God's Gift of Hope

Well, here we are… with the Christmas season upon us! Lights are going up, trees are getting trimmed and decorated, and gathering are being planned.

But that’s not all!

Wish lists are being written, presents are being purchased, and anticipation is growing in minds and hearts.

Christmas is my FAVORITE time of year!

I love the lights, and yes… I enjoy the music! I love all that comes with the season. I enjoy talking about good memories of Christmas’s past… and making new memories in the present season.

Speaking of memories… I’m curious… is there a particular Christmas season… a particular year… that you remember as the best Christmas ever?

When you think about Christmas… that year… that gathering is what comes to mind.

Can you remember what made it so special? Can you remember the laughter, the fun, the fellowship, the food… can you remember all the elements that came with it?

Our series for the next few Sundays is simply called, The Best Christmas ever!

I get it… this might sound like a goofy pop-culture way to say it… but I want you to stop and think about something today: what makes something… the BEST ever?

To say something is the best ever means there has never been anything like it. It’s not to say what we have experienced was bad, but they weren’t as good as what we hope to experience this year.

To aim for the best ever is really a tall order… because if you are like me… there are a few Christmas seasons that will be hard to beat!

But what makes them… hard to beat? What makes them so good?

One of the staple objects of Christmas… is the Christmas present… and I just so happen to have one on the stage today.

I’m curious… if this present had your name on it as the recipient… what would you want most to be in this box? What do you want most for Christmas?

Maybe you would like a new car… maybe a set of tools. Maybe something new for the wardrobe. Maybe some new dishes or cooking utensils. Maybe home decor or comfy pillows. Maybe slippers or shoes or pajamas. Maybe something shiny or sparkly… maybe something warm and cozy.

And someone might say, “Oh pastor, we have outgrown Christmas lists” and to you I would say… that’s not true. I would just about bet that all of us want something for Christmas… and… the reception of what we want just might make this the best Christmas ever.

And No… I am not trying to materialize Christmas. In fact… I would suggest that some of our deepest wants… involve things that cannot be wrapped in a box and placed under a tree. I would suggest some of our deepest wants and needs involve things that cannot be found in stores, they cannot be ordered online, they cannot be bought with money, and they cannot be made in a shop.

In fact, I would suggest that some of the things we want and need most… can only come from one source today… and the good news is… these needed gifts have been made available to us.

This morning we will begin to talk about those needed gifts and the source from which they come. As the video said before, the gift we are going to talk about this morning… is the gift of hope.

Hope is not something you can place in a box and tie up with a bow. If it was… it would be sold out in stores everywhere. Why? Because this world is desperately looking for hope.

This year… has been a difficult year in this world. We have seen things take place we thought we would never see. This world has experienced a level of hurt and brokenness we have not experienced in a long while. Many today… are without hope.

From violence, to war, to inflation, to family issues, to culture pressures, and the list can go on and on. With all of these things on the rise… hope seems to be on the decline.

Hope would be an incredible gift to receive since many people are struggling in the face of loss, disappointment, difficulty and anxiety. And for many people, the holidays intensify those feelings.)

But church… how many know today that hope is not something we have to wish for? Hope is a gift that has been given to this world by our heavenly Father! It didn’t come in the form of a wrapped present under the tree, it is found in the baby wrapped in cloths and laid in the manager! Christmas is the season of hope!

I want nothing more than for this year to end on a high note. For as dark and difficult as things have been, there is a light at the end of this tunnel. During Christmas we celebrate the hope we have in Christ as we remember His humble beginnings and miraculous journey into the world.

Psalm 30:5 says

Psalm 30:5b (NKJV)

5 ...Weeping may endure for a night,

But joy comes in the morning.

What I hope we will understand is that for everything there is a season… but in the gift of Christ, our hope can endure forever! The hope He offers is not based in the limited and temporary things of this world… it is found in the grace, love and mercy of our Savior!

Here’s the deal: We have eternal hope in Jesus, the light of God to all nations, and we can share hope - shine the light - so that others may have it too.

Listen to me, church… I want to fix our wording a bit on this topic… we often say our hope is IN Christ… our hope is not in Christ...

Our Hope IS Christ

Jesus’ arrival on earth was a great source of hope to all people.

