Sunday Service 12/02/2018

Welcome everyone. I just want to make sure you're all awake here. We're going to continue on our Christmas series that we started last week called don't be a Grinch and encourage. You not be a grinch this Christmas season, but today are passage. We have two passages today that were going to be reading from the first one is in Isaiah chapter 9. Have your Bibles turn with me and Isaiah chapter 9 the second passage. I will be reading is 1st Peter. 1st Peter 1 verses 3 through 5 chapter 9 30 + vs 6s plus you

virtuosity 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 of the increase of his government in of Peace. There will be no ends on a throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it up hold it with Justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The Zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Let's pause and pray father. We thank you for this day. We thank you for what you're doing. We think you that on your shoulders. a scripture tells us the government rests on your shoulders are life rest on your life. Our Salvation is completed. We thank you Lord that you came to this earth to save us. We thank you Lord that you came to deliver us. But we thank you Lord that you also came to bring us. Hope that leave us desolate or alone afraid and in the dark, but no you brought us a light. You brought us. Hope and you brought us joy. And so today Lord. We want to celebrate that fact Lord. We pray that today your words would echo in our hearts and in our ears that you we would follow you and hear what you would have to say to us. Only through the prophet's words and Isaiah, but also through Peter's words. Lord we pray that today we can find. Hope that you bring to all of us. Lord we thank you for this day Lord. I pray that my words would not be my own. I pray that Lord you would remove the hindrances from our lives remove the hindrances from our ears and our minds keep our minds focused on you father help us to see you and everything and hear you and everything and help us to follow you Lord today and all days. Lord I pray that my words again would not be my own but they would truly be your words and that you would speak to us today through this message and help us to understand what you would have to say to us today. We glorify your father. We honor you we praise you now in Jesus name. Amen. Yo, there's a thousands of years people waited for Jesus to come thousands of years people waited for Jesus to come and deliver them. When we look at the Israelites. We find that they live a very interesting life. They they lived a very interesting history up to this point know what's really kind of you have to understand the Biblical history a little bit before we jump into an understanding the meaning of this prophecy that Isaiah brings to the people. So from this point forward from up to this point, the Israelites have been enslaved by Egyptians. They have walked in the desert for 40 years. They have seen everything in the bay were promised not come to them. They've had all these issues and I've all these problems and yet they still have found themselves again enslaved. Part of it is actually their own faults. Jesus comes to them and he's very clear to Jesus comes and and was very clear to them about what they needed to do with the Ten Commandments. For example Moses received from God and brought them to the Israelites. And as he brought these to the Israelites you said all you have to do is follow these rules. That's what you need to do to serve your God follow these rules. And of course, what did they do? Human nature? What do we do when we are giving rules we do everything but the rules that were told to do right we break the rules. Israelites have done it over and over and over again. So and over the course of history. What we find is the inner Israelites are actually to blame for a lot of the problems that they're in this day. You have to understand it is by their own hands and they find themselves sitting slave just by their own hands and they find themselves. Sometimes starving is by their own hands if they found themselves happened to give all of the things that they own to other kingdoms around that because they disobeyed God for many years.

We also see that sometimes. Other things have happened to them people had come against them things that they did not ask for happened to fall upon them and I began to lose hope.

Isaiah comes along to help the Israelites out to see this. Hope that's given to a do you understand it during this time right before Isaiah gives this quote or gives this verse I should say this prophecy. The temple has been built but it's also been destroyed the first time. And so Isaiah is coming to the Israelites to bring them. Hope to bring them Joy to the Lord is speaking to Isaiah wanting them to know that they're not on their own that there is someone there to help them that there's someone there to be with them. Hope is a very interesting thing. The definition from Webster says it's a feeling of expectation a desire for a certain thing to happen. Open the feeling of waiting for something to come to pass that is good and writes Christmas is often called the season of Hope. Can't wait for the day of hoping that they will get the present that they really want adults. Hope that they get the right gift or they don't go broke buying the right gift. Amen.

