The Holy Trifecta

   Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Cor 13:12-13).

   Trifecta is defined as a series of three things, factors, or influences. The Holy Influences the Bible lists are faith, hope, and love. While the greatest of these is love, the root is hope.

There is a story from Our Daily Bread, December 19, 1996, that reads:

   The English poet Alexander Pope wrote, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.” But where does man turn when hope dries up?

   The director of a medical clinic told of a terminally ill young man who came in for his usual treatment. A new doctor who was on duty said to him casually and cruelly, “You know, don’t you, that you won’t live out the year?”

   As the young man left, he stopped by the director’s desk and wept. “That man took away my hope,” he blurted out.

   “I guess he did,” replied the director. “Maybe it’s time to find a new one.”

   What was this young man hoping in? . . . The treatment? . . . His body’s ability to heal? . . . The skill of the doctors? . . ., Perhaps the Clinic’s reputation? . . . 

   Commenting on this incident, Lewis Smedes (professor of theology and ethics for twenty-five years at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California) wrote, “Is there a hope when hope is taken away? Is there hope when the situation is hopeless? That question leads us to Christian hope, for in the Bible, HOPE IS NO LONGER A PASSION FOR THE POSSIBLE. It becomes a passion for the promise.”

  The fact is that man’s hope does not spring up eternally. There are all sorts of times that we lose hope or feel hopeless. That is why medication for depression is on the rise. That is why the number two reason teenagers die is suicide. There is a reason why:

OUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE IS BASED UPON THE FAITH THAT WE HAVE NOW.

   Thomas Aquinas said, “Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.” Restating this, hope deals with things in the future and faith is our beliefs in spite of our current circumstances. The Bible says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for (Heb 11:1). In other words, the substance of our hope is our faith or, what you believe is the tangible reason for whatever hope that you possess.

WE NEED AN ETERNAL HOPE

   Job rightly said, “If the only home I hope for is the grave … where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?” (Job 17:13-15).

   Job had lost everything and he was extremely sick and in pain. He was saying that if we believe that this life is all there is then what kind of hope for the future is there for him? Do you see how what we believe now affects what hope we have for the future?

   Leo Tolstoy shares his testimony that when he was fifty years old, he found no purpose in life being a “fortuitous concatenation of atoms,” meaning an accidental compilation of matter. If one would think on this they would agree that life’s purpose needs to be more than living and dying.

   When you come to hear a sermon, I believe you come to find that there is hope for your life and your circumstances beyond what you would normally see. So it is my job to show you where that hope that springs eternal can be found.  

BIBLICAL FAITH IS THE ONLY PROPER BASIS FOR OUR HOPES

   Five different times in Psalms 119 David says, “I have put my hope in your word.” Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life (Ps 119:49-50).

  Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Rom 15:4). 

   A working definition of hope is - to desire with expectation of obtainment or to expect with confidence. The basis for our hope and expectations is found in God’s Word, the Bible. That is why the Bible teaches faith comes from the hope found in God’s Word:

So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ [the Messiah Himself] (Rom 10:17 AMP).

How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him (Hebrews 2:3).

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth (Colossians 1:3-6).

WHY, CAN WE HAVE HOPE?

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure (Hebrews 6:17-19).

A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, [i.e. cannot lie – most other translations] promised before the beginning of time (Titus 1:2).

   We take hold of the hope that is offered to us. In other words, we believe what God has said that that gives us hope. What can we hope for in this passage?

Since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants" (Hebrews 6:13-14)

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit (Gal 3:14).

“I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David” (Acts 13:34).

NO LONGER A PASSION FOR THE POSSIBLE BUT PASSION FOR THE PROMISES

   You see; we can have great confidence for our hope when it is based upon God’s Word because He cannot lie and He has the power to bring about what He has promised. His Word is guaranteed. That is why God said:

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matt 24:35).

My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

The LORD Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand” (Isa 14:24).

THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCE OF FALSE BELIEFS WILL BE FALSE HOPES.

   If we have hope that is not based in God’s word when conflicting circumstances come to us we will fall into despair and lose hope.

Notice the story from Luke 24:13-27:

Now that same day two of them [referring to the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things [what had happened that resurrection day] with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

Notice, because they believed the wrong thing their hope for the future was dashed.

He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! …And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

   Do you see their problem was a faith problem? The problem was they did not believe what the Scriptures had said. Without Biblical faith that comes from the Scriptures we will lose our hope.

   Some of us are only “hoping” for salvation because we have yet to find ourselves in the Bible. We have no security that way. The Bible says, all have sinned (Rom 3:23). That’s me and you; Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15). Since we are all sinners, Jesus came to save us! It is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9). We have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand (Rom 5:2).

   Some of us only hope for God to hear our prayers without understanding when God listens or why He refuses to do what we request.

The LORD said to me, "…, I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled" (Jeremiah 1:12).

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14-15).

The phrase “hope against hope” is often defined as – having hope when there is no basis for that hope. But that is NOT what the Bible teaches about the subject.

Romans 4:18-25 says: Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."   Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

   Just as much as our faith is not baseless but there exist tangible reasons for what we believe so our hope is not baseless, it is based upon our faith in the promises of God. We have hope because God has given us hope in His Word.

WHAT COMPLETES THE TRIFECTA IS LOVE

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually 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 (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).

Since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet (1 Thessalonians 5:8).

LOVE MAKES OUR FAITH EFFECTIVE

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2-3).

You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:4-6).

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Ephesians 1:15-16).

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Tim 1:5).

Let me challenge you today to find some substance for your hopes by searching the Scriptures for the basis for your faith that your hope is built upon. Let love prompt your faith to do good works because “faith without works is dead” (Jas 2:26).

FROM THE FAMILIAR INTO FAITH

Mark 6:45-54 - Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus.

