RESURRECTING HOPE: RELATIONAL HOPE

We continue our series, Resurrecting Hope, with the sermon, Relational Hope. All of us are impacted by the relationships around us. Relationship networks come in all shapes and sizes. They are very important to our health and well-being. We are always better with good, healthy relationships. However, this is precisely the problem. Community is hard. We are broken creatures that don’t know fully how to love one another. We are impacted by the stresses and forces of our society. We are not immune to the disease of division or the societal fractures that shatter the fabric of our relational networks. Unfortunately, disconnection is a terrible burden for us. We can easily get stuck in the swamp of desire because there is no one to help find the path to a good place. Each day, the weight of loneliness drags people deeper into the darkness of feeling unloved and unwanted. Most of all, this robs people of hope! This week we turn to Romans 15:1-13 for us to be inspired to become a community that is a spring of living hope for our lives. Paul is writing to the Roman church to help them overcome the divisiveness, prejudice, and fear that was all around them. He wanted to empower them through the living God, who is a relationship expert. He is not just writing about tolerance, but a transformation! In Jesus, hope is found in accepting this God who loves and wants us to be with him forever. We pray that you will experience the power of reconnecting to the living God and be empowered by the Holy Spirit as you read Romans 15:1-13.  

Romans 15:1-13: We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” 10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” 13 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 15:1-13 NIV)