But the season of Christmas is often called the season of hope not because of the gifts or anything else but is because the hope that Jesus Christ brings to this earth. We need to assure our minds in a share our thoughts in the sure. Everything is inside of us that our hope does not ever come from anything in this world. Alyssa you can. Hope for something you can hope that you get a good job. You can hope that you have a nice house. You can hope that you have food on the table. You can hope for those things. That's not I'm not telling you not to do those things, but the spirit of your hope the salvation of your hope the the hope that you're everything that you hope for should be founded not in anything of this world, but in Jesus himself Thousands of years people of Israel were waiting for a savior to come prophecies over and over and over again in the Old Testament even before Isaiah. 9:6 has said that our savior is coming to rescue them. Hundreds of years Prophet foretold the coming of the Savior but many it was a lost. Hope for many they lost hope it went through too many problems. He wants to too many things kingdoms coming against them pulling them down into the Drudge of life making them slaves again. You understand it in Egypt alone. They were slaves and they were there for hundreds of years as slaves to Egypt and it wasn't until I pull them out of there and then they find themselves again during this time building up to the prophecy that Isaiah gets that again being enslaved to different kingdoms.

thousands of years again There are waiting for the Salvation to come. Why was the hope of so many lost during this time? You think that the people that the Israelites of people that have seen the Red Sea split you would think that the people who wandered in the wilderness that were fed by the Mana falling from the air. I mean, this is this is Brad falling from the air to feed then you would think that the people that have experience Old Testament time would have unending supply of Hope but they don't it's very clear. It's very obvious and Isaiah and end times before Isaiah if you read the Old Testament, and by the way, if you read the Old Testament chronologically, it's really really interesting reading. The Old Testament is a wonderful thing and there's so much there but just I'm going to challenge you if you ever get a chance look up a chronological Bible reading plan and read the Old Testament chronologically because you'll find something that some things will jump out at you that you've never found before if you've never read it chronologically. Let me encourage you to do that. But hope was lost they lost. Hope they lost hope in all of these things. They knew that God would take care of them. Got it done that before. They knew that God would promise the promises that God has given to them had come true to their lights before it yet. They still lost hope.

They have forgotten they had forgotten that God brings the ultimate idea of Hope. Along Comes Isaiah Isaiah comes and he says For unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder his name Shall be Called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace. This is an amazing thing. I listened this one Isaiah came to give this prophecy. This was not something small prophecy. You have to understand Isaiah knew what was coming Isaiah was lemonade and and saying I know what is coming. The savior of the world is coming and I am giving this prophecy to you. And so Isaiah speaking these words of Prophecy to these people to give them. Hope to reestablish the hope that was supposed to be inside of them. Is amazing words were spoken to the people.

And they were as they were waiting for this savior to come. Again, you have to understand that they were enslaved by Egyptians their slave by other kingdoms. They were wandered in the desert all of these things that they were waiting for someone to come and save them from where they are at to give them. Hope of something but Isaiah emphasizes. Hope still exist because God is aware of Israel's plight, Isaiah when he came to give the Israelites this Prophecy from God God was telling the people that hope still exist. And he is sending help. This verse for Isaiah was for the Israelites to understand that they are not going to be alone that someone was coming to help them that this idea was going to be there for them this help that they had longed for. Ideallean and mostly through the verses of six and seven to reveal. The reason for this hope and the delivery of Israel. The delivery is the Messiah for the government shall rest upon his shoulders. You understand that when the average Israelite would have read this verse alone. They would have been so encouraged and so excited because this met the government shall be upon his shoulders no longer. Will they be subject to a kingdom no longer where they be subject anyone. They will be subject to one of their own a profit a King Jesus who will come and rain for them.

Today perhaps you're here.

and your

you're at your proverbial end of the Rope if you will. From this day forward we have to understand that hope does not come from anything that we can do on our own understanding your paycheck. Although being a really nice thing isn't the whole thing is going to fulfill anything in your life a job is not going to fulfill anything of a long lasting. Hope it may provide temporary relief. Just something that you're struggling with but it's not going to it's not going to be the end all to end all if you will.

