Hope in the Kingdom not of this world

But imagine right now, if your hope was set in the government of Idaho. All you can do is share

Facebook posts about how great Idaho is, and you think it's going to be better or it's going to be worse, whatever your hope looks like.

And you think that Idaho is going to become better and better and better and more godly. Would there be confidence in the

Lord if you saw Paul dragged out of the capital house in Boise today? If you thought that Idaho would be reformed and refined to the teachings of Paul right then and there?

Or would you stop and think, well, that's not supposed to happen. I thought things were going to get better.

Paul's in prison when he writes this text. Maybe you see something like that happen. A Christian get persecuted here in Idaho.

And so then you go home and you just think that was just a random occurrence. And you go home and you turn on the news. And then you see on the news that there is an

LGBTQ plus pride parade being announced and rejoiced over by the newscast.

So then you think, well, I can't watch the news. Maybe I'll just go to the library instead.

And there you go into the library thinking that you'll find a place to rejoice over your beloved

Idaho. And you see little children running about with cheer and joy on their faces.

And you think that this might be a sign of the hope that you had in Idaho and the people itself. To then peer over a crowd that has circled around a horrendous abomination called a drag queen as they read soft porn to children.

If your hope is focused on this world and you are being honest with yourself, you will lose all confidence.

Confidence in the physical world will always be met by disappointment in the Christian life.

Your hope has to be on something that is outside of this world. Your hope has to be on something that Paul took into prison with him.

And that hope has to be that you were born again, that you've entered into a kingdom that is not of this world, a government that's far better than what

Idaho or anywhere else could provide for you. That though you are in a fallen kingdom physically, there is hope only in the one that is the mediator of the new covenant as we have been made undeserving members of.

That is where our hope must be at is in members of the new covenant. And whether or not

Idaho gets better or worse, if your hope is in Christ, that will change the way that you behave in this world.

And hopefully the gospel of Christ, his kingdom will be advanced through you proclaiming that hope, a hope that is not dependent upon the outside world.

Fannie Crosby, I think we've talked about her in the past as we've sung her hymns, is one of the most, if not the most prolific hymn writer in history.

Though blinded by an incompetent doctor at six weeks of age, she wrote over 8 ,000 hymns.

Wonderful, remarkable woman of the faith. She has a song. I don't know how it's sung as far as I've been.

I'm going to just read this to you. Ye armies of the living God, with banner, shield, and sword, march onward, shouting as you go, no king but Christ our

Lord. All crowns be on his sacred head. All worlds be at his feet.

All scepters in his mighty hands. All tongues his praise repeat. Salvation, glory, strength, and power ascribe to him alone, whose truth established firmly stands eternal as his throne.

Untransversed regions, boundless realms, their great first cause adore.

His rules and majesty supreme, and reigns from shore to shore. March on ye victors through his grace.

To him your trophies bring, creator, savior, prophet, priest, redeemer, lord, and king.

Sometimes I wish that a lot of the contemporary songs would only have an ounce of what Fanny Crosby would bring to the table.

Rick said it today in Adventure Club. Jesus is Lord. So then, the question now must be asked, if Jesus is

Lord, and that is what we are to have confidence in, so that when chains come, we know

Jesus is Lord, and that's where our hope is at, why then does Paul then say, most of my brothers, not all of my brothers.

This is so simple, and many of us today, and I would ask that you think about this for yourself, many of us today could be said to be guilty of this.

Does the thought of an awkward conversation stop you from sharing the gospel?

Does the thought of you being kicked out of your close group of friends or family even hinder you from professing

Jesus as Lord? I would argue that we all fell miserably at this, and I would also say that this is the great plague that has taken over Christianity in our generation, and that is lack of zeal in the greater hope we possess as being in the new covenant and being members of a kingdom that is not of this world.

Brothers and sisters, if you think you are quick to profess Jesus, but then scatter at the shaking of the thoughts of the wolf coming, you will deny your master when the wolf really does come.