THE HOPE OF CHRISTMAS
Isaiah 9:6, 7
Isaiah 9:6,7 is a prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. At the time Isaiah prophesied these words only darkness, gloom, and despair appeared to lay in store for the Nation of Israel. Darkness as black as night prevailed upon the land through the sin of the people and the coming judgment by the hand of God. Isaiah 8:21-22 declares to us, And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
Man’s hope is usually built on what we expect, want, or desire to happen. But the Bible never allows the Child of God to build our hope on the likes of Man, but we are allowed to build our hope on the immutability of God Himself.
Where is your hope today? Is it wrapped up in the expectations of a gift under a tree? Is it lost in the darkness that surrounds your life? We all need to learn to hope again because there is always hope.
By all appearances there was no hope in the days of Isaiah. It appeared that the nation of Israel was quickly coming to an end. But out of the darkness a voice was heard that spoke of the Light of Hope that would touch the very soul of man. It was the Hope of Christ! The Hope of Christmas! Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” A child would be born that would bring hope into the hearts and lives of the hopeless. The child was the Light of the World. John 8:12 states, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Jesus came to pierce the darkness.
It was Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, who prophesied of the Light of the Christ Child. Luke 1:67-79 declares to us.
When Jesus was brought to the temple for circumcision it was Simeon who saw and spoke of the hope of this One. Luke 2:32 states, “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Christmas is filled with the wonder, counsel and peace of hope that exceeds our expectations. It lifts us from our darkness into the marvelous Light of Jesus Christ! Christ is our Christmas Hope!
I. CHRISTMAS HOPE IS WONDERFUL!
A. This wonderful hope distinguishes itself from the empty hope that is in the world.
B. This wonderful hope accomplishes in our lives what man cannot.
C. Man cannot comprehend this wonderful hope but it is available for all that ask.
D. This wonderful hope is salvation through Jesus Christ!
1. JESUS CAME TO SAVE US FROM DEATH.
a. Romans 6:23 declares, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. “
2. JESUS CAME TO SAVE US FROM HELL.
a. Matthew 25:46 says, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
3. JESUS CAME TO SAVE US FOR A HEAVENLY HOME.
a. John 14:2-3 says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
E. The wonderful hope of Christmas comes to accomplish what we cannot accomplish. And that being salvation. Christmas is hopefully wonderful!
II. CHRISTMAS HOPE IS COUNSELING!
(It seems like never before more and more people are seeking out a counselor of one sort. You can now attend counseling and self help sessions for most anything that troubles you.)
A. Jesus has the Spirit of Counsel upon Him.
1. Isaiah 11:1-2 declares, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord”
B. We must seek his counsel concerning the issues of life.
C. The Hope of Christmas comes as the Counselor of our lives that speaks to us in our moments of despair and tells us to look to Jesus.
III. CHRISTMAS HOPE IS PEACEFUL.
(Fear, stress, confusion, and heartache are the trademarks of our day because of the absence of peace. And they seem to be enlarged in this season of hope, love, joy, and peace.) John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. “
A. We find peace that brings healing and health to our fragmented lives.
1. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. “
B. We find peace that brings about a prosperity by the hand of God.
1. 3 John 1:2 states, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
C. We find peace that brings restoration by making amends.
Ephesians 2:13-17 declares, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
D. WHEN WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD WE HAVE PEACE WITH OURSELVES AND WE HAVE PEACE WITH OTHERS.
1. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
2. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Conclusion:
Christmas hope is wrapped in the wonderful counsel of peace that Christ brings to our lives by the hand of God the everlasting Father. Hebrews 6:17-20 declares, “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: [18] That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: [19] Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; [20] Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” God assures us of the unchangeable hope of Christmas that will anchor our souls in times like these. So in this Christmas season let us be hopeful for Christ is our Christmas hope!
