Advent Begins: The Message Of Hope Series

Sermon – Advent Begins: The Message of Hope

Scripture Lesson: Genesis 39:1-4 “And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”

Introduction: I want to use Joseph’s story of Hope as we began our journey to Christmas. Growing up in the Methodist Church, the Christian education department always followed the liturgical Christian calendar introducing the liturgical colors and religious ritual for each season of the year. They taught us about advent. Advent Season is a very special time of year that sometimes gets lost in the bright lights of the Christmas season it precedes. The first day of Advent is the first day of a new Liturgical (or church) calendar and begins a four-week period of preparation for the nativity of Jesus Christ at Christmas.

Many of you know that the Advent Season is all about reflecting on how we can prepare our hearts and homes for the coming of Jesus Christ in the world as it is today. It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, special music, and good deeds the true meaning of the birth of Jesus. Advent begins with the candle of Hope, moves to light, then to peace and finally to the Joy of Christmas.

The story of Joseph is a beacon of hope in a world of sorrow. “The story of Joseph, the son of Jacob who was called Israel, is a vivid representation of the great truth of Romans 8:28, which says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Have you ever wondered why you were created? Why do you exist? What is your purpose in life? These are all questions that people have asked themselves at some point in their lives. But as Christians, we know that we were created for a specific purpose, and that purpose is to glorify God. God has a plan for each one of our lives, and His plan is perfect. It's easy to get caught up in our own desires and plans for our lives, but we must remember that God's plans are far greater than anything we could ever imagine. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He has a specific purpose for us. Joseph seemed to get it.

Joseph always seemed to do the right thing; but still, more importantly, he did it for the right reason. How could Joseph maintain his hope through the trials of life? What lessons can we learn from his experiences that can help us cope as we prepare for Christmas? Can Christmas season mean more than Black Friday, Shop Local Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday? Are people still in desperate need of hope today? Advent offers us the gift of Hope.

If anyone had been touched by trauma with a reason to harbor hatred, surely it was Joseph. If anyone had cause to think God had forsaken him, surely it was Joseph—the abused Jewish teenager and mistreated young adult had every reason to feel sorry for himself.

At age 17, Joseph descended quickly from favored son to forgotten slave, then from a forgotten slave to a forgotten prisoner. From there, his calamities only intensified until he found himself abandoned for years in the darkness of an Egyptian prison. He could have easily relived his 13 years of tragedies over and over again. Assaulted. Abused. Falsely accused. Betrayed. Wrongfully imprisoned with no end in sight. Joseph somehow kept hope alive.

Joseph was hopeful. Instead of getting bitter, Joseph became better. Joseph endured it all with grace. How? The Lord was with him. The author of Genesis repeatedly emphasized that clue to Joseph’s stability. Sometimes, the best evidence of God’s presence in a person’s life is a calm and steady enduring hope during hard trials. Hope that is real can endure through the most difficult trials. If the story of Joseph teaches us anything, surely it’s that the best “lifesaving device” for enduring great trials is the presence of our Lord. Joseph knew that God was with him. It is the hope we all need in these difficult days. It was the same hope Job held on to, listen to Job 19:25-27 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”