This document contains the text of a sermon given at the Jackson Street Church of Christ. The sermon discusses how faith, hope, and love will remain even after other things fail. It emphasizes that faith makes things possible, hope makes things bright, and love makes things easy. The greatest of these is love. The sermon encourages focusing on eternal spiritual things rather than temporary earthly things and cultivating love for God and others.

1. W E L C O M E T O T H E
J A C K S O N S T R E E T C H U R C H O F C H R I S T
P L E A S E T U R N O F F C E L L P H O N E S

2. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Love never fails. But whether
there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there
are tongues, they will cease; whether there is
knowledge, it will vanish away. (9) For we know in
part and we prophesy in part. (10) But when that
which is perfect has come, then that which is in part
will be done away. (11) When I was a child, I spoke
as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a
child; but when I became a man, I put away childish
things. (12) For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but
then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall
know just as I also am known. (13) And now abide
faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of
these is love.

3. AFTER ALL
ELSE FAILS,
WHAT
REMAINS?

4. AFTER ALL ELSE FAILS
A. When all else fails…
1.When all else fails, stop using "all else".
2.When all else fails, learn from the experience and
then move on.
3.When all else fails, God doesn't.
4.When all else fails take a nap.
5.When all else fails read the instructions.
6.When all else fails start running.
7.When all else fails pray.
8.When all else fails smile.
9.When all else fails blame someone else.

5. AFTER ALL ELSE FAILS
B. Some spend their life pursuing miracles, power, and
gifts; however, the great pursuits of life are faith,
hope and love.
C. Since these are so important, we see them
emphasized over and over in scripture.
1. 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope,
love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
2. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 remembering without
ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and
patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the
sight of our God and Father,
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who are of the day
be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and
love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

6. AFTER ALL ELSE FAILS
4. Galatians 5:5-6 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for
the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything,
but faith working through love.
5. 1 Peter 1:21-22 who through Him believe in God, who
raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your
faith and hope are in God. 22 Since you have purified your
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere
love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a
pure heart,
6. Colossians 1:4-5 since we heard of your faith in Christ
Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the
hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you
heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,

7. AFTER ALL ELSE FAILS
D. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart.
Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward
man is being renewed day by day. (17) For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, (18) while
we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen. For the things which are seen
are temporary, but the things which are not seen are
eternal.
E. Colossians 3:1-3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek
those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at
the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on things above,
not on things on the earth. (3) For you died, and your life
is hidden with Christ in God.
F. What is the focus of your Christian life? What do you
really want more than anything?

8. I. FAITH MAKES THINGS POSSIBLE.
A. Faith is belief and trust; it's believing in the facts of
the gospel and trusting in them to save. Paul tells us
that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the
word of God" (Rom. 10:17).
B. Faith and character are intimately related.
C. Faith in the power of obedience to the
commandments of God will forge strength of
character available to you in times of urgent need.
D. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
"Substance", from hypostasis, means, "a setting or
placing under, thing put under, substructure,
foundation, under-girding."

9. I. FAITH MAKES THINGS POSSIBLE.
E. It's the same as the rock upon which the "wise
man" built his house (Matt. 7:24).
F. By faith, Abraham stood strong (Rom. 4:20),
G. Moses led strong (Heb. 11:24-28),
H. Elijah spoke strong (1 Kings 18:21),
I. Joseph lived strong (Gen. 39:12) and
J. Joshua chose strong (Joshua 24:15).
K. Faith makes all things possible.

10. II. HOPE MAKES THINGS BRIGHT.
A. The word "hope" means, "anxious expectation."
B. Hope is the confident expectation of divine
blessing.
C. Hope is singular in nature ("one hope of your
calling" Eph. 4:4).
D. Hope has its reasons 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the
Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to
give a defense to everyone who asks you a
reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness
and fear;

11. II. HOPE MAKES THINGS BRIGHT.
E. Peter tells us that was have been born again to a
"living hope" (1 Peter 1:3).
F. If you have hope for the future, there will be power
to live each day.
G. SONG: "When the days are weary; the long nights
dreary, I know my Savior cares.
H. " The blessing of hope on this side of eternity is that
it serves as the "anchor for our soul!' (Heb. 6:19).
I. The stability that hope gives us in this life is
characterized by the words "sure and steadfast."
Therefore, hope makes all things bright.

12. III. LOVE MAKES THINGS EASY.
A. The word "love" is from agape, which means, "good
will, benevolence, wanting the best for the one
loved."
B. "In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all
things, love."
C. Homes will grow strong when love leads the way.
D. Friendships will blossom when love runs deep.
E. Churches will shine bright when love leavens the
whole lump.
F. It has been said: "The supreme happiness of life is
the conviction that we are loved; loved for
ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves."

13. III. LOVE MAKES THINGS EASY.
G. What is love?
1. It is silence—when your words would hurt.
2. It is patience—when your neighbor's curt.
3. It is deafness—when a scandal flows.
4. It is thoughtfulness—for other's woes.
5. It is promptness—when stern duty calls.
6. It is courage—when misfortune falls
H. Helen Keller. “I remember the morning that I first
asked the meaning of the word ‘love.’ Miss Sullivan
put her arm gently round me and spelled into my
hand, ‘I love Helen.’”

14. WHAT WILL REMAIN?
A. One day we will close our eyes and sleep,
but when we awake faith will be sight, hope
will be reality and love will remain.
B. The greatest of these is love.
C. How is your love doing?
1. For God?
2. For others?