Hope Is At the Heart of Christmas

Kid’s Christmas lists.

From lined paper on the fridge to powerpoint presentations to Amazon wish lists.

Nothing describes “hope” better than a kid’s Christmas list. (Might as well go for it - you never know!)

We’re observing Advent in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Advent helps us prepare our hearts and minds for the arrival of Christ.

Both in celebration of His advent in Incarnation and His return.

The candle pillars tell us of four traditional themes of Advent.

Hope. Peace, Joy and Love.

These themes resonate in the heart of Christmas.

While the hopes of children at Christmas often revolve around gifts, for adults hope is more complicated.

Our hopes are more likely to revolve around life’s challenges. Our jobs, our families, having “enough,” health, and on and on.

Our “hope” is too often more like “I hope so.”

I hope we have enough money to pay the bills and have some left over for gifts.

I hope my car keeps running till next year’s tax return.

I hope this pain I’m feeling will go away.

I hope my family can all get along this year at the family gathering.

More broadly, we have hopes and dreams for the world we live in.

Hope that war is soon over.

Hope that we can get our country back on the right track.

Hope that infectious diseases like flu, RSV and covid are defeated...

These hopes and dreams are basic to human nature.

So when we turn to familiar Advent scriptures, it makes sense to read Isaiah’s prophecy that is repeated in the gospels as God’s promise.

Isaiah speaks for God in outlining the problems that Israel faced and in giving them promises that bring hope.

Darkness Threatens Our Hope

Isaiah’s prophecy describes darkness, unmet needs, oppression, conflict.

Isaiah 9:2–5 NLT

2  The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. 4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. 5 The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.

Israel needed someone or something to give them hope. They needed to know that God has promised a better day.

We need to know that, too.

Romans 15:13 NLT

13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

God’s Promises Bring Hope

In Isaiah, the promise was to send a King who would make everything new, restore nations, people, families, lives.

Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

Unlike our Christmas wish lists (which may or may not actually happen!), HOPE in scripture is a confident expectation.

We can confidently trust the guarantee of God’s promises.

Now, it took about 5 centuries for God’s promises in Isaiah 9 to be fulfilled.

We have to be patient at times to see how God is working His will and fulfilling His promises in our lives.

Romans 15:4 NLT

4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Every year, at Christmas, we remember God’s promises to meet our needs by sending Jesus, His Incarnate Son.

Let’s hear it again:

Isaiah 9:6 NLT

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

So many of our hopes and dreams are promised fulfillment in these descriptions:

Government - Jesus owns all the world and all its governments.

Counselor - Jesus offers us the best counsel and direction we could ever ask.

Mighty God - Jesus is Creator. He knows how you work. How your world works. He is never surprised or unable to act in your life.

Everlasting Father - He is the head of the church, the ultimate guide.

Prince of Peace - He is One who can soothe all conflict.

This time of year, we’re all about wish lists, hopes and expectations that we will receive a desired gift, that the gifts we give in love are appreciated.

Be sure to accept God’s gift of hope, a babe born in a manger.