It all points to Jesus - Hope

First service of advent

Welcome to our first of this advent season

Over the next four Sundays we will focus on this time leading up to Christmas.

Meaning of advent

ADVENT Word with Latin roots, meaning “coming.”

Christians of earlier generations spoke of “the advent of our Lord” and of “His second advent.” The first phrase refers to God’s becoming human in Jesus of Nazareth.

The latter phrase speaks of Jesus’ second coming.

We approach this time with the familiarity that comes with knowing the story. But today lest stop.

Let’s marvel at our Saviour, what he has done for us. Let’s see afresh as we realise how God set aside his majesty and glory to be come like us.

300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas In the Advent God’s Love Is Revealed

It is in the advent of Jesus that the love of God is first revealed; that the new, the eternal life, is first given; that we become children of the Father, and brothers of one another.

Let us look at this afresh as we join together in worship

WORSHIP

video

We tend to think of advent as a time of waiting and in some sense it is as it

designates a period before presents and turkey and family and…

sorry got carries away. Advent is a time that we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. This practice may have begun in some churches as early as the late fourth century.

Despite the relaxation of some of the lockdown rules it is clear that this Christmas will be different to previous ones with people taking still unable to or choosing not to meet with family and friends as they would normally do.

Normally I am the sort of person that would not put up decorations until well into December deploring those that turn on the lights as soon as it gets past halloween This is a personality thing and not a doctrinal or theological stance

This year though I am observing and hearing people divide into two camps. The let’s get the lights up and on the world needs some cheer, and the let’s cancel Christmas it won’t be like I want it, so let’s not bother brigade.

Despite my normal feelings on decorations before December I must admit I am leaning towards the first group. This dark world certainly needs some light bringing into it.

The second group seem to have missed the point ofChristmas - it is not about the celebration or about their wants and desires, it would be bob-mass, or kar-mas or familygettogetherandlaughatmadauntyjoanmas. But it isn’t it is Christ-mas

300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas Christmas Presents Are the Result, Not the Cause, of Joy

Christmas Presents Are the Result, Not the Cause, of Joy

Matthew 2:11

Preaching Themes: Giving, Birth of Jesus, Joy

It is not the presents in themselves which are the cause of the joy, but presents are bestowed only because there already exists a reason for rejoicing. What is peculiar to the joy of Christmas just consists in this, its great universality. And this universal joy inevitably communicates itself to the presents too, so that in a great part of Christendom, or so far as the beautiful old custom yet reaches, everyone is occupied with preparing their gifts; and in this consciousness lies a great part of the charm with which the festival lays hold of all.

FRIEDRICH SCHLEIERMACHER (1768–1834)

We may choose to celebrate differently - to defer social gatherings but ‘not bothering misses the point - they are in danger of throwing out the baby (Jesus in this case) with the bathwater.

Besides - Advent and eventually Christmas is full of the things that we need in a world that is uncertain, that is dark, that is not the way we would want it to be.

Themes of advent

Each year over the course of advent, on each Sunday we light a candle on the advent wreath representing a theme of advent a theme of

Hope–Peace–Joy–Love

No matter what our backgrounds , beliefs, views on the current response to the pandemic - I don’t think anyone can deny that this world need more

Hope

Peace

Joy and Love.

That is what Advent is about.

This week we light the first candle of advent. Hope

light candle

Proverbs 13:12 CSB

12 Hope delayed makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

This week we focus on the source of hope

Charles Sell wrote this...

Our Greatest Need

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.

If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. 

If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. 

If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. 

But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

Unfinished Business, Charles Sell, Multnomah, 1989, pp. 121ff

It is the hope in the the one who fills this need that makes us expectantly await Christ -mass.

Nativity picture

I want to show you a picture

Yes I am in that picture

Angel - tree

Baby Jesus being plastic

Shepherds having a fashion sense born out of 1970’s curtains.

As I remember I had a hope in that picture, it was that the girl playing the black cat would be my girlfriend - alas it never happened.

The picture does speak of hope though as it points towards Jesus - two of the people in that photo are indirectly responsible for me being here today. Two of the people in this photo were part of the group that some ten years later prayed for my salvation.

Least favourite role in the nativity

The star

The star is the most underestimate role in that nativity scene. Every child wants to play Mary, or Joseph. but no one wants to play the star. And yet it is the start that points the way to hope, to joy and to salvation.

It was the star that brought the wise men, the magi to worship Jesus. Matt. 1:1-2

Wise men (and women) look for things pointing to Jesus.

The less wise need a bit more of hand. The shepherds were not considered to be the intelligencia of the community. They needed some help

In the form of the angels...

luke

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 2

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace on earth to people he favors!,,

Again pointing to jesus.

Like this season of Advent they point to Jesus.

Pointing to Jesus

scripture and prophesy point to Jesus...

