All I Want For Chirstmas Is Hope Series

Our senses scream that this is all there is – that life is the sum total of profession plus possessions, and death ends it all. But this world is neither our home nor our hope (thanks to David Henderson for these ideas). The Bible says that those who are wrapped in a relationship with Jesus Christ have the hope of heaven; a confident assurance in God’s promises. 1 Corinthians 15:19: “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” To hope means to wait. Galatians 5:5 encourages us to hang in there: “By faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.”

It’s only as I place my hope in God am I freed from a compulsive pursuit of the next thing that I think will bring satisfaction to my soul. Hope then can help me through tragedy or triumph. Did you know that Jesus is coming again? He came at Christmas the first time but the Bible says that He’s coming back. When the Scripture writers describe this event, they often link it to hope. Check out Titus 2:13: “While we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Decisions for Hope

A couple weeks ago, a government official gave out a phone number for homeowners worried about rising mortgage payments: “The best you can do for your family is to call 1-800-995-HOPE.” The only problem was that this was not correct. Instead of an 800 number it was an 888 number. Most everyone wants a little hope in their life but some of us think that we’ve been given a wrong number. Friends, I want to give you the right number this morning.

If you want to make your “hope rope” stronger, there are at least three decisions you need to make. If you want to cope then hold on to the rope of hope and wrap yourself in these three numbers.

#1: Get wrapped up in Scripture. Romans 15:4: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” I just talked to someone this week who told me that the older he gets the more he finds comfort not in situations, but in Scripture. This verse tells us that we can hold on to hope because the Bible helps us endure through problems and gives us encouragement through its promises. We’d love to have you join us for our Old Testament journey that we’re taking beginning in January on Sunday mornings. I think you’ll find it interesting, informative and encouraging.

#2: Get wrapped up in the Savior. Jesus is Savior. In fact, that’s what His name means. Matthew 1:21 says that Joseph was to call him Jesus, “because He will save His people from their sins.” We are sinners in need of the Savior. The way to have hope is to have the Holy One in your life as Colossians 1:27 says: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” And, as the children reminded us earlier: He is an indescribable gift!

The first part of John 1:14 says that the “Word became flesh…” This is the single, most unique quality of Christianity that makes it different from any other religion: God became flesh at Christmas. Jesus is the visible word of God. Theologians call this truth the Incarnation. The infinite second person of the Trinity, who created all things according to John 1:1, became a soft baby. The collision of deity and humanity had its full expression in Jesus when the Infinite became an Infant. What Gabe explained to Hope about the ants is exactly right. God became one of us in order to get a message of hope to us.