Beyond Sunday: Hope Remains
Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.
Sometimes we find ourselves alone, yet God is with us. He has not abandoned us and draws us closer to Him. In His presence we approach with a humble spirit desiring to be ever closer. As we walk with Jesus do we approach God with a humble spirit?
Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.
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[Music] Hey guys, welcome to the Beyond Sunday podcast. We decided to take the conversation deeper beyond Sunday. In this episode, we get to be together and have this conversation um from this last Sunday. But before we dive into the conversation, take a look at this video. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Welcome back as we dive into the conversation. and Shay, what's the big idea from this last Sunday and some of the texts that we were diving into? >> Yeah, this week. Uh, so we're talking
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about hope this week and so on this journey as we're walking with Jesus, this journey of formation um that there's hope uh for the destination. So sometimes there's twists and turns and uh the journey is maybe not what we expect or there's uh places where um yeah it's hard and we we can have a temptation to lose sight or tendency to lose sight. So uh we got to talk today about hope. Um and so I I was in a lot of places today. Um >> wait wait wait my surprise face. >> You were too.
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>> Okay. >> Okay. Don't be rude but there wasn't like a one text. Well, one text on hope. >> No, sometimes we like Okay. Anyways, I was in a number of different places. Job, Luke. >> Wow. You went to Job for Hope? >> Yeah. Nice. >> Actually, it's so great. Were you there? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. What the heck? Um, yeah, we started we started there because I felt like if anybody in the history of >> humanity >> has a reason to have lost hope, it would
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be Job. And yet tucked into the middle of that book, we find him uh calling out this reminder of hope that's like so there's something about even the way that he he says uh he talks about like I know my redeemer lives and I will see God and um like how overjoyed he'll be at this thought. And there's something that like that comes from a deep place of like this is this is woven into him like this is deeply within him because his circumstances it doesn't make sense for that to be what he's offering.
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>> Yeah. In you know in no way would he be able to call attention to something in his life that would perfectly hope >> uh is so deeply woven into okay if this is what I'm navigating. I do believe that there's a God. Hence the whole kind of the structure and format of how the book of Job flows um in his friends and his wife and those that come into his presence in the midst of this tragedy that um in some ways the help and um comfort in other ways they stand in contrast to Job entering deeper into
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a relationship with God that then we see in this chapter in in Job 19 that like you said woven into and in the midst of this story in the middle of it is this like and yet my redeemer lives, >> right? Or or I proclaim my redeemer lives. The the call back to like Yeah. deeply woven into what he knows to be true about God >> in spite of the midst of the circumstances that exist in life. >> Yeah. Yeah. So that's where we started. Um, and then yeah, we were in a few different places.
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And I think for me, you know, we've been following the RCL for I don't actually know how long now. More more than a year. >> Well, to everyone who's listening, we're uh coming to the end of season one. >> Mhm. >> Of the Beyond Sunday podcast. >> Yeah. Yeah. Right. >> And eventually we'll launch into season two. >> Yeah. In just a couple weeks then, right? Yeah. So um so the RCL the revised common lectionary essentially every week uh we're looking at a
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grouping of scriptures um and kind of asking the question like God what is it that you have in these for us and sometimes it's one particular text for sometimes for a season we're kind of in one look um or or sometimes it's a mixture but this week for me it there were multiple of those that felt like um just a really obvious uh hope reminders of hope in different >> spaces that we may find ourselves. Um, and so that's kind of where I was was today was like um taking those texts and
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asking the question of like where do we see uh what's the what's the issue in this space that's relatable for us today? So, uh whether it's like hey everything is in ruins or um there's death around me or there's fear and confusion like those are all things that we uh can find ourselves in those places. And so what does a text remind us about hope in those things and in those places? >> Yeah. And it and especially in the text that we have in the revised common lecture and in in relation to the
