Love that Satisfies Hope

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now, click on the play button of the audio player here.)

This is a sermon that was preached on the second Sunday of Advent on the theme of Love. It is based on Romans 5:5 in which the theme of love is directly connected to the subject of hope, which was the theme of last week's sermon. The Apostle Paul emphasizes the fact that adversity ultimately produces hope, and hope does not embarrass us or shame us, because God's love is poured out into our hearts, enabling us to share the nature of Christ.

Written Excerpts:

Romans 5:5 (NKJV) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 

Introduction:

Last Sunday the theme of our Advent Candle reading was Hope. I tried to offer a message of hope that was based on a passage of Scripture in Lamentations chapter 3, where the prophet spoke about the compassion of the Lord and His faithfulness as the basis for his hope. We saw that the message of hope was included in the same context with a lament about all of the suffering the people of God had endured because of their disobedience.

Today, the theme of the Advent Wreath is “love.” As I was reviewing various passages of Scripture on love, I came upon the verse in Romans 5:5, which makes a clear link between love and hope. So, I felt like this was the obvious choice to focus our thoughts on for the message today.

There are two objectives I wish to accomplish today. First, I want to explain and elaborate on what it means for God’s love to be shed abroad in our hearts. Secondly, I want to explain the connection the Apostle makes between love and hope.

I.    God’s Love Is Shed Abroad

I think most of us have a basic understanding of the word “love.” I also believe that most of us know that love does include feelings or emotions, but it is much more than that. And, we know that God’s love is unconditional and self-sacrificing. That is, we don’t have to be fit/worthy for Him to love us. And, His love cost the death of His Son.

In studying the biblical passages about love, we learn that genuine/divine love has a “jealous” element to it. Of course, when we speak of God, we do not use the word “jealous” in the same manner as we often do for humans. (i.e. suspicious, controlling, restricting, etc.) However, if you stop to think about it, true love must have some level of wholesome jealousy about it or it couldn’t be sincere. For example, how can I truly claim to have an intense love for my wife and not be bothered if someone else tries to win her affections? In the same way, God’s love for us is a jealous love in the sense that He will not share us with competing “lovers.” We must be all His.

When we speak of love we also speak of more than just words. As so many have pointed out… “love is a verb.” Love is demonstrated by action or deeds. Certainly God demonstrated His love in a multitude of ways, but especially by giving up His Son to be put to death.

Paul says, God’s love is “shed abroad in our hearts.” “Shed abroad” – lit. poured out; this verse is the only time the word is translated “shed abroad” in the KJV. It is translated “pour out” 12 times; “shed” 9 times. The word appears in the Greek perfect tense, which indicates an event that took place in the past, but its consequences or results continue into the present.

(Wuest) "Is shed abroad" is in the Greek text the perfect tense of ekcheō, "to pour out," which Denney translates, "has poured in, and still floods our hearts."

(Lenski New Testament Commentary) – The figure used in "pour out" is that of water. Our dry, arid, lifeless hearts have poured out into them the love of God for us. This may come upon us like a stream or like a rain of living water and change our hearts into fruitful, delightful soil. Again the means is the Word, the sum and substance of which is the love of God, and this love, not as a mere feeling in God toward us, but as actively conveying all the gifts of this love to us by means of the Word. God does not love in words only but in deeds.

All of the love of God actively displayed in the events of redemption are poured into our lives and personally applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

II.  Love Satisfies the Yearning of Hope

Now that we’ve discussed the point that God’s love is poured out into our hearts, let’s turn our attention to the context to find the connection to the matter of hope.

We notice that there is a connection because of the way verse 5 begins with a conjunction (and, now), which ties the thought with the preceding verse, which ended with the word hope. Then “hope” is mentioned again in the first phrase of verse 5 and it is tied to the subject of God’s love by the conjunction “because.”

“hope does not disappoint” (NKJV) / “hope does not put us to shame” (NIV) – The hope that we have does not leave us ashamed, disappointed or embarrassed. Why? Because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts.

There’s two kinds of hope referred to in these verses.

In v. 2, Paul says we “rejoice” in hope of the glory of God. (According to Expositor’s Bible Commentary) The hope is connected to a series of other subjects: faith, peace, access and grace. We have joy in the prospect that we will share in the glory of God. We will regain what was lost in the Garden of Eden.

In v. 4, the hope mentioned here is the conclusion of a different series of themes: tribulations, (patience) endurance, and (experience) character.

It seems that in this series, Paul is expressing a process that produces hope in us that we will become more like Christ – that all of the adversity we’ve endured will in fact produce Christ-like attitudes and character in us. Are we embarrassed, disappointed or ashamed of that hope? No. Why? Because the love of God is poured into our hearts and floods our hearts. We can sense that the kind of love God has for us is filling us and flowing through us. That should be the result of the processes of experiences that God allows to come into our lives – the over-flowing love of God within us and through us.

Conclusion:

There is a story I heard many years ago that I found on the internet… I think it’s supposed to be true, but don’t know if it is or not.

John 3:16 
One cold winter day in Chicago during the Great Depression a little boy was selling newspapers on the corner as people were rushing in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers. Finally, he walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it'll be awful cold in there for tonight. It sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come to the door you just say ‘John 3:16,’ and they will let you in." So he did. 

He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split-bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while getting warmed by the crackling fire and thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy feel warm. 

Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?” He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food," The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16. Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy feel full. 

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm soapy water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16 I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy feel clean… 

The lady took him to a room, put on nice warm pajamas, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights... As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy feel rested. 

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently... He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it," She opened The Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel saved. (http://www.niagaraeventide.ca/newsletters/Feb17.pdf)

The love of God: 

·     Can make a cold-hearted person warm and pleasant

·     Can make a hungry soul filled with righteousness

·     Can make a dirty heart and mind pure and clean

·     Can make a tired soul rested and peaceful

·     And can make a lost soul saved.

The little boy in this story found that the display of love that was offered to him truly satisfied the greatest hope of his heart. When he spoke to the policeman, he hoped for a favorable answer to his request, and what he discovered at the big white house more than satisfied his hopes and dreams.

God’s love for all of us that was demonstrated by sending His Son into our world has satisfied our greatest hope for life both now and for eternity. Thank God for His wonder gift!

Let us close the service by singing the song that is listed in our bulletins, Wonderful Story of Love.