faithfulness to the clouds. How precious is your steadfast love? Oh God the children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. David's son Solomon Prayed about has said at the dedication of the temple you have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father because he walked before you in faithfulness in righteousness and

an uprightness of heart toward you and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and you have given him a son to sit on the throne as to this day. King Jehoshaphat commanded has said when the armies of Israel went out to battle. And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire as they went before the Army and say give thanks to the Lord for his

steadfast love endures forever. and finally Nehemiah after the Exile reminded Israel of God's has said they refuse to obey and we're not mindful of the Wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you were a god ready to forgive gracious and merciful slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. And did not forsake them. crucial crucial idea now. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself. God

our Father Who Loved Us And gave us Eternal Comfort. There's one of the two big things that we're talking about today. Gave us Eternal Comfort the word comfort in Greek comes from two Greek words put together parakaleho para means alongside. And Colletto means to call so to comfort someone means to be called alongside to encourage to strengthen to counsel and console. Now think about that. This morning in whatever your trials in

heavy burdens are God desires that you have his eternal encouragement his eternal strength his eternal counsel and consolation. And that sounds good. Doesn't it? It sounds good because every one of us gets weary and We crave comfort and encouragement. We get weary and discouraged from having to do battle every single day on three fronts. We battle the indwelling resistance and Rebellion to God that is in our sinful nature. We

battle the falsehoods and foolishness of a fallen world all around us and we battle the Unseen but destructive strategies of the devil and we get weary God says I want you to have eternal comfort. So what does that look like? Well, I think we often settle. for much lesser things the Eternal God Eternal comfort that God wants us to have is much better than getting married or having a happy family or a satisfying and well-paying job or even a restful weekend

or vacation. the best place that I know That describes the Eternal Comfort. We just sang about it. And you know, that's right out of the Heidelberg Catechism question and answer one. The question is what is your only comfort you're only encouragement strength consolation. Hope in life and in death. And the answer. My only comfort in life and death is that I am not my own but belong body and soul in life and death to my faithful

Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his Precious Blood and it Set Me Free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall for my head without the will of my Father in heaven. In fact, all things must work together for myself because I belong to him Christ by his holy spirit assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on

to live for him. I was talking to Scott Lawton. In between the services and he was really struck with that Heidelberg Catechism question and answer and I think we agreed that every Christian in the world should memorize that question answer. That's why we have everybody who is taking the about URC class memorize that so God wants us to have eternal comfort and good. Hope those are the two things Eternal comfort and good. Hope it's another beautiful phrase.

We know you can't really live. without hope You can exist you can breathe you can eat but you can't really live without hope. And we think of Hope. as a desired but uncertain outcome like I hope it doesn't rain for the church picnic. Well so much for that one. Or I hope I get into that grad school or I hope this treatment will stop the pain. Desired, but it's uncertain. But brothers and sisters, even if every one of your hopes came true and was realized

you still would not be satisfied. Because you were made for something bigger and better you were made for a good hope and Paul is our reliable guide. Here's how Paul talks about this. Hope in Colossians. to them Gentiles God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. So what's our Good Hope Christ lives in us and it's a it's a guarantee of Glory in

Titus. He says for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people. Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in the present age waiting for our blessed. Hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, very similar. Living Hope blessed hope Good Hope. Of Glory all pointing to the same thing so we could say that Good Hope.

Is the appearing of Christ in all his glory? And then swallowing us up into that glory to enjoy him forever. Many of you know that our son Neil is Pastor down in Kalamazoo and recently he was preaching book through the Book of Daniel and he said something that I really liked. I'm gonna share with you. Neil said the appearing of Jesus his second coming. Is the final answer? to all your prayers if you ever thought of that.

