Hope for the 2nd Christmas
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ME:
Today we enter into a season of Advent: The leading up to and the expectations of the coming Messiah (Christ)!
Christmas is celebrating what has already taken place but also what is to COME!
Advent means the arrival of a notable person/event (The coming and the second coming)
In a few weeks we celebrate the 1st Christmas.
Soon, we are going to experience the 2nd Christmas.
Truly, this is what are HOPE is in ...... the 2nd coming!
Today we are going to look at HOPE!
Hope in the secular world is defined as “the expectation of a desired GOOD!”
Nobody ever hopes for something BAD!
One Greek Philosopher stated hope as this, “the birthright of every human being (male or female) is to retain (continue to have) hope.”
Adam and Eve woke up every morning “Expecting GOOD.”
WE:
The Greek word for HOPE is “ELPIS”
Exclusively a religious meaning.
Hope is always directed toward God and is no longer any expectation whatsoever, but a sure and certain confidence in God.
Not an expectation of something good but a confident in the one who is good.
(Luke 18:19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”)
GOD:
Romans 8:18-25
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
(Vs 18) starts off with a phenomenal statement, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Who makes this kind of statement?
You want to know what kind of sufferings Paul went through ..... 2 Cor 11: 24-27
24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;
27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Someone who is confident in the one who is good.
“Suffering of this present time”
Same suffering Christ experienced
“Not worth comparing”
Doesn’t even come close
Close to what??????
“God’s Glory!” (Doxa)
The manifestation of the presence and the activity of the Invisible & transcendent God!
Paul is talking about Christ exalted existence.
Being in the presence (Radiance upon one) (Weightiness)
Paul states, “Nothing compares to it” (Doxa)
Creation can’t wait to get back to it.
(Vs 19) “Waits with eager longing”
Sitting on the edge of their seat
(Vs 21) “Creation will be set free from its bondage” (corruption)
This takes place in the return of Christ.
We are new creatures in Christ and Creation is made new as well.
(Vs 22) “Creation has been groaning”
(Vs 23) “We have been groaning as well”
We have the 1st fruits (Holy Spirit) but we, along with creation, are waiting on the completion (The return of Christ).
The Holy Spirit is our guarantee. (Eph. 1:13-14) 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Only when Christ returns will there be a PUBLIC Proclamation of the fact that we are adopted and redeemed.
(Vs 24) “for in this hope”
We were saved by this hope (Confidence in the one who is good)
God offers us adoption into the family and redemption for our sins! HOW?
Through Jesus Christ
We wait on this HOPE Patiently (24)
Greek word is “Hypomone”
To wait Expectantly
YOU:
Hope is the confidence in the one who is GOOD!
We believe we are adopted into the family & we are redeemed (forgiven of our sins) by the sacrifice Christ made on the cross.
This is validated and sealed by the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
This will publically be proclaimed at the 2ND CHRISTMAS
We should be waiting EXPECTANTLY
ME:
Is your hope in the one who is GOOD?
Have you asked Jesus to forgive you?
If so Do you know you are adopted and redeemed
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to move in you and through you?
Are you waiting expectantly on HIS return?