The Promise of Hope

Jeremiah 33:14-15 14‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: 15‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. Luke 1:31-33 ~ The Promise of Hope!

The rush to Christmas — Trees lite, gifts wrapped, Hallmark…

Advent — Time of anticipation and preparation as we get ready to celebrate and receive the Christ child...Jesus is come...and is still to come and so we wait. Acts 1:11 “someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” The Advent Journey: Hope — Peace — Joy — Love

HOPE – “It’s an expectation or belief in the fulfillment of something desired and that things will be better in the future. Present hurts and uncertainty over what the future holds create the constant need for hope. Scripture tells us that those who do not have God do not have hope (Eph 2:12).

When you HOPE for something, you believe that it is possible. Why? Because you have God in you life.

HOPE - It’s like anticipating a distant child’s return home for the holidays, while there not here yet — Hope keeps us going.

Tension of the Advent Journey — living in an imperfect world — sickness, disease, the needy, the hurting and the helpless, injustice, and oppression and our own sinfulness. All while knowing Jesus is the answer to it all — We find ourselves in need of The Promise of Hope!

For the Christian, Christmas is about living in this tension...while looking to Hope in Jesus.

The people of Israel/Judah find themselves in a similar tension. Their cities destruction — What they know in ruins — Goods plundered, no crops to harvest or sheep to shepherd. Captivity, oppression, and desperation. Jeremiah 33:10 ‘This is a desolate land where people and animals have all disappeared.’ They knew the blessing of God. Yet, they were under God’s judgement — Going from faithful to faithless, lost in their sinful ways.

The hope, peace, joy, love, and blessings of God a distant memory…no signs of the life they knew — Until Advent - Until Hope comes in.

Hope is the Promise of A Future! “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them.” Jeremiah 33:14. The text says “The day will come,” meaning that they could have a future. Biblical HOPE rests on the trustworthiness of God who keeps His promises. Biblical hope is closely connected with faith (Heb. 11:6). Faith treats the future as if it were already accomplished, because God has promised. The resettlement of the people, meant a return to what they knew. The familiar.

COMING HOME — Soldier, Family, Traditions.

You don’t know what you really have until you don’t have it anymore! The people of Judah had every reason to believe in the promise of a future because God always kept his word. What he said came true. Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

So, Hope is the Promise of a Future because the one who promised is faithful, but secondly, it looks to The Promise of Better Days Ahead — Jer. 33:15 “In those days and at that time, I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. Better Days are Ahead! Despite our present circumstances, godly hope sustains and strengthens us! God’s word of hope was to remind them of the blessings of the past — Their worship of God. Being set apart for God’s good purposes, this all gave them hope for better days ahead.

Better Days are Ahead! Wherever you are today, you can make it. Hold your head high; stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but the morning comes. Don't you surrender! Suffering breeds character, character breeds faith. In the end faith will not disappoint. James 1:2–4 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Finally, not only does Hope Give Us a Promise for The Future, a Promise of Better Days Ahead, but Hope Promises Us Security for The Present. Jeremiah 33:15 “In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.” Permanency of leadership meant security — David was seen as the greatest king to ever live, not because he was perfect, but because he was part of God’s promise. Hope is trusting that God’s in control even when it doesn't seem like it. Those who remain faithful in troubled times have this hope.

The people felt secure when their leadership was of God. This hope was the people’s assurance that the one who would reign would bring about judgment and righteousness forever. Luke 1:31–33 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” This Branch of Righteousness is The Promise of Hope and it’s name is Jesus!

God in Jesus will right the wrongs of this world — Free the oppressed — Restore the people to a right relationship with God. “When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman.”

Hope came to a little town called Bethlehem. Hope for the Future – Hope for BETTER days ahead — Hope to SECURE our present — and if I may add Hope for SALVATION!

So, hope is our faith in Jesus Christ. Eph. 4:4 calls Him “the one hope.” Rom. 15:13 calls Him “the God of hope.” 1 Tim 1:1 calls Him “Christ Jesus our hope.” Col. 1:27 says He’s “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I guess that why the song writer wrote, "The only hope we have is Jesus. Confusion is great in this world today. Persecution is great, with such a heavy load, but we have this hope and it is Jesus!"

This hope, is the only real hope that is in the world today. Every other hope is fleeting, faulty, and flimsy.

But the hope of Jesus, was painfully hewn out of our troubles and presented to us as a reality of what can be when God has His way.

Even when we look at the despairing situations in our families, God shows us Jesus our Hope!

Our children often seem to wander off in strange paths, but then we see Jesus our Hope!

Our finances seem to dwindle to nothing, but then we see Jesus our Hope!

When we are lost and can't find our way and darkness is everywhere, then we see Jesus our Hope!

This is the hope that prompted the song writer to say, "I have hope when trouble comes my way. I have hope when Jesus comes to stay. I have hope when things are not well with me. It’s a beautiful hope that sets me free."

Jesus our Hope is so strong that it can transform a mountain of despair?

Jesus our Hope is so influential that it could turn enemies into friends, bring down barriers of discrimination and provide opportunities for justice for all?

Jesus our Hope superseded the Oval office.

Jesus our Hope surpassed the cabinet of senates

Jesus our Hope is superior to the empty talk of debates!

Jesus our Hope began in Bethlehem and continued to grow in Nazareth.

Jesus our Hope grew larger as He fed thousands, healed the sick and raised the dead.

Jesus our Hope; Jesus our Hope, yes he’s the one!

He’s the one who died on Calvary!

He’s the one who was buried in a borrowed tomb!

He’s the one who arose, Early Sunday morning!

Into that little town of Bethlehem stepped the creator of the universe, and through the manger that led to the cross, came the Advent of Hope for all.

No wonder the song writer declares, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand."

In the paraphrased words of the Rev. Jesse Jackson “You must not give up! You may or may not get all that you want but just know that you're God is able! You hold on and hold out! Never surrender! Better is ahead! Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive! Keep hope alive! On tonight, tomorrow night and beyond, keep hope alive!” Because we have Jesus: The Promise of Hope!