Advent Hope

Archibald Rutledge told of seeing a bird build its nest, and then a storm came at night and destroyed it. Next morning as Rutledge lamented the loss, he heard a buzzing and twittering overhead. Stepping back into the bush, he observed the glimmering birds beginning a new home on the broken tip of the same branch on which the old one had rested.

This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent.

Advent – the beginning of the church year

- signifying the coming of the Lord

- it is a time of preparation for the church

- it is a time of reflection on the coming of the Lord

- a time of no more tears and suffering

2121 was definitely a time of reflection, and we are really looking forward to the New Year.

It is a message of Hope

Without Jesus we are utterly, eternally lost and without Hope.

Personal Testimony – Being lost creates a sense of complete insignificance. Even the most talented, powerful, influential are lost over time. You can be at the top of the charts and completely insignificant and forgotten in a decade. If not studied in a book they become dust. Have any of you ever felt insignificant? Even what you could accomplish would be erased over time, at best a generation or two.

How about people like Steve Wasniak, ( who is still alive) or Steve Jobs –They changed the world with computers. If you asked this next generation who they were, most would not know.

Sometimes this sense of insignificance leads to loneliness, and depression

People who have a negative image of their lives. They may have gone through severe stress such as disappointment in their careers or a breakup of a relationship, loss by fire or natural disaster.

Depression hits all types – Dwayne Johnson ( Rock), Michael Phelps the Olympic swimmer, or Terry Bradshaw the NFL star. How about Abraham Lincoln, he said,” If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth.”

If you live for this world life is meaningless, why because it will come to an end.

Thank God His kingdom will not come to an end AMEN

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.

What is Hope?

With this scripture we can have Hope.

We have a Hope that never ends

What is HOPE - It is an expectation or belief in the fulfillment of something desired.

This word Used 82 times in the NT

The Hebrew words can be defined as – to long after or stretch out – or wait

Ps 33 combines hope and fear

18Behold the eyes of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

It make sense because we are in constant need for hope.

What we go through creates a longing for something better.

Some have concluded that there is no reasonable basis for hope and therefore to hope is to live in an illusion. How sad a person must be to think like that.

Scripture relates being without hope to being in the world without God:

Ephesians 2:12 ESV

remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

It is true that humans are who God uses to make change possible – But it is only through a heart fully regenerated in Him , a heart of Love, a heart of Peace, a heart of Patience a heart of Long suffering, a heart of Joy, a heart of hope that makes a difference

Hope must be based on faith that has been rooted in God because He alone is faithfull

Hope Has A Name !

1.Hope is not an Illusion!!!

He has a Name !!

Pilate who had the hope of the world standing next to him but did not recognize it. Hope can be right in front of you and you might not recognize it.

When Christ entered Jerusalem – what did the people do. They threw down palm branches in expectation of their King of Kings and Lord of Lords to arrive. They didn’t expect the mule and they certainly were not expecting the cross – they did not understand that the only way there was any hope for the future was the Cross – the way of suffering , a death- but the key was the resurrection

If Jesus was not born there would not have been a resurrection if no resurrected then there is no hope, there is no living faith there is no future there is nothing more than a life of existence nothing more than the battle of the fittest and nothing more than what you can accomplish or steal.

What Does Hope Do

Question - What does Hope Do?

It gives you a future.

It empowers the Christian to live without despair through the struggle and suffering of the present (cf. Rom 8:18; 2 Cor4:16–18).

Romans 8:18-25 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. ESV

You have a future- Even if my life were to end today, I have a future. I can imagine it at times, I am excited about it.

It Grows into trust.

Psalms 33:18 Behold the eyes of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

Quote from Cranford – “To hope in God is to stand in awe of Him and His power with the confidence that God will faithfully perform His word.

Trust is something we all struggle with.

How can you trust flawed human beings?

How can you trust flawed systems- like our election system, judicial system?

We live in a world of no guarantees except death and taxes. So we need something bigger for a guarantee

You need something or in this case someone who can never fail.

You were given the Spirit as a guarantee of your inheritance. AMEN

Do You Have It?

Conclusion:

Do you have Hope?

In the Book of Acts , most of the time you can translate it expectation

It is not vain hope it is I expect this to be so.

Eph 2:12 says you started out with no Hope .

It reads, remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But verse 13says But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near dbythe blood of Christ.

If you don’t have hope then your focus is off, it might be on circumstance not certainty

Circumstances change like the wind - Certainty does not

I believe as certain as death will come to each of us. Life is freely given by Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:8-14

Jesus came at night, when everything seemed to be at the darkest. The angels brought the message at night. It was as dark then as it is now.

Christ came to bring you hope, peace, love and joy AMEN

Take the next few weeks and instead of getting wrapped up in the commercialism of Christmas. Get to know the reason for Christmas

I preach this message not just for information but for a purpose

Today is the perfect time for you to give your life to Jesus- He paid the price for you and simply asks for you to come to him