Hopeology, Part 16

The study of hope is a study that's neglected, unfortunately, in many churches. So we'll talk about hope. We talk more about faith and more about love, not so much about hope.

So we have spent the last 16 weeks looking with you at the doctrine of Hopology. So you might come to understand the beauty of the gift that God gives, the gift of hope. And we have told you, and we've given to you in a bookmark so you don't forget, that hope is rooted in God.

Without God, there is no hope. We talked to you about that. How hope is received only by grace.

It's a gift. It only comes through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that hope is ratified in and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

And that hope can only be reinforced by the scriptures. So if you lack in hope, it's because you lack the study of the Word of God, because God's Word reinforces hope. It's reaffirmed by the Holy Spirit who is within you.

It's a rampart against Satan and all of his devices. It is that which reproduces joy. You want true joy? It stems from hope.

Hope is that which removes the fear of death, refines our present lifestyle, revolutionizes every one of my relationships, reinvigorates my service, and finally is realized when Jesus Christ comes again. Because hope is living in anticipation of the promises of God. And all the promises of God are yes in Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 1 20.

So if all the promises that God gives are yes in Jesus, when Jesus comes again to take us home to be with him, all those promises will finally be realized to not just their fullest extent, but to their eternal extent. And so we must understand the doctrine of hope. And hopefully over the last 16 weeks we have enlightened you to the scriptures to understand what the Bible says concerning that, because we want you to live each day in anticipation of all the promises that God has given to each and every one of us.

So the Bible says in Titus chapter 2 verse 11, For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus. Looking for the blessed hope. Christ is that blessed hope.

We've said to you before about Edward Moat's hymn, The hope and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. We sing that at Christmas time and we're embarking on that season even as we speak today. But all the hopes and fears of all the years truly are met in Christ himself.

And yet one day he's going to come again. We're looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ our Lord. The book of Revelation tells us in Revelation 22, 21, Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me.

My reward is with me. And you could probably look at that at a couple of ways. One, he comes again with the saints and we are a reward to him.

He purchased us. We come in white robes, on white horses. In Revelation chapter 19 we come with him.

So it could mean that my reward is with me, my reward that is my saints are coming with me, my bride is coming with me. Or it could mean that his reward, the things he's going to reward us with are coming with him. And we know about the different aspects of the different crowns in Scripture.

We understand the crown of glory in first Peter chapter 5 given to those who lead in the church. We know about the crown, the crown of life that the Lord gives. The Bible tells us that the crown of life in James chapter 1 verse number 12 was rewarded to those who suffer great temptation, trials, and tribulation.

We also know about the crown of joy, first Thessalonians chapter 2. Paul talks about the crown of joy is those people who have come to know Christ as Savior, the people that he has led to the Lord. There's a great crown of joy given to those who lead others to Christ. There is the crown of righteousness, 2nd Timothy 4 verses 6 to 8 where Paul says it's not only laid up in store for me but for all those who love and long for his appearing.

And then of course there is that incorruptible crown, 1st Corinthians 9, the imperishable crown because it is an eternal crown. And there's much discussion about the crowns and what they mean, the Stephanos, the crown of victory which is very important because only the ones who win receive the Stephanos, the crown of victory which is very very important. You know if you lose in a race you don't receive the crown because you're not the victor.

Only the victorious ones receive the crowns. Only the victorious ones receive the glory which is very important. For if I was to ask you to somehow describe for me the different titles that you and I are given in scripture, some of you would say well we're called the children of God, that's so true.

Some would say we're called children of the light, that also is true. We are called followers of Christ, we're called disciples, we're even called the friends of God, the friends of God. We are called branches, that's what the Bible calls us.

It calls us sheep, it calls us saints, it even calls us soldiers, it calls us ambassadors, calls us servants, it calls us the elect chosen of God. You can go through the scriptures and look at all the different titles that you and I are called and all of them embedded in each of them are precious beautiful truths. And if I was to ask you to take a piece of paper and begin to write down the different titles and names that we are called in scripture, you could begin at A and go all the way to C and you could come up with different ones.

You could search your scripture and come up with different titles that were given but probably the one that most would not come up with because it's not readily spoken of in churches is the title that I think is the greatest of all. Greater than a child of God, greater than an ambassador, greater than a saint, a soldier, a branch, a sheep, a servant, greater even than the elect and chosen of God. It's a title that is described in in first John chapter 5 and that is this, we are overcomers, we are the victorious ones, we are the winners, we are the superior, the supreme, we are victorious warriors.

