All Sermons

Called to Be Hopeful By Merv Topp

Psalm 72
17/11/1996 Smithfield Baptist Church

Let's look at verse 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to according
to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope, to a living hope.
I'd like to title this message today, called to be hopeful, called to be hopeful.
I think that the visions of on the TV screen over the last few days or the last week or
two of utter despair and hopelessness in the eyes of those folk, I never work out which
were the hoochies or tootchies or whatever but in Zaire isn't it, the absolute hopelessness
and only a million people dislodged, unable to defend themselves without food but above
everything the despair that comes in the face of the little children.
The utter hopelessness of a situation.
You and I too can be affected in our lives by similar kinds of despairs whether it's
physical deprivation or spiritual despair.
When life circumstances seem almost to be unbearable, it seems as though that they come
crushing in when some event takes place in our lives.
And it's at this point in this letter that Peter's writing to, remember we painted a
picture of the people, they were dispersed throughout these regions, Nero was coming
to power and he's looking for excuse and if you remember Nero's garden parties had
a particular flavour about them, they'd take some Christians who were not particularly
wet and light the parties up and I don't imagine that these Christians are any different, they
might be different in culture, they might be different in time and space but their emotions
I don't know would be any different.
As a boy, boys don't fiddle with matches you know, I remember once as a boy I fiddled with
a box of redhead matches at the head end and they exploded and burnt the nails or those
or foam and those index and that second finger and the excruciating pain, the unbelievable
bareness, I can still remember the pain of that burn in those fingers.
There's one other time where I bumped the tap and we're in a place where we had a huge
hot water system and there'd been hot water drawn out of hot water system and I got direct
boiling water on my thigh, the excruciating pain and agony and when I burnt my fingers
I was only a young boy probably most of my years I was trying to work in the main years
of trouble I think, seemed to be all of them actually but anyway about five and here, here
Christians are being used this way through tremendous persecution and suffering and Peter
wanted to give them a hope that reached beyond all the circumstances of life but dear friends
it's not to be a hope so faith, do you understand what I'm saying, a hope so faith but you know,
Peter wrote to these scattered and suffering and persecuting Christians, reminding them
of the living hope they had in Christ and you see dear child of God this is what we
need to be constantly reminded of time and time and time and time and time again above
everything else in the circumstances of life above everything else that we might be facing
that if we're a child of God and we've been born again by the through the word and by the power of
the Spirit of God we are people who have hope no matter what the circumstances or the crisis
that we might come on and there is the times when there are horrendous crisis that believers face
and great difficulties it doesn't have to be through persecution of the body we are living
dear child of God none of us need to be reminded we are living in a crumbling world all around us
I remember the first input of drugs when I first started searching trucks in the early 60s for
drugs for amphetamines he never heard of the major drugs if he did it was sort of a bit of a novelty
we have a minister ex-minister telling us in the state today that core drugs and amphetamines are
available in almost every school in the state yeah we're living in a crumbling society things
are falling apart and therefore we need to be reminded of what God has done what God has done
we have a living hope we need to be reminded the great hope that has been prepared for us and when
suffering comes in our lives we have an anchor was a marvelous sermon preached by that passage
where the anchor is referred to in Hebrews by Spurgeon read it a many a times anchor that is
fixed in the throne room of God and secure and that's the hope but Peter wants to remind the
people of God this actual statement that we read here from verse 3 through to 12 is one sentence
in the original languages language as it were Peter takes a deep breath and he wants to give
the emphasis to the people he pours into it those great things that we read this morning
he overflows the heart of praise and one of the things I learned off of missionaries under
terrible circumstances he's asked some of the missionaries I remember one dear old lady who
went in the pioneering time in in the Gulf of cafeteria to work amongst Aboriginal people in
1924 and I said to her she's home with the Lord now I said to her one day what were the things
that keep you going she said when things are the darkest we just sit down and sing praise
hymns to God lift our heart up with praise you know this lady at that time had two children
a husband that had come down with malaria or something like that they'd crossed four or five
rivers to get where they were going to go to do gee every time they cross the river that unload
the cart take the cart float the cart across then carry the food across load the cart and
then go to the next river and load the cart float the cart across and load the cart and take it do
the process all over again I finished up not reaching their place and and suffered was the
children were sick and so forth and she says we sang hymns we lifted up our hearts to God and this
is what Peter does blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to what his
abundant mercy see in the middle of the circumstances Peter is now giving the people
of God something to spur on with as lifting their eyes and their thoughts and attention above that
you know it's like an expression of inspiration approaching ecstasy the joy that we have as a
child of God blessed be the God and Father as he lifts up his heart and pours it out this is what
we have in the face of all the circumstances of life we have his abundant mercy his abundant grace
