THE MYTH OF HOPELESSNESS
Mark 15

If I were to ask you, “what are your chances of surviving a plane crash” what would you answer? 50%, 20%, 5%? What if I told you that statistically speaking your chances of surviving a plane crash are 95.7% - yes 95.7%.

So why does our mind conjure up “hopeless” scenarios? Because our responses are based on our perception; what we have seen and heard about “plane crashes”.

Our minds have been programmed to “give-up” or “lay-down” when met with certain scenarios.

- “The odds aren’t very good.”
- “If this happens there is little hope.”
- “If they couldn’t do it… there is no way you will ever do it.”.

What are the odds of you making it through a hardship or disaster? What are the odds that you have victory over depression or addiction? 100%; either that you will make it or 100% that you will not make it.

Percentages offer the option for lack AND positions us to accept failure. “There is an 80% chance that something will happen…” That 20% is our “fall-back” our justification if something does not happen. See how that works.

It works both ways – favorable or not –

USUALLY:
Percentages provide a way of justifying disappointment – that is not the gospel – that is not what Jesus demonstrated.

The dangerous consequence of the “Myth of Hopelessness” is that when people consider there’s a possibility that they won’t “make it” (the percentages are not in their favor) they put themselves at even greater risk of doing exactly that… not making it.

YES - The battle field is the “mind” and that’s the problem – the mind is not the seat of faith – the heart is.

The battle takes place in our soul (Mind, will and emotions). The direction your mind takes will lead your emotions and your will. Once you loose your willingness – you loose your chance for overcoming.

WHY? Without willingness,

- you have the answer,
- you put limits what is possible.
- You decide what will happen.

We find ourselves in the 5th week of Tools for Navigating through life:

1. Situational awareness.
2. Deal with Reality
3. Remain Calm
4. Militant faith
5. The Myth of Hopelessness

Chapter 15 of Mark provides one of the most hopeless days in all of eternity… deicide (the death of God).

1. Jesus had been delivered (by His own choice) to Pilate
2. Pilate then delivers him over to be crucified
3. Jesus is then mocked by the soldiers
4. He is then crucified and buried.

What strikes me as I read this account is this. Was Jesus hopeless? It sure appears that way. He seems to just roll over and take it. It’s as though he is convinced that “the odds are against Him” and there is nothing he can do to save himself… he’s succumb to the “hopelessness”. However, that is my perception of His reality. My perception is not truth… I don’t know what was going through His mind I can only speculate.

What I see as hopeless… God sees as unlimited possibility
What I see as closed… God sees as an opening

God takes the weak things of the world and uses them for greatness – he is able to use our weakness and transforms it to strength.

Isaiah 42:1-3

- I need the cries of the masses encouraging me / God needs the voice of just one.

- I need a battering ram to break through / God needs a broken and bruised reed to accomplish His purposes.

- I need an all consuming fire / God needs a dimly burning wick to bring light and life.

God is able to breakthrough with a calm voice, a broken weed and with the slightest flicker of light. God is so gentle and powerful that if given the slightest amount of “genuine faith” He can change the course of history.

We find these simple yet powerful elements in Mark 15:

A calm voice – 15:2.

A broken reed – 15:19

But where is the dimly burning wick? Well… you can’t see it. But I think that’s the point of hope. If I can “see” hope it is not “hope”. It has moved from hope to actuality.

- “I hope my car is in the parking lot – once I see that it is – it is no longer hope it is actuality.”

o Romans 8:24 – Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

By the end of this message I pray you will be able to see the light.

Why so hopeless?

Hopelessness get’s its power from isolation.

- Physical isolation; when people are alone they easily succumb to hopelessness.

o Prisoners of war are isolated so as to make them hopeless.

- Jesus was isolated from things familiar.

- He was placed in circumstances where there was no one on his side.

At one point Jesus was separated from God. Void of relationship from His father.

- To say he was isolated is an understatement for he had no relationship to God.

Hopelessness gets power from the “build up” of the unknown.
- The greater the “build up” – the more prone we are to hopelessness.

o Proverbs 13:12 – Hope deferred makes the heart sick…

- Jesus went through a build up of circumstances:

o One on one conversation with Pilate.
o Being paraded in front of the people with Barabbas.
o Being physically assaulted by soldiers.
o Being physically assaulted, mocked and walking among the people.
o Being placed on the cross, stripped naked, nailed to the cross and put on display in front of thousands.