It's described this way in John's epistle, first John 5 verse number one, whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Whoever loves the father loves a child born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and observe his commandments.

For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God over comes the world, overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the son of God, an overcomer.

John would get this from the words of Jesus in John 16 33 when he says, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John would pick up on that as he would write this epistle and talk about those who overcome, those who are the conquerors because Jesus conquered sin, Jesus conquered death, Jesus conquered satan, he is the ultimate overcomer and what happens when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and the overcomer indwells us, it makes us overcomers. Romans chapter 16 tells us that he will soon crush satan under our feet.

We are victorious warriors. We're not victims, we are victors. Our identity in Christ is wrapped up in the fact that we are overcomers because Christ himself is the overcomer and when we get to heaven, the hope of all the victory is realized.

The hope of every battle and every war is realized when we stand in the presence of the living God. I love the hymn and probably never sing it enough, Victory in Jesus. You know that hymn? It's in our hymn book.

It's on page 353. I'd sing it for you, but I can't sing. So it says, I heard an old, old story, how a savior came from glory, how he gave his life on Calvary to save a wretch like me.

I heard about his groaning and his precious blood's atoning. Then I repented of my sin and I won the victory. I heard about his healing and of his cleansing power revealing, how he made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see.

And then I cried, dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit. And somehow Jesus came and brought me to victory. I heard about a mansion he has built for me in glory.

And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea. By the way, that's not right because there's not streets in heaven. There's only one street in heaven.

Please remember that. Not all hymns are perfect. Okay.

So there is only one street in heaven. It's on in the book of Revelation. So, and I heard about a street of gold beyond the crystal sea, about the angels singing in the old redemption story and how some sweet day I'll sing up there the song of victory.

Revelation 15 calls it the song of Moses and the song of the lamb. It's the song of redemption. It's heaven's song.

Oh, victory in Jesus, my savior forever. He sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood. He loved me ere I knew him and all my lovers do him.

He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood. What a song to describe the fact that you and I are victorious warriors. He plunged me into victory.

What a great, great hymn. But it's a reminder of what John says about he who overcomes the world. The one who believes that Jesus is the son of God.

The one who loves God and loves the brethren. The one who by faith obeys all that God has said and keeps his commandments. That is the overcomer.

And John would go beyond that because John wanted every church to understand the hope, the blessed hope, the promise that would only come when Jesus arrives on the scene. And so in the book of Revelation, Revelation 2 and Revelation 3, there are seven letters that are written to seven different churches in Asia Minor. All real churches, but churches that are indicative of every church that's ever existed in the history of the church age.

And he writes to these seven churches because the Spirit of God has a message to them, every one of them. And in writing to these churches, there is a conclusion given to one person or one group of people. And that is given to the overcomer, because they would have to understand victory in Jesus.

And so he gives a promise that will be realized when Christ comes again, because hope is living in anticipation of the promises. And these churches would all have to live in anticipating what was going to happen when the Lord God would return, because the book of Revelation is all about the return of the King and what would be realized when he comes again. And John doesn't say to the saints at the church of Ephesus or to the ambassadors at the church of Smyrna or to the children of God at the church of Philadelphia or to the branches or the sheep at the church of Smyrna.

Same promise given to the same group of people in seven different churches, because he who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, not just this church at Ephesus or this church at Pergamum or this church at Laodicea, but to all the churches. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Listen up, because this is a promise that God gives to those who overcome.

And those who overcome are those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Those who overcome are those who by faith understand that they are to walk by faith, live by faith. They have given their lives to Christ.

These are true believers. And to that overcomer, I will give to him this, this, this, and this. And these are the promises that John gives to the inspiration of the Spirit of God to the churches that will be realized when Jesus comes again.

So, get your Bible turned in Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 2. I'm not going to read each letter to each church. I'm just going to read to you the concluding promise to the overcomer and talk to you about what he says concerning the tree of life, the bread of life, the crown of life, the power of life, the book of life, the name of life, and the throne of life. Because they all give specific promises that we hope in, that will one day be fulfilled in a way that goes beyond anything you, I can ever begin to understand.

So, it begins with the church of Ephesus. He says these words, verse 7, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And this is the way he concludes all of his letters.