it's efficient this is some not some tedious longing the wellness expression that Peter is
on it it's an exalted state of feeling of praise of excitement praise to God he's that he rises in
this praise that he marvels at the richness of the mercy of God look at it here he's abundant
mercy as it were the oversupply of mercy the ring of war is given these circumstances in the
circumstances of difficulties of trials and testings let me ask you dear child of God whatever
trial and testing and circumstance you might be facing I don't know there are many trials and
testings that we go through individually even our wife doesn't know me the same for you ladies and
many trials and testings you might go through that even your husband doesn't know that I want
to tell you there is one that knows I don't know what the circumstances of your life is at the
present moment but what about what God is applying to us this morning through his word his mercy his
abundance man this great liberal supply of God's mercy he's begotten us again he's brought the
Christian to new birth or the plus but the child a new birth to living hope not some abstract thing
we've been talking about new birth we've seen that it's the you know in the hand of God and God and
his mercy brings us to this living hope so remember that when Jesus was speaking to this
religious man he told him the one essential thing that was lifting beyond everything else that he
had to be born again he needed to be more than a marble not I say to you you must be born again
now if we're talking to somebody here today who does not have this type who doesn't quite
understand this type I want to suggest that maybe maybe you've never come to faith in Christ in the
first place and the issue is still there the invitation by God's great grace and mercy is that
you must be born again see the truth is in that we already spoken about in a previous message I
tell you the truth no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again so that new birth is
is essential the whole life is tainted with sin and totally corrupt and so we need that new birth
we need a brand new life if we're going to serve God effectively in natural birth we've been
reminded we've been shaped in an equity and no one can please God under the old nature and no
one can experience the presence and the power of God you see this is why he's coming to the people
of God here to encourage them of abundant mercy they're going to living hope how through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ and this is the spiritual blessing he's blessed us with every
spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and so you see here the apostle directs this outpouring of
this blessing to the God the Father that's the God it is God the Father has brought about God
the Father purpose salvation in eternity past God the Holy Spirit see God the Son purchased
redemption upon the cross and God the Holy Spirit sealed us and so we have this living
hope hope we look forward to in the midst of circumstances of life in the midst of all the
process that's going on around about us it's defined as an inheritance and Peter goes on to
bless the God and Father because of salvation and it's manifold benefits turn with me for a
moment in your Bible's to some 103 you see indeed the Psalmist has the same vein Psalm 103 goes
like it's blessed the Lord oh my soul all that is within me bless his holy name bless the Lord
oh my soul I forget not all his benefits what were the benefits what were they who forgives
all your iniquities who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from destruction that's
God's abundance mercy that's his great grace and mercy to you and to me who crowns you with loving
kindness and tender mercies see here mercy is large in the Psalmist's eyes who satisfies your
mouth with good things and what's the ultimate as we look at these great mercies of God so that your
youth is renewed like the Eagles I love the Eagles I've a heap of pictures of Eagles we're
in the Kiva Valley I've got my name in the mountain we're sitting on we looked out across
the valley and down in the valley there was two Eagles big wedge tails I never flapped their wings
once as I lifted up in the thermals we watched we stood idle as we stood there watching these
eagles big wingspan as they soared the thermals lifted them above the valley until they were just
little specks in our eyes couldn't possibly retain them in our eyes and eyesight anymore
lifted up on Eagles wings on the mercy of God above life circumstances not in some hope so
faint but a hope that is grounded in God's mercy new birth as he has given to Peter readers a
change of status before God the change of status you see their child of God we need to be reminded
of God's great mercy we need to be reminded that he and his mercy dug us from the pit of corruption
and set our feet upon the rock and establish our goings we need to really be reminded time and time
again first Peter 2 and 24 says he himself bought our sins and his own body on the tree that we
having died to sin might live for righteousness again it says and not by works of righteousness
we have done that we have done but according to his mercy you see he's talking about this
mercy according to his mercy he saved us through the washing and regeneration and renewing of the
spirit this is where he starts off with to encourage the people of God to encourage them
to reflect upon the blessings and the privileges that they have been brought into I want to pause
again have you been brought into this privileged place of blessing have you come to know Jesus
Christ as your own personal Savior who is life eternal God has issued this invitation
he has invited us you see this glorious hope ultimately climaxes you know with from new
creation we go along the works and results of his resurrection new life the church receives
through him as part of this brand grand act of new creation we see ultimately in the closing
chapters of Revelation where he come by nature brings it to an end when finally in his presence
for all eternity even the work of creation we see the Spirit's hand in it reminded again of
his mercy mercy new birth because of God's mercy this the pity God shows towards us in spite of our
