Program Notes, Wed. Jan 23 -- HOPE

Last week we talked about Hope.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think or hear the word HOPE?
What scripture passages come to mind?

Here are some of the thoughts from last week:

What comes to mind when you think of HOPE?

• has a voice in us
• springs etern
• things will be okay--even if not the way we think
• gets you out of bed in the morning
• Hymn -- Live into Hope (way of thinking, acting, knowing things will be better)
• Hope is more than just a word or feeling -- way of being, doing, acting
• Sometimes have to fake hope in order to live into it

Scripture passages

• Noah's Ark, the Rainbow, the Dove with the twig (Genesis)
• Beattitudes (Matthew, Luke) -- blessed are the poor in spirit, those mourning, meek
• John 20:13 -- I have seen the Lord, the followers were still seeking Jesus in their hopelessness and found Jesus in their despair
• Psalm 121: I lift my eyes to the hills from where my help comes

Theological Thought:

From a Declaration of Faith (confession of Presbyterian Church):

(5) Hope in God gives us courage for the struggle.
The people of God have often misused God's promises
as excuses for doing nothing about present evils.
But in Christ the new world has already broken in
and the old can no longer be tolerated.
We know our efforts cannot bring in God's kingdom.
But hope plunges us into the struggle
for victories over evil that are possible now
in the world, the church, and our individual lives.
Hope gives us courage and energy to contend against all opposition,
however invincible it may seem,
for the new world and the new humanity it may seem,
for the new world and the new humanity
that are surely coming.

Jesus is Lord!
He has been Lord from the beginning.
He will be Lord at the end.
Even now he is Lord.

6) Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.