First Notes: There is Always Hope
Dear First Baptist Family,
In the early part of World War II, a Navy submarine was stuck on the bottom of the harbor in New York City. It seemed that all was lost. There was no electricity and the oxygen was quickly running out.
In one last attempt to rescue the sailors, the Navy sent a ship to the spot directly above the sunken submarine. A Navy diver then went down to the dangerous depths and made contact with the submarine.
When the trapped sailors heard the boots of the diver land on the exterior surface, they moved to where they thought the rescuer would be. In the darkness, they tapped in morse code, "Is there any hope?”
The diver on the outside, recognizing the message, signaled by tapping on the exterior of the sub: ”Yes, there is hope.”
Many people are running low on hope. Our world is plagued with war and uncertainty. People are tired and anxious, endlessly distracted. There’s also the burden of aging and a culture that feels like it’s crumbling. Lots of people are asking, “Is there any hope?”
Christians should always be able to say, “There is always hope.”
We have hope because of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. We have hope because He has promised to never leave us and never forsake us. We have hope because Jesus is still building His church of righteousness, justice, and kindness, and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). We have hope because one day Jesus Himself “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, ESV).
In the Pit With A Lion on a Snowy Day
This weekend’s snow reminded me of one of the more obscure passages of the Bible. It’s the story of Benaiah from 2 Samuel 23:20-21.
He only gets a few verses, but Benaiah was a “mighty warrior of David” who was known for his fierce fighting. He killed a spear-wielding Egyptian with only a club. Almost as a side note, the Bible says, “He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion” (2 Samuel 23:20, NIV).
It’s one thing to be in a pit and another to face a lion there. But to defeat a lion in the snow — now that’s a story to make Hebrew history!
Sometimes it seems like the odds are stacked against us. The challenges seem too great. There’s not just one challenge, but multiple threats, that can rob us of our peace and cause our faith to falter.
God’s hope sustains us in the hardest places. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…” (Psalm 23:4, ESV).
If you’re facing not just one problem, but several, take heart: God is with you. He’s in the pit beside you. He’s working for your good.
Hope Even in Despair
I once visited Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam. During World War II, she was a young teenager, living in a tiny attic with her family. They were Jews and knew that if they were discovered, they would be killed by the Nazis.
She and her family were indeed captured and sent to a concentration camp in Bergen-Belsen. She died in February or March in 1945.
But the journal that she left behind has spoken to millions of people since then. It's been translated into 70 languages.
In that tiny, upstairs space, she wrote, “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, or death… I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too… Yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will come out all right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
Our call is to light a candle in a dark world. You can do that in your neighborhood, in your workplace, or wherever you find yourself.
A Blessing of Hope
I'd like to leave you with a blessing today, something that can carry you through this week. I want you to remember that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Love is going to endure to the end. Hope does not disappoint us, because hope has a name: Jesus Christ. That’s why our mission is clear: We Help People Find and Follow Jesus.
So here's the blessing: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NIV).
Stay warm and safe and I hope to see you Sunday!
With love,
Pastor Brent McDougal
P.S. Don’t forget that we will have a special guest for the weekend, Bob Rognlien, who will be leading The Jesus Shaped Way discipleship retreat on Friday night and through Saturday. It's not too late to sign up by emailing pbagai@fbcknox.org.
In the early part of World War II, a Navy submarine was stuck on the bottom of the harbor in New York City. It seemed that all was lost. There was no electricity and the oxygen was quickly running out.
In one last attempt to rescue the sailors, the Navy sent a ship to the spot directly above the sunken submarine. A Navy diver then went down to the dangerous depths and made contact with the submarine.
When the trapped sailors heard the boots of the diver land on the exterior surface, they moved to where they thought the rescuer would be. In the darkness, they tapped in morse code, "Is there any hope?”
The diver on the outside, recognizing the message, signaled by tapping on the exterior of the sub: ”Yes, there is hope.”
Many people are running low on hope. Our world is plagued with war and uncertainty. People are tired and anxious, endlessly distracted. There’s also the burden of aging and a culture that feels like it’s crumbling. Lots of people are asking, “Is there any hope?”
Christians should always be able to say, “There is always hope.”
We have hope because of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. We have hope because He has promised to never leave us and never forsake us. We have hope because Jesus is still building His church of righteousness, justice, and kindness, and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). We have hope because one day Jesus Himself “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, ESV).
In the Pit With A Lion on a Snowy Day
This weekend’s snow reminded me of one of the more obscure passages of the Bible. It’s the story of Benaiah from 2 Samuel 23:20-21.
He only gets a few verses, but Benaiah was a “mighty warrior of David” who was known for his fierce fighting. He killed a spear-wielding Egyptian with only a club. Almost as a side note, the Bible says, “He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion” (2 Samuel 23:20, NIV).
It’s one thing to be in a pit and another to face a lion there. But to defeat a lion in the snow — now that’s a story to make Hebrew history!
Sometimes it seems like the odds are stacked against us. The challenges seem too great. There’s not just one challenge, but multiple threats, that can rob us of our peace and cause our faith to falter.
God’s hope sustains us in the hardest places. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…” (Psalm 23:4, ESV).
If you’re facing not just one problem, but several, take heart: God is with you. He’s in the pit beside you. He’s working for your good.
Hope Even in Despair
I once visited Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam. During World War II, she was a young teenager, living in a tiny attic with her family. They were Jews and knew that if they were discovered, they would be killed by the Nazis.
She and her family were indeed captured and sent to a concentration camp in Bergen-Belsen. She died in February or March in 1945.
But the journal that she left behind has spoken to millions of people since then. It's been translated into 70 languages.
In that tiny, upstairs space, she wrote, “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, or death… I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too… Yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will come out all right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
Our call is to light a candle in a dark world. You can do that in your neighborhood, in your workplace, or wherever you find yourself.
A Blessing of Hope
I'd like to leave you with a blessing today, something that can carry you through this week. I want you to remember that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Love is going to endure to the end. Hope does not disappoint us, because hope has a name: Jesus Christ. That’s why our mission is clear: We Help People Find and Follow Jesus.
So here's the blessing: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NIV).
Stay warm and safe and I hope to see you Sunday!
With love,
Pastor Brent McDougal
P.S. Don’t forget that we will have a special guest for the weekend, Bob Rognlien, who will be leading The Jesus Shaped Way discipleship retreat on Friday night and through Saturday. It's not too late to sign up by emailing pbagai@fbcknox.org.
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