Hear me… darkness and brokenness are not anything new. For centuries God’s people stumbled in darkness. They were tormented and defeated by the evil that was all around them. Many of us know what it feels like to be surrounded by darkness as we struggle through disappointment, mistakes, failure and sin. It is hard to have hope when all you can see is darkness.

We also know that the best way to eliminate darkness is to expose it to light. When Jesus became human and came to us as a baby, the ancient prophecies were fulfilled and the world found hope in the birth of it’s Savior.

He is the light of the world and the darkness can not overcome us.

Isaiah 9:2 says it this way:

Isaiah 9:2 NIV

2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

Isaiah was a prophet of God. Some would say he was the greatest prophet-- and all would agree he was prophesying to a broken people, filled with despair, during one of the darkest times in Israel’s history.

What Isaiah offered, through the inspiration of the Spirit, was hope. Specifically, that there would be light in place of darkness and that the light would shine on those living in deep darkness.

Listen… darkness takes in many forms. Darkness can be known by many names. Loneliness, despair, stress, anxiety, brokenness, oppression… just to name a few. Darkness can run deep… it can impact us in ways we do not understand. It can leave wounds, create confusion… and can leave us feeling… lost.

That darkness… is trying to rob you of life… it is trying to rob you of hope.

Although darkness takes on many names… there is ONE NAME that can overcome ANY darkness! That name is Jesus Christ!

I don’t know what darkness you might be facing. Maybe all is good! Maybe… there are some areas of your life where you need the light of Christ to shine brightly.

Listen, the darkness is NO MATCH for the light of Jesus. John 1:4-5 describes Jesus in this way:

John 1:4–5 NIV

4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

We now know Isaiah was prophesying about the coming of Christ into the world. We also know that Christ has already come once, and we patiently wait as we look for his second and final arrival.

As we journey together through the Christmas season, we must first acknowledge and recognize the hope we share in Christ our saviour. He is the light of hope piercing through the deepest of darkness. Christ will return for His Church and in the meantime, we trust that He will do exactly what He said He would.

Our shared hope is Christ alone. He gives us a hope that overcomes any and all darkness of this world!

As Christ is our hope, the next thing I want to talk about is how…

Hope Sees Light in the Midst of Darkness

Turn with me to Romans 15:12-13

Romans 15:12–13 NIV

12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah is being quoted in Romans 15 as the Apostle Paul is pointing to the “root of Jesse” as the source of our hope. This allusion is to Jesus Christ who is the source of our hope.

After quoting Isaiah, Paul gives us a mini benediction and exhortation. He prays that we would be filled with joy and peace that would overflow with hope! Think about this for a moment; Our joy and peace increase as we trust in Christ, which leads to an overflow of hope through the power of the Spirit.

Watch this: Hope doesn’t increase because of favorable circumstances in life, nor does it decrease because of unfavorable ones. Hope resides in the person of Christ. So, even in the midst of deep darkness, pain, and loss we can be overflowing with hope.

The difficulty though, is to maintain a trust and confidence in God’s plan for our lives. It’s natural to have doubts and it’s not abnormal to be scared - confused - or even frustrated.

The problem is… we often believe that the hope we are looking for can be found in things that can be wrapped up and placed under a tree.

“If only i had more ____________.” Or maybe it would be, “If only I had less _____________.”

We look to people, places, or things to bring us what can only be found in Jesus.

People… are going to let you down.

Places… are going to let you down.

Things… are going to let you down.

But Jesus… NEVER FAILS!

So… what does it mean if we sometimes struggle in this? Well, It means you’re human – you’re exactly the kind of human God sent His one and only son to die for.

On your absolute worst day, Christ is for you. His light is shining on and through the darkness in your life.

So… the key is keeping our eyes on Jesus - who is our hope in ALL things!

What is it that you are hoping for today? Do you hope for a better _______________? You want a better… anything? Your hope for better can only be found in… THE BEST EVER!

There has never been nor will there ever be anyone else like Jesus! He is GOD’S BEST given to this broken world. He was given, that we might be made whole again.

