"Waiting for Hope"

Introduction: Today, we begin the season of Advent. This is first Sunday of Advent, and we are going to use the traditional themes of Advent to base our time together throughout the season. As you can see below me, the traditional candles of Advent. The whole desire for these sermons is to do as the hymn writer of the old African American spiritual “Go Tell it On the Mountain” tells us to do, that Jesus Christ is born, that Jesus Christ is Lord.

We do that today by recognizing the excruciating task of waiting. I think we all can relate to the idea of waiting. That really is the whole mode of the advent season, waiting for that glorious Christmas morning. As kids, its looking forward to those gifts under the tree, but as I have grown older, I think it’s the waiting of the season that I enjoy the most. Waiting for the morning in which we celebrate that hope is found, that the fulfillment of all Scripture is brought forth into a manger to bring redemption and salvation to this dark world.

Hope is more important than ever. Hope is the message of God’s people, that as we celebrate this season of waiting, we point people to the one where true hope is found, in Jesus Christ himself. And we continue to wait until His second advent.

CTS: Go, tell that hope has come and is coming through the Advents of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I. Hopeless (1-6)

A. The Search for Righteousness (1-2a)

When we look at the world, can we really put 100 percent confidence in anyone to be completely righteous. Even the best among us can fail, and fail miserably. Because of the radical effects of sin, it’s hard to even trust anyone. None is righteous, no not one. Even if you never experience it, people are inherently selfish and sinful. What you see in someone may be completely different than how someone else perceives them.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And what’s even worse, is that this is supposed to be God’s people that Micah is prophesying about. Yet he cannot find any light, any righteousness among God’s people.

B. The Reality of Unrighteousness (2b-6)

The description of each described range from outright enemies of God to families. Even the best among us are briers that prick at us. This is the darkness we experience

Contrasting even in Scripture that children are to honor their father and mother, we see that this was not the case then and not the case now. We even contrast the daugher-in-law like Ruth was to Naomi to the ungodly who rise against their own.

II. Hopeful (7)

A. The Godly Response

As for me…The decision of the godly is to hope, to look to God in the midst. He is all there is left. When there is no hope left, you realize that all the hope you have is in God himself.

Look to LORD. When there is nothing else to hope in, as it should be btw, we look to God. We wait for Him to make things right, to bring light to the darkness. We wait, the waiting of the Advent is a perfect time of year to truly rest and wait in the LORD. When all seems dark, especially this year, in this time of anticipation, we wait, just as the saints of old waited, those 400 years between the end of Malachi to the announcement by the angels

B. The Response of God

And God does respond. He hears. He heard the cry of the Israelites in Egypt. He hears their cries in Judges. He hears their cries as they come home from exile. He hears the moaning and groaning of creation. And God hears, and God will respond. He responds with hope, the fulfillment of what was promised since Genesis 3.

III. Hope-Filled (18-20)

A. Textual Outline (Carlson)

1. Forgiving Love (18)

Total pardon and passing over our transgressions

We are His inheritance

His anger is but a moment, because of His steadfast love and mercy in His own means of salvation

2. Redeeming Power (19)

Compassion towards us, knowing our state and need

He breaks the power of sin

Sin is removed totally and never again comes upon us again

3. Perpetual Faithfulness (20)

God is faithful to His promises, for He never forgets His covenant love.

Sworn to them, sworn to us.

B. The Hope of Advent Promised

Isaiah 60:1–3 ESV

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah 9:2 ESV

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

C. The Hope of Advent Fulfilled

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

For to us a 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.

Micah 5:2 ESV

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

The Dawn of Light

John 1:1–5 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Indwelling of Light

2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The Eternal Light

Revelation 21:23–27 ESV

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Conclusion: As they waited for the Messiah, God has fulfilled that Hope in the person of Jesus Christ. We wait in anticipation of Christmas morning, for what it signifies is the coming of God into this world, putting on flesh, and bringing light, redemption, through His own life and death. Born to die. He is hope.

That hope is though has already come. So yes, we wait, but we don’t wait for salvation to be accomplished. It already has been. We are made new in Christ. But we are waiting for the Second Advent, when salvation will be completed. That day will come, and we wait for anticipation. So in this advent season, we wait. We go and tell that hope has come, but also that hope is coming to finish His work completely. He will come with justice and light, to break the darkness completely, meet sin with justice, and shine for His light in fullness. That’s the news we have. That’s what we tell, that Jesus Christ has come and that He is coming again. Go, tell that on the mountain!