We pray for temporal things nothing wrong with that for health for a job for success in school. Whatever we but we pray as Believers for more than that. We know we were made for something bigger and better and we know that we're not there yet. We just are painfully aware of how far short we fall and so we pray Lord. Fill me with your spirit strike my heart give me the mind and the Heart of Christ. Conform me to his image and we plead and

we see incremental growth, but it seems slow and and all of our dreams seem to be just wrapped up in this. I want to know Jesus. I want to be like Jesus. and when he comes every prayer you ever pray will come true. That's good. Hope One more thing now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father who loved us and gave us Eternal comfort and Good Hope. Through Grace God's Paul's just got to get one more thing in there through Grace.

What is Grace? Well it some ways it's kind of the New Testament counterpart to hesset in the Old Testament. It's it's one of another one of those words. That's just too big for its britches. It's just it's almost impossible to completely capture what Grace is. Sometimes we say grace is God's unmerited favor. That's a good definition or we use that acronym God's riches at Christ's expense. That's even a little Fuller. Sometimes we need other helps and I think hymns and

songs. Help us grasp. What Grace is and that's why I think we love to sing here. And we love to sing good biblical gospel songs. One of my favorite hymns is Come Ye sinners in that song. We are encouraged to come to Jesus weak and wounded sick and sore and then be amazed to find Jesus ready stands to save you full of pity love and Power. is Grace or Again, Michael card, one of my favorite singer-songwriters. He has this song from a long

time ago called Jubilee and in that song in the bridge to that song. He says to be so completely guilty. given over to despair to look into your judges face and find a savior there. That's great. beyond all hope So we might say that Grace is to deserve nothing. And sometimes come to God quite frankly expecting nothing and then beyond your wildest dreams realize that God has given you everything. but when the fullness of time had come

God sent forth his son. born of woman born under the law to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption as Sons. And because you are Sons God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba Father. So you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son? Then an heir through God. We come to God deserving nothing and sometimes expecting nothing and then we realize God gives us his son in our place on the cross

to redeem us so that he can adopt us as his own children. And as if that's not enough then he gives us his Spirit to come into our hearts and overflow our hearts. In other words, we expect and deserve nothing and God gives us himself. That's great. How our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father. Loved us. Gave us Eternal comfort and Good Hope through Grace. What may he Comfort your hearts? And establish them. In every good work and word.

That's the destination. That's the punchline. So what we're going to do right now is we close? Is I'm just going to guide you in some silent prayer. Sometimes life is so busy. We just don't even have time to get away. So we're just going to take some time before we come to the Lord's table. I'm going to ask you some questions that will just guide your prayer. Let me just say a word at first. There may be someone here probably there is who has

never really experienced that comfort and Hope. Maybe you're here today because someone brought you maybe you're curious. Maybe you've even been a church go for a long time, but deep down, you know, I don't really I'm not really experiencing that freedom and that forgiveness and that comfort. Well as we pray right now, what a wonderful time. For you to just talk to God. Recognize you need forgiveness. You need the life that only Christ can give you.

The rest of us, we still need comfort and good hope so let's go to prayer right now. Just going to guide you with some questions. We'll just take some quiet time to pray. So, where do you or someone you know? Need your heart comforted. As you think about your need or someone's someone else's need for Comfort. Remember God's has said. Is steadfast love is loving kindness his Tender Mercies. Is extravagant Grace let's pray.

all praise that God would comfort our hearts and establish them in every good work and word. So as you go back to prayer now what good works or words? Is God calling you to this week? How is he calling you to serve? Boom, is he calling you to serve? And is there anyone he's calling you to speak to maybe even to share God's comfort of the Gospel with ask him to establish your good works and words.

Esther Kevin is going to come up. and lead us to the Lord's table. As you come to the Lord's table. Bring your need. Bring this verse. Bring this. Need and gift of Eternal comfort and Good Hope with you. At the cross at his table God promises that Eternal comfort and Good Hope through the cross. other thank you for your word. Thank you for the Apostle Paul who is amazing at packing a whole world of Truth one or two verses would you

continue to minister to us? Would you let us see and taste and know and share with others? Eternal comfort and Good Hope For Your Glory Right in jesus' name. Amen.