RELIGION [H.S.] [A.U.]

six

Remember Me? ~ Kyle ft. Chance the Rapper (*)

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Ezra ~

"The biblical word for hope is like an anchor for our souls. It's a certainty, a promise......a joyful and confident expectation," I inform the morning crowd who sits quietly and respectfully.

I'm nearing the end of my sermon so I'm doing my traditional pacing slowly back and forth at the front of the stage.

"Hebrews chapter six, verses nineteen and twenty say, 'We have this hope as an anchor for the soul; firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf,'."

This sermon is another one I spent so much time trying to perfect, although God doesn't care about perfection, just like my one from last Sunday. The topics aren't just super important to me, but extremely helpful when trying to learn more about the kingdom of God.

As I pass by my podium I take a quick drink of my bottle of water before continuing. "Now we're all familiar with the word hope, and I'm sure we're all familiar with the word faith. And when we define those terms it can be somewhat tricky to distinguish them apart from each other. It's tricky because they are fairly similar, but there is also a huge difference between the two."

"If you're writing notes down I'd like to kindly ask that you write this following statement down and underline it: Faith and Hope - distinct yet related. Like I said before hope is a certainty, promise, and expectation. But the biblical term for faith I can help you understand through Hebrews chapter eleven, verse one that reads, 'Faith is the confidence in what we hope for,'. Faith is the complete trust and confidence in something or someone, in our case God."

I stop pacing for a moment. "You see, the two terms are different, but they also tie in together and that is why there are similarities. Faith implies hope, and hope implies faith. So what am I trying to instill in your hearts and minds this morning?"

There's a short pause although I know that everyone else knows that question was rhetorical.

"The faith and hope that we should be having in our Lord God is more than just a simple desire for something to happen. The faith and hope we need to have in God should be confident and certain. We should trust Him enough to know that He will always do what's best for us all," I smile softly at everyone and I notice a bunch of people nodding and others writing some stuff down.

It isn't a sense of pride of feel when I know the crowd intently listens to me, but rather a feeling of gratefulness that I'm given the opportunity to show them the Word.

"To close the sermon I'd like to leave you guys with one last statement and promise of hope to take home with you, and then I will pray for us. If you have not heard anything else I've said this morning, please hear this— If you follow God, He will never send you somewhere that His grace cannot protect you."

More people nod and a lot more write what I can assume is that statement down. That makes me even more grateful.

"Now will you bow your heads and close your eyes so I can pray for us. Dear Heavenly Father, I open up my heart to you...."

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After the sermon closes and everyone begins to clear out, I go through the hallway that leads to the offices and out the back exit. I have a copy of my notes in my car that I'm supposed to give to James so we can keep record of all of the sermons we preach.

But, as I'm walking through the back exit I remember that I parked out front today because I helped an elder member of the church get out of her car today. I was pulling in this morning and she was way earlier than necessary but I still parked in the front and got out to help her. I never moved my car and now I have to walk around to the front.