How can litt\u00adle hope beco\u00adme much hope? A per\u00adson has peace with God, access to grace and hope in the glo\u00adry of God through faith in Jesus Christ. When such a per\u00adson faces the dif\u00adfi\u00adcult chal\u00adlenges in life posi\u00adtively, a powerful dyna\u00admic is set in moti\u00adon that leads to grea\u00adter hope. This hope will never be dis\u00adap\u00adpoin\u00adted becau\u00adse a down pay\u00adment gua\u00adran\u00adtees it.<\/p>\n
In the midd\u00adle of Lon\u00addon on the north side of the Tha\u00admes, the words \u00abNot\u00adhing can divi\u00adde us\u00bb from Romans 8 are writ\u00adten on the roof of a tube sta\u00adti\u00adon. Artist Lak\u00adwe\u00adna Maci\u00adver has trans\u00adfor\u00admed a hid\u00adden and negle\u00adc\u00adted roof ter\u00adrace abo\u00adve Temp\u00adle tube sta\u00adti\u00adon, built in 1870, into a life-affir\u00adming place. The colourful instal\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon covers 1400 squa\u00adre met\u00adres of grey con\u00adcre\u00adte. The phra\u00adse \u00abNot\u00adhing can sepa\u00adra\u00adte us\u00bb is a powerful spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal mes\u00adsa\u00adge with a hop\u00adeful mea\u00adning. The under\u00adground sta\u00adti\u00adon is cal\u00adled Temp\u00adle becau\u00adse it is loca\u00adted on a for\u00admer site of the Knights Tem\u00adplar. A temp\u00adle is the place whe\u00adre hea\u00adven and earth meet. Maci\u00adver: \u00abThey say that the Gar\u00adden of Eden was the first temp\u00adle. The sto\u00adry says that we were dri\u00adven out of the gar\u00adden and have been lon\u00adging to find our way back ever sin\u00adce.\u00bb This idea of an uncon\u00adscious lon\u00adging for para\u00addi\u00adse was the impe\u00adtus for this public intervention. \tWhat is the start\u00ading posi\u00adti\u00adon of a Chris\u00adti\u00adan accor\u00adding to Romans 1:1\u20132? Try to descri\u00adbe it in your own words! How can litt\u00adle hope beco\u00adme much hope? A per\u00adson has peace with God, access to grace and hope in the glo\u00adry of God through faith in Jesus Christ. When such a per\u00adson faces the dif\u00adfi\u00adcult chal\u00adlenges in life posi\u00adtively, a powerful dyna\u00admic is set in moti\u00adon that leads to grea\u00adter hope. This hope\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[81],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","wpfc_sermon_series-creatio","wpfc-sermon-single","post-6948","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","hentry","wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"],"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nLast Sun\u00adday we lear\u00adned from the life of Abra\u00adham that we expe\u00adri\u00adence mira\u00adcles when we live hop\u00adeful\u00adly. Today, the ques\u00adti\u00adon is how hope can ari\u00adse and grow within us.
\nHop\u00adeful start\u00ading position
\n\u00abHaving the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre been jus\u00adti\u00adfied by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and boast of the hope of the glo\u00adry that God will give\u00bb (Romans 5:1\u20132 LUT<\/span>).
\nWhen a per\u00adson finds a per\u00adso\u00adnal rela\u00adti\u00adonship with Jesus Christ, it is like a young ser\u00advice mecha\u00adnic recei\u00adving a vehic\u00adle with the most important tools to fix a washing machi\u00adne on the first day of work. It\u2019s rea\u00addy to go!
\nPeace (Shalom) with God belongs to the basic equip\u00adment of a Chris\u00adti\u00adan. This is a state\u00adment of incon\u00adceiva\u00adble signi\u00adfi\u00adcan\u00adce, espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly for the Roman Chris\u00adti\u00adans of that time. In the city, they were hosti\u00adle and harsh\u00adly per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adted. Yet, as if in the eye of a hur\u00adri\u00adca\u00adne, they expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced super\u00adna\u00adtu\u00adral calm and peace. Shalom means a balan\u00adced recon\u00adci\u00adled rela\u00adti\u00adonship with God, an over\u00adall sta\u00adte of hap\u00adpi\u00adness and well-being. They are well.