own sin and because of our own total helplessness to right our wrongs Peter 2 10 says us who once
were not a people but now think about this once when other people you see saying this to people
who are going through tremendous testing and trials I want to come back to you again today
an application you might be going through all kinds of testings and trials but none of us all
know about some of you are going through testing new trials and let's know a little bit about I
want to say such a little bit because very often these trials are personally worked out before God
sometimes we do not know the pain and testing and trials that a brother and sister is really going
through we can empathize if we've been there I can talk about my burnt fingers but I don't know
I've never never been on a state I'd be sticking away trying to put the flames out I'd say I don't
want to go through testing and trials you see here God is working once with people but now you are a
people of God who had not obtained not obtained mercy but now you have obtained mercy be a child
of God I don't know what circumstances but the mercy of God he's there in all his mercy Peter's
writing this letter and I hope that he's writing it to you this morning in a way that has never
been written before to encourage us to strengthen us to lift us up to this living hope this new
birth set a chain of revenge in the place the great plan of redemption his mercy new birth
near birth living hope and this living hope is looking forward to the future when God will bring
all things under Christ when there will be a day made reference the revelation when there'll be no
more tears no more pain no more trials no more sufferings but in the meantime we're pilgrims
strangers we're as it were passing through a land where various trials and afflictions are going to
come upon us and so we need to focus on the great work of redemption what Christ has done we need to
have a hope that is fixed a clear vision what God will do in the future dear child of God dear
friends we are traveling towards the celestial city home is just over the hilltop when I used
to be on interstate I don't know whether I've used this illustration before my wife has told me to
watch I'm repeating myself so if I've used this forgive me in driving to Brisbane this is when
my mum and dad lived in Brisbane I'd get to the top of Cunningham Gap and you know if any of you
know Cunningham Gap you've got to come off the gap and go downhill very carefully to Mitchell's
Corner because it's very steep originally it used to be one in three grave I think they shaved a
bit off the top of it since and you'd hit Mitchell's Corner and there used to be a RTA road camp
further down once you got past the road camp it was exactly one hour and 30 minutes to the front
door of course I had to use a little bit of angel gear with it but I'd get past the common
it'd be flat out to get home I used to make a beeline for home friends we're on the way down
the gap at the present moment we're not quite hit Mitchell's Corner there are all kinds of
difficulties all kinds of testing friends when we turn that corner we're going to head for home
then will the day of suffering and testing and trials be gone we will be in his presence for all
eternity is that your hope I want to say this again if there is any sitting here that does not
have that hope if you do not know Christ as your own personal Savior if you do not have that hope
within your life you will not see home not only does the new birth stimulate a living hope but
that living hope also defines the word inheritance inheritance we have a mansion as an old sort of a
country-western thing just over the hilltop that mansion miles four square by the rod see the work
of Christ is completed Calvary in my father's house there are many mansions if I'd wanted to
say I would not have told you I've gone to prepare a place for you be a child of God we live in the
light of the hope no matter the trials and the testings we live in the height the light of the
inheritance what is that heritage inheritance like when my dear mother my father passed away
five years ago my mother passed away a little while back before us in the family there's a
funny sort of feeling I'll never forget it we sat down with a little meager inheritance and said
well that's what mama's way it will never perish never spoil
and never ever fade dear child of God I trust that we understand this this is what Peter was
getting across this is what I wanted the people of God here in a great encouragement from the
Word of God there might be in all sorts of trials but there is an inheritance coming that is beyond
the grave beyond all the testings beyond the circumstances that you may be going through
there is an inheritance listen to it again I'll never perish never spoil or fade
dear child of God have you received this new birth are you looking or can you look forward
to that special inheritance because we are God's children it's complete this heritage isn't
completed in salvation it's eternal life eternal life in the kingdom of God for eternity where we
shall enjoy worship and praise and blessing directed towards the Father Son and Spirit of
God there'll be an overflow and this inheritance is kept in heaven for God's people by none other
than God's power I trust that you're beginning to understand and I've given you a visual picture
of those Eagles wings as they soar up on eagle wings Isaiah 40 says what they shall run and not
be weary I'll never forget sitting down with two aged very aged Christians in an old people's home
waiting for us to come at this tiny little room a couple of chairs and very little very little left
of this world's good I sat down with these two old saints of God one blind I said wouldn't it
be good to be a youth again I said I've come to tell you how you can be a youth again and we
looked at as I thought it in they shall run and not grow weary and get up wings like Eagles run
like youth you see our hope is anchored in the throne room of God not in some sort of
superficial promise of men that's kept by God's power we are here this birth gives us both a divine
grace and importance of human action resulted from that grace faith is the gift of God but
believers are still responsible to exercise that faith in steadfast trust it's not anchored in some
