Rev. Dr. Joel D. Biermann
Romans 15:12-13
December 4, 2016
It was still a week before Thanksgiving, and Santa was having a slow day. Not the North Pole Santa, of course, I suppose he would have been busy so close to the delivery date of his goods. No, it was Santa at the Galleria who was having a slow day. Only one neatly-dressed little girl was waiting in line. Two of my grandsons were also waiting, not to see Santa, but to see their cousins who were scheduled to join them for some fun in the mall’s play area. But as my grandsons waited, they were fascinated with Santa’s business, and watched with great interest through the little fence that kept Santa’s throne cordoned off from mall traffic. Santa did his routine with the little girl and then having little else to do, waved at the two boys peering through the slats of the fence. The elf-photographer noticed and invited Titus and Jude to come in and talk to Santa—no charge for no picture, proving once again that talk is cheap. So, I led the duo to meet the mythical Santa Claus.
“What would you like for Christmas?” Santa started with the standard question. Titus is 3½; he did the talking. He looked around and pointed vaguely at a mound of pretend presents piled next to the throne. “But what do you want in the presents, Santa pressed?” Titus had no response. He wasn’t there to ask for stuff; he was there to meet the interesting guy in red. It hadn’t occurred to him that he should ask for anything; presents just come and what you get is what you get. The boys never did ask for anything, but Santa got a couple of hugs, and the meeting was done. I’m sure when they are a bit older Titus and Jude will know what they want. Most of those who sit on Santa’s lap know exactly what they want. For some it’s a new toy, or new game, or an electronic device. Some are bigger dreamers: they would like a new bike, a puppy, or even a pony. And then there are those who hop onto Santa’s lap with outrageously high hopes and ask the Christmas miracle-man for things that actually matter: they want Santa to help their parents stop fighting, or to fall in love again so that they can have one happy home like they used to. They want a sibling or friend to recover from cancer, or even a beloved pet to come back from death. At those times, it’s Santa’s turn to be left with nothing to say.
Hope runs high at Christmas. Kids see commercials, and talk to their friends, and hope, hope, hope for that special toy that certainly seems to be within mom and dad’s price range. Parents hope that they’ll be able to pay all of the bills they rack up so that the kids can “have a nice Christmas.” It is odd how Christmas is typically rated by the number and value of the presents given and received. People even talk about “having Christmas” when all they really mean is opening presents. I’ve heard people say with a long face, “We’re tight on money, so we can’t ‘have’ Christmas this year.” Frankly, I don’t understand it. A person does not “have” Christmas. He celebrates it, or perhaps just observes it, but he does not have it. Christmas is not something to have. It’s not something to be measured by gift wrap, food, and LED lights. But, I’m getting off subject…this morning, it’s hope that I want to talk about, and as I said, hope abounds at Christmas. Some of the hopes are pure and worthy—like a child hoping his parents will reconcile and provide a home. Some are selfish and greedy—like the kid who hopes that the elves will receive his detailed Christmas want list that he emailed to the north pole, and act swiftly to fulfill every itemized desire as specified.
Children do a lot of idealistic hoping, but parents certainly haven’t forgotten how to hope, either. “I hope I get all the Christmas shopping done early.” I hope I can take off a few pounds by Christmas.” “I hope that my tax return will cover the down payment on that car I want.” “I hope that Social Security is still solvent when I retire.” “I hope that I can get through the service this morning without nodding off and embarrassing myself.” Hope is always springing forth anew. But much of what gets called hope is not hope at all. It’s merely wishful thinking. Making a wish on the first star is about as effective as much of our hoping. Far too often, hope is just one small step away from despair. Hope is what you do when there’s no other logical, or realistic solution available. Hope is what you cling to when you’re down 21 to 0 and it’s the last half of the fourth quarter. Hope is what you grab when the doctor says its inoperable and it’s time to talk to hospice. In situations like these, all people, both religious and devoutly unreligious, hope. They’re told to hope. It’s encouraged, expected, and respected. But, most of the time, these people who claim to be keeping their hope alive really have no hope at all. Hope that comes only when there’s nothing else left is not hope. It’s simply a mask or delaying tactic for the despair that is really there; it’s a denial that has been camouflaged in the guise of hope. But, it’s not hope.
Hope is not the last chance. It is a first reality. But, for hope to be the real thing—the kind that is a hallmark of Christian faith—it is vital that you know the reason for your hope. You’ve got to know in what you’re putting your hope. Big problems come when people hope in the wrong things…and this they do with great regularity. Often, people put their hope in situations or circumstances. A person driving frantically to a late appointment hopes that the lights are all green, and traffic is thin. This is hope rooted in inanimate things, which is ridiculous at best. A man buys a lottery ticket and hopes that the random numbers that appear on his ticket will win it big. This is not hope. It is delusional, absurd behavior. Hoping in circumstances and inanimate things is not hope. It’s foolish illusion or worse, blasphemous unbelief.
