Hope For Tomorrow

Story: miss something? Skip something?

Prayer - Help me God; speak through me; not because of me but you;

Series - don’t skip straight to silent night - Come Thou Long Expected Jesus first

How do you see your world, life right now? Honest assessment? Positive? hopeless? history is full of pain, fear, oppression and violence. This is the world we live in; Jesus was born in a world of pain, fear, oppression and violence. He challenged these powers. He preached Good news in this world. He directed people to God. How can we?

Mark’s Gospel

gets jumps right in to the action- no birth story - John the Baptist says be ready because God is about to do the unexpected; something you didn’t expect.

Jesus in the wilderness (no resources; no friends but wild animals, no spiritual support)” and angels take care of him: God’s presence never leaving us alone in the dangers of the world? And the call to be those angels as well?

God’s presence in wilderness; forget God, or high expectations of? Hope? (high but non-specific) in suffering? Forget God because he’s forgotten us - look to humans?

Documentary, Gospel lesson about hope: a God solution to insurmountable problems

Introduction - Trailer with powerful statements

Defiant Requiem: documentary about holocaust; Jews at Terezin prison suffered: starved, beaten; build crematories, create Nazi propaganda; choose which Jews boarded the next train. BUT 150 Jews were able to perform music (and drama) - work of defiance against Nazis; hope in God solitons to insurmountable problems.

Gospel lesson about hope: a God solution to insurmountable problems

1. Worship during helplessness - secret synagogue, Christian mass - experience God- irony; experience God in worship [AG church; people seeking hope; problem with me)

2. Expect God to deliver and judge (oppression-pandemic; politics; God to deliver, song, ) (be non specific - limit God, difference between answering and granting?)

3. Problem: Hope not in God, but human rulers - Jesus said “Prepare yourself for Caesar? Jews looking for political solutions? Us looking to Pharma and politicians? (I rely 3x daily); ultimate trust? Nazi’s (military solution)? The Roman Empire (political solution)? Expect human solutions? (liberate me God) -

That’s hope - expecting a God solution to insurmountable problems

Prayer / Litarny - Confess with our mouths our hope…towards God;