\nSuch peace is unlo\u00adcked the day a per\u00adson says yes to Jesus Christ and unites with Him. In this peace we have access to grace. Grace is the favour with which God looks upon us. We are allo\u00adwed to enter into the pre\u00adsence of God and He does not do what we actual\u00adly deser\u00adve, but wel\u00adco\u00admes us. \u00abLet us the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre come con\u00adfi\u00addent\u00adly befo\u00adre the thro\u00adne of our gra\u00adcious God. The\u00adre we will recei\u00adve mer\u00adcy and find grace to help us when we need it\u00bb (Hebrews 4:16 NLB<\/span>). We may enter into the Father\u2019s favour, stand the\u00adre and be at home.
\nHowe\u00adver, this is not just a now sta\u00adte, but the future opens up. \u00abWe boast in the hope of the glo\u00adry that God will give.\u00bb Boas\u00adting means: we brag about it, we rejoice and real\u00adly make pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda for the future that God wants to give us. Glo\u00adry in the Bible is always the descrip\u00adti\u00adon for the rea\u00adli\u00adty of God when He makes Hims\u00adelf known. Hope of glo\u00adry means I\u2019m going into the future and I\u2019m going to see God as He is. We have a pri\u00advi\u00adle\u00adged life now when we have peace with God, when we are allo\u00adwed to be in the favour of God, to be at home, but the best is yet to come. The\u00adre is a hope of glo\u00adry, that is whe\u00adre we are hea\u00adding becau\u00adse Jesus died and rose for us.
\nHop\u00adeful dynamics
\nWhen you start the sea\u00adson with your bike in spring, you are full of hope for beau\u00adtiful rides. This hope beg\u00adins to crum\u00adble as ear\u00adly as the first rough clim\u00adbs. Ins\u00adtead of being the \u00abboss\u00bb over the resis\u00adtance, it\u2019s the other way around. Imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly you rea\u00adli\u00adse that in order to impro\u00adve this con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adon, you still have to pati\u00adent\u00adly endu\u00adre many a hill. Yes, at the first few rides it hurts, you want to give up. But if you per\u00adse\u00adve\u00adre, you beco\u00adme stron\u00adger and more resi\u00adli\u00adent. The hope for enjoya\u00adble and spec\u00adta\u00adcu\u00adlar rides grows. Hope \u2013 suf\u00adfe\u00adring \u2013 pati\u00adence \u2013 endu\u00adrance \u2013 more hope and joy; that\u2019s the cycle of suc\u00adcessful biking.
\nPaul sees this hop\u00adeful dyna\u00admic in life in gene\u00adral: \u00abNot only this, but we also glo\u00adry in tri\u00adbu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adons (thlip\u00adsis), kno\u00adwing that tri\u00adbu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon brings pati\u00adence, and pati\u00adence brings pro\u00adba\u00adti\u00adon, and pro\u00adba\u00adti\u00adon brings hope, and hope does not fail [\u2026]\u00bb. (Romans 5:3\u20135 LUT<\/span>).
\nWhat is the mat\u00adter with Paul that he boasts of aff\u00adlic\u00adtions? And it is not that this man does not know what aff\u00adlic\u00adtions are! In 2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 11 he lists: Often thrown into pri\u00adson, in dan\u00adger of his life, five times thir\u00adty-nine las\u00adhes, three times whip\u00adped, once stoned, ship\u00adw\u00adre\u00adcked, floa\u00adting a day and a night on the sea, count\u00adless times in gre\u00adat dan\u00adger, exhaus\u00adti\u00adon, pain, slee\u00adp\u00adless nights, etc. Why does he boast of the\u00adse things?
