The Hope Of Advent

‘When Jesus comes, the tempter’s power is broken

When Jesus comes, the tears are wiped away

He takes the gloom and fills the life with glory

For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay’

Hearing these words, he moved closer to the building and peered in the door wanting to hear more. He heard the story of God’s wondrous love for him and how His only son had died on the cross so that he could have life and have it abundantly. Then the missionary preacher said, ‘Christ says, Come to me all who are heavy laiden and I will give you rest.” And Carl came forward and knelt at the alter saying, ‘If there was anyone burdened, it was me. I am tired of this life I am living. And that night, he went to the altar and said, “Lord, if it’s true that you can change the worst sinner…change me. If it’s true you can give rest, give it to me. And if it’s true you can straighten out the most twisted life, straighten out mine.” And when Carl got up from that altar, he was a new person. Because Christ saved him, Carl became a preacher and brought countless others to Christ with his testimony of what Christ can do. And that same grace and forgiveness offered to Carl is available to you.

Third, Advent promises the hope of God’s love for us, given through the Christ and experienced through the Body of Christ this Christmas. Pastor Thomas Tewell tells the story of getting ready for their 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service. As the people were gathering, a man named Jim came in. Jim was a recovering alcoholic, sober just 6 months, but his disease had cost him his family, his job, just about everything. He went in to the sanctuary for the first Christmas Eve since his divorce, and who should sit in front of him but a happy, cheerful family of four -- dad, mom, two precious kids anticipating the joy of Christmas morning. It was more than Jim could take. He got up and walked out of the church. Thomas saw him in the foyer and said, "Jim, where are you going?" Jim replied, "I'm just going out for a Scotch." Thomas said, "Wait a minute! Is your A. A. sponsor available?" Jim said, "It's Christmas Eve. My sponsor is in Minnesota. There's nobody that can help me. I just came in for a word of hope, and I ended up sitting behind this family. If I had my life together, I'd be here with my wife and kids, too." Thomas said, "Wait right here." He didn't know exactly what he was going to do, but it was time to start the service. As he walked down to the front of the church, he prayed for a word of hope to give to Jim. He welcomed everyone and then said, "I have an announcement. If anyone here tonight is a friend of Bill Wilson -- and if you are, you know what I mean -- could you meet with me in the back of the church?" Bill Wilson is the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. And all over the sanctuary, men and women, got up and made their way to the back of the church; they understood the announcement. The pastor went back and put Jim in the hands of people who cared. Then, while he led a service proclaiming that God had become flesh in Jesus, the Word was being made real in the back of his church. Jim was experiencing the hope and love of Advent. Amen.