There is a serial killer on the loose. Have you heard? Sadly, millions of people fall victim to this jackal daily. With carnage that consistent and widespread, you might expect this assassin to be in the headline of every newspaper around the globe every day. The truth is that this killer is in every newspaper and television broadcast . . . the only thing is, he is never mentioned by name. Merely the effects of this brute are commonly written and spoken about. Who is this murderer? The killer’s name is “Hopelessness.”
The loss of hope is as deadly a force as this world has ever known. When hope is removed, depression or despair sets in, and life begins to be snuffed out. Sometimes hopelessness leads to loss of physical life, but much more frequently, hopelessness kills the vitality of whoever is overcome by it. To the hopeless, life loses its color and fades to grey. To the hopeless, life loses its purpose, and becomes a slow and pointless march. To the hopeless, life loses its connection, and people drift away from intimacy with God and others. Hopelessness is a killer we must all be aware of.
All of humanity runs the risk of being overcome by this serial killer, but it is possible to be steadfast in hope, regardless of our circumstances. The hope that each person has, is not found within ourselves, not found in Washington D.C., not found in our bank accounts or IRA, not found in our friends and acquaintances. The true hope we have that cures our hopelessness is found in Jesus Christ.
Over the next three weeks at Wildwood, we will be walking through a series entitled, “Hope Restored” that will remind us of our hope in Christ by looking at the story of the Apostle Peter from his denial to his leadership in the early church. I look forward to the chance of worshipping with you at Wildwood this weekend as we look at this important topic together.