Week 1 of this year’s Advent Messages looks at our Living Hope who gives us confidence, calls us to persevere with a purpose and come from God’s power.
To encourage and equip people to love God, love our neighbors, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
To encourage and equip people to love God, love our neighbors, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sermons on Hope
In Part 1 of 2 in Thessalonians 5:1-11 we looked at “His Return”. This week in Part 2 we’ll consider “Our Response” and the perspective/attitude His followers ought to have in regard to His return.
Paul is seeking in this passage to both encourage and call on his listeners to encourage others to be hopeful about those who have died in Christ. It is absolutely not the end for them. They can and must remain hopeful. But how? Paul gives clear direction. They (and we!) remain hopeful by looking to Jesus (the One who died but didn’t stay dead), listening to what Jesus says on this matter, and by going and comforting others with these truths.
As we celebrate Easter Sunday and the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, we look closer at Luke’s account of the Resurrection, the grave was not the last word. He Lives!!!
Isaiah is quoted quite a bit in the Gospel of Matthew. So, it makes sense to go to this Old Testament prophet first if we are going to spend the bulk of the Advent Season in Matthew. Here in Isaiah 7:13-14 is an old, very, very old pregnancy announcement. Specifically, a pregnancy annoucement of a baby boy who will be King. But Isaiah’s words do more than simply announce the birth of King Jesus.
This sermon calls people to take time to calm and quiet their soul and slow down the business of life and learn to rest in Jesus.
In our passage this morning we see the Israelites wandering once again from God. The hard truth, however, is that everyone in some way or another has strayed or wandered from Him. But because of who He is and what He’s done, He is still God and He is still good! God is still God even when His people wander. But the idea is never that we continue to wander away from Him.
Last week’s passage made clear that judgment is coming for the Israelite people. God has said so, and what He says will be so. But God continued to talk through Hosea, and what He says in Hosea 1:10-2:1 brings HOPE, even in the midst of impending judgment. So, based on what is said here, we can be hopeful in a number of ways. Namely, that God will keep His words of promise as much He keeps His words of judgment; that judgment can be reversed; and that He has a good plan for His people.
Christian or not, heartbreak and disappointment are a part of the human experience because of the sinful brokenness of our world. This passage gives us a picture of the hardships of life wringing out the hopes of God’s people. In that we see God remind Moses that He is the Lord. That he is faithful to keep His promises. That He desires to work during our brokenness. That His work and plan always move forward. It is in the heartbreak and trials of life that the glory of God is most revealed in our lives. Through this passage we are drawn to see how Jesus came to give us freedom and hope in Him.
As we can all be in places of unrest and weariness in our lives, He reminds us of who He is, how much he loves us and the joy He gives to us as we walk with Jesus.