Have you ever “gotten the call” from your boss? “I need to see you tomorrow at 10:00.”

- No information is given.
- You can’t think of any reason.
- You can’t sleep that night.
- You feel sick that morning.
- And by the time your boss tells you that you are going to receive a promotion you can’t even enjoy it.

Hopelessness partners with fear.

- When people feel afraid they become hopeless and make decisions that perpetuate hopelessness.

o Saul sought council from a witch. (1 Samuel 28:1-7)

o Peter cut off the ear of a servant of the priest – which carried a sentence of death.

o In Jesus’ case he did not partner with evil… but everything around him did.

Have you ever seen “world’s wildest police chases? What is the primary reason people run from police? It’s some minor offense; like I have a warrant for a parking ticket, I’m on parole, my license is suspended or they have two other speeding tickets and were afraid. Any time I partner with a spirit of fear and act upon that fear the only possible outcome is sin.

If you arrive at a place where you are hopeless you have succumb to one of these factors:

- Isolation
- The build up of the unknown.
- Fear

So… in light of these elements it would appear that Jesus must have been hopeless… right?

But he was not because:

He did not consider His circumstances.

- This is not to say that he did not “deal” with His circumstances.

- This is also not to say that he did not “feel” His circumstances

• What I am saying is… he did not consider His circumstances as the final word on His destiny.

- Romans 4:19-20 – “And not being weak in faith, Abraham did not consider his own body, already dead and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waiver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform.”

Listen if I considered circumstances the final word on people’s destiny – I’d fold up my bible and go to Café Brazil for breakfast. And honestly… there are people sitting there right now because they consider their present circumstance to be the final word on their destiny. And they are hopeless.

He saw beyond the present moment.

Hold your hand with fingers closed in front of your face so that you cannot see me. How hopeful are you that you could count the number of fingers I am holding up? Now, spread your fingers apart and look at me – how hopeful are you about counting the number of fingers? When I focus on that which is directly in front of me – I am not able to see the possibility of hope.

• When it is a literal focus on an object that impedes your vision… it is relatively simple to look beyond it.

• In this case for us to “see beyond the present moment”… it asks that we consider events that have not yet occurred.

- That we take, by faith, the supernatural promises of God and draw upon them for hope.

Jesus looked to the joy that was set before him and endured the cross, despising the shame… (Heb 12:2)

- What was the joy that he saw?

• That he would be seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2)

Why is it important for me to see beyond the present into the promises of God? Personally, it allows me to navigate through life without being undone. Corporately, Whether or not I choose to live out faith in the promises of God for my life… will affect the lives of others.

NOTE: Think if Jesus did not consider the joy that was before him? What if he didn’t live out His faith in what God had promised?

• All of us can think of someone who is choosing to not faithfully broker the promises of God in their life – and what that is doing to people around them.

• Now, compare that to a person who is standing on the promises of God – despite the odds, or the circumstance – they are not dissuaded. What does that do for those around them?

My choice to see beyond my present circumstance is NOT JUST FOR ME – it is for others that will stand upon what I create.

He did not think about similar situations and their outcomes.

This circumstance is unique.

- Jesus had witnessed many deaths… not pretty… not very good odds. And yet there was one – that of Lazarus – but then he knew that his day would come as well.

What are the odds of being raised from the dead? 100% with God – either you rise or you don’t. Honestly the pressure is not on you it is on God. In creating an atmosphere of hope in your life it is wise to not think about similar circumstances and their outcomes – either good or bad.

Why?

When I consider similar circumstances and their outcome I have just allowed a spirit of comparison to take up residence in my life. When I choose to compare my life to anything other than God’s destiny I have partnered with an inferior system. It’s as simple as thinking that people who have a larger house than you do are happier and more content. What has happened to others in similar circumstances has no bearing on my success or failure. Jesus remained hopeful despite the odds because he did not think about the way things went for others…

- He took God at his word, “Nothing is impossible”.

In choosing to treat every circumstance as unique you create an atmosphere of unlimited possibility. “Nothing is impossible with God”.

• Your parents have been divorced – what are the odds of you being divorced?”

• “The results came back from the doctor –

• You are the favorite to will first place -

You can get hope back – it’s your decision – all God needs is a dimly burning wick.