Explosive Hope
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)
In case you haven't heard, "College Game Day" is coming to Lubbock this weekend, along with Patrick & Mrs. Mahomes and (it is rumored mind you), a possible guest in Travis Kelce and maybe, just maybe, his fiancé, Taylor Swift, might just join him. This day is a big day in Texas Tech history. A big game on the line versus undefeated BYU who currently sits atop the Big 12. The game itself carried meaning, but now that both teams find themselves in the first pass of the CFP twelve-team bracket, it carries a story with epic potential.
Tech has been "good" for the most part under Coach McGuire, but his recent dive into the Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) and transfer portal system have given Tech an opportunity to move into better than good category.
We are experiencing the latter portion of Paul's steps in this passage. We have "hope" as a people on the South Plains. For the second time since we've moved to Lubbock, Tech finds itself in the media spotlight for football and that "hope" is explosive. Especially given the fact that Mahomes was in high school (maybe) when the first Game Day came here during the epic 2008 "UT v Tech" match up which did not disappoint as a game for all of football fans across the nation.
Sports fans know disappointment and "suffering." Droughts occur in sports franchises and the seasons run together in collective disappointment for years. We learn to "endure." Endurance, while painful, teaches us lessons in life, and eventually yields itself to "hope." To be in a season of hope is a good place to be, maybe even great.
Applying this to our faith lives, those in faith learn from Paul's words a serious lesson on life. We will suffer as a result of our faith. That may take the form of ridicule, being denied an opportunity, maybe even persecution, and in some cases death or genocide (modern-day Nigeria under Boko Haram for example). Paul is encouraging us by his words by giving all of us "hope." This earthly stuff is all very temporary, even the joy of being a great football team is "vapor" to borrow from Solomon. Suffering gives us endurance, and endurance builds character, and character yields hope. True joy comes from things eternal.
We pray for those who suffer on account of their faith. We rejoice with those who come to faith in spite of persecution for doing so. We pray God's hand protect them and that he ends the suffering and persecution of those who speak the truths of our confessions, that Christ is our Lord and Savior. We ask for God to forgive those who "know not what they do," and that we forgive them as well. We ask that God turn their hearts and minds to Christ Jesus and to join us in the hope of the resurrection, our only true source of hope. In Christ's name, Amen.