Advent: Embracing Hope in Jesus' Arrival and Return
Summary
Advent is a season of anticipation and preparation for the coming of Jesus, both in celebration of His birth and in expectation of His return. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin "adventus," meaning "coming" or "arrival." Historically, Christians have used this time to fast, pray, and seek God, focusing on the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. Today, we light the first Advent candle, the candle of hope, and reflect on the profound truth that hope has a name—Jesus.
Hope is a complex and sometimes challenging concept. Proverbs 13:12 tells us that "hope deferred makes the heart sick," a sentiment that resonates deeply when our prayers seem unanswered or delayed. Yet, hope is not just a feeling or a wish; it is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is described in the New Testament as our hope, our blessed hope, and our living hope. This means that our hope is not in circumstances or outcomes but in a person who embodies hope itself.
The timing of hope is also perfect. The arrival of Jesus was prophesied hundreds of years before His birth, and He came at the exact right time in history. This teaches us that God's timing is always perfect, even when it seems delayed from our perspective. While we wait, God is working, preparing the way for His purposes to be fulfilled.
Moreover, Advent reminds us that hope is coming again. Jesus promised to return, not as a baby in a manger but as a King. This future hope assures us that all things will be made right, and every longing will be fulfilled in God's perfect way and timing. Until that day, we are called to place our hope in Jesus, trusting in His character and His promises.
Key Takeaways:
- Hope Has a Name: Our hope is not in a what but in a who—Jesus. He is our hope, our blessed hope, and our living hope. This means that our hope is anchored in the person and work of Jesus, who saves us from our sins and offers us eternal life. [10:07]
- Hope Has Perfect Timing: God's timing is always perfect, even when it seems delayed. The arrival of Jesus was at the exact right time in history, teaching us that while we wait, God is working. Trusting in God's timing requires faith and patience, knowing that He is sovereign and His plans are good. [17:22]
- Hope is Coming Again: Advent is not only about celebrating Jesus' birth but also anticipating His return. Jesus promised to come back as a King, bringing justice and making all things new. This future hope gives us assurance and strength to endure present challenges. [22:27]
- Hope in the Midst of Delay: When hope is deferred, it can make the heart sick. Yet, a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. This means that while waiting can be painful, the fulfillment of God's promises brings life and joy. Our hope is not just in the outcome but in the God who is faithful. [26:48]
- Hope Transforms Our Perspective: As our faith matures, our hope shifts from desired outcomes to trust in God's character. Even when circumstances don't change, we can have hope because we know God is good, faithful, and working all things for our good. [29:13]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to Advent
- [02:30] - The Meaning of Advent
- [04:15] - Lighting the Hope Candle
- [05:24] - Personal Struggles with Hope
- [07:00] - The Study on Hope and Learned Hopelessness
- [10:07] - Hope Has a Name: Jesus
- [13:45] - The Meaning of Names
- [15:30] - The Power of Jesus' Name
- [17:22] - Hope Has Perfect Timing
- [20:00] - Historical Context of Jesus' Arrival
- [22:27] - Hope is Coming Again
- [24:50] - The Tree of Life and Fulfilled Longings
- [26:48] - Mature Hope and Trust in God
- [29:13] - Prayer and Invitation to Hope in Jesus
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Advent and Hope
Bible Reading:
1. Proverbs 13:12 - "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
2. Matthew 1:21 - "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
3. 1 Peter 1:3 - "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the term "Advent" mean, and how is it historically observed by Christians? [02:30]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of "hope deferred," and what personal example does the pastor share to illustrate this? [05:24]
3. According to the sermon, what are the three descriptions of Jesus as hope found in the New Testament epistles? [10:07]
4. What historical context is provided in the sermon to explain the timing of Jesus' arrival? [17:22]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the pastor's personal story about his daughters' health challenges illustrate the struggle with hope deferred? What does this reveal about the nature of hope in difficult times? [05:24]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed from a human perspective? [22:27]
3. How does the concept of "hope has a name" deepen the understanding of hope as more than just a feeling or wish? [10:07]
4. What does the sermon imply about the significance of Jesus' return, and how does this future hope impact believers' lives today? [22:27]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced "hope deferred." How did it affect your faith, and what steps can you take to maintain hope in similar situations? [05:24]
2. The sermon emphasizes that hope is not just in outcomes but in the person of Jesus. How can you shift your focus from desired outcomes to trusting in Jesus' character and promises? [10:07]
3. Consider the idea that God's timing is always perfect. How can you cultivate patience and trust in God's timing in an area of your life where you are currently waiting? [22:27]
4. Advent is a season of anticipation for both Jesus' birth and His return. How can you actively prepare your heart during this season to celebrate His birth and anticipate His return? [22:27]
5. The pastor mentions "learned hopelessness" from a study. Are there areas in your life where you have accepted a situation as unchangeable? How can you begin to regain hope in those areas? [10:07]
6. How can the promise of Jesus' return as a King provide strength and assurance in facing present challenges? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of this future hope? [22:27]
7. The sermon concludes with a call to place hope in God, not just in desired outcomes. What specific actions can you take this week to deepen your trust in God's goodness and faithfulness? [26:48]
Devotional
Day 1: Hope is a Person, Not a Concept
Hope is not merely a feeling or a wishful thought; it is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus is described as our hope, our blessed hope, and our living hope. This means that our hope is not dependent on circumstances or outcomes but is anchored in the person and work of Jesus, who saves us from our sins and offers us eternal life. When we place our hope in Jesus, we are trusting in His character and His promises, knowing that He is faithful and true. [10:07]
1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you."
