A Thrill of Hope - Part 5

Luke 2:10–11 NLT

but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Introduction

This series has meant so much to me. The whole Christmas season is so wonderful and filled with so many different emotions.

We have looked at the Christmas story over the last several weeks and explored how the world was waiting for this wonderful thing that happened on that first Christmas.

Though the lights may have been stowed away for another year and the holiday shopping has returned to normal, Christmas doesn’t have to be over.

The birth of Jesus brought a Thrill of Hope, a piercing through to a hurting world and we get to experience that every day of our lives if we will let Him.

As we end this year and look forward to next year I want to ask, “What are you hoping for?” (SLIDE)

Whatever it is that you are hoping for, I want to challenge to look at Christmas as the greatest gift we could ever receive.

The Father gave what the world, including you and me, needed: a Savior.

Today, I want us to look at Christmas from a different point of view. Let’s look at Christmas from the Father’s perspective. (KEYWORD)

Christmas From the Father’s Perspective (SLIDE)

Generations see things differently (KEYWORD)

We have different perspectives

it is one thing to be a kid at Christmas and its another to be a parent or grandparent

Time with family this past holiday season - Thanksgiving and Christmas, Jekyll, Lewis Lights, etc.

If Christmas is different for parents and grandparents, Why would it be any different for our heavenly Father?

The Father’s Joy (SLIDE)

When you grow up and become a parent, you find it brings you great joy to give gifts more than receiving gifts. (KEYWORD)

Can you just imagine the great joy the Father had as the world recieved the gift of Jesus? It truly was a thrill of hope! God is good at piercing through our hard surfaces and getting to the heart of the matter.

It was quite a sight for the shepherds

It was quite a journey for Mary and Joseph

It was quite an announcement for the angel

But it was a great joy for the Father - Giving Jesus to the world brought joy to the Father!

Matthew 3:17 “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.””

The Father’s Pride (SLIDE)

Fathers take pride in the children (KEYWORD)

We love it when our kids are doing well or living up to their potential

Fathers often look for the perfect gift for their children and love to see the look on their children’s faces when they open their gift

Our heavenly Father was proud of The Gift He gave the world

The gift He gave had to be the Perfect Gift. Nothing else would do.

The Father was proud of His Son but He was also proud to present Him to us.

Think about it. When God created the world He had your need for salvation on His mind. In order for you to have that, He had to give the right gift.

John 3:16–17 ““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

Like any good father on Christmas mourning as his children opens their gifts, I can only imagine how our heavenly Father felt!

Imagine if you will how the Father feels when a sinner accepts the gift of salvation!

Luke 15:7 “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”

The Father wanted us to have Jesus a few reasons:

1. Jesus Changed the World (SLIDE)

Jesus gave value to children who were once discounted.

As we previously discussed, the Shepherds worshipped a baby.

Jesus gave value to women who were once thought of a mere possessions.

Mary is held in such high regard by all of heaven

Jesus broke down the walls or race, gender and financial status.

look at the visitors from the East

Jesus turned the world’s idea of human rights upside down.

All life is important to Him

Nearly every system has been affected by Jesus: education, welfare, medicine, justice

Even the way we measure time was impacted by Jesus.

2. Jesus Changed our Relationship with the Father (SLIDE)

Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, sin entered the world.

Sin separated them from God

We inherited that sin nature

Sin always separates us from the Father

Jesus restored that relationship - without Jesus, one cannot have a right relationship with God

The gift of salvation brings us back to where we are supposed to be with the Father

We are all longing for that!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”

No one has to live with distance between them and the Father. He has made a way for you to have that relationship restored. It is by surrendering to Jesus as Lord.

3. Jesus Changed the way we view life. (SLIDE)

Many people are just going through the motions.

They live lives that are lacking meaning and purpose.

It is a very sad existence to think that this world is all there is!

Without Jesus work, home, school, sickness, tragedy, and even death are meaningless.

Jesus gives us hope.

We know there is more than just what we can see with our naked eye.

It doesn’t mean life is easy, we still face losses, but we know that there is victory because of Jesus.

Even in hopeless situations, we can have hope because of Jesus.

When we accept Jesus in our lives, we see life very differently. We can actually see clearly.

Life is not about taking but about giving

Life is not about hate but about love.

Its not all about us but its about others

Life makes a lot more sense when we know there is a bigger plan!

The Father Gave His Best - Jesus! (SLIDE)

God so loved you and I that He gave Jesus. He did not want us to perish. He wants us to have and experience eternal life. A life that is connected and close to Him.

Like any gift, it is not enough just for someone to give it, you have to accept it and actually open it.

The first gift God offers you this Christmas is forgiveness. A Savior was born because you needed saving. God is not angry with you. He is reaching for you. He does not want to remind you of your past. He wants to erase it. If your greatest need had been information, God would have sent a teacher. If it had been money, He would have sent a provider. But your greatest need was forgiveness, so He sent Jesus.

You cannot save yourself. Trying harder will not rescue you. Only surrender will. When you stop pretending you have it all together and admit you need Him, salvation becomes real. You do not get good to get God. You get God, and He begins to change you. (Jentezen Franklin Devotional December 23, 2025 Good Tidings Under the Tree)

Don’t leave the Father’s gift on the table.

Accept the gift of Jesus today and start living the life you were intended to live.

If you have accepted Jesus, live like it is the best gift ever given, because it was!

Altar Call

I don’t know about you but I love Him more and more each day.

How will you respond to what He has done?

Do you need God to move in your life?

Do you need to tell God something?

Do you just need to come be in His presence?