Hope - Leanne Payne

The sermon explores the theological virtue of hope, emphasizing its crucial role in the Christian life and its connection to faith, love, and the promises of God. Drawing on the works of Pieper and Aquinas, the message highlights the importance of magnanimity—a courageous aspiration for greatness rooted in confidence in human potential—and humility, which grounds hope in a proper understanding of our creaturely limitations. The sermon warns against despair, a decision against Christ, and presumption, which hinders progress by assuming fulfillment has already occurred, ultimately encouraging listeners to personalize God's promises, cultivate virtue through disciplined obedience, and recognize that hope is sustained by faith and a journey toward fulfilling God's purpose.