1. Please pray with me. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Redeemer. Amen. “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Eph 1:18). That’s Paul, writing to the Ephesians, from a prison cell. But, he dares to speak of hope? Clearly, Paul saw life through a different set of eyes, the eyes of faith. Please, tell us, Paul, what do you see from your prison cell to inspire your joyful song? How can you sing of hope? The message today is entitled, “A Hope that Won’t Disappoint,” it’s taken from 1 Thess. 1:1-10, dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. Not only did Paul sing of hope, but he also taught others to sing of it—like these Thessalonians. Really it was the Spirit who taught them, as he taught Paul to sing his song of hope. For it is a hope that “does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Rom 5:5). Today, then, God’s Gospel comes so that you may be “inspired by hope, a hope that won’t disappoint.”
3. Our Bible readings today center on the Lord of the nations and an interesting thread ties them together. The Psalm for today from Psalm 96 invites God’s people to “declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. . . . For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens” (Ps 96:3–5). This truth is proven in the Old Testament Reading, where the Lord chooses Cyrus as his instrument, “though you do not acknowledge me” (Is 45:4). In the Gospel from Matthew 22, Jesus’ opponents attempt to trap him as either rebellious against Caesar for endorsing nonpayment of taxes or rebellious against the God of heaven, whose people Israel were subjects of Rome.
4. The Thessalonian Christians face a similar dilemma. They have welcomed Paul and Silas, who were then falsely accused by their Jewish opponents of “defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus” (Acts 17:7). Turmoil breaks out, and Jason, hosting the apostle, is made to post bond. That night, the infant believers send Paul and Silas away from the danger, but they remain and must face the hostility of their fellow citizens (1 Thess 2:14–16; 3:3–4), although the charges are without merit. Like Paul and the Lord he followed, they find themselves traveling the way of suffering. But it is a way of hope (as Paul will repeatedly remind them, 1 Thess. 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 5:23), for it ends with Jesus’ triumphant return.
5. Our hope in Christ is inspiring. Hope had inspired these Thessalonian Christians, even to the point of suffering for their faith. 1 Thess. 1:3 says, "We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul’s sequence (work . . . labor . . . endurance) builds in intensity: From “work” to “labor” (“toil” involving hardship), to “endurance” (hardship sustained). Are we so inspired by this faith as to suffer for it? Time to examine our own faith: Where have we veered from the real Gospel to unfounded hopes because we want to avoid the rejection of man?
6. Hope thus inspired Paul and his co-workers (1 Thess. 1:2–3). The Lord, who would “show him how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:16), would also through such people as these Thessalonians bless and encourage his messenger and turn his suffering into a blessing. Hope inspires others and us. The Christian’s quiet acts of committed love and service may not receive public fanfare, but they often make deep and lasting impressions, one individual at a time, and leave the beneficiary, “thank[ing] God for all of you” (1 Thess. 1:2).
7. One can imagine the mental battle of the marathon runner drawing near the finish line. Just as the body is most loudly screaming, “No more!” the heart and mind overrule it and even call to pick up the pace. And all for the sake of the prize (cf 1 Cor 9:24)! In the movie, “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” the ranking officer redeemed the captive lives of his British prisoners of war by giving them a purpose for living—the construction of the bridge. So, Christ has redeemed our lives from hopelessness and given us a purpose and a meaning that is secured by his grace and grounded in eternity.
8. Hope in Christ had inspired these Thessalonians to work, labor, and endure and these, in turn, had inspired Paul, giving him yet more evidence of the power of God’s weak and foolish Gospel (cf 1 Cor 1:18–25). Theirs was an inspiring hope, but that’s because it came from God himself, and freely, in Jesus Christ.
9. Our hope in Christ is inspired (God-given). It comes from the Gospel of Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 says, “because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake." A powerful Gospel. The Gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16; cf Rom 10:17). The Holy Spirit’s tool (1 Corinthians 2; 12:3). Effectively used, as seen by the results: The depth of their conviction, a conviction willing to withstand suffering. 1 Thess. 1:5-6 says, “5because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake." 6 "You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit."