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journey of our life, the the the twists, the turns, the detours, the things that our life uh takes on even the here and now that those texts actually speak into whether it's the the hope in the midst of devastation and loss, the hope in the fear and the confusion that exists, the hope in the you know I mean whether there's rubble or destruction that has um we can kind of see around us that in in this way these these texts these scriptures uh remind us that we um because of where our hope
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uh exists that it's it's not in the only in the here and now but it's hope in the eternal >> that and in the one who who gives me access to the eternal, the one who invites me into the eternal, the one that in in Jesus who has come to rescue and seek and save the lost, that in him, that's where if I place my hope there and knowing that it isn't just just in the here and now. It's not that we're we're denying the here and now and the present is something like we don't have
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to worry about, but it's both the here and now and the not yet. >> Yeah. Yeah. And that was kind of even um I think this reminder of like as we talk about there being hope in the destination. So um we know that God is in the process of putting the world back together and that there's this promise of this beautiful day where uh everything is restored and renewed and we have this new heaven and this new earth and and um there's like that's this beautiful promise, this beautiful destination. Um, I used the
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analogy today because we were gone last week and we were um in the mountains. We were in Mount Hood, right? At Mount Hood and um at one at one point or I guess even throughout our time there at any given time, you may or may not be able to see the mountain, you know, it's there. The mountain hasn't moved. The mountain hasn't changed. But, um, depending on where I'm located, even as we were walking, we're hiking around a lake and you can see the mountain like so clearly in this one spot and you go
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just a little ways and all of a sudden you're like, can't even see the mountain. don't even know where it is. Mountain didn't move. Mountain didn't change. But as there's twists and turns, right? And so this idea of like that's true in the journey of life. Like there are there are seasons where there's twists and there's turns or there's clouds and there's fog or there's whatever. Um that it's easy to like I just I can't even see this promise
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anymore. Um, but the beauty about this walking with Jesus, this journey of formation is like in those moments, I actually have a living hope right here with me, right next to me to say, "Hey, I know you can't see it right now, but don't forget >> the mountain's right there." Like, don't forget it's it it hasn't changed. It hasn't moved. Um, your your position has, your perspective has, something's in the way, whatever cloud, >> but um Jesus is like, I but I'm with you
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and I'm I'm the hope. Um and that that we see in all of these scriptures I think like um in uh in hea they're like that this reminder of like I know it looks bad right now. Everything is in ruins. It's not what has been. It's not what you have experienced. And he's like but I'm with you. I am with you. And here's what I will do. And so it's this reminder even then of like I'm a God who's with you, who's for you. >> It's time to get back to work. Mhm.
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>> I'm with you. Um and I I just in all of those spaces, um this reminder like you might not be able to see, >> but I'm with you. >> Yeah. And that brings I mean it brings to mind the thought of like hope isn't >> um something that I uh there's no action to it. But there in hoping in God that there is an action to and we see that guy >> of um be strong repeated be strong. Be strong. I am with you. >> Do the work. Do not fear. I will fill this place.
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>> Yeah. And >> my presence. >> The Lord of heaven's armies. That's the other repeated phrase which is like this reminder of like there's so much there's so many names that God could use to refer to himself and does in other places. But that reminder in that even just small passage over and over again that hit me even as I was preaching this morning was like this refrain of like the Lord of heaven's armies. And there's so much power in that. So when he's like
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be strong, get back to work, it's like you can get back to work because the Lord of heaven's armies is with you. >> And that was the sense I had at the end of uh service on Sunday was um there may be some who struggle to like I I don't have the hope >> in my life. I'm I'm burdened by the situation going on. I'm burdened by brokenness that I'm surrounded by. I'm burdened by the the trial or suffering that that's taking place. I don't have the hope.
