Hope in the Darkness : Lamentations 3:21-33
Sermon Transcript for Sunday July 14th 2024
This week, I've been reading a biography of C.S. Lewis. If you don't know who C.S. Lewis is, you probably read his work at least in elementary school or as you got older. He wrote The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and many other children's books, but he is also famous for being a devout Christian apologist. Lewis faithfully proclaimed and defended the faith of Jesus. As I was reading this biography, I found it fascinating that he lived through World War One and survived the Battle of the Somme, one of the deadliest battles of the war. All five of his friends who were with him during that battle perished, but he survived. By the time World War Two began, he was part of a generation that was too old to fight but still felt a need to contribute. During World War Two, he believed his task was to stand up for the Christian faith and speak the truth against the lies being promoted in his own nation and others against Jesus Christ.
As believers, there's a lesson to learn here. Although not all of us are called to the political arena or warfare, we are all called to stand and fight in one area: opening the Word of God. The Bible is described as a double-edged sword that pierces through the soul and heart, enabling us to fight and give truth and life, not to bring death but to bring life to a world that's dying and suffering in darkness. We have so much hope, and we need to take up arms and be ready to fight, not in political warfare, but in spiritual warfare. We engage with the false truths and narratives of the world today by immersing ourselves in Scripture.
One of the biggest issues our culture is facing is a lack of hope. Yesterday's events made this clear. We live in a nation that is currently devoid of hope. I don't want to speak too much about what happened or the individual responsible, but when you look at someone who would do something like that, it's clear they believe hope is gone. I hear it repeatedly on both sides of the political aisle. People say that if the other side wins, America is doomed. The same sentiment is echoed about political opponents on both sides.
I want to let you know that no matter who wins in November, Jesus Christ is on His throne. No matter what happens in this world, if our government falls, Jesus Christ reigns. We have hope because we have a God who loves and cares for us. This morning, we will see the unshakable power of hope in the midst of darkness.
Lamentations 3:21-33 ESV
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust—there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.
The High Point of Lamentations
Here, we reach the climax, the core message of the entire book of Lamentations. As I mentioned earlier, Lamentations follows a mountaintop structure, building up to the main argument and then descending from it. After delving into deep darkness, the author expresses hope in the middle of it all.
The Steadfast Love of the Lord
Verses 22 through 33 lay out the character of God, starting with "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness." The term "steadfast love" translates from the Hebrew word hesed, which means covenantal, faithful love or mercy. It's more than just love in the way we often use the term. For example, I love my dog and my wife, but not in the same way. The same goes for my son Judah and the Florida Gators. This hesed love is based on a covenant, a promise that will not fail. It’s a commitment that is faithful through generations.
The closest comparison we have is a faithful marriage, where a husband loves his wife through decades. However, even this falls short of God's eternal, faithful love. Jeremiah had to preach this to himself because he lived in a time of immense suffering and loss. He reminds us that the steadfast love of the Lord has not ceased, even in our darkest times. Whether we are facing personal or national crises, God's steadfast love remains.
The Lord is My Portion
Jeremiah calls this to mind as an action he takes to remind himself of the hope and light amidst the darkness. In verse 24, he says, "The Lord is my portion." This term "portion" signifies inheritance. Our hope and inheritance are not found in this world, our nation, our bank accounts, jobs, or retirement funds. Our inheritance is an eternal relationship with a covenant-keeping God who will never leave or forsake us. We have an inheritance that allows us to hope even in the darkest times.
My grandfather used to say, "It's fine if people owe me money because if someone owes me money, then I always have money." There is some truth to that. If you can rely on a faithful person to pay you back, you can count on it. However, when it comes to finances and income, other people or the economy are not always reliable. But when we place our faith in Jesus Christ, the promised return is that we will have a covenant-keeping God who is always faithful. He will be our portion, and we will have a relationship with Him that will not be abandoned, enabling us to hope in Him.
Our Hope enables us to Wait on the Lord
In verses 28-30, we read that "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Real hope enables us to wait patiently. I heard a story about a kid playing in a Little League ballgame. In the first inning, the other team scored 18 runs. When his dad asked if he was discouraged, the kid smiled and said, "Nope, we just haven't got to bat yet." He was hopeful because he knew there was a chance they could score 19 runs in that inning. Similarly, when we look at the world's darkness, it seems like there's nothing we can do to even the score. But the good news is we have a God on our side who is far greater than anything the world can throw our way.
The Lord's Attributes enable us to Hope
Finally, in verses 32-33, we see, "But though He causes grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love, for He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the children of men." In Exodus 34, God proclaimed Himself as "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands." Jeremiah knew this verse and wrote, "The Lord has caused grief, but He will be faithful to a thousand generations." God's afflictions are not from a malicious heart but from steadfast love, with good on the other side.
If you’re struggling with hope, remember that Jesus Christ endured the cross and rose from the grave, providing salvation and hope for every moment. If you're struggling to find hope in your nation, family, or life, pray and turn to Jesus. Let's place our faith in Him and wait in hope, knowing He is the steadfast, covenant-keeping God