Perhaps you're here today saying I just can't take it anymore. I'm tired and I no longer want to do life. Many people find themselves at the end of this road because things that they have done to themselves. Unfortunately many people do things to themselves that caused them to come to this end of the Rope for they have no hope they have no future they have nothing because there is nothing inside of them. They have done all they said they can to remove the whole said anything. They could have provided on their own. Perhaps you here today and maybe someone has done something to you. And you feel like your hope is lost because of that thing. Someone has done. Maybe you've lost your job. Maybe you have had someone speak negative words to you or been mean to you or said something to you. That doesn't your hope doesn't rest in those words. Just like thousands of years ago. Jesus didn't leave us alone. He brings us hope in our lives today and he brings it for you and I to have in this very moment. He wants us to live a life full of hope he wants us to live a life full of joy. If you want to live my life full of he wants us to live a life full of all of those things and not lose the hope that he has for us. Ask a question. I'm speaking to people I care about dreams at once that they once had an and often times. I hear someone say, oh, I'm just too old to do that today or I don't have enough money to do that dream. I don't have any of those types of things you maybe it's something that you have dropped off. Maybe there's a there is an idea that you had in your mind. And if you lost hope about this ever being completed I tell you today that if Jesus give you that hope if Jesus gives you that reason there's nothing that can ever take that away from you. I don't care whether you don't have the money. I don't care how old you are. I don't care whatever the consequences or whatever the things that you have brought up in your mind and says I can't do these things. And so therefore I hope that this dreamlover be fulfilled I can tell you right now you're wrong. Jesus wants to fulfill the hope that's inside of you. He wants to fulfill the dreams that are inside of you.

We often find a Christmas sign that there is it's a season 9 of a time of Hope but it's the time of lost. Hope we find often time at Christmas time people get upset because they think that they can't buy enough gas. So they can't buy the right gift for the camp by the the the right present or if they don't pick the right thing until they lose hope issue with Christmas when you look at Christmas and this way is your lot looking at Christmas in the right way, you're looking at Christmas as in the hope of something that rest in a gift you're looking at the hope that something that rest in the present or something that you're giving us. Something else is nothing Christmas doesn't rest in that Christmas a true reason the true. Hope of Christmas comes in the form of Jesus who came to this Earth for us.

I love again getting back in time this into.

Find us back into the Grinch so little bit here for a moment. The Grinch loses. Hope about what Christmas is and as he stands up on the mountain and he looks out over top of the village. He looks down at the village and he says Christmas is just all about this gift. So it's all about what we can buy at the store and he loses complete hope for that and you know what happens when he loses. Hope you don't lose hope for himself and it was the conductor not conduct on plan come up with this plan. Just steal Christmas from everyone else. The truth of the matter is that when you lose hope about a dream or a vision that you have you normally lose. Hope in yourself, but you begin to suck it out of everyone else, too.

Hope suckers if you will if I can use that word, right and you begin to steal it from other people and you begin to say if I can guess what someone else can have it either because if I'm going to be miserable guess what someone else has to be miserable too. It's not going to be just me who's miserable. Misery loves company is a used as they say. The truth of the matter is that we lose hope when we lose vision. What we lose vision of what Jesus wants us to do when we lose vision of anything inside of us. We lose hope The Israelites last hole because their time the Israelites Last Hope because overtime their savior didn't come you have to understand something Isaiah comes and gives the prophecy right at a really really bad time in this in the time of Israel Israel history because they have been defeated over and over and over again by kings are been enslaved by different kingdoms and it just seems to go from one Kindle to another Kindle to another kingdom and they call us to be a country of rhony close to be this great country. And here we are. We're always enslaved by someone else what is going on? Cousin Isaiah comes in and gives a prophecy. Here's a problem Isaiah's prophecy happened. Roughly 600 years before Jesus came. And you know what happened 40 years after Isaiah gives his prophecy. 40 years after Isaiah gives of Prophecy the temples destroyed for the second time. I think about this for a moment. If you if you think about the Israelites are looking for the greatest amount of hope they could ever do their they share this prophecy that a child is, the government's going to rest upon his shoulder and he's going to be a king and is going to be a secret enemy within a lifetime of someone else the kingdom there their Temple their place of Holy scripture where they go and they serve God is totally destroyed because they are enslaved to another Babylonian King.