Reflection: Who is someone in your life that needs to see the hope of Jesus through your actions and words today? How can you be a living testimony of this hope to them?
Day 2: Trusting in God's Perfect Timing
God's timing is always perfect, even when it seems delayed from our perspective. The arrival of Jesus was prophesied hundreds of years before His birth, and He came at the exact right time in history. This teaches us that while we wait, God is working, preparing the way for His purposes to be fulfilled. Trusting in God's timing requires faith and patience, knowing that He is sovereign and His plans are good. As we wait, we can rest in the assurance that God is orchestrating everything according to His perfect will. [17:22]
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV): "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are struggling to trust God's timing? How can you actively choose to trust Him in this area today?
Day 3: Anticipating the Return of the King
Advent is not only about celebrating Jesus' birth but also anticipating His return. Jesus promised to come back as a King, bringing justice and making all things new. This future hope assures us that all things will be made right, and every longing will be fulfilled in God's perfect way and timing. Until that day, we are called to place our hope in Jesus, trusting in His character and His promises. This anticipation gives us strength to endure present challenges, knowing that our future is secure in Him. [22:27]
Revelation 21:4-5 (ESV): "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'"
Reflection: How does the promise of Jesus' return influence the way you live your life today? What is one practical step you can take to live in anticipation of His return?
Day 4: Finding Life in Fulfilled Longings
When hope is deferred, it can make the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. This means that while waiting can be painful, the fulfillment of God's promises brings life and joy. Our hope is not just in the outcome but in the God who is faithful. As we trust in Him, we find that He is the source of true life and joy, even in the midst of delay. This perspective allows us to endure with patience, knowing that God is working all things for our good. [26:48]
Proverbs 13:12 (ESV): "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life."
Reflection: What is a longing or desire you have been waiting on God to fulfill? How can you find joy and life in Him even as you wait?
Day 5: Shifting Our Perspective to God's Character
As our faith matures, our hope shifts from desired outcomes to trust in God's character. Even when circumstances don't change, we can have hope because we know God is good, faithful, and working all things for our good. This transformation in perspective allows us to see beyond our immediate circumstances and trust in the bigger picture of God's plan. By focusing on who God is, rather than what we want, we can experience peace and contentment in every situation. [29:13]
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."
Reflection: In what ways can you shift your focus from your circumstances to God's character today? How might this change your perspective and bring you peace?
Quotes
"I believe in the name of Jesus. I believe that by the stripes of Jesus, we're healed. I believe that our God hears our prayers. I believe that our faith can move mountains. I've seen God do miracles. I'm believing for miracles. I have a hope that he's gonna heal my daughters. And he hasn't healed them. And it seems like, I know it's not true. My faith tells me it's not, but it seems like sometimes God is brushing aside my prayers, that he's delaying, that he's not listening or he's deferring." [00:05:24] (30 seconds)
"The other dogs, who never found any relief in the first cage, didn't do anything. They didn't run around, they didn't try to jump over the barrier, they just determined this was their lot in life, and they just immediately would lay down, and the term that he phrased is that these dogs had what he called learned hopelessness. They learned it. They learned to lose hope. They just accepted that there was nothing that they could do to change their current situation." [00:08:26] (33 seconds)
"The first truth is this. Number one, I want you to understand that hope has a name. Hope has a name. In fact, an angel said this in Matthew chapter one, verse 21, Mary peace. Jesus, Jesus. will give birth to a son. This is the Virgin Mary, and the angel declares, and you're to give him the name, what? Everybody say it. You're to give him the name Jesus. Why? Because he will save his people from their sins. Hope has a name, and his name is Jesus." [00:10:34] (36 seconds)
"While they didn't see anything, God was still active. And when the time was just right, when the world was right, not just to hear the message, but to carry the message to all the corners of the world. When the time was just exactly right, God sent His Son. So, maybe God hasn't done what you want him to do. And you're waiting. And you're asking, why, God? We've been praying and believing we wanna conceive. God, we wanna have a child and you haven't let us have a child." [00:19:52] (38 seconds)
"Hope has a name and hope has perfect timing. And the third thing I want you to remember is hope is coming again. Hope is coming again. Advent is all about anticipating the birth, the first coming of Jesus. But what many people don't understand is Advent is also about anticipating the return of Jesus. Because scripture teaches us and Jesus even told us that one day he would come back for us." [00:22:46] (31 seconds)
"And that's why you can always have hope. You can always have hope. Why? Because hope has a name. We don't just hope in a what, but we hope in a who in his name is Jesus, which means God saves, he is the savior. And hope has perfect timing. It may not be your time, it rarely is. But God's timing is always perfect. And hope is coming again. Hope is coming again." [00:24:33] (32 seconds)
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