Hope

Greeting

Today is the first Sunday of Advent

Once again, using materials for special church calendar season

This year’s theme is on the slide behind me: Hope of all the earth

Resources that tie-together the theme

devotional book (still 3 left)

youth ministry (Jeff & Andrea)

sermon outlines

& candle readings for lighting of the advent candles

Invite the Ross family to come forward

Every year, we light five candles in the Advent season

hope, love, joy, peace

Xmas Eve - CHRIST candle (center)

the Advent season is a journey of both reflection and anticipation

Now the lighting of the first candle of Advent

Announce text: Luke 2:1-3

Key Text: Luke 2:1-3

Luke 2! Every year …

play BCPE video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzD9GKsxHW8

And that was pretty much the reaction we kids had - even if only on the inside ...

But what the actress said at the end is a good reminder

to slow down & remember

the real reason we have these traditions to begin with

& to be intentional … which ties into the review … which ties into this week’s message

Review

Title: The Power of Intentional Thanksgiving

Big Idea: Intentional thanksgiving to JESUS transforms our perspective, and deepens our faith, aligning our hearts with HIS purpose and grace.

Difference between thankful & gratitude

Example of Samaritan leper

return to worship illustrated & demonstrated true gratitude

JESUS elevated HIS faith over the other 9

affirming the leper’s faith and its role in his complete restoration

How has your practice of gratitude been this past week?

Did you take time to be intentionally grateful?

Introduction

For many of us, this is one of the busiest times of the year.

Carly

we’ve been getting ready for this season since shortly after Halloween

shopping - used to be up @ 4 AM on Black Friday (I was roped in a few times)

We attend holiday parties hosted by coworkers, friends, and family. We hurry to several different stores to find the perfect gift for everyone on our list. We clean our houses until they are spotless so we can host others, or we make plans to visit family and friends for Christmas. All too often, this season can feel overwhelming because it seems like there are not enough hours or days to do everything we want or need to do. This season often seems to demand that we rush.

But the church calendar invites us to take a different posture during this season—one of rest in the waiting. In the church, today is the first day of the new year, also known as the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the season when we remember the waiting that GOD’s people did before the CHRIST child came, and the waiting that we do now, for CHRIST to come again. We wait in eager expectation for the KINGdom of GOD to come in all its fullness. During this busy season, Advent invites us to remember what GOD has done and to wait for what GOD will do.

And in this season of waiting, we are invited to recognize the brokenness of the world around us. During Advent, we see and lament the ways that sin and death still hold sway in the world. The darkness of the world can seem overwhelming. Our waiting could lead us to despair if we let it. Yet we begin every church year by reminding ourselves that we are a people of hope. Today, we are reminded of this in Luke 2:1–3.

Announce text again: Luke 2:1-3

Scripture Reading

Luke 2:1–3 NRSV

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered.

The title of the message this morning is The Birth of Hope: GOD's Mastery in Our Mess.

The Birth of Hope: GOD's Mastery in Our Mess

Prayer for added blessing to the reading of the Word

Message

Big Idea: Hope is birthed not from a perfect world, but through GOD’s deliberate action amidst our chaos—reminding us that from our struggles, GOD can weave a story of redemption.

GOD is not distant or uninvolved in our world; rather, HE engages with our struggles and uses even the most tumultuous events to bring about HIS redemptive work. GOD can bring forth hope and purpose, even through our brokenness.

Luke 2:1 NRSV

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.

This scripture begins with “in those days,” referring to an era of Israel’s history when the world seems broken beyond repair and the darkness appears overwhelming.

Israel is under Roman control. They have been an occupied nation for most of the last six hundred years. They have little control over their laws and often face challenges to their worship practices.

The Roman emperor has now declared a census, which leads to more efficient taxation and demonstrates Rome’s immense power.

Israel has also not had a recognized prophet in almost four hundred years.

Big Idea: Hope is birthed not from a perfect world, but through GOD’s deliberate action amidst our chaos—reminding us that from our struggles, GOD can weave a story of redemption.

We too know those days when the darkness seems overwhelming.

Natural disasters have ravaged communities and loved ones.

It feels like there are always wars raging.

We have experienced violence in our community and in the communities around us.

Fresh on the heals of the murder of Charlie Kirk

National guard service members murdered by an Afghan illegal

We know relationships that seem to be broken beyond repair.

We experience the grief of our loved ones falling ill and dying, and wonder how we can go on without them.

But in Luke 2:1–3, we are reminded that there is hope in the darkness.

For in “those days,” GOD was already at work!

In those days, GOD has already sent John the Baptist, the prophet who will prepare the way for the LORD.

In those days, GOD has also already announced to Mary the coming MESSIAH in the person of JESUS, whose birth we will celebrate in a few short weeks.

Today, too, when the darkness seems overwhelming, inthese days,GOD is still at work in and through GOD’s church.

GOD has always worked through GOD’s faithful people to bring hope and peace to a world that suffers from despair and violence. One such person was André Trocmé (Troh-kmeh), a Protestant pastor in France during World War II, who worked and suffered to protect the Jewish people after Germany took over.

In these days, GOD is also at work in the world around us.

In these days, GOD’s grace is always reaching out and drawing all people to HIMSELF.

In these days, GOD is at work in and through those who seek peace and justice in the world.

So, pj … What’s the point?

Conclusion

In Luke 2:1–3, we are reminded that GOD is always at work, even during those days when the world seems to be the darkest. The old hymn “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” speaks to this hope in the darkness. Based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow written during the American Civil War, the poem begins with the joy of hearing the Christmas bells proclaiming peace and goodwill. Then another sound rings out—the sound of cannons, shattering the speaker’s peace and throwing him into despair, believing that hatred and war have made a mockery of peace and goodwill. Yet then the bells ring out again, and the speaker hears this message of hope:

God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.

So in the darkness, when despair threatens to overwhelm us, let us remember that our hope is in the GOD who neither slumbers nor sleeps and who will one day redeem and restore all of creation. This is our hope.

play CC version, I Heard the Bells on CHRISTmas Day

Closing prayer & benediction

Numbers 6:24–26 NASB95

24 The Lord bless you, and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’

Scripture records the following words in v.27:

Numbers 6:27 NASB95

27 “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.”

So, receive and go with the blessings of YAHWEH!