Have to understand that when we lose hope. or when we different way outside of my nose for a moment, but I really believe this is us. Satan doesn't want you to have hope and he's going to do everything he can to pull the hope that you have out of you. Even if that means destroying the Temple of whatever you have in your life. The temple that the Israelites had was built that was the place that they went and worshipped. God was a place of great amazing religious experiences if you well. And Satan came and knew that if he destroyed the temple if he would just destroy the temple how many people could he get to fall away from? face until he destroys the temple while the Babylonian Kingdom destroys the temple

May I tell you today that Jesus is going to Jesus comes to give you hope the Satan is going to come to steal at Hope and do everything he can to destroy, right? And he's going to go against the greatest thing that causes you to have. Hope the greatest thing that makes maybe it's your marriage. Maybe it's your church. Maybe your church Archer. Maybe it's your relationship with someone. He's going Satan's going to come and do whatever he can to destroy that relationship because he wants you to lose all hope he wants you to be so deep and dark and down in the gutter that you have nowhere else to say I'm giving up on God because God's not hear God's not coming. He hasn't come for 600 years. The temple has been destroyed all these things have happened. And yet we find Jesus still comes. There's still hope.

Today many many a Christmas lose the vision of what the season is all about the begin to think it's about everything else and then fact they make it about the presents the food the things we have to do versus the things we get to do man. That sounds like a good sermon I should preach at it for those that don't know. I did a couple weeks ago. They have lost the vision of what Christmas is all about. Reality, what's happening? Is that Christmas becomes a time when we think about everything else other than the birth of Christ? We lose the vision of what Christmas is all about because we begin to focus our energy on on Christmas trees and lights and we begin to focus our energy on presents and we begin to focus our energy and everything else when really all we need to do is refocus our vision on Jesus. I love the statement. I learn this in a management class actually many many years ago, but the same as says where there is no vision the people perish.

You know Satan knows that verse or he knows that statement as well as we do in this place.

Where there's no vision people perish from a leadership. What does what does really saying is that it's for for leaders to stand up and provide a vision of where we're going to his wife a few months ago. I still on that stage and said discipleship is the way that we have to go by the way how we doing with that. I want to ask you how you're doing with that not how we're doing without because the idea of discipleship is it just resting on Chad's and I shoulder or anyone else from the leadership seen it rests on all of our shoulders in this room. And so who are you discipling today? Who are you grabbing an n and pulling into the mix and say I'm going to spend some time with you and I'm going to speak to you and I'm going to teach you in the end train you in and build you up and in Christ. That's the vision of this church. And by the way, if we don't succeed in that Vision the church WIll perish. I said that a few months ago and I still stand by that statement discipleship is the vision that God has given to us here in this place that we must learn to do that.

But it's not just that it's not just discipleship is not just our church. When we lose the vision of what Christmas is all about. When we lose the vision of who Jesus is in our life that we begin to Paris and we begin to lose all hope. The Israelites lost all hope during this time because of all the things that were happening. They had waited 600 years. In fact when the wise men went scripture if you would jump over we're not going to go there. But when you read the story The Wise Penny read the story they were surprised people were surprised that they were still following those signs of a savior coming because people didn't think that this was going to happen. This was prophecy that was given hundreds of years ago. So therefore it won't ever happen again in this not going to happen. Jesus isn't coming. That's what they would say. That's what people were saying. He's not coming. He's not going to be born here. He's not going to come as a king. They're wrong. He did. Today the same question could be asked for us today. I think we live as Christians. We live in a world that we are overwhelmed by everything that's going on around us and we forget the scripture tells us that one day. Jesus is coming again. One day the trumpet will sound and Jesus is coming again. We shall not be like the Israelites who lost hope and lost all idea that Jesus was ever coming not in my life. I'm at least I don't want to be there. I'm going to be out trumpeting the idea that Jesus is coming back again soon. So you better have your lamps trimmed and burning you better be ready. You better have your life in the right place because we don't know the day or time or hour that Jesus is coming, but he is coming back again one day and prophecy tells us that

If you lose division of that Jesus Not only was going to come in the first time in the birth of Jesus in the birth of in the manger and Christmas the day that we celebrate all of these things. If you lose the vision of that then you lose the vision of who Jesus what if you lose the vision that Jesus is coming back a second time on this Earth then why should we care? Why should we come to church on Sunday? Why should we share the gospel in love people? Why should we follow the words that's in here. If you lost that Vision you need to reignite that visit because he is coming again, and we need to follow the rules at already that he provides for us the lifestyle that he gives to us to follow him. Whatever you say something. It's not rules. Listen rules are sometimes negative, right? Christy of the principal when you say you have a rule the kids want to go see his rules. I don't want to hear about any rules. As parents are raising our children and even better never do this but as parents.