Eph 3:20-21 - Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

The Fourth Watch: The Jewish night is divided into four watches. The fourth or final watch is that time just before dawn, in the darkest hours. It was during the fourth watch that Jesus came to the apostles as they struggled against the storm in their boat on the Sea of Galilee. It will be in those darkest hours when Jesus returns for His people. Matthew 24:29 says, "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;" But, just when things are at their darkest, we know that "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky," (Matthew 24:30).Jesus will return. We do not know when, so we must keep watch (Matthew 24:42).

Romans 13:12 - The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

PETER WAS A FISHERMAN AND JESUS MADE HIM A FISHER OF MEN!

At least Peter took a step of faith, the rest of them were just Boat people!

Boat people just sit

Boat people just watch

Boat people just wait

Boat people just wonder

Why might people want to stay in the boat?

Fear – Storms are scary

Failure – this seems inevitable

Friends – Peer pressure; no one else is doing it

Fanaticism – Jesus told us to get into the boat originally

Familiarity – Even when things are not working often times we are more comfortable to stay where we are at then to step out in faith to do something new.

God calls us to leave the familiar – to the strange that He might use us for something great.

I can imagine the look in your eyes-that look caused by unimaginable pressure and grief; that look caused by helplessness and hopelessness; that look caused by incessantly rowing of a boat that isn't going anywhere. I see the look because I know the feeling.

Get out of the boat.

Granted, there is a sense of security in the boat. After all, it seems solid, gives at least some protection at times, and seems to be moving, even if only in a circle

But what I thought was security was actually an anchor pulling me to the depths, robbing me of confidence and beauty and love and health.

We may appear to be sinking at first, we get out of the boat and it seems like things are getting worse. What do you think was the reaction of those who stayed on the boat when they saw Peter begin to sink? I am glad that I stayed here. Peter, you misunderstood the voice of God. Peter, you are always so impetuous. The boat seems to always have naysayers.

Teddy Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.”

We are not told how far away Jesus was from the boat, but when Peter stepped out of the boat to walk to the Lord, even when he was sinking, he was closer to Jesus than the rest of them.

Neither are we told how deep the water is, but the fact is if you are already in over your head it does matter how much deeper the water is.

We are not told that Jesus carried Peter back to the boat. I believe that once Peter got himself righted, with the storm still raging, he and Jesus walked back together. We all have to walk to Jesus before we can walk with Jesus.

The rest were content to sit in the boat and wait for Him to get there. In v. 32 we read that the wind ceased once Jesus and Peter got into the boat, but what they missed out on was the opportunity to experience divine. Walking with Jesus allows us to do things that we could never accomplish on our own.

We need not fear because His arm is not too short that it cannot save us.

Isaiah 41:10 – So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

He holds us by our hand

Here is what God does - even in the midst of a storm:

Ps 94:13 MSG - Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil,

Ps 94:13 AMP - That You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity.

Are you a risk taker or a comfort seeker?

Do you have any unopened gifts?

Goethe said, “Hell begins the day God grants you the vision to see all that you could have done, should have done, and would have done, but did not do.”

Unless someone gets out of the boat we will never get out of the storm. If everyone stayed in the boat they would have died because Jesus would have passed them according to the Scripture.

When God bids us to come into a place that is not in our comfort zone, He is already in that place. He would not tell us to go to a place that he is not present. In fact He is present everywhere but he bids us to get out of our comfort zones so that He can reveal Himself to us. He not only reveals Himself to us but He reveals what is in our hearts. Many of us have hidden fears that God wants to replace with faith.

Many might say that God does not take us to stormy places but that is not true, for Jesus himself was led into the wilderness by the Spirit of God to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1; Mark 1:12-13). It was a place of revelation for Jesus, for he was tempted to replace his trust in God in order to ease his flesh. In other words he was tempted to take the easy way out, but he stood firm on the word of God. He stood firm on what he knew about God. Luke 4:1 tells us that Jesus was full of the Spirit but from that place Jesus left with POWER of the Holy Spirit.

Do we fixate on sins of commission? Things that we do that we are not supposed to do. Do we never really consider sins of omission? Things that we should have done.

In the Seinfeld show finale, Jerry and the gang have to make an emergency plane landing in the small, fictional town of Latham, Massachusetts. While killing time in Latham, waiting for the plane to be repaired, they witness an overweight man getting carjacked at gunpoint. Instead of helping him, they crack jokes about his size while Kramer films it all on his camcorder, then they proceed to walk away. The victim notices this, and tells the reporting officer. The four main characters are then taken into custody for violating the Good Samaritan law that requires bystanders to help out in such a situation. Good Samaritan laws describe a legal requirement for citizens to assist people in distress, unless doing so would put themselves in harm's way. Citizens are often required to, at minimum, call the local emergency number, unless doing so would be harmful, in which case, the authorities should be contacted when the harmful situation has been removed. Almost a portent of the future judgment, they are all cast into jail.

I am convinced that the greatest regrets in life will come from regrets of inaction.

Cornell sociologists named Tom Gilovich and Vicki Medvec. Their research found that time is a key factor in what we regret. Over the short term, we tend to regret our actions. But over the long haul, we tend to regret inactions. They did a study and found that over the course of an average week, action regrets outnumber inaction regrets 53% to 47%. But when people look at their lives as a whole, inaction regrets outnumber action regrets 84% to 16%.

We need to be able to discern between faith and foolishness. Here is the easiest way: You can say I am going to step out in faith and do this or that which is foolishness, but faith is doing what Jesus has given you permission to do.

Gen 12:1 - Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:

Mark 6:4 KJV - A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

God asked Abram to remove himself from the things that would prevent him from fully following after God. We will have to be willing to do the same. Jesus said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matt 10:37-39