\nHe sees a trai\u00adning poten\u00adti\u00adal in the tri\u00adbu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adons! I once read that dif\u00adfi\u00adcult expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces in life make us bit\u00adter or bet\u00adter. Our talk guest Ste\u00adfan Sch\u00fcp\u00adbach told in his pro\u00adfi\u00adle that they had two child\u00adren who are both alre\u00ada\u00addy with Jesus. In a per\u00adso\u00adnal con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon I lear\u00adned a litt\u00adle more and they testi\u00adfied that they had made this expe\u00adri\u00adence bet\u00adter. Why do peo\u00adp\u00adle break from suf\u00adfe\u00adring and others grow from it? The abili\u00adty to deal with dif\u00adfi\u00adcult life situa\u00adtions is cal\u00adled resi\u00adli\u00adence. Resi\u00adli\u00adence is hig\u00adher in peo\u00adp\u00adle who are invol\u00adved in sup\u00adport\u00adi\u00adve com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties. This is a gre\u00adat advan\u00adta\u00adge of the Chris\u00adti\u00adan com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty. A cat that has been hit by a car likes to hide. The same instinct is found in peo\u00adp\u00adle. In our distress, it is cri\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly important that we seek community.
\nPaul goes on to say that \u00abaff\u00adlic\u00adtion brings pati\u00adence\u00bb. With this mind\u00adset and being invol\u00adved in the church, we can look at oppo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon in life as a trai\u00adning hill. Our mus\u00adcles grow and stead\u00adfast\u00adness is increased. Aff\u00adlic\u00adtion in ever\u00ady\u00adday life should not sur\u00adpri\u00adse us. Jesus announ\u00adced it: \u00abI have told you all the\u00adse things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will be hard pres\u00adsed (thlip\u00adsis). But you need not fear: I have con\u00adque\u00adr\u00aded the world\u00bb (John 16:33 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly, Luther trans\u00adla\u00adted \u00abIn the world you are afraid\u00bb. Many Chris\u00adti\u00adans take this as jus\u00adti\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon for their fears. No, the\u00adre will be tight situa\u00adtions, but we are not sup\u00adpo\u00adsed to be afraid. Aff\u00adlic\u00adtions are rug\u00adged hills that seek to streng\u00adthen our inner mus\u00adcles. When we face suf\u00adfe\u00adring with trust in God, inte\u00adgra\u00adted into the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty, we beco\u00adme more pati\u00adent. Pati\u00adence brings pro\u00adba\u00adti\u00adon. It means that we beco\u00adme toug\u00adher and even get joy from the chall\u00adenge. Peo\u00adp\u00adle who have mas\u00adte\u00adred many \u00abtrai\u00adning hills\u00bb tog\u00ade\u00adther with God beco\u00adme role models. One of my role models is E.M., who was a pas\u00adtor in Romans\u00adhorn in my youth. This man had to endu\u00adre enorm\u00adous pain and his eye\u00adsight was at times clo\u00adse to zero. Yet he radia\u00adted rare\u00adly seen peace and joy. He was a man full of hope.
\nPro\u00adba\u00adti\u00adon leads to more hope. The goal of the who\u00adle dyna\u00admic is a gro\u00adwing hope. How can our hope increase? If we have a yes to the trai\u00adning pro\u00adgram\u00adme with the rough hills. Just as the ser\u00advice mecha\u00adnic indi\u00advi\u00addua\u00adli\u00adses, adds to and impro\u00adves his tool\u00adbox over time, so our hope in the glo\u00adry of God is indi\u00advi\u00addua\u00adli\u00adsed, added to and improved.
