A Place for Hope: what we hold on to

Which one are you? Are you an optimist? Or are you a pessimist? Two friends were out hunting. One of the friends, the optimist, was excited to show off his new hunting dog. This dog could actually walk on water. Instead of trying to convince his friend, who was a pessimist, that the dog could walk on water, he decided not to say anything and to simply let the dog’s actions speak for themselves. Sure enough, when it was time to retrieve that first duck, the dog runs out to the water, and trots across the surface of the water. When he returns he has the duck and only his paws were wet. This continues all day long. On the way home the proud owner of the canine said, “So, did you notice anything about my dog?” His friend replied, “I sure did. He can’t swim.” Which are you? Are you the optimist or the pessimist?

Which one are we as a congregation? Are we more optimistic or are we more pessimistic? Actually, I think the question is flawed. Because what we have and what we are in Jesus has nothing to do with optimistic and pessimistic? What we have in Jesus is hope. What we are in Jesus is people of hope. What we hold on to is hope. We are people of hope. Faith Lutheran Church is a place for hope.

This sermon series, Life in the vineyard, is a time to talk about the vision for this congregation. Not because it earns us anything with God. This will not make him love us more. But it is important in providing some guidance and direction for us as we live life together. It gives us a picture of what we want to be, and of what we want to see happen in our midst. It gives us a description of what we want to see God do through the ministry of this congregation.

 Last week we saw this vision. Does anyone remember it? Faith Lutheran Church – a place for life. We talked about what we are as God’s people who are connected to Jesus and live life in him. He is the vine we are the branches.  This means that this place, this congregation is a place where people can come and see and experience the grace, mercy, love, peace and forgiveness of God in Jesus. This is a place where people can experience life. This is a place that is teeming with life.

We talked about how life can also be those experiences, events, hopes, dreams and fears that make us who we are. This congregation is a place where we can experience that life, and share those experiences with others. We talked about how being a place for life means that this is a place where we belong for all the days of our lives. That means that no matter what, you have a place where you belong. You are important here. You matter here.

Being a place for life, a place where we experience life in all of the depth and fullness that the word carries with it, means that we have this gift of life. We have it because of and for the sake of Jesus. His perfect life and keeping of God’s law; his sacrificial death on the cross; his victorious resurrection from the dead; his glorious ascension into heave; his gracious rule and reign on behalf of his people , the church, means that we have this gift. It is real. It is certain. It is yours. You can count on it. Forgiveness, life and salvation are yours, they belong to you, you have them. You have them because of Jesus. You have them because you are deeply and dearly loved by our God. You have them because he is so very gracious.

Having this forgiveness, salvation and life from Jesus, makes us people of life. Having these things makes this place a place for life. And having this life means that we are also people of hope. Having these things means that this place is also a place for hope. And that hope is what we hold on to.

Now allow me to clarify something here. When I am talking about “hope” I am not using a word that carries with it an element of uncertainty. So that when we talk about hope we are expressing what we want to have happen, while acknowledging that it may in fact not happen at all. For example: things have been going really well so far. I hope the Lions will win the SuperBowl this year.

This kind of hopes states what we want to see happen, but also realizes that just because we want it to happen, that does not mean that it will. But, this is not the kind of hope that we are talking about when we talk about being a place for hope, or a people of hope. Because the hope that we are talking about is the hope of faith.  This hope is not something that we want to happen but might not. This is something that will most certainly happen. It is guaranteed. You can count on it. Take it to the bank. That is what makes it hope. And we have this hope because the source of the hope is good on his word. We have it because God gives it to us. We have it because God always keeps his promises. We have it because God is faithful.

So what is that hope? It is the hope of life everlasting. Now to be sure this is life before death. But it is also life after death. In our Old Testament lesson for today we see this promise, we see this hope coming out loud and strong. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food…And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.

The hope that we hold onto as people in a place for life is that our God will swallow up death forever. Now at the time that this was written, God’s people were faced with the darkest time of their lives since they were slaves in Egypt. They were facing exile. They were going to be evicted from the Promised Land. They would be forced from their homes and taken to a foreign land and forced to live there. For them it was the worst possible thing that they could be faced with.

And yet, in the midst of that there is hope. Here in Isaiah is a promise of restoration and healing. But not just that, but there is also the promise of the defeat of death. But not just that, but there is also the promise that God will wipe away ever tear from all faces. Even though they find themselves faced with a dark and scary time, God’s promises shine through. God’s promises give hope.

The same is true for us. No matter what we are facing, no matter what challenges are set before us, no matter what we are struggling with. God’s promises shine through. God’s promises give hope. No matter how dark things may be or feel or seem, the promises of God give us hope. That hope is a hope for life. That hope is a hope for life real, full and abundant; life the way that it was meant to be lived and experienced; life lived in relationship with our God.

This hope, these promises are not just something that awaits us after death. They are not something that we have to wait for in order to have them. But we already have them now. We already get to experience this right now. While we do not have it in all of its fullness and glory, we certainly have a foretaste, a sample of this great feast to come.

Whenever we receive communion, when we receive the body and blood of Jesus in, with and under the bread and wine, we receive forgiveness, life and salvation. We have a taste, a sample of the great feast where we will celebrate the death of death, and our God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

Knowing that this is what is promised to us, knowing that this is what awaits us, enables to live and experience life now.  If we know that death’s days are numbered and that death will die, then what do we have to lose. If we know that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, then what do we have to be afraid of?

The answer is nothing. Now this doesn’t mean that we will never be faced with hard, difficult or scary situations, because those come when you live in a world that is corrupted by sin. But what it does mean is that we don’t have to live lives that are consumed with the difficult, hard and scary situations. It means that no matter what life throws at us, or what we are faced with, we can and do have hope. We are a people of hope. We are a people who hold on to hope. We are a place for life.

Understanding this hope and holding onto this hope gives us guidance in living our lives and doing ministry together. How do the things that we do connect people to Jesus? How do the things we do build relationships with others that they might see the hope that we have? How do the things we do bear witness to the difference that Jesus makes in our lives?

When we live this way, when we live out of this hope that we have in Jesus, when we live in the mercy, forgiveness and salvation that we have in Jesus we experience life. When we do this, we are a place for life. And may this life be a source of blessing, peace, strength and hope for you. Now and always. Amen.