"Therefore Have I Hope"

"Therefore have I hope"

Preached at Hope Baptist Church, June 5th, 2011)

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:21-23).

INTRO: Lamentations is a one-of-a- kind Book. The prophet Jeremiah lived in the time of the Kings in Isreal. Zedekiah was a wicked evil king during the life of Jeremiah.

11 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

(2 Chronicles 36:11-12).

In judgement the Bible says God "stirred up the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia"... and waisted Isreal...

Lamentations is a book of mourning after the judgement of God fell on Isreal.

Imagine the sorrow of Jeremiah...the anguish....the frustration with the wickedness of his day...Yet, in this passage Jeremiah makes this statement..."I have hope.." How can a man of God in these deplorable circumstances have hope?

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed."

1. We can be saved only because of God's mercy.

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

2. We can have your prayers answered because of God's mercy.

Ps 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

Da 9:4* And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

3. Our sins are forgiven because of God's Mercy.

Ps 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.

Mt 9:13* But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

4. We can walk with God because of His mercy.

5. We can face trials by His mercy.

Ps 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

We have seen history transpire this year.

We have seen our gov't. rocked in scandal.

We have seen terrorist attacks on Americans; on foriegn soil and here at home.

We have seen all sorts of natural disasters.

Major diseases (ie. AIDS, herpes. new strains of hepatitus) are at epidemic purportion.

Crime, violence, poplitical unrest.

Pastor what is the answer to what seems like a hopeless situation? "My hope is in Thee." My hope is in God's mercy!

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

My hope is not:

A. In government

B. In my recourses

C. In luck

D. In this world

1.My hope is in my anchor.

Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

2. My hope is in the past.

Ps 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

3. My hope is in His promise.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

4. My hope is in the Salvation.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

In our darkest hour there is hope. The hope given us in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