Love Hopeth All Things

Title: Love Hopeth All Things Text: I Corinthians 13:7

Introduction: Read I Corinthians 13:1-8a –

I. The meaning of love “Hopeth all things”:

Strong’s – 1679. elpizo, to expect or confide:–(have, thing) hope(-d) (for), trust.

Hope: “To cherish a desire of good, with some expectation of obtaining it. Or a belief that it is obtainable” (Noah Webster 1828).

What is the difference between “Hope” & “Wish?”

“That is the optimism of love in spite of all appearances. We hope for the best” (G.C. Morgan p.165).

“Hopeth all things is the forward look. The thought is not that of an unreasoning optimism, which fails to take account of reality. It is rather a refusal to take failure as final” (Leon Morris pp.185-186).

“Hopes for the best with regard to all men” (Hodge p.271).

“Sees the bright side of things. Does not despair.” A.T. Robertson

“Love never ceases to hope” (Barclay)

Illustration: “Adam Clark was one of the great theologians but at school he was very slow to learn. One day a distinguished visitor paid a visit to the school, and the teacher singled out Adam Clark and said, “That is the stupidest boy in the school.” Before he left the school, the visitor came to the boy and said kindly, “Never mind, my boy, you may be a great scholar some day. Don’t be discouraged but try hard, and keep on trying.” The teacher was hopeless, the visitor was hopeful, . . . ” (Barclay, p.124).

Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

“Hopeth all things – When there is no place left for believing good of a person, then love comes in with its hope, where it could not work by its faith; and begins immediately to make allowances and excuses, as far as a good conscience can permit; and farther, anticipates the repentance of the transgressor, and his restoration to the good opinion of society and his place in the Church of God, from which he had fallen” (Adam Clark).

II. Bible examples of “hoping all things”:

1. Parents: Pr 19:18 “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.”

2. Ananias: Acts 9:10-17

III. Developing a life of “hoping all things.”

1. Hope is only as secure as the object of your hope is secure – you will never go wrong hoping in God: Psalm 33:18-22 Contrast – Hope in man

2. Hope implies waiting: Romans 8:24-25 – Illustrate: Portuguese word for hope means wait as well.

3. Hope increases as we read God’s word: Romans 15:4

4. Hope for people must be based upon our hope in God: 2 Timothy 2:24-26

Application: Having hope for difficult people who are a trial to you.