Because he wants them to listen. Because we go to church sometimes and these letters were read in the churches, right? And sometimes you can tune out the letter, you cannot pay attention, and you miss it. So, he concludes with this statement, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

It's a word of admonition, a word of application, a word that helps you understand. Listen, you need to listen up. Don't miss this.

Because it's given to the overcomer, the conqueror, the victorious warrior. It's the word nikao. We get our English word Nike from nikao.

See, when the Greeks went to war, the Greeks never believed that men win wars. The Greeks believed that the gods won wars. And so, before the Greeks would go into battle, they would worship at the goddess Nike.

The victorious one, the goddess of victory. And they would worship at the altar of the goddess Nike because they wanted victory. And so, that's what they would do.

Because they fully believed that it was the gods who caused them to win the victory. John understands that, he knows Greek culture. He understands that there's only the god of the universe who wins the victory.

And he won that at Calvary. He's coming back again as king of kings and lord of lords. John knows all that.

He knows that Jesus has already overcome the world. And so, because we're in Christ and Christ is in us, we are by nature partakers of that divine nature. We now are overcomers.

We now are victorious warriors. In fact, Paul would pick up on this in Romans 8. And he would say these words. I love this.

Romans chapter 8. But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer. We are super abundant, overwhelming conquerors. We are over the top victorious through him who loved us.

Because of Christ, we cannot lose. You know, people ask me, you know, what team am I a fan of? I'm not a fan of any team. I'm a fan of greatness.

If you're great, I'm your fan. If you're not great, I'm not your fan. I'm only a fan of greatness.

Why? Because greatness wins. Greatness wins. And Christ is the greatest of all.

Greatest of all. And therefore, we, we now are victorious warriors. So, John writes to the inspiration of the Spirit, seven letters to be distributed to seven churches with the promise given to the one who is the victorious warrior, the overwhelming conqueror.

Our military have a missile. It's called the Nike missile. Did you know that? Missile designed to give us victory when facing defeat.

And so, it's something that you need to understand from a biblical perspective. So, here it is in Revelation chapter 2 and Revelation 3, the promise to the overcomer. He says very clearly, he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, to him who overcomes, to him who is a victorious warrior, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.

Think about that. The tree of life which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 22 explains that a little bit further.

What it says, 22 verse number one, then he showed me a river of the water of life clear as crystal coming from the throne of God and of the land. In the middle of its streets, not streets, street, on either side of the river was the tree of life, pretty big tree. It was on both sides of the river bearing 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations, the well-being of the nations.

So, he had this tree called the tree of life. By the way, the tree of life was in the Garden of Eden. Remember that? And there was a tree in that garden called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that Adam and Eve could not partake of.

The Lord says, if you eat of that tree, you'll die. You know the story of Genesis 3, they were tempted by Satan, they ate and they died. They were separated from God.

So, God had to thrust them out of the Garden of Eden. He sent an angel at the entrance with a flaming sword. Why? Because in that garden was another tree called the tree of life.

Having sinned against God by partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the only tree they could not eat from, but they sinned anyway, did it. If they were to partake of the tree of life, they would be in a state of eternal damnation forever. So, he had to boost them out of the garden, sent an angel there, so they could not partake of the tree of life.

That tree now has been transplanted into glory. And that tree is on either side of the river, the river of the crystal river, clear and clean. And it comes with 12 kinds of fruit.

What kind of fruit? I have no idea. If I knew, I'd tell you. Okay? And it's for the healing of the nations.

Say, do we need to eat in heaven? No. Have you ever ate just because you love the joy of eating? Not because you're hungry. Just because you love the joy of eating.

In fact, most of us eat because of the joy of it anyway, right? But in heaven, it's the great joy and sufficiency that the tree of life brings. You don't eat to live because you have eternal life. But it's in the paradise of God.

It's in the presence of God. And to sit and eat in the presence of God with one of the 12 fruits that bloom all the time is going to be for the well-being of those who are there. That's a promise that God gives.

A promise that we live in anticipation of. To be able to sit and eat for pleasure, for joy. Not because we're hungry, because we'll have glorified bodies.

We won't need to be filled up. Not because we're thirsty, because we won't need to drink either. We got glorified, perfect bodies.

It's the joy of being in the presence of God and the fellowship in the paradise of God. And then he says to the church of Smyrna, he says, be faithful until the end, verse 10, and I will give you the crown of life. Not just a tree of life, but a crown of life.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. Wow.