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>> So, how do I get this hope? How do I how do I um proclaim like Job does, my redeemer lives? >> Yeah. >> And to proclaim it in such a way that it's not a question, >> but a statement, a proclamation. And um and and that was a sense on Sunday was there are those that uh maybe are sitting in the place that Job is sitting and aren't are not able to say my redeemer lives but they're they're saying that phrase but it's being asked as a question not as a proclamation or
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like this is who God is. It's like my redeemer lives right >> in this >> Yeah. Where where >> where are you? Mhm. Yeah. which then I guess so part of that for me that that came up again even even as I was preaching um because this is such an echo in the last month two months this uh remember remember right so I even like Isaiah 40 we've talked about it on the podcast multiple times in different spaces now and then even having uh I know we both played a clip from uh our our podcast
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episode with Pastor Zo that'll uh drop shortly Um but this reminder of like don't you dare forget who I am. So in those moments and in those places where you're like where God where like here are you sure don't you dare forget >> don't you dare forget who I am and what I've done. Have you not seen? Have you not heard? Um, and so it just I there's this consistent echo right now in the last couple months of like we have to tell we have to tell the stories and pastor Zo talked about it the
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testimonies the the the places that we've seen God uh already >> show up and that's true in scripture and we have all of those and so we can tell those stories but it's also true and this is what I was looking out at the at the church today and this is what I called out was like >> um that's true in this room. There's there's stories every single one of us that's in this space. Um we've seen God work and we've seen God move and we need to tell those stories
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so that on the days when yeah we're we've got people around us or us ourselves are looking around and we're like everything is in ruins. Are you sure you're here, God? Or it's like not just ruins but death. What I thought was going to be isn't. It's it's dead and gone. So here, God. >> Mhm. the fear and the confusion like I don't know what tomorrow looks like actually. Yeah. >> Here. >> Yeah. >> Um and and so we need those reminders that in the past we've asked those
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questions. Others have asked those questions. They've been in those same spaces and they've asked like where are you God? Are you here? And the answer has been yes every time. >> Right. Um so I yeah I don't know today going into preaching um I was like yeah hope this is good like this is good stuff and in the midst of that just this uh I sensed this this power um the the power authority piece of like don't you forget >> and it's actually maybe that's some of that too is that um you you just said
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like hope is not uh it's not something I have to do, but it's the power of the spirit that lives in me, right? Like God did not give me a spirit of fear um or of timidity, but this powerful spirit of like yes, the God of heaven's armies is with me >> in the ruins, in the death, in the fear and the confusion, that's where hope comes from. >> Yes. And I kind of walk faithfully into it. Um, and whether or not things work out and my favor things work out, not in my favor, but way that ways that I want
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it to work out. I can trust that God is in the midst of all of it. >> And my hope isn't come in doesn't come in the things that in the ways that I want it to look. >> Yeah. >> But it comes in from a God who is faithful. Faithful to see me where I'm at. Faithful to to say, "I've got good things for you. you you might in the midst of suffering and and hurt and pain um uh for a time or a season, I don't know, however long they go, but um he he is not far off.
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>> Yeah. >> He's very near. He's very present. So, where is it that um we're placing our hopeers or fixing our eyes? >> Um yeah. And and too often I myself can find myself uh desiring uh results in such a way that like well obviously that makes sense to me if it would go that way. If it doesn't >> and I put my hope in that thing not in Jesus and in God but I put it in that result. >> Yeah. >> Then if it doesn't take place then I'm what? I'm I'm I'm undone. Mhm.