Abigail you know, I can't do that, right?

It's not rules. It's really just how to follow his life how to be blessed the most that we can ever be blessed. Does it tell us things that we should do and things that we shouldn't do absolutely but by following what's in scripture, you're going to be able to live and I feel like I'm going to be saying a Joel Osteen quote here in a moment, but you can live your best life. I agree in something that way we do live a blessed life if we follow what's in Scripture.

Isaiah gave them gave the Israelites hope Isaiah gave them all the things that they needed but then 40 years after this 47 years after this happen. The temple was destroyed again and many lost hope again. The savior is coming there King whatever, but he did come he came to the Earth in the form of a baby in a Manger.

Will read about this and will know more later, but the hope that was that was received when that star song.

What's the correct on the Stars shown was shining over the major? How about that? Whatever when does start casted light on the manger? Okay.

The hope that it gave to the people around was amazing. When we stay focused on Jesus will find thousands of reasons to celebrate none of this season, but celebrate in our life, we find hundreds and thousands of ways to have hope for today and tomorrow. Yes times are bad. Yes, things are difficult today. But Jesus still has not abandon you like he did not abandon a'ight abandon. The Israelites many thousands of years ago. Jesus hasn't abandon you he hears your cry. He please you might be at night laying on your knees crying your eyes out. Thank God. Where are you? Are you sure slows Christ? And he wants you to have hope in him.

And now we have hope at him because he is who he promises us to be but he came to this earth. Walked this Earth. He died and was resurrected again. That gives us hope beyond all hope he when we focus on Jesus. We begin to hear and begin to see that our hope really is secured in him.

1st Peter verses 1 1st Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 5 says praise be to God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ in his great Mercy. He has given us New Birth into a Living Hope do the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you who threw the faith RC by God's power until the coming of the Salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Jesus Jesus is life brings us hope that you can make it through this Earth today when Jesus came to this earth and he lived in this earth and he walked this Earth he give he gave us hope that you can live a sinless life in this earth if you really chose to do that.

Course, none of us will there's only one sinless person that ever walked this Earth will ever walk this Earth and us Jesus Christ because this is a sinful world or born into sin. In this world. Hope that we two can make it through how many of us and it is a rhetorical question. So I'm going to ask you raise your hand because I know there's all of us will probably raise your hand. If we said how many of us are fed up with what's going on in this world today. I think all of us could raise her hand and say I'm so fed up with everything that's going on. I'm so fed up with the bad news that you hear. I'm so fed up with all the trouble and all these things. and it's true, but you know why things aren't much different today while they are many and many shape and form, but they're also same way that when Jesus walked this Earth Jesus gave the people this Earth hope because he gave them a vision of what it can be how you can walk through this Earth and you can do the things that he has called you to do. You can make it through you can. You can make it through all of the jobs and all of the schooling that you have Tammy you can make it through all of the things that you have. You're almost done keep pressing on keep hold of that hope

Yes times are difference. Even I often have these conversations about me and things are so different than the way they used to be. That's true. They are but you know what we can still make it through today. We can still impact today. Your hope for impact in this world has not ended because it's different than the way it was many years ago. Your hope is still alive today because I hope is not found in anything that you have on this Earth. The hope is found in Jesus Christ himself.

Is the truth of the matter is is that when we put our hope in anything other than Jesus it's going to Decay. It's going to it's going to fail and it's going to come Crashing Down. It might not be immediately. It might not be right today tomorrow or next week, but it's going to come crashing down at some point. Why because the things of this world are not Eternal these things of this word world. Do not last for eternity. The last for a period of time is a scientific name for that. I can't remember and I'm not going to embarrass myself by trying to make up the work but the law of something but I can't remember. But anyway, so everything is born on this Earth will come and pass. What's it called? Thermal thermal dynamics in this earth will eventually the cake. There's nothing in this earth. That won't even nuclear waste decays at some point. It may take thousands of years.

Is your face your hope you're enjoying him he would happen to those two after we put our hope. We put all her until you put all of the the things that we have into the hope of whatever we can do on this Earth. We put in the Hope into the money in our bank account. We put in the hoping to some other people we put in the Hope in the energy into something of this world and when we put our hope in energy and all of those things into something of this world, then those things are going to fail you.

