The Hope We Have In Christ - Advent 1

Introduction:

Todays topic is one of the most dangerous topics in all of the Christians life.

this topic we will cover today either can guide ones life in the palm of Gods hand, or it can be the thing that crushes you under the weight of misplacing this very thing

todays topic is HOPE.

i don’t know about you but there is almost nothing worse in this life than placing your hope in something that never actually comes to be —- and i’m not talking about the toy we wanted at Christmas time although that was crushing in its own right —- but the deepest parts of us hoping for the things we desperately needed and it didn’t happen

for many of you I don’t need to say anything else on a hope that did not come to pass for hurtful and deeply impactful memories to surface

Can I say this to those hopes that did not come to pass, your in the right place today. For the hope I will be talking about today DID and WILL come to pass for those who trust in Jesus —- the gospel message is not one that is an educated guess type of hope —- it is a hope that can be assured of

———

as we enter into this advent season we start by assessing the hope that we have in Christ Jesus.

Advent is a word with latin roots that means “coming” —- It is an essential part of the Christians perspective because it acts as an annual reminder of what the comings of Jesus meant for us in this life. In fact, advent, is truly a never ending christian reality —-

there are two advents: 1st: the coming of God incarnate (in flesh) 2nd: the second coming of Jesus to redeem His people in full

have you ever stayed in a place that was not your sown home? no matter if it was the greatest vacation you have ever taken or the worst trip/stay you've ever had —- there is always this feeling of this is not my bed, my shower, my rhythm. —- hope we have in Christ can often feel like this:

we have are at home in Christ Jesus, however this hope has us longing for what will be in Christ in full in eternity

this world acts as the rehearsal dinner for whats to come

Hope Defined:

Dictionary of Bible Themes 9612 hope, in God

A total grounding of one’s confidence and expectation in God’s goodness and providential care even in the face of trouble.

where we place our hope is vital to your experience of joy.

SERMON SUMMARY: Hope is the reality and message of all believers

1. The Hope of the world: found in His coming

Luke 1:26-38 (the foretelling of Jesus to Mary), 46-56 (Mary’s song)

Luke 1:26–38 (ESV)

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (next slide)

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 38 For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

The entirety of scripture has led up to this very point: the coming of Jesus

THE STORY OF SCRIPTURE GRAPHIC:

A) The old testaments was constantly awaiting the coming of the savior:

Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:2–6 ESV

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

B) The New testament constantly looks back to the savior & who He is

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This is the apex of all of human history —- Emmanuel: Christ with us

How did God administer the hope of Jesus coming?

He prepared us through prophecy (OT prophets and books)

He divinely intervened through faithful people

He gave us His Word to be the announcement of truth

you see the christians hope can sometimes be explained by others like this pie in the sky, wishful thinking type of hope —- like “ok keep praying to your God while we actually figure out the real problems of the world”

no —- you see we have an informed hope —- one that is trustworthy and true — and our God went to great lengths to display that hope of the world in Jesus

look back to Luke 1:26-38

- God used a women named Elizabeth who was barren and a women who was named Mary who was a virgin to bring forth the one who would announce the messiahs coming (john the baptist) and the Messiah Himself — God uses these two to turn the world upside down.

Jesus is coming and what Hope is he bringing?

A) The Son of God is taking on flesh to dwell among us — the incarnation - God is dwelling among us and He chose to be like us so that we would know Him

B) His Kingdom Will Have No End (he is bringing about the kingdom of God that will invite you into Gods family that will reign forever and ever)

all of this was promised to Gods people and this passage is telling us of the promise coming to life:

Look at a couple verses later in Luke 1:46-56 and I want you to hear Mary’s Hope in what she knew of the promises of God and the reality of that promise realized:

Luke 1:46–56 (ESV)

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation. (SLIDE)

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers,

(SLIDE) to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

Mary’s Song Of Gratitude: filled with the echoes of David

references in just 10 verses: Ps 34:2, Ps. 35:9, Ps. 106:39, Ps. 138:6, Ps. 71:19, Ps. 99:3, and 5 other Psalm references …. (11 references in this song to OT truths)

Mary was prepared to see her hope fulfilled because she knew the one she was supposed to place her hope in! an informed hope

Marys Informed Hope has resulted in Joy! —— This hope is available to you today church

2. The Hope of the world: Found in His Leaving

John 17:13–19 (ESV)

13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

In this passage Jesus declares to the Father that even in His leaving He is establishing the hope of the world —- the truth amongst his people for the world

v. 13 - Jesus declares that hope realized for Gods people is the Joy of Jesus Fulfilled in us and it is found by being sanctified in truth — “my joy fulfilled in themselves” hope realized

v. 14 - Because they are not of the world.— we are no longer of this world in christ — He says that his disciples are not of the world, because all those whom he redeems by his Spirit are separated from the world. God will not send his sheep among the wolves, without showing himself to be our shepherd — hope for the people of God that God is with us

V. 15-16 - Jesus establishes that we will face tribulation — but He does not ask that those who believe depart from the world rather that we are apart of the Hope of the world in His leaving

V. 17-18 - He will sanctify those who are in the truth — and send them to the world to pronounce the hope of Jesus, just as he did

how does Jesus empower the hope of the world that the church is to carry to the world? He sent the helper —- the holy spirit

and now apart of the hope that He provides to the world is through his sending of the church to the world

in other words, He is asking the Father to hold us and keep us from the evil one and that we would stand firm in the truth that is constantly making us more like Himself —— which would result in His church declaring the hope of the Gospel to the world

3. The Hope of the World: Found in His Return

Hebrews 9:27-28

English Standard Version (Chapter 9)

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The ultimate hope in christ — that we will one day rest in eternity with God the fath, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit and all those who believe

here is your future reality in christ:

Revelation 21:1-6

English Standard Version (Chapter 21)

1 Then I saw ya new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.3 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I lam making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for mthese words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

3 takeaways:

Hope is only attainable through & in Christ: be diligent to know Him

The Hope of the world is carried by Christ & His church: be commissioned to go & tell

Our future eternal reality informs our current hope in this life