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>> I'm sitting in sackloth and ashes and >> wondering like asking the my redeemer lives as a question instead of a proclamation and a statement of God's goodness and he will reign. >> Yeah. And then you're struggling to hope again because the last thing you put your hope in >> Yeah. >> fails. Yeah. >> So, as we wrapped up this um podcast episode, what is the chyros that God is speaking to you? What's he inviting you into? And how is he inviting you to
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respond? Yeah, a lot of times chyros feels um challenging in a um and I don't I don't necessarily just mean like it feels really hard, but it feels like a uh right. So, if this is a moment where God's trying to get my attention and and um maybe readjust my course a little bit, sometimes a lot of times that feels um like uh okay, here we go. today. Um, this sense of comfort >> because as as I'm talking about like yeah, hope in in the ruins where you're uh something you thought was going to be
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isn't or where something that once was no longer looks like it was. Um, and so navigating in a season right now where I'm navigating um that in a really real way um with with some relational stuff that's like, okay, this thing that once existed that once um once was it it doesn't look like it did before. Um and there was this reminder um even in the moment that just felt like um don't lose hope. Mhm. >> And I don't know what that relationship will look like. And I don't know, you
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know, like you were just talking about, like I know what I'd love to exist in my head. And I I could even tell you how to get there. God, I got a plan. >> There you go, God. I put it together for you. Um but I did sense this reminder of like um don't lose hope. Don't lose hope that I um it's that don't you dare forget that I'm a God who restores and a God who reconciles. Um and so they're in that. Um yeah, that just felt like a comforting like don't you forget.
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>> Yeah. Yeah. That's good for me. Um we were a month ago at PNA Connect and on Sunday um Pastor Ryan was preaching out of uh first Peter on hope. Mh. >> Uh and that has been replaying in my mind uh from that Sunday and from uh his message. Uh and one of the things that has stuck with me from that is that hope is holy. Mhm. >> One of the things we talked about last week in our um message and um through the revised common lectionary was that uh we there's an invitation or I was
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sensing an invitation to um practice holiness like holiness is practice >> and in this regard I was drawn to hope as a practice that is holy >> and if I'm to walk this out, to live this this kind of way, that it would be um not in my own strength, to have this kind of hope, but in my uh surrender, pursuit uh practice >> with God. that that this sort of orienting myself before God would be a holy practice that uh in spaces that seem hopeless in spaces that seem >> why would I offer any more of my time?
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Why would I offer any more of my effort? Why would I um why wouldn't I just cut the rope and move on if God's calling me to remain in a place to say no, I am calling or desiring this world to be redeemed and I'm calling you into this place. So don't lose hope. >> Like in >> like that's an act of holiness, >> right? >> Yeah. >> And in that same kind of way of like don't forget >> don't you dare forget >> this is what I'm about.
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>> So don't back away from that. Um, one of the things Devon offered in in when we entered into worship this morning was this idea of um indifference >> uh to whether it's faith or people or whatever and things don't go well. Like are there times where um uh indifference is disobedience? and like, yeah, it's all going to fall apart anyway, or it's like it's too far gone to worry about >> or do I actually have the eyes and the heart of Christ >> in those moments that maybe indifference
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would have had has been seated. >> Yeah. to up up uproot that and say no the heart of God and the eyes of Christ >> say that this thing is God desires to redeem. >> Yeah. So God of the living not the dead. >> God of the living not the dead. >> Luke 20. >> Yeah. And so we entered into worship this morning with that kind of resonating in my head and heart that then drew me back to this sermon a month ago in Spokane about hope being holy. >> And boy, I so I think there's an
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invitation in there for me to >> practice hope >> in this kind of way. and and especially I guess in regards to the indifference piece like too often I can find myself moving in that direction which I don't think is God in in any way right that's uh I prayed even this morning in our in our in in the prayer time of like there's no expanse that's too far apart for God >> and if I believe that to be true >> then indifference sits on this other side that I'm actually uh if I grab hold
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of that that's not where God's at >> it doesn't look like Jesus Right. He's he's he's spanning the entire chasm. >> Mhm. >> Saying that east and west, none of none of the depth, none of that is too far for me to reach. >> And so hope is that place. Can I can I tend to it? >> Can I hold it? Can I foster it in a kind of way that um brings life into things that were once dead? >> Yeah. >> Um right. Right? If God's the God of the
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living, not the dead, then in that moment of in that space of hope, does that bring breathe new life into those spaces even in myself >> to whether it's things that going on in my life or things that exist around me. >> That's good. >> Yeah. >> Good. Well, guys, thanks for being with us on this episode. We hope and pray that your conversations are going beyond Sunday. Uh and uh so we'll see you uh next time. [Music]