I love you all and I'm glad that you all hopefully love me too. But if you put your hope in me, I'm going to feel you at some point. I promise you I will not because I'm trying to not because I want to but because I'm human and I will don't put your hope in me. Put your hope in Jesus Christ. What you're hoping him don't put your hope in your bank account because eventually something's going to happen for the stock market is going to is going to fall and you're going to lose all your money. Don't put your hope in anything of this world. Don't put your hope into your houses are your cars and how often how quick do cars the cake here in Northeast, Ohio very quickly so quickly, but now they spray oil in the bottom of cars keep them from the cane, but that only lasts for so long. The truth of the matter is it's too often. We have put our hope in the things of this world and what are the benefit of that the benefit of what you put it if you put hope into something of this world. The benefit is going to be whatever this world can give out to you. And the last time I checked this world can't give much back to me. There's not much in this world to give to me.

My Hope Is In Jesus because and everything I have is in him because when I put my hope in Jesus I get eternity rewards I got rewards are going to last forever not just four years, I'm just four months but I got a reward that's going to last forever to the truth of the matter is if we would look at Christmas as a time that we should not focus on a time that we should not focus listen, I'm not telling you not to go by your loved one or your kids a gift. Okay. I'm not telling you about any of that that's not what I'm saying. But what I'm saying is that when you put all of it is wrapped up in that one gift what's going to happen now? I did tell you as a as a father. I used to ride over Vine the right gift for my kids the Santa Claus going to bring the right gift. Am I going to be able to bring the right gift to my kids? Right? And you bring the right gift to your kids and guess what happens your kids play for it was about 2 weeks and then it ends up at the bottom of the toy box. And at that time that pressure and all that stress that you and all that money that you spent a buying a gift that ends up in the bottom of the toy box in 2 weeks. Then I drive you nuts as a parent it did for me but

It's not about those things. If we buy our kids nice things, yes, should we buy each other presents sure if that's what you feel you need to do and you want to do that. Absolutely. We should express our love towards each other by doing those types of things. There's nothing wrong with that. But when your hope comes in that little blue box with the blue ribbon, you know ladies know what I'm talking about. All the guys are gone. Like what are you talking about? All the ladies are like, that's Tiffany's I know exactly what you're talking about.

When your hope comes in the form of a gift? Then I guess it's going to feel you at some point is going to break.

I don't care how much you spend on that TV. I don't care how much you spend on that gaming system. I have we have literally three gaming systems at our house. You have the old old Nintendo. That's probably worth some money now, right? We have the PS1 and we have the Nintendo Wii. And you know where they're all sitting in a closet dating dust. But during their time that was the greatest thing that we could ever get our kids. That was the most wonderful gift that we could ever buy to them. No, it really matters. Now today is a time and energy that we spent loving our kids and teaching them about Jesus Christ. That's what matters more than anything those guess and all those things that we gave to them at Christmas time many of those things that we've given them over. They are in our basement waiting for us to go down there and fill them out. But the time that we brought our daughter to church the time we bought our son to church the time that we read Bible and scripture to them and prayed with them. That's still lasting today. That's still making a difference in their hearts that still make a difference in their mind.

Need to stop worrying about gifts. We need to stop worrying about anything and find Our Hope in Jesus.

We have hope because Jesus forgave us knowing Jesus brings contentment regardless of material possessions and joy, despite difficult circumstances. Nothing can destroy this. Hope Because a stored in heaven where no earthly power can touch it. We have received New Birth into a living. Hope that's real everyday is living because Jesus is alive today and offers a transform our hearts minds and actions daily when we put our hope in him who is alive today. He will change us forever more for eternity. As we understand God's forgiveness. We start forgiving others as the reality of Christ sacrifice penetrates our hearts. We lay down our selfish desires would begin to serve our families are neighbors and even are strangers on the street all the other Aldo Monday painful and stressful events threatened to diminish Our Hope Jesus Is Our Hope whenever we seek him.

Today the world that we live in Last Hope.

