The Gift of Hope

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The Gift of Hope

• A Christmas message of hope
• You answer us with awesome deeds of
  righteousness, O God our Saviour, the hope of all
  the ends of the earth and of the farthest
  seas,.. Psalm 655

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Sermon Theme

• What is hope?
• Where does hope come from?
• What should our response be?
• Challenges for 2005.

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What is hope?

• HOPE. In the NT the "expectation of good"). This
  original word denotes a joyful and contented
  expectation of eternal salvation (Acts 236
  267 Rom 54-8 ).
• Because of God's manifested salvation in Christ,
  and because He is the source of all the
  believer's expectations, He is called the "God of
  hope" (Rom 1513).

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Hope is .

• an attitude of mind and spirit founded in faith
  in the living God through Jesus Christ.
• FAITH is the foundation.
• HOPE is the attitude.
• LOVE is the outworking action of faith and hope.

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Hope comes from?

• 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the
  Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery,
  which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
• 28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching
  everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
  everyone perfect in Christ. Colossians127-28

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God creates Satan destroys

• Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing
  fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 1312
• Satan understands this and seeks to destroy and
  devour hope.

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Our response

• Will teach this by reference to part of the
  Christmas Story relating to the shepherds found
  in Luke 28-20.

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The shepherds Luke 28

• And there were shepherds living out in the fields
  near by, keeping watch over their flocks at
  night.
• Understand that shepherds were a regarded as poor
  people, often social outcasts, working at a
  menial and boring task without much hope of
  change or promotion.

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Gods messengers of hope Luke 29

• An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
  glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
  were terrified.
• What would be your response if an angel appeared
  to you?
• Expect supernatural experiences in these days as
  God reaches out to His people.

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A message of hope Luke 210-11

• But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I
  bring you good news of great joy that will be for
  all the people. Today in the town of David a
  Saviour has been born to you he is Christ the
  Lord.
• Christ is Lord that is the message of hope that
  we have to offer as Christians.

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A confirming sign Luke 212

• This will be a sign to you You will find a baby
  wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
• We can expect that God will confirm His Word to
  us by signs and wonders and by using events and
  people around us.

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The Angels respond Luke 213-14

• Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
  appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace
  to men on whom his favour rests."
• The angels modelled the correct response the
  giving of praise and worship in all
  circumstances! (Phil.46)

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The shepherds respond Luke 215-18

• When the angels had left them and gone into
  heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's
  go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
  happened, which the Lord has told us about." So
  they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and
  the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they
  had seen him, they spread the word concerning
  what had been told them about this child, and
  all who heard it were amazed at what the
  shepherds said to them.

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The pattern of our response

• God acts and we are called to respond.
• Go and look and check out what He has says to us.
• Speak out to others what God has done for you!
• Hope should motivate us into action.
• Action reinforces hope.

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Mary ponders.. Luke 219

• But Mary treasured up all these things and
  pondered them in her heart.
• She stored the hope in her heart to help her face
  the future. We should do likewise with the
  prophetic words of God as they have power over
  time.

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The shepherds now praise Luke 220

• The shepherds returned, glorifying and
  praising God for all the things they had heard
  and seen, which were just as they had been told.
  
• Lesson well learnt the shepherds now gave
  praise and worship!!

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Rest in God

• .. but those who hope in the LORD will renew
  their strength. They will soar on wings like
  eagles they will run and not grow weary, they
  will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 4031

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Challenges for 2005

• As we face the challenges of a New Year, changes
  and a world in turmoil where lies your hope? Is
  it in your job, your possessions, your family or
  in God?
• Not just an abstract concept!

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Practical steps

• Read and meditate on the WORD.
• Spend some quiet time with God and seek Him for
  the questions you want to ask. Write down the
  answers you get and check against the Word.
• Prayer, praise and worship.
• Allow others to come along side you and support
  you.