10. This Gospel calls us and makes us God’s beloved and elect. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 says, "For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you." (Luther’s explanation of the Third Article "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith." Luther emphasizes that it is not through our own efforts, reason, or strength that we come to believe in Jesus Christ but through the work of the Holy Spirit. Working through the Gospel and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Spirit brings us to saving faith and sustains us in faith. God works out our whole salvation, from first to last.
11. Consumer Reports once published a little booklet entitled “How to Clean Practically Anything.” It tells you what solvent to use for a particular stain. Glycerin will remove the stain from a ballpoint pen. Boiling water will remove berry stains. Vinegar will remove crayon stains. Ammonia will remove bloodstains. Alcohol will remove grass stains. Hydrogen peroxide is good for permanent-marker stains. Use bleach on mildew stains. Lemon juice works well on rust stains. But the book lists nothing for sin stains. Nothing can wash away the stain of sin, “nothing but the blood of Jesus.” That’s the Gospel, Jesus has washed away your sins and made you holy in the sight of His Heavenly Father.
12. Therefore, we are made sharers in his kingdom (vv 10; 2:12; cf Mt 5:11–12). Precisely because it doesn’t depend on what we are supposed to do, but on what Christ Jesus has already done (Jn 19:30), nothing is more sure or certain than the Christian’s hope in Christ (Rom 8:22–25; Heb 11:1).
13. Viktor Frankl, was an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who later became a famous psychologist. He is one of the most well-known figures who has spoken about the importance of hope, especially in the context of his experiences during the Holocaust of the Jews during World War II. Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning" explores his experiences as a concentration camp inmate. In the book, he emphasizes the critical role of hope in the survival of those who endured the Holocaust. Here are a few key points from Frankl about hope: Finding Meaning: Frankl believed that the primary human drive is the search for meaning. Even in the most difficult circumstances, he observed that individuals who found a sense of purpose and meaning were more likely to survive. Freedom of Choice: Frankl argued that even in the most extreme situations, individuals retain the freedom to choose their attitude and response to their circumstances. The hope for a better future and the belief in the power of choice provided the strength to endure. Maintaining Human Dignity: Frankl highlighted that hope played a role in this by giving individuals the strength to resist dehumanization and maintain their self-worth. Positive Outlook: Frankl's experiences led him to appreciate that hope was a source of resilience that helped individuals cope with the most challenging situations.
14. As a Holocaust survivor, Frankl knew just how unbearable life could be. But, Frankl explained, humans are meaning-seeking creatures. We want to believe that there’s more to life than meeting our basic survival needs of food, water, shelter, and safety. Without meaning, hope is difficult, if not impossible. At best, without meaning, we resort to a kind of detachment from our society. At worst, we resort to self-harm, violence, or even suicide.
15. An essential place to begin is the opening sentence of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Drive Life: “It’s not about you.” Purpose isn’t found by looking inward. It’s found by looking outward, in what we do for others. Such examples might be volunteering our time and talents at church, donating to charity, and “joining a group Bible study.” What all of these ideas have in common is that they remove us from the center of our personal universe.
16. Of course, nothing turns our perspective outward like faith in Jesus. I mean something along the lines of what Paul told the Corinthians: “And [Christ] died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them” (2 Cor 5:15). Living for Jesus who died and rose again not only removes us from the center of our own universe, but aligns our hearts with what is actually true about the universe: that it belongs to God and that our purpose is given by Him not determined by us. True faith locates our lives within the larger story of God, and how He is fulfilling His purposes throughout each chapter of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. When we no longer see our lives and actions as isolated, we realize they are part of the story and even the means by which God is restoring all things.
17. This hope “does not disappoint us” (Rom 5:5). It comes from God, is grounded in Christ, and is inspired by his Spirit. With such a hope to inspire us, we join with Paul and the Thessalonians, with angels and archangels, in an inspired song of praise. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.
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