A Hope Unshakable

Intro

The Christmas season brings all kinds of memories & emotions to all of us. Some people have vivid happy memories and some do not. The thing I think is interesting in the Christmas season is that it mixes the things we love most (like family time, gifts, and joy) with things most of us hate the most… like waiting! We don’t like to wait, it is not just the kids, Jeremy has been doing chores around the house lately in hopes of negotiating opening some presents early.... but it is not just them, I don’t like to wait… Amanda got me some gifts and i have been trying to negotiate opening them early too!! but not just with Christmas in most things I don't like to wait, I will pay more for a book at a local store so I don't have to wait for it to arrive “a whole 2 days” later with Amazon prime.. which I pay for so I don't have to wait a week for the books I buy online. think it is fitting that we have both the joy of experiencing these things we look forward to but also the angst of waiting.

This morning I want us as a family to set our eyes and hearts on a truth that is rooted in the Christmas story we all know and love.... I want us to focus on HOPE. I believe that when we know and understand the Christmas story it will create in us an unshakeable Hope that will never be extinguished.

The Promised Hope

Why should we

The Christmas story began in the garden of Eden, God created everything from nothing and it was perfect and beautiful, but the serpent, the devil, came in and lied to Eve and rather than trust God she and Adam chose to trust themselves and their rebellion brought death, sin & hopelessness into the good creation God had made. But God did not leave them in this state without hope. (read ) This somewhat vague statement is a promise that God will bring bruise the head of the serpent, but what does that mean?

In my walk with Christ I have found that God does not give us the entire plan at once, He gives me what I need to know and asks me to trust in for the rest. I say yes Lord I do… so whats next? This is the same way, God did not reveal how for years! Adam and Eve where kicked out of the garden and faced many consequences of the choice they made, but God did not let His word be void.

Clarity and Hope

English Standard Version Chapter 3

14 The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all livestock

and above all beasts of the field;

on your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

Did He fulfill the promise instantly? No, in fact it was about 2,000 years before God gave more clarity on the promise to reconcile all things. It was then, 2000 years later that God promised Abram that He would make a great nation of his offspring and that all nations would be blessed by them.

Here God asked Abraham to go, listen He did not say, “ hey I am God, i kicked Adam and Eve out of the garden and I want to use you to bring about redemption.... OK?”. No instead He said leave everything you have and follow me to the land that I will show you… so thousands of years later listen to how Paul describes it.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Here God asked Abraham to go, listen He did not say, “ hey I am God, i kicked Adam and Eve out of the garden and I want to use you to bring about redemption.... OK?”. No instead He said leave everything you have and follow me to the land that I will show you… so thousands of years later listen to how Paul describes it.

Here God asked Abraham to go, listen He did not say, “ hey I am God, i kicked Adam and Eve out of the garden and I want to use you to bring about redemption.... OK?”. No instead He said leave everything you have and follow me to the land that I will show you… so thousands of years later listen to how Paul describes it.

Later God would give more detail but, Abrams offspring would bless all nations. The only problem was Abram did not have offspring and he was too old to have offspring. He did have offspring, and that offspring became the nation of Israel… so was that it did God fulfill the promise then? No it would still be about another 2,000 years until Jesus was born but all along the way God keep reminding the people I have not forgotten I will bring about a lasting salvation. Listen to these I am sure you have heard them before:

Later God would give more detail but, Abrams offspring would bless all nations. The only problem was Abram did not have offspring and he was too old to have offspring. He did have offspring, and that offspring became the nation of Israel… so was that it did God fulfill the promise then? No it would still be about another 2,000 years until Jesus was born but all along the way God keep reminding the people I have not forgotten I will bring about a lasting salvation. Listen to these I am sure you have heard them before.

There is such hope and heartache in these verses but they were given as a hope and reminder for the people that salvation will going to come.... then we come to Luke where Jesus is born in a manger in Bethlehem. Do we realize why the angels worshiped when they saw what happened? the bible says they long to see what God is doing as His plan is revealed, there had to be a gasp and an eruption of worship when all the pieces finally came together and they saw how far God was willing to go how much He is willing to sacrifice to save humankind.

Luke 2:8-20

What does this teach us?

1) Hope in waiting

2) Hope in Silence

3) Hope “with us”