Brokenness strips us of hope… and even confuses our hopes. Sometimes, we don’t even know what to hope for because the things of the world have let us down. Jesus will not only restore your hope… HE BECOMES YOUR HOPE!

YES… we can have hope in Jesus even in the midst of the brokenness of this world. You simply must keep your eyes on Him!

And as we choose to live in His hope, can I also encourage you to…

Let Christ Live in You and Shine Through You

Hear me clearly today: when the light of Christ comes alive in you… darkness has no choice… but to flee.

Light and darkness cannot coexist in the same space. The moment you turn a light on in a dark room, the darkness is overcome by the light. This might sound simplistic at first but church… if we want to see darkness on the run… all we have to do is turn on the light in our lives!

Someone might say, “Pastor… that’s exactly what I want to do… but I don’t know where the light switch is!”

There is no switch to flip… only a Savior to be let in. And when you let Jesus in… you also must make the choice to LET GO of the darkness.

Christ wants to transform your life with His hope and love. This means the old… which was dragging us down, must be done away with to make way for the new.

When we give our lives to Jesus, 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us the old is gone and the new has come. It tells us we become a new creation.

But hear me… we cannot become new so long as we hold on to the old. The old self will try to find hope in all the wrong places… Jesus wants to renew your mind and life today. He wants to make you new.

Paul reminds us in Galatians 2:20

Galatians 2:20 NIV

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

As we grow in faith, you begin to overflow with hope… remember Romans 15:13? And as hope comes pouring out of you in every situation and through any adversity where do you think it goes? What is the purpose of being filled to overflowing with hope?

It is given to us that we might have hope in all things.

It overflows through us that we might offer His hope to a lost and dying world.

Don’t Hide the Light

Not only does Christ want to fill you with hope today… He wants to fill others with hope THROUGH THE OVERFLOW of what He has poured into you!

Does anyone here know what the purpose of a lighthouse is?

“It is a tower with a bright light at the top, located at an important or dangerous place regarding navigation (travel over water). The two main purposes of a lighthouse are to serve as a navigational aid and to warn boats of dangerous areas[1].”

Hope is a lot like the light in a lighthouse. Hope helps to guide us through uncharted, unknown, and dangerous territory. Hope not only helps us, but we share it with others - through the overflow in our lives. In fact, the Apostle Peter said, 1 Peter 3:15

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

We don’t have physical light houses here in the heartland… there are no rugged shore lines to illuminate. BUT… we are in desperate need of spiritual lighthouses that would shine the light of Christ to the people of this area. Just because we are rural doesn’t mean we are exempt from the issues of this world.

So what does it look like to share the light of Christ with others? Well, Christina Anderson is coming to share a testimony of something God did through her witness to others.

CHRISTINA ANDERSON TESTIMONY

Closing

Church, this world NEEDS hope! Some of us in this place today need hope!

Hope is NOT going to come to you through a wrapped present or a changed circumstance in this world. God sent His Son, Jesus, to bring us hope - a hope that is a promise. A hope that is FAR more than a wish or desire.

His hope DOES NOT FAIL. And maybe today… the thing you need to make this the best Christmas ever is… hope.

And I want you to consider this: perhaps the reason you haven’t found it yet… is because maybe you are looking for hope in all the wrong places.

God has not kept His gift of hope a secret to this world.

When we give gifts, we like whatever is inside to be a surprise to the recipient. We wrap the gift and conceal the contents.

God’s gift of hope to us is fully revealed in Jesus. That hope is not realized through religion or legalism or going through motions… it is realized through relationship. Christ was given that we might know Him, His hope and love, and that we might be set free from our old hopeless self.

Listen, there is NO HOPE in sin.

Sin will do nothing but drag us down. Jesus came and gave His life that sin would be defeated once and for all. ALL hope is found in Jesus today!

If you are needing hope… I want to encourage you to turn you eyes to Jesus.

FIND HOPE IN THE LORD.

If you do not have a relationship with Him, then today is a great day to make that choice to give your life to Him.

PRAYER - salvation

If there is an area in your life where darkness is dominating your thoughts, your emotions, and your heart… today is the day to turn on the light of life! Today is the day to call on the name of Jesus… the name that OVERCOMES any and all darkness.

PRAYER - find hope in the Lord.