\nAccor\u00adding to Paul, our atti\u00adtu\u00adde to the aff\u00adlic\u00adtions in life deter\u00admi\u00adnes whe\u00adther we enter a vicious cir\u00adcle or an upward spi\u00adral of hope. If we use them as a rough trai\u00adning ground, we beco\u00adme stron\u00adger and expe\u00adri\u00adence more joy and hope. If we clo\u00adse our\u00adsel\u00adves off to them or rebel against them, we beco\u00adme bit\u00adter. We Chris\u00adti\u00adans can help each other. Just when we are unde\u00adser\u00adved\u00adly doing well, we can help others to per\u00adse\u00adve\u00adre who are not doing well.
\nHop\u00adeful down payment
\nThis autumn we sold our second car on Tut\u00adti. Sin\u00adce it had suf\u00adfe\u00adr\u00aded one or two scrat\u00adches over the last few years, I was curious to see if we could sell the car for the pri\u00adce quo\u00adted. For a long time no one came for\u00adward. But sud\u00adden\u00adly the\u00adre was move\u00adment. A car sales\u00adman came by and wit\u00adhout much ado offe\u00adred a very good pri\u00adce with a hand\u00adshake. Would he real\u00adly pay that if it came down to it? When he then pul\u00adled a CHF<\/span> 1,000 note out of his pocket and put it in my hand as a down pay\u00adment, I had full con\u00adfi\u00addence that the remai\u00adning CHF<\/span> 7,000 would sure\u00adly fol\u00adlow at the han\u00addo\u00adver. And so it was.
\nWhy did Paul know that \u00abhope will not fail\u00bb? Becau\u00adse the down pay\u00adment is made: \u00ab[\u2026] for the love of God has been pou\u00adred out into our hearts through the Holy Spi\u00adrit who has been given to us\u00bb (Romans 5:5 LUT<\/span>). The love of God is pou\u00adred out, the Holy Spi\u00adrit is given to us. The Holy Spi\u00adrit is like the seal of our hope. \u00ab[\u2026] He com\u00admis\u00adsio\u00adned us and con\u00adfirm\u00aded that we belong to him by giving us the Holy Spi\u00adrit in our hearts. This is a secu\u00adri\u00adty for ever\u00ady\u00adthing he will still give us\u00bb (2Corinthians 1:21f NLB<\/span>). Peo\u00adp\u00adle who belong to Jesus recei\u00adve the gift of the Holy Spi\u00adrit as secu\u00adri\u00adty for ano\u00adther CHF<\/span> 7000. The divi\u00adne and per\u00adfect num\u00adber 7 is said to have a sym\u00adbo\u00adlic mea\u00adning. The down pay\u00adment of the Holy Spi\u00adrit in the form of out\u00adpou\u00adred love is alre\u00ada\u00addy divi\u00adne. The per\u00adfect is what we wait for and is part of our hope for the glo\u00adry of God.
\n
\nThe artist who desi\u00adgned the roof of the Temp\u00adle under\u00adground sta\u00adti\u00adon wro\u00adte: Not\u00adhing can sepa\u00adra\u00adte us. Yes, not\u00adhing can sepa\u00adra\u00adte us from the love of God. Every per\u00adson car\u00adri\u00ades deep within them the lon\u00adging for a love that never ends. Charles de Fou\u00adcauld says: \u00abHope is not\u00adhing other than faith in God\u2019s infi\u00adni\u00adte love.\u00bb This hope is nou\u00adris\u00adhed when we accept the rough trai\u00adning ground in our dai\u00adly lives and mas\u00adter it in com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty with others.
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead the Bible text: Romans 5:1\u20135<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat are the mea\u00adnings of aff\u00adlic\u00adtions in life? What is the dan\u00adger? What is the potential?
\n\tWhat pres\u00adsu\u00adring situa\u00adtions are the\u00adre in your life at the moment? How do you want to face them?
\n\tAff\u00adlic\u00adtion \u2013 pati\u00adence \u2013 pro\u00adba\u00adti\u00adon \u2013 hope; this descri\u00adbes the dyna\u00admics in the life of a Chris\u00adti\u00adan. What expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces do you have with this?
\n\tWhy is it important and hel\u00adpful when the hope of glo\u00adry grows?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"