Look around you today. Can you believe it Christmas is coming? And it will be here before you know it. And like most years it will come fast and go fast, but this year, why not take the time to reflect upon the question: What is this day truly all about?
Over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, I want us all to reflect upon the awesome miracle that happened in that stable 2000 years ago, and how it still effects us today. Stripping away like a painter or carpenter all that covers its true beauty.- Hopefully finding underneath all the layers of man made ideas- The true meaning of Christmas and in discovering this meaning, we will be directed towards the hope that is found only in Jesus Christ. .
I recently read a story of self-made millionaire Eugene Land, who greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these predominantly black and Puerto Rican children even to look at him. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you." At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. One student said, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school.
Friends, Hope is an amazing thing. Hope can transform a life with no meaning into a life that is full of purpose and direction.
With this question and thought in mind turn with me in your bible to the central reason for our hope John chapter 3 beginning in verse16
In this one verse John 3:16 the entire gospel message is unveiled. God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to us that we might have a hope. The hope being that through Jesus we have the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven with Him.
In that tiny manger lay a baby, Christ, our Lord, our peace, and our hope. A hope that is offered to all. A hope that is offered right now to You and to me. A hope that transcends time that reaches back to our past, touches our present, and reaches out to our future. A hope that transforms.
This gift of hope reaches back to our past
When Jesus shed his blood for us upon that cross 2,000 years ago, he died for all your sins past, present, and future. Many of you sitting here are haunted by your past. Living with guilt, regret, anger, jealousy, you name it. The past clouds your present and blocks your future. This Christmas, Jesus wants to offer to you Hope. A Hope that things can be different, A Hope that you can let go of… you fill in the blank, hope that you can forgive, A hope that despite the past, Jesus stills loves you and he still died for you. A hope that says Jesus’s love for you never changes. He loves you just as much when you in the biggest mess or when you are doing good. His love for you never changes. The holy spirit can enter into your deepest hurts and bring healing.
But healing only comes when you stop denying and start accepting the hand of God into your pain.
1 Peter 1:3 says, “Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on.”
In your bibles Circle the words “new life” and “hope”. That is what Jesus wants to do for you. To offer to you a Living hope.
Paul prays for this for us in Ephesians 1:18 listen to what it says: “You will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us”
I have shared this illustration many times with you, but it fits perfectly here. In Texas I had a friend named Rickey. Rickey was still haunted by memories of abuse as a child. Rickey shared that these memories had held him hostage for many years until one day Jesus entered into those memories and healed him.
Rickey shared that as a child while abuse was going on he would run to the corners of his room placing a hand on each side of the wall. It was here that Rickey felt safe. As a adult after asking Jesus to heal these memories and laying them at the feet of Jesus, Jesus answered his prayer. Rickey said that while in the shower, God gave him a picture of Rickey running as a child to the corner of his room, but this time in the corner was Jesus standing there with a long flowing robe. Rickey saw himself running straight into the outstretched arms of Jesus and then the robe covered him. It was here the Holy Spirit entered into his memory changing it forever. The Holy spirit wants to do that for you today. To heal your pain, To help you forgive either yourself or someone else, to give you fresh perspective on a life long lived under the shadow of pain and suffering. Today choose to open your eyes and let the hope that comes through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, transform your past.
Not only does this hope transform our past but this gift hope touches our present and transforms it as well.
A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we’re behind." "Boy," said the spectator, "I’ll bet you’re discouraged." "Why should I be discouraged?" replied the little boy. "We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!"
I love that illustration. Our gracious God has given us hope for the past, he has taken away our past, given us a fresh start, taken away the 18 runs scored against us, but we have yet to bat? What will we do now in the present.
Acts 2:26 echoes this feeling: Listen: “Because of this, my heart will be glad, my words will be joyful, and I will live in hope.”
Ever wished you were someone else. Surveying your life and comparing it other’s lives. At Christmas, through music, movies, TV, we do just that and at the end of the day we feel lost like somewhere we are missing something. Making us feel that if we only had this or had that we would be better. But that is the world’s logic not God’s.
The hope found in Jesus tells us that we are God’s masterpiece that God made us just as we are. This hope also tells us that God has plans for us to give us a hope and a future. The choice becomes whose perspective are we going to view our lives from- the worlds or God’s.
Today this Christmas choose to live. In the shadow of the realization of what God has done for you. The confidence that the apostle Paul shared when he wrote. We are more than conquerors through him loved us and gave himself for us. A present day conqueror attitude. Really all Satan can do to a believer is nip at our heals. Causing us to look at everything but Jesus. Living in hope means keeping your eyes on Jesus. Meeting with him each and every day.
Not only does this hope transform our past and our present but also this gift of hope reaches out to our future and transforms it as well.
An interesting map is on display in the British Museum in London. It’s an old mariner’s chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters. The cartographer made some intriguing notations on areas of the map that represented regions not yet explored. He wrote: "Here be giants," "Here be fiery scorpions," and "Here be dragons." Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin, a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out the fearful inscriptions, he wrote these words across the map: "Here is God."
Like no other time our future seems so uncertain. Global warming, terrorist attacks, deadly viruses, you name the worry. This Christmas God’s gift of hope allows us to always say to whatever comes to us in the future, “Here is God.” And with God you can accomplish anything.
Even though you might be in a tough situation now, you can have hope that your future is in God’s loving hands. No matter what you are facing today, God says I have won the victory for you and will bless you with a “Future filled with hope.” You see this life is only temporary, you were made to exist forever and this body, this earth, is only the first chapter in a novel with no ending. Because of God’s gift of Jesus we have been forgiven of our sins and we once again have been restored to a right relationship with God. We are no longer separated from him and because of this the Bible says,
“This truth gives them the confidence of eternal life, which God promised them before the world began--and he cannot lie.” Titus 1:2 NLT
You are the “them” in that verse, you are the one that will have eternal life with God! So the things of this life, the worries, the stress, the fear for our future is pointless because our hope is that this life is just the rehearsal for the real production. We don’t have to get all worked up about what will happen to us because God has taken away our past, given us freedom in the present, and secured our future all because of his gift of Jesus this Christmas.
The Bible says, “You will live secure and full of hope; God will protect you and give you rest.” Job 11:18 TEV
Circle the words “secure” and full of hope”
That is what your future is, it is secure and full of hope! God’s gift of hope through Jesus is so amazing! I get excited just talking about it because it has given my life purpose, security, and even excitement.
The Bible says, “God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us.” Hebrews 6:18 CEV
For some of you tonight you might not know about all this hope because you have never taken hold of the hope that is right in front of you. You have never said to God, I need you to come and save me from my past, give me freedom right now, and give me a hope of being with you one day forever. But you can because it is so easy. God has done all the work through Jesus and if you ask him he will come and give his Christmas gift of hope to you tonight. Will you accept his gift?
