Embracing God's Promises: Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love
Devotional
Sermon Summary
Sermon Clips
Just as John the Baptist would later prepare the way, we too face the wilderness today. Fears of uncertainty, climate change, war and division, but the voice still calls, comfort, comfort my people. The promise of hope is sure. [00:07:23]
In the early days of our exile, life was hard. We had lost everything. But God gave me a vision of something that I could do. Something new, sprouting from a tree stump. Someone would bring great joy to the whole world. [00:08:02]
Joy in Mary's heart when Gabriel spoke that same joy I foresaw frowning from joy Jesse stumped though I imagine Mary's first reaction was probably less joy and more what in the world but even in our troubled times through illness loss and uncertainty this joy breaks through like a tender shoot from the ground. [00:14:36]
Our response to God's promise can transform our darkest moment into dancing. Come, let's dance as we move on our journey. [00:15:18]
Today, we think of Ukraine and Gaