The Five Gifts From God: Gift 1-Hope
Luke 1: 26-38, traditional Advent week one reading:
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Today we are beginning the season of advent. Thanksgiving is now in the past and we continue forward and look to our savior’s birth. In this season of Advent, we are going to look at the five advent themes that take place during Christmas every year. Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Christ. As we move through this series, I pray these five things help grow your walk with Christ.
I have titled this Advent sermon series, “The Five Gifts From God.” Today’s sermon: Gift 1: Hope.
There is a story going around about a Fortune 500 company who was an obviously successful company once upon a time, but now faltered because of what people are calling The Great Recession. This company, in the height of its glory, was making tons of money and growing so rapidly, that the Executives could hardly keep up. Money was no object to this company. They spared no expense in their buildings being built, the talent they hired and the clientele they went after. As things began to decline, they started cutting hourly employees back. They then tried selling assets. Not even this was enough so they did a major overhaul on their budget and operations to forecast how they were going to survive the “new world” they were beginning to realize were not going anywhere. They were now in for the long haul and a rough road to hoe. Finally, as the government announced help in the way of tax dollars being committed to them, they realized there was a little light beginning to form at the end of their tunnel they had a glimmer of hope. Then, it was announced that the government was going to take over the operations. As they cut many locations and staff, hours and operations, a joke began to circulate within the company. This is the joke that was an all too familiar reality; “…due to budget constraints, in an effort to save money, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.
You know things are bad when they turn the light at the end of the tunnel off.
As humans, we cling to hope. Whether or not we are Christians, Muslims, Hindu’s, Buddhists or Atheists, we all cling to a hope of some sorts. Even though through this time of the year we cover the same subject, I pray this year that the five gifts from God liven up your life this Christmas. As we heard earlier, the Children read the traditional scripture for the 1st Sunday in Advent. Along the same lines of Hope, I will be preaching from Romans 8:18-25. If you would, let’s read.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
What do you long for? A new car, the house of your dreams? Retirement? A dream vacation? To see loved ones who’ve gone on to glory? No matter whom you are what you have been through or what you believe in, you hope in something. Hope is indeed a gift from God. The definition of hope is to cherish a desire with anticipation or expectation of obtainment.
In our world, those who are not believers I think get caught up in the mix up of words. Hoping is almost confused with wishing in more secular views. As Christians, we know the difference, but maybe get confused in the worlds view of hope and God’s intended view of hope.
The world view’s a hope in material things, money, success or even health. True hope, hopes in Christ, Heaven, God’s will, or the Holy Spirit. True hope hopes in the things that it is hard for our flesh to hope for. Given example.
I remember a story about a man who had been healthy all of his life until his mid-50’s. All of the sudden, this man who had been otherwise healthy came down with a backache. Reluctant to go to the doctor, his wife finally convinced him to go for a visit. After a few x-rays, the doctor sent him to a specialist. Unsure of what was causing the pain still, a CT scan was ordered which revealed a hard truth. He had a mass on his pancreas that had spread to his liver. Biopsies were done and it confirmed he had pancreatic cancer. They had options for treatment, but nonetheless, a hard reality set in. The doctors, confident that their treatment plan was going to work, went and asked the man if he wanted to go ahead with the plan. After conversing with his wife, he came back to the doctor’s office and told them that they can go ahead with the treatment plan, because either way, he can win. If the treatment plan works, he gets to go on doing God’s work here on Earth. If it doesn’t work, he will get to go to heaven and be with God, His Savior Jesus, and his family members who’ve gone before.
My friends, this is a hope beyond an earthly secular hope. This is the kind of hope that God wants us to have. In our Scripture today there are two different words used for the word hope. The first five instances of the word hope use the Greek root word elpizo. This is the usual word when the word hope appears in the Bible. However, the last instance in verse 25, the Greek root word used here is blepo, which means to see, be able to see, watch out for, to think about or understand.
Right from the get go, Paul tells us that God, before anything was done, subjected creation to frustration and decay hoping that it would be released from this one day to glorious freedom along with those who are Children of God. Paul did not say that he wished it to happen, wondered if it might or might not happen, but that he hoped, with full expectation that it would happen in due time. The use of the word elpizo and blepo are both words that describe how God wants us to not only expect what we hope for, but to think about it, to watch out for it and prayerfully, one day understand what it is that we hope for.
When we use this word, are we using it how God wants us to? I think sometimes, no other word really fits what we are trying to say other than hope, but perhaps our inside doesn’t believe it as firmly as God wants us to. I believe that is a little something called human nature.
A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's' mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary. Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked, kicked, and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."
John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "May I ask what the turkey did?"
I think that bird was afraid he was going to end up on the table for Thanksgiving. That bird changed his attitude really quick because he had hoped with sincerity that a changed attitude would prevent him from becoming like the turkey.
A simple change of hope made all the difference in the world to the parrot. God offers us this 1st gift of the Advent season with the idea that hope can change our lives. Take some time this 1st week of advent and think about, watch out for, and prayerfully understand the hopes that God offers us. It is a difficult thing to understand, but with God’s help, maybe we too, can have a change in the way we look at hope. Hope for the things to come in the next life and the things of this life might not seem so bad.
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Today we are beginning the season of advent. Thanksgiving is now in the past and we continue forward and look to our savior’s birth. In this season of Advent, we are going to look at the five advent themes that take place during Christmas every year. Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Christ. As we move through this series, I pray these five things help grow your walk with Christ.
I have titled this Advent sermon series, “The Five Gifts From God.” Today’s sermon: Gift 1: Hope.
There is a story going around about a Fortune 500 company who was an obviously successful company once upon a time, but now faltered because of what people are calling The Great Recession. This company, in the height of its glory, was making tons of money and growing so rapidly, that the Executives could hardly keep up. Money was no object to this company. They spared no expense in their buildings being built, the talent they hired and the clientele they went after. As things began to decline, they started cutting hourly employees back. They then tried selling assets. Not even this was enough so they did a major overhaul on their budget and operations to forecast how they were going to survive the “new world” they were beginning to realize were not going anywhere. They were now in for the long haul and a rough road to hoe. Finally, as the government announced help in the way of tax dollars being committed to them, they realized there was a little light beginning to form at the end of their tunnel they had a glimmer of hope. Then, it was announced that the government was going to take over the operations. As they cut many locations and staff, hours and operations, a joke began to circulate within the company. This is the joke that was an all too familiar reality; “…due to budget constraints, in an effort to save money, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.
You know things are bad when they turn the light at the end of the tunnel off.
As humans, we cling to hope. Whether or not we are Christians, Muslims, Hindu’s, Buddhists or Atheists, we all cling to a hope of some sorts. Even though through this time of the year we cover the same subject, I pray this year that the five gifts from God liven up your life this Christmas. As we heard earlier, the Children read the traditional scripture for the 1st Sunday in Advent. Along the same lines of Hope, I will be preaching from Romans 8:18-25. If you would, let’s read.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
What do you long for? A new car, the house of your dreams? Retirement? A dream vacation? To see loved ones who’ve gone on to glory? No matter whom you are what you have been through or what you believe in, you hope in something. Hope is indeed a gift from God. The definition of hope is to cherish a desire with anticipation or expectation of obtainment.
In our world, those who are not believers I think get caught up in the mix up of words. Hoping is almost confused with wishing in more secular views. As Christians, we know the difference, but maybe get confused in the worlds view of hope and God’s intended view of hope.
The world view’s a hope in material things, money, success or even health. True hope, hopes in Christ, Heaven, God’s will, or the Holy Spirit. True hope hopes in the things that it is hard for our flesh to hope for. Given example.
I remember a story about a man who had been healthy all of his life until his mid-50’s. All of the sudden, this man who had been otherwise healthy came down with a backache. Reluctant to go to the doctor, his wife finally convinced him to go for a visit. After a few x-rays, the doctor sent him to a specialist. Unsure of what was causing the pain still, a CT scan was ordered which revealed a hard truth. He had a mass on his pancreas that had spread to his liver. Biopsies were done and it confirmed he had pancreatic cancer. They had options for treatment, but nonetheless, a hard reality set in. The doctors, confident that their treatment plan was going to work, went and asked the man if he wanted to go ahead with the plan. After conversing with his wife, he came back to the doctor’s office and told them that they can go ahead with the treatment plan, because either way, he can win. If the treatment plan works, he gets to go on doing God’s work here on Earth. If it doesn’t work, he will get to go to heaven and be with God, His Savior Jesus, and his family members who’ve gone before.
My friends, this is a hope beyond an earthly secular hope. This is the kind of hope that God wants us to have. In our Scripture today there are two different words used for the word hope. The first five instances of the word hope use the Greek root word elpizo. This is the usual word when the word hope appears in the Bible. However, the last instance in verse 25, the Greek root word used here is blepo, which means to see, be able to see, watch out for, to think about or understand.
Right from the get go, Paul tells us that God, before anything was done, subjected creation to frustration and decay hoping that it would be released from this one day to glorious freedom along with those who are Children of God. Paul did not say that he wished it to happen, wondered if it might or might not happen, but that he hoped, with full expectation that it would happen in due time. The use of the word elpizo and blepo are both words that describe how God wants us to not only expect what we hope for, but to think about it, to watch out for it and prayerfully, one day understand what it is that we hope for.
When we use this word, are we using it how God wants us to? I think sometimes, no other word really fits what we are trying to say other than hope, but perhaps our inside doesn’t believe it as firmly as God wants us to. I believe that is a little something called human nature.
A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's' mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary. Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked, kicked, and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."
John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "May I ask what the turkey did?"
I think that bird was afraid he was going to end up on the table for Thanksgiving. That bird changed his attitude really quick because he had hoped with sincerity that a changed attitude would prevent him from becoming like the turkey.
A simple change of hope made all the difference in the world to the parrot. God offers us this 1st gift of the Advent season with the idea that hope can change our lives. Take some time this 1st week of advent and think about, watch out for, and prayerfully understand the hopes that God offers us. It is a difficult thing to understand, but with God’s help, maybe we too, can have a change in the way we look at hope. Hope for the things to come in the next life and the things of this life might not seem so bad.
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