myth it's anchored in the real the death burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ you
see we're in the midst of a spiritual battle as we move on now in this message to understand how
we still take up this battle how we defend ourselves in the midst of life's difficulties
and circumstances Ephesians 6 and 16 says this above all take the shield of faith the shield of
faith was one that was Paul's alluding to as one of the Roman guards shields big shields made of
leather soaked in water and they had to take up that shield of faith quite heavy to carry around
full length one or like a fairly long thing and he says it's taken the shield of faith which you
will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one dear child of God is not denying
that there the enemy is going to make honest thoughts into our spiritual lives in your life
in my life in the life of the church he will make all slots to take up the shield of faith hold it
second Peter chapter 2 of Peterson 12 and 13 look at this
now wait a minute
first Peter
oh yes work out your own salvation
through fear and trembling this faith is the gift of God faith and faith in salvation that
is ready to be revealed at the last times you see new birth gives us a living hope this is
defined as an inheritance it's guarded by faith in final salvation you see the Bible goes on to
say that resist the devil and he'll flee from you you see God has already give us the armament
to stand the ground he lifts us up then in verses six and seven to rejoice in the midst of life
circumstance look at this in this you greatly rejoice though you for a little while you need
be have been greed by various trials what does testings and trials do it works out God and his
provenance allows all kinds of trials to come to us order that in my strength testers strengthen
us test us and strengthen us by means of trials God can tell whether our faith is genuine or not
these trials are not for our harm but for our good he says after he says to Peter it is here
remember after the trial for Peter wasn't it? Satan desired to what to do with Peter to sift
him sometimes we go through the sifting sometimes we go through the trials and there's no doubt as
we come to Peter here that he has learnt what this sifting does he's able to come back and
encourage the people of God and to strengthen them yeah lift them up that the genuineness of
your faith much more precious than gold that perishes those tried by fire may be found to
praise and honour and glory of the revelation of Jesus Christ you see very often God takes
these trials for his glory he's refining us as the people of God Satan constantly comes in and
attacks attacks a wonderful thing with Peter's testing when Satan desired to have Peter to test
him as can you remember what it was but I have from pride that your faith should not fail these
are the words of the Lord and when you have returned to me strengthen the bread isn't this what Peter's
doing out of the deep experiences of Peter's life his failures as we learned about his failures he
denied the Lord with others and persons Satan sifted him and now we see Peter in his latter
days encouraging the people of God in dire circumstances and day of his trials
how that our faith also remains firm and that we will be encouraged and renewed move on and see
verse 8 and 9 and we see there's the receiving the end of the faith the salvation of our souls
he turns from present relationship with of these Christians to Jesus to their response to their
response and what a response it is it's the same position we're in he goes on and says this yeah
though they hadn't seen him they loved Christ in spite of not having seeing him that's our
circumstances you see the love having not seen you love though you do not see him yet you believe
you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory joy inexpressible full of glory dear child
of God this is the lifting up of the people of God this is the hope that we have the anchor that
is in the throne room of God this is the encouragement he gives to us today as we go from
this place we have a living Savior he's risen the right hand of the majesty and I he knows how we
have been tempted in all points he knows our circumstances he knows our relationship he knows
our frailties but he centralizes our thoughts and lifts us up to rejoice in the work of Calvary
we have that glorious hope that lies before us the salvation you know the salvation of our souls
the affirmation that he gives affirmation that he gives to the people of God and I trust that
we go from here this morning with that affirmation that God is it this great gospel that we have
then he reminds us in a marvelous way even the prophets decide to look into him
inquired searching carefully or who prophesized of the grace that would come as it were an
acquiring searching what manner the spirit of Christ who was in them indicated when he
testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow
see none of this has taken God by by chance forward and so that we need to be encouraged
also this beautiful verse verse 13 he says therefore I'm really going into the next section
but therefore and he gives us that great encouragement you know good at the loins of
your mind get them up be sober rest your hope fully and the grace there's to be there's been
brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ we have anchored it sure dear child of God let us
summarize them we have been called to be hopeful we've been called in the circumstances to praise
God we marvel his mercy we've been called into eternal life we can have joy in spite of suffering
we have that mercy of God will do it up in mind the loins of our minds we say rest our hope fully
in the work of God my trust as we go out from this place encouraged focused on what the great
work of Calvary has done and walk with quickening footsteps in the days that lie ahead of us you
see we don't know what circumstance will befall us we don't know what events will overtake us
but always his mercy is there and we can look into God's Word and see times of encouragement
and strengthening what amazes us as we watch those Eagles they never struggled or flapped
their wings once they rose up on the mercy and the grace of the thermals I trust that you and
I might rise up too