Advent 2018: Why Hope?

Introduction

Why do we celebrate Advent? It all revolves around anticipation

So much of life is about anticipation. don’t you remember how things used to be? When I was old enough to ride the Texas Giant.

Children anticipate Christmas with joy and excitement.

Modern culture is losing the art of anticipation. We do’t find joy in the waiting.

This is what makes Advent so special.

Word with Latin roots, meaning “coming”.

We are celebrating Jesus’ first advent while anticipating His second.

This practice began in some churches as early at the late 4th century.

Formerly treated as Lent, but with less strictness.

As Christmas approaches, we don’t want to:

Misappropriate the meaning of Christmas.

Lost our focus.

See Christmas as the world sees the holiday.

We want to learn:

The hope of His coming.

The preparation of His coming.

the joy of His coming.

How to love and adore Him more.

We are preparing for the great scene in Heaven.

This isn’t true for the world.

“I heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”

Isaiah 9:2 NASB95

2 The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

Isaiah means “the Lord saves”.

The prophet was living in a time of great darkness for Jerusalem.

The Romans of the OT. Teaches great theological truth.

Unveils the sinfulness of God’s rebellious people and His gracious promised of salvation.

1. The Dawn is coming on our darkness.

For the Jews and Gentiles, salvation would not come until it had become utterly dark for Israel.

It was desolate.

There was still a small amount, a remnant that would see this light of salvation over their heads.

The entire nation had fallen away.

Isaiah 2:3–5 NASB95

3 And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. 5 Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Isaiah

Walking: Living out their lives.

Darkness: The hiding of the Lords face.

There were nonbelievers living in the darkness.

There were believers waiting in the darkness.

Edith Bryant. Didn’t live in the world. She waited for God by blessing people.

Whether it’s in the past, present, or future, you have experienced darkness. Another word for waiting.

Relational - death, sickness, divorce, separation, etc.

Professional - loss of job, missed opportunities, loss of passion, etc.

Physical - sickness, illness, etc.

They can all remove your hope and make you believe that God is not with you.

“A valley is a mountain waiting to happen.” - Tony Evans

God will shine His light on us. We can’t quit or give up.

Don’t sit in your valley. Get up and move with the Lord.

How do we get out of this dark valley?

Pray your way out.

Cling to the scriptures that speak on it.

Reach out your hand to other people.

Isaiah 9:6–7 NASB95

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah

2. We have NAME on which to place our hope.

Child: Human descent

Son: His maleness and dignify in the royal line.

Born of human parentage but given by the Lord.

The sign of office used to be worn on the shoulder of every ranking official.

His shoulder conveyed the sign that He would carry the government.

A name sums up character; it declares the person.

Wonderful Counselor - Qualification. Nearest Hebrew word to “supernatural”.

Mighty God - Person & Power. “Godlike Hero”

Everlasting Father - His relationship with His people. General and specific. He fulfills this longing.

Prince of Peace - The society His rule creates. “Administrator” Administers peace/wholeness.

The King will rule with an unchanging character without end.

He would devote Himself to the practice of justice and righteousness.

A kingdom of integrity.

It is the Lord Jesus who plans the future, shatters the foe, and keep His promises.

Michael Jordan.

There is a name for your hope. Jesus Christ.

Don’t simply “hope” for:

Better government

A better marriage

For a strong future

Better finances.

Replace the word hope with Jesus Christ.

Hope is empty if it doesn’t have a name.

Jesus has a name. He was the hope of the world who desperately needed a messiah and He is our hope to return for His people.

Where is your true anticipation for Christmas?

Stuff (won’t last)

Worldly popularity (won’t last)

Family (won’t last)

It’s in Jesus.

He’s the eternal hope promised to the world.

How do we prepare for Christmas? How do we prepare for His coming?