Hope in Jesus
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Intro:
For some reason, maybe nostalgia, I have really been into to the origins of Xmas traditions
Many of the symbols of Xmas started out as tributes to Christ have been commercialized by people who have no idea about Christ
Candy canes
Stars on trees
Santa Claus, the secular symbol of Christmas, derives from the fourth-century Saint Nicholas, bishop of Myra in modern Turkey.
Though little is known of his life, Nicholas was remembered for his generosity and kindness.
According to one legend, he rescued three daughters of a poor family from being forced into prostitution by providing dowries for them so they could marry.
After doing their laundry, the girls hung their stockings by the fireplace to dry.
That night Nicholas tossed a small bag of gold coins into each girl’s stocking.
The custom of hanging Christmas stockings derives in part from that story.
Settlers from the Netherlands, where Nicholas is popular, brought his tradition with them to America.
Nicholas’s Dutch name, Sinterklaas, eventually became Anglicized into “Santa Claus.”
We celebrate Jesus’ birth because He brings us hope
We see that hope in the Xmas story
We see three reasons for hope
God Is In Control vs. 1-3
God Is In Control vs. 1-3
WE can have Hope in Jesus because God is in control
In the days that Jesus was born Caesar Augustus was emperor over the Roman Empire
He was not only the most powerful person in the world, but one of the greatest rulers of all time
How does this show us that God is in control?
God used Caesar to accomplish his purposes
Jesus needed to be born in Bethlehem
God got Joseph & Mary there by having Caesar declare a mandatory census
That meant everyone had to go back to their home town and register
Some might doubt God’s sovereignty here but think about this
It was a 90 mile journey by foot to Bethlehem
The average person can walk 20 miles in a day
It took over four days to make the journey because they had to climb 700 feet in elevation
God orchestrated all of that thru Augustus
This should give us hope because God is in control
Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood
A song about a single mom driving home on Xmas Eve
She hits black ice and starts to spin
She throws her hands up and tells Jesus to take the wheel
Maybe your life feels like it has hit some black ice
It’s time to let go and let God take control
God Keeps His Word vs. 4-5
God Keeps His Word vs. 4-5
WE can have hope in Jesus because God Keeps his Word
People who keep their word are rare today
Heck, employers can’t get their employees to show up to work
When someone has integrity and keeps their word they stick out
There are 1,817 prophecies in the Bible
1,239 in the OT
578 in the NT
That is 25% of the Bible
Most of those prophecies have been fulfilled
Prophecies are God promising He is going to do something
We can have hope because God keeps His Word
There are over 300 prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament
Our Elders read two of those
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Another one is addressed to the House of David
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Those two prophecies, foretold between 400-700 years previous were fulfilled on this night over 2000 years ago
You can trust God’s Word
What it says is true and it will not let you down
God Sent His Son vs. 6-7
God Sent His Son vs. 6-7
WE can have hope in Jesus because God sent His Son
If the two weren’t convincing enough, we can be filled with hope because God sent his most prized possession… His Son
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.
The world had a separation problem and there was nothing they could do about it
God’s solution from the beginning was to send his Son to bridge that separation
There is nothing we can do to bridge the gap that our sins causes
It is only dealt with through the grace extended through Christ dying on the cross
Our hope is based on God sending Emmanuel, God with us, so that we have that opportunity to put our faith in him
t
Gospel
God created us to be with him
Our Sin separates us from God
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds
Paying the price for sin. Christ died and rose again
Everyone who trusts in him will have eternal life
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever
