Hope.
We need it to survive. It gets harder and harder to come by. But it can be found in abundance in Jesus.
We can have hope because God is faithful to keep His promises.
Let’s look at a few of God’s promises:
- You are worth more (to God) than the birds that He feeds (Matthew 6:26)
- God will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
- The Lord my God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9)
- God will keep you in perfect peace if your mind is ‘stayed’ on Him (Isaiah 26:3)
- God will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)
- God’s grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- God comforts the downcast, including you (2 Corinthians 7:6)
- God will be with His people “always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20)
- He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7)
- You can approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
- You can have peace with God if you have been justified by faith in Jesus (Romans 5:1)
- There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)
- God will forgive and cleanse you if you confess your sins to Him (1 John 1:9)
- God can give you eternal life (John 3:16, 1 John 5:11)
- Nothing can or will separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35)
- God has a plan for your life (Ephesians 2:10)
Most of the time, we merely hope that people will keep their promises. They may or may not follow through. But we can hope in God’s promises. We can trust them and let them form our understanding of the future. And His hope never – never – puts us to shame (Romans 5:5)!
We have the privilege of worshiping the one, true God, who – before the foundation of the world – gave Himself so that we might have our sins forgiven through Jesus Christ. This was/is Plan A. This portion of Advent looks at how God, through His Word, showed how He would come to earth centuries before that day in Bethlehem. As we look at how God promised Christ, let us find hope and security in Him.
Here are our songs:
- What a Beautiful Name
- Matthew 1:20-23
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
- O Come All Ye Faithful
- Born to Die
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-5
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
- At the Cross (Love Ran Red)
- (invitation) Jesus at the Center
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I hope to see you with us, whether you gather in person, in the parking lot via speaker, or on Facebook or YouTube live!
If gathering in person, please remember that masks are recommended and that we need to remain vigilant in our social distancing measures. Continue to pray for those who are sick – not just our members but all those around the world.
Just Keith Harris 