So if the tree of life speaks of the joy and the sufficiency that heaven gives in the paradise of God, then the crown of life speaks of the immortality and the eternality that is ours forever. It's the crown which is life. It's the crown which is incorruptible.

It's the crown which is joy. It's the crown which is righteousness. Righteousness is the crown.

Life is the crown. Joy is the crown. Imperishableness is the crown.

Yes, it is a Stephanos. Yes, it is a wreath. Yes, they are crowns that we cast at the feet of our great Lord and Savior Christ himself.

But it's also symbolic of what it is we obtain. We obtain life. We obtain immortality.

We obtain eternality. We will never experience the second death. Say, what's the second death? Well, again, Revelation tells you that.

The weird thing about Revelation is that it says all these different things, but somehow down the road it explains it to you again. So to bring up the same thing down the road, so you begin to understand the different terminology used in the book of Revelation, fabulous, fabulous book. It says in verse number four of Revelation 20, that I saw thrones and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them.

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God. And those who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand, and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Talking about tribulational saints.

The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. First resurrection encompasses different facets.

One of that is the resurrection of Old Testament, a resurrection of tribulational saints. Verse six says, blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection over these. The second death has no power.

And then down in verse number 14, death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Verse eight of Revelation 21, but for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

So we know the second death is eternal death, separation from God, because that's where death and Hades are cast into. That's where Satan is cast into. That's where the false prophet and the beast are cast into the lake of fire.

Okay, that is the second death. Christ says to the one who receives the crown of life, listen, he who has ears to hear, they have no part in the second death, because they will live with me forever. That's a promise that we live in anticipation of, realize when Christ comes again.

Then the church of Pergamum, we must hurry. The church of Pergamum says, verse 16, I'm sorry, verse number 17, he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, to him who overcomes, to the victorious warrior, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone and a new name written on the stone, which no one knows, but he who receives it. So not only is there joy and sufficiency because of the tree of life, and not only is there immortality and eternality because of the crown of life, but because of the bread of life, there is quality, purity, and a brand new identity.

That's what he gives us, the hidden manna. It's hidden because the world does not know what it is. Remember when Christ fed the Israelites, he gave them manna in the Old Testament, he would use that as a parallel to him being the bread of life that came down out of heaven, that he who feasts on him shall no longer hunger because he is their well-being in life.

He is that hidden manna. It speaks of the quality of life that Christ gives to his followers, a bread that sustains, a bread that truly is a living bread, not like earthly bread, and a white stone symbolizing purity. Some would say that this deals with the priesthood and the priesthood had a clear white stone.

It really is a diamond, okay? People say diamonds are forever. Is that a phrase? Maybe your wife will tell you that this Christmas. You know, honey, can I have a diamond? They are forever.

Taken out of Revelation chapter 2, okay, which speaks of the white diamonds that will be ours forever, speaking of the purity of life. And the priest would carry in the yummum, this plate with the 12 tribes, this white stone which would signify the will of God, and some would say that when you get to heaven, you understand the will of God completely. I will give you the hidden manna, and with that hidden manna, a white stone, and on that white stone, a new name.

What's the new name? I have no idea because nobody knows except the one who receives it. So I don't know what your new name is going to be, okay? I have no idea, but you're going to get a new name on a white stone because the promise of God is realized. And then to the church at Thyatira, he says, nevertheless, verse 25, what you have, hold fast until I come.

He who overcomes, the victorious warrior, and he who keeps my deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from my father, and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. You want to know something? You're going to receive authority, responsibility, and intimacy.

You and I will be able to have authority over the nations in the millennial age, the kingdom of God. Authority over the nations. Don't you wonder why the disciples asked, Lord, is it at this time you're going to restore the kingdom of Israel? Because they knew that they would be sitting on 12 thrones over 12 tribes and they would have authority.

And so they wondered, is now the time you're going to do that? Because we're ready to rule with authority, that's the case. But it wasn't the time yet. Time was coming.

The authority was going to come. And Christ is not going to give you authority over the nations. He'll give you responsibility to rule them with a rod.

Not a billy club, but a rod, it's a word used of a shepherd's crook, because you're going to shepherd people during the kingdom of God, the millennial age, which Christ rules from the city of David on the throne of his father David. Knowing that, I'm going to give you the morning star. Who's that? It's Jesus.

