Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Religion News
“Getting Over Our Fear of Hope”

“Getting Over Our Fear of Hope”

Last updated on: May 19, 2013 at 10:00 pm by Jeff Hood

“Getting Over Our Fear of Hope” 2013-05-19T22:00:43-06:00 Jeff Hood

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Fire

“Suddenly a violent rushing wind from heaven filled the entire house where they were sitting. Tongues of fire distributed and rested on each person. Everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in the utterances of the Spirit. There were religious folk living in Jerusalem, from every nation on earth. When they heard the noise, they came together, amazed that they were hearing their own language. ‘These are Galileans. How is it that they are speaking our language?’ they declared in astonishment, ‘We hear of the mighty deeds of God in our own tounge.’ They continued in great amazement saying, ‘What does this mean?’ But others were mocking and saying, ‘They are full of sweet wine.’”

Acts 2:2-13

Stories like this are difficult to encounter. We are a skeptical people. This story sounds silly. When we hear of violent winds, spirits, foreign languages, and supernatural movements all coming together we conclude just like the folks in Jerusalem, ‘They must be drunk.’ You are looking at one of the biggest skeptics of them all. I have been beat down and broken time after time by false stories of religious experience. I have had pastors and religious leaders lie to my face about God to get what they want. There is no question that sometimes there is reason to be skeptical, but then again there are other times…

Times where the impossible seems possible.

Times where love seems to reign.

Times where hope seems real.

Today we live in the deep chasm existent in the space separating ‘what is’ and ‘what if.’

Too often we allow ‘what is’ to guide our lives and respond like the religious folks in Jerusalem.

I experienced a pastor this week in Guatemala who told me that he saw and heard the physical manifestation of Jesus during the genocide.

What do you say to such things, ‘He must have been drunk.’

I heard a story yesterday about a near death experience. An Episcopal priest in Massachusetts met a 3-year-old girl who told him all about his life and what she had learned when she almost died. The problem was they had never met.

What do you say to such things, ‘He must have been drunk.’

We are working for justice and equality here in Denton, Texas. I know that a time is coming when there will be full equality and gay marriages in all the churches in this town.

What do you say to such things, ‘He must be drunk.’

I believe that God loves us and has prepared a place for us called heaven. I believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I believe that there is healing to be found in prayer.

What do you say to such things, ‘He must be drunk.’

Your skepticism betrays your ability to see, feel, taste, or experience the beautiful. Your skepticism keeps you from a place called hope. Ya’ll ask me all the time, ‘Why can’t I fall in love?’ The answer to that is simple, ‘Because you think relationships have to fit into a scientific equation. You dissect them like you are in a physics class.’ Just let love and hope be…

Quit thinking you know so damn much!

Allow your heart and soul to lead every once in a while…

We are not going to be able to do anything as a people until we begin to be comfortable in the space of ‘what if.’ While we are not going to forget ‘what is,’ because we want to always keep a good idea of the what is around us, we are going to start dream about what God can do in our lives, in this space, and in the world.

I believe in love and I want to see the power of love unleashed.

I want to see love come down like a mighty wind and flabbergast our neighbors.

Can we get over our fear of hope and start believing in more than what the limits of our mind allow?

Maybe…oh just maybe…we too might experience the fire.

Amen.

fresh writings

Sermon

Previous Post

May 17, 2013

A Tale of Two Pastors

Next Post

May 21, 2013 A Poem for Moore, Oklahoma

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Danny & Jeff fresh writings latest poetics north texas fellowship of reconciliation Sermon theology from death row Thoughts Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Called from my mother's womb to be a prophet to the nations, I protested that I was too young. Who objected to this divine appointment?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ezekiel Isaiah Jeremiah Samuel