People are also good at putting their hope in other people. Whether a teacher, an employer, a friend, a doctor, a parent or a politician, it does not matter: putting your hope in people is always just a shot in the dark. Maybe they’ll come through, maybe they won’t. There’s no guarantee because people are, after all, fallible and prone to mistakes. When you put your hope in people, you’re begging to be let down. People will never fulfill your hopes. They can’t. Hope in people is not hope; it’s disappointment waiting to happen. It’s just a matter of time. A new spouse, a new boss, a new friend—none of them will fulfill your hopes. Since hoping in things or other people always ends in disappointment, smart and savvy individuals dismiss all but themselves. They figure that if they can’t trust anyone else, they’ll have to trust themselves. But, experience quickly teaches that we can’t even rely on ourselves with any certain hope. We let down even ourselves. Hoping in things or people is not hope. Hoping in the wrong things is just wishful thinking. Even Christians can be guilty of this non-hope hoping. We disguise it, though, and make it sound pious. “I hope that God helps me do well on this test.” Is that hope? No, it’s trust in self or an admission of failure to prepare. “I hope that God helps my child to straighten out!” Is that hope? No, it’s only idle dreaming, a vague desire that some good thing will come to be, but, it’s not real hope.
You can spot false hope every time because it is not certain. For Christians, hope that is not a sure thing is not hope. It’s a desire or a strong wish, but it’s not hope. Hope that is false leads to disappointment and despair or delusion. Real hope is certain. It does not disappoint. It destroys despair. It is not delusion. It is real. It is founded on Jesus Christ. Hope is not rooted in things or people or even yourself. Hope is grounded only in Jesus. When Jesus is the foundation of hope, then it is certain. It is not an illusion or a wish. It is a sure thing. Christ has promised and it will be fulfilled. That’s how hope works.
There is, then, an enormous difference between Christian hope and the hope of everyone else in the world. All non-Jesus-centered hope is vague and unsure, a hollow attempt to stave off despair. But there is never any certainty that the hope will be realized. Hope in Christ, is certain. It will take place. A Christian has hope for the future, because Jesus has promised to make that future wonderful. He will do it. There’s no risk involved. It’s like a child on the day before Christmas. He surveys the decorated house, the delights in the refrigerator, the gifts under the tree, and all the doors opened on his Advent calendar but one. He knows that soon, very soon, he’ll be enjoying Christmas. There’s no doubt that it will happen. It’s as good as done, now. So, he goes to bed waiting for a sure thing. That’s hope. That’s the way that Christians hope. The outcome is never in question. It’s simply a matter of waiting—that’s the hope part.
When you hope in Christ, there is no risk involved. And that should make a difference in how you live, now. People who have Christian hope don’t live like people who have only world-hope. Having a sure-thing guarantee in Christ changes the way that your life looks, today. You have more than optimism and good prospect; you have a certain reality promised by God who is working through every circumstance and situation to fulfill his purpose. Knowing that God is directing all things according to his plan lets you face life’s ups and downs, victories and disappointments, sorrows and pain with a certain careless detachment—none of it can thwart what God is going to do. So, you live today with confidence. You live today with peace. You live today with security because today is part of God’s perfect unfolding plan. Christian hope is confidence. It cancels worry. In fact, hope and worry are mutually exclusive. I’ve heard people who are coming unraveled with stress and anxiety, consumed with fear and worry tell me that at least they still have hope left. But, that’s not true. They may have yearnings, dreams, and best case scenarios, but they don’t have hope. True hope, the hope you have in Christ, leaves no room for distress and anxiety. It drives out despair and replaces it with assurance and peace.
All your dreams and wishes may not be realized—how could they be? They may not all be part of God’s plan. But, your Christian hope will always be fulfilled—how could it not be? It is God’s eternal plan. In other words, you’re not going to get everything that you want just because you’re a Christian and you hope. But, you will get everything that God has promised you. That’s the root of hope. That’s the foundation of the contented and purposeful life you live today. You have hope. You have the certainty that God is in control and making his plan happen.
In the dark and fearful days after France and most of Europe had crumbled and fallen to Hitler’s armies, Winston Churchill met in executive session with his government leaders to assess the hard reality of the situation. England stood alone against forces that had proven utterly unstoppable. As the briefing concluded, a pall of heavy silence descended on the room. At last, Churchill spoke. “Gentlemen,” he said, “I find it rather inspiring.” That’s the way of it for you and me. No matter what struggles come into your life, no matter how severe the trial, no matter how difficult the test; hope remains vibrantly alive …not because there’s nothing else left, but because God has given his word. Things may not go as you have them planned. You may not like your current situation or the challenges that come, but your hope remains constant. It is rooted and grounded in Christ. You will not, you cannot, be disappointed.
After Christmas has come and gone this year, there will certainly be some disappointed people. Their dreams won’t be realized. Santa won’t bring them everything that they asked for and wanted. Most people would say, “That’s how it is…sometimes you get what you hope for, and sometimes you don’t.” God says, “No, that’s not hope. Hope is what I give you. When you hope in me, you always get what you hope for.” Always. When you hope in Christ, you’ll get everything you hope for, and more. Don’t pin your hope on things, or luck, or people, or Santa. Ground your hope in Jesus; he’s the root of hope. Amen.