For example, there is a reference in verse 5 of this chapter which we didn’t address. And this evening we aren’t going to examine it directly, but I would like to point you toward it. Jehovah is a patient God; in fact He is the God of patience.
I asked my computer to run a search of the Bible looking for these words “the God of…..” It gave me 36 New Testament references with another 400 in the Old Testament. Some of the 36 were things like “the God of Israel,” “the God of our fathers,” or “the God of Heaven.” But a great many were similar to what we find in Romans 15 verses 5, 13 and 33. Jehovah is “the God of patience and consolation,” “the God of hope” and “the God of peace.” He is “the God of comfort” and “the God of love,” and “the God of all grace.” Each one of these thoughts is worthy of a sermon or two.
It is interesting to note that each of the titles mentioned in this chapter are part of Paul’s devotional life. These verses were not the direct prayers of the Apostle, but rather indirect references to his prayers. “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward…” “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…” “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” They also begin with the same Greek word which is here translated “now.” He does the same thing in Hebrews 13 – “Now the God of peace, make you perfect in every good work…” But skipping over “the God of patience and consolation,” and not promising that we won’t look at “the God of peace” later on, this evening let’s think primarily about “the God of hope.”
While it is true that God is the author of hope as well, and the more we know of the Lord, the more perfect and pure our hope will be, Jehovah doesn’t possess hope. I hope that you remember the definition of Biblical hope. It is not a nebulous wish – a day dream – like some greedy man might have of winning the lottery. Hope in the Bible is the anticipation and expectation of receiving something which the Lord has guaranteed to give us. A Biblical hope is result of the way that faith takes hold on the promise of God. A Biblical hope has to live within the realm of time – what we hope in is coming, but it is not yet here. But our God doesn’t live in time; He is above and beyond it. He cannot expect something, as we do, because He exists at the end of all things, as well as in the present. He doesn’t just see the saint’s future glorification; He is, at this instant, “enjoying” it. That glorification is a part of our hope, but to the Lord there is no “hope” about it; it is done. That glorification may be guaranteed to us, but to the Lord, who exists above time, the word “guarantee” doesn’t apply. So once again, we see the great gulf that exists between the Creator and His creation. To rephrase – God doesn’t hope for anything; He doesn’t have to.
“The Lord’s our rock; in Him we hide – shelter in the time of storm.” The image of Christ, or God the Father, as a rock is a common Biblical theme. And it is used in several ways – for example as protection – in the sense of a fortification. Another is that of a hill or mountain which raises the child of God far above the enemy. A third is that of a foundation or a stable platform. Everything about the Lord guarantees stability. The nature and attributes of God foster confidence and assurance. He is self-existent and eternal, so there is no reason to think that He might die or disappear, no matter how strong the hatred of Satan might be against Him. He is omnipotent, so there is no power which can defeat Him. He is omniscient, so that there is nothing which can surprise Him. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things – He is life. He is the God “with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Obviously, I may make a promise to you, with every expectation of keeping that promise. But I am a mere man, without the least ability to guarantee anything. I have no control over my own heart a minute from now. But these sorts of things do not relate to the Lord in any way.
And of course, the people to whom Paul was writing were children of God, as we are. The Lord had created them for His purpose and His glory. He had chosen them from before the foundation of the world. The Saviour had gone to Calvary and given His life and His blood for their redemption. He had justified them – declaring them righteous in His eternal sight. He had sanctified them – setting them apart for Himself and His glory. He had given them the seal and the earnest of the Holy Spirit, indwelling them through the Spirit. Having done such things to them and for them, and to us and for us, it is not unreasonable to build our hope upon such things. We are not expecting millions based upon the gift of a few pennies. This is the hope of unimaginable blessings based on the already received gifts too numerable to count. In other words, Jehovah is our God of hope based upon what He has already done for us.
We could do the same thing with several aspects of salvation, but think for a moment about “adoption.” Romans 8 – “Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” The Bible teaches that every person which the Lord has saved, has been adopted into His eternal family. And for what purpose did He adopt us? What will happen to all those adopted souls? Romans goes on – “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” The adoption “process” (if you will) began in eternity past. Ephesians 1 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” What the Lord began in “eternity past,” will not be concluded until we reach the other side of time – something which we might call “eternity future.” Galatians says, “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” The Biblical doctrine of adoption is one of many, which establishes in the saint Biblical hope. Because this adoption is something which belongs to the Lord, and over which we have no control, we see another reason to call Jehovah “the God of hope.”
But that need is always greater when people are going through a difficult period. In Romans 8 when Paul brought up the subject of hope the context was persecution. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Unfortunately, our problems don’t always come our way because of outside persecution. Sometimes we create our own stress and difficulties. In the current context Paul is dealing with conflicts between the members of a representative church. Let’s correct those difficulties. When two people are headed in the same direction toward the same guaranteed hope, the emotions that they might have about the petty differences between them should melt away. Our fears, doubts, despondency and despair should be overcome by the hope that we have in Christ.
I think that I have a nice little camera; it was close to the top of the line a few years ago. It has a healthy sized digital display on the back, which can be used to focus and adjust the picture that I want to take. But when the sun is really strong and in just the right position that display is useless. I may be looking at a terrible picture, but in the brightness of the sun, I can’t see it. That same sort of thing should be true in the light of hope and the God of hope. The difficulties of this difficult world become more bearable, if we see them at all, in the brilliance of the hope which the Lord has given us.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Do you possess that lively, living hope? Are you sure that you’ve been born again, born from above? Have you truly repented of your sin, and is your faith in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The person who enjoys this hope, this gift of the gracious God, can cope with any and all the difficulties that this world might ever throw against him.