Human beings are clamoring to fill the empty lies with stuff. If you look around and you see abuse it look around and you see the addiction that's around and you see the broken relationships surrounding us people need the hope of Jesus because it's the only thing that's going to survive through this world with you when you die and you leave this earth. What you had isn't going to matter. What does Earthly possessions that you put all your hope in energy into me nothing when you take your last breath? Because you don't carry those with you into heaven. What you did on this Earth for Jesus's sake where you store Topsy scripture tells us that you can store up your Treasures in Heaven. That's what you do for Jesus while you're here on this Earth. Your treasure is the ones that you disciple here on this Earth. Your treasure are the ones that you raised up in Christ here on this Earth your treasure of the ones that you shared price with here on this Earth. Those are the things that are stored up in heaven. How many possessions? Hot Christmas presents not your house is not your cars.

Nothing on this Earth other than yourself is going to be taken from this place into heaven with him. The one we put our hope in anything other than the things that Jesus asked us to do.

Then we will find failure in those things at some point in our life. The world last hope they're waiting to see hope fill their lives and they're trying to fill their life is interesting world that we live in today. Talk to anyone. Everyone is clamoring to make more money because they want to fill their life with more stuff. I need the new version of this and I need to do this and I need to do whatever it might be and I need a better house and I need a better card butter couch that.

Ridiculousness, maybe I should say in some way shape or form and there's nothing wrong with having nice things here on this Earth. I'm not saying that you can't have nice things here on this Earth. There's nothing wrong with that. But when you put all of your hope into that instead of putting your hope into sharing Christ with someone else then you have a problem. When you give your tithes and offerings to your credit card because your credit card bill is so high because you wanted to buy gifts for everyone else and you don't have money to give to the church. That's an issue. When you don't when you can't share your love with someone else and I'm way of a shape or form of a gift because you spent your money all and something else. That's a problem. We have it all mixed up here in this world today. Honestly we do.

I need to stop putting. All our energy and effort into the things of this world and start putting it back into who Jesus is. Hope that he gives to us if people are trying to fill their life with all of this empty stuff because I haven't heard of the real. Hope of Jesus. I haven't heard the hope of what Advent brings to us. and his first gifts to you and I Jesus came to bring that hope he is our hope and that hope is still alive today because he was resurrected after he died on the cross for you and I That's the hope that people need it don't need another gift. I don't need another paycheck. They don't need another meal. They don't need those sex things. They need the words of what Jesus Christ looks that's the only thing that's going to transform them and fill the empty void that's inside of them or fill the empty void that's inside of us. Let me end with this. I want to ask you a simple question. Where is your hope today? What have you put your hope in today? Have you put your hope into the things of this world? Have you put your hope in Jesus Christ?

I would encourage you today to begin to think about this and begin to process this in your mind and say have I ever hope for something that was outside of scripture. Have I ever hope for something that was outside of Jesus?

It's not that Jesus and God doesn't want you to have a nice house or those types of things.

What he wants you to do is he wants you to start your hope in him and to be blessed by him see when we put our energy and effort into him first. We receive much more than what we could ever get. We put all of our hope and we put all of our strength and all of our mind and and energy and effort into him that he will return that a hundred fold. It'll be more than what you could ever get. Often times during Christmas and I'm going to say something someone's not really going to like when they say it. Anyway. Sometimes at Christmas. The very first thing we do is open up or wallet. We pull up mr. Discover. Oroplata, mr. Mastercard or mr. Visa because you know what? My kids can't live without a right gift. I got to spend the right thing cuz my wife needs a really nice gift cuz I want to express my love. Why you buying your wife for why you buying your kids to express your love something a Christmas Hyundai haven't expressed the rest of the year. If you have to go into debt to express your love to your kids or going to that Express the love for your wife and you're doing it wrong. I'm sorry. That's not the way you should do it. make something Go to them and sit down and listen this year, so I'm not buying you a gift instead. I'm going to write you a love letter. Or I'm going to make you a gift or I'm going to kill my my wife and kids have been asking me. What do you want for Christmas? I keep tell him I don't want anything but an experience. Need anything. What do I need? I need a new pair of jeans. No, I don't need a new pair of jeans. I got five of them in my drawer at home. Do I need a new sweater? No, I don't need a new sweater. Although my wife might say but that's okay. How do you do that stuff when I wanted to experience? I want experience god with them.

encourage you today Don't lose. Hope don't put your hope in anything other than Jesus today during the season. We stand with me, please another worship team for it.