There are at least 115 prohesies that point to Jesus in the OT.

From the beginning of Genesis

Genesis 3:15 CSB

15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

Through the bible

There are prophesies that point to Jesus - His birth Place

Micah 5:2 CSB

2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.

The nature of his birth

Isaiah 7:14 CSB

14 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.

His life

Isaiah 52:13–14 CSB

13 See, my servant will be successful; he will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted. 14 Just as many were appalled at you— his appearance was so disfigured that he did not look like a man, and his form did not resemble a human being—

Isaiah 61:1–2 CSB

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn,

His death

Isaiah 53:5 CSB

5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.

Isaiah 53:7–9 CSB

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment, and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but he was with a rich man at his death, because he had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully.

His purpose.

Isaiah 9:6–7 CSB

6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.

His rule and return

Daniel 7:13–14 CSB

13 I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. 14 He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

Scripture before the birth of Jesus point to Him.

And continues to do so into the 21st century.

But it is not only scripture that points to Jesus we have the HS

Holy spirit

The HS point to Jesus in Incarnation

In Luke 1:35 Gabriel says to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God." In Matthew 1:18, 20we learn that "Mary ... was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit." and that "... that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."

The HS points to Jesus In our lives

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 16

12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.

The holy spirit through his work in us wants to make us Christ Like.

Not baby, not long haired, bearded and sandle wearing, though if that is your facshion choice go for it. Who am I to comment you have seen a picture of me in a dress made from curtains, wrapped in a bed spread with a cardboard crown on my head.

The Chist like that the HS wants to guide us to though is the Christ that is

maginficent, awsome powerful as well as loving and king.

If we want to know Jesus more, to know his character how he operates we need to understand the HS points to this. Because the HS is concerned with our lives he wants to reveal something new, something more about Jesus each day.

He may do that through the Word revelled by the HS.

Directly or In our lives through the way God is at work in us.

This is what makes our life exciting as God in the HS points us to and opens up who Jesus really is...

We need to allow the HS to

LEAD GUIDE SHAPE sometime CONVICT> so the He can point us to JESUS

Long in the tooth - Do you really want average to be mere christians

in 1 Corinthians 3:3 Paul admonishes the church for acting like mere humans

1 Corinthians 3:3–4 CSB

3 because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? 4 For whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not acting like mere humans?

becoming christ like is allowing the HS to work in us to point us to Jesus more and more and shape us to be more Christ like. More than human

Jesus saw the need and met the need because he was compassionate to see the need and was empowered to do so.

If Christ is in us. what does this mean for us - how does it affect the way you act, speak, give, do, behave in public and in private.

This centrality of of focus on Jesus, as we come to understand the fullness of Christ - as the HS reveals Jesus in a fuller way. Our eyes are drawn more and more to Jesus, we are set to worship to bow down in awe and wonder and worship

Just as the Magi and Shepherds did. - when the STAR and angels pointed to them.

Events

Two thousand or so years ago and to day the events of the world point to Jesus

From the census that moved a family to a place predestined in scripture, Bethlehem

To the events of Covid 19 that are causing people to ask the wider questions of life and death and what is next.

2000 years ago it was John the Baptist that was appointed to point others towards the coming messiah.

Today it is up to us...

Us.

How do we point to Jesus.

Ann Maries - posts, Jan’s physical help in the lives of people that need help. Dennis and Marlene daily prayer.

Not throwing away Christmas because it doesn’t meet up to the expectations of last year. - The first Christmas blew away the expectations of a young girl and her husband to be. The events that followed changed the expectations of the lowly shepheards and the entitled wisemen. It has seen rulers fall and other appointed, it has changed social expectation and law.

This Advent focus on the Coming of Christ and all that, that means. Take this opportunity to bring hope to those around you and point them to Jesus.

In fact just for this year. I’ll make an exception. If you want to put your Christmas lights on early, fill ya boots, I won’t tease you. The world needs to see a light shining in the darkness.

Shall we pray.

Prayer

300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas Grant that We May Hasten from Darkness to Light

Grant That We May Hasten from Darkness to Light

Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; John 1:9; 1 John 2:10

Preaching Themes: Presence of God, Union with Christ

O Lord, unto whom our soul watches from the light,

grant that we may always hasten from darkness to light;

that the mist of the mind may utterly pass away,

and the fullness of your light abide in us.

MOZARABIC OFFICE

300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Matthew 2:13–23

Preaching Themes: Freedom, Hope, Birth of Jesus, Kingdom of God

Come, thou long expected Jesus,

Born to set thy people free,

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in thee:

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth thou art,

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a king,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now thy gracious kingdom bring:

By thy own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone,

By thy all-sufficient merit

Raise us to thy glorious throne.

CHARLES WESLEY (1707–1788)