How do you know that? Revelation 22, 16. I, Jesus, am the bright and morning star. Fulfillment of Numbers 24, 17, takes all the way back to the beginning, right? A star will rise out of Jacob with a scepter in his hand.

Who's the star? Messiah. Who's Jesus? Messiah. He's the morning star.

He is the bright and morning star. I'm going to give you Jesus. I'm going to give you me.

What a reward that is. That's why Peter talks about the day star rising in your hearts, the bright star. And then to the church of Stardust, he says, he overcomes verse five, will thus be clothed in white garments.

And I will not erase his name from the book of life. And I will confess his name before my father, before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

Wow. Not only is there festivity, but there is security. White garments.

Remember back in Isaiah 61, the garments of God, the robes of righteousness. When Christ returns, he comes on a white horse with a white robe. We come following after him on white horses, clothed in white robes.

White is a symbol of festivity as well as purity. It speaks of the fact of our cleansing by the blood of the lamb, right? He clothes us in white raiment, right? Garments, the garments of God. And not only that, he says, I will not erase his name from the book of life.

People read that and think, well, does that mean my name can be erased? That's not what it means. How do you turn a promise into a threat? Can't do that. You see, in ancient days, the king would have a registry.

And in that registry, if you committed a crime, your name was blotted out of the registry of that city. Christ is saying, on the other hand, I have a book. It's called the book of life.

The lamb's book of life, which the names of those that Christ was going to save were written in before time began. See, he says, I will never erase your name from the book of life. This speaks of security.

You have nothing to fear. To the one, who is he overcoming? And then he says, this is just so good. Church of Philadelphia, he overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will not go out from it anymore.

And I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God and my new name. Listen, he says, not only do you receive joy and sufficiency, not only do you receive eternality and immortality, not only do you receive festivity and security, you receive notoriety and dignity. Notoriety because you are a pillar in the temple of my God.

Now, there are no temples in heaven for Christ to land himself as a temple. So how can we be a pillar in the temple of his God? It's very simple. It's a symbol of notoriety.

When people put pillars up in people's names, right, it's a symbol to their notoriety. Also, the church of Philadelphia was located on a volcanic fault. And there were so many earthquakes that people had to flee and things were destroyed.

Things crumbled, things fell. Christ says, in my city, in my kingdom, you'll be a pillar. You'll never fall.

You will be known in my kingdom. Notoriety. And you receive a new name.

You receive the name of my God, the name of the city of my God, and his new name. Again, I have no idea what his new name is. Bow down and tell us that one.

So you're going to receive a name, a new name, on the white stone, which no one knows but you. I don't know what it is. Hopefully, I'll know when I get to heaven because you'll be there, right? You can share it with me here.

Here's my diamond. Here's my name. See? See? My name right there.

Okay? And then you're receiving a new name. The new name of Christ. What is that? Again, I have no idea.

But that's what makes heaven so amazing. There's so much there that we just don't know. And then he says, we must hurry.

The church of Laodicea, he says these words, he overcomes, I will grant him to sit down with me on my throne as I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. Unity. You and I are going to sit down on the same throne as Christ himself.

Because you're an overcomer as he is an overcomer. You're a victorious warrior as he is a victorious warrior. See that? How big must that throne be? First of all, to sit on the same throne as Christ.

There's another hymn in our hymn book. Again, one that's rarely sang or sung, excuse me, anymore when we all get to heaven. It says, sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing his mercy and his grace.

In the mansions bright and blessed, he'll prepare for us a place. While we walk the pilgrim pathway, clouds will overspread the sky. But when traveling days are over, not a shadow nor a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day. Just one glimpse of him in glory will the toils of life repay. Onward to the prize before us, soon his beauty will behold.

Soon the pearly gates will open. We shall tread the street of gold. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be.

When we all see Jesus, we will sing and shout. You may know the last phrase, the victory. Why? Because you're overcomers.

You're victorious warriors. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for today.

You are so good to us to explain in your word, the promises that will be ours to their fullest. We live in anticipation of that. That's our hope.

All because of you and the gift you've given us through your grace. May we, through our study, learn the things that will enable us to live for your glory and honor. If there be one today that has no idea of this hope, may today be the day they give their life to Christ, the hope, our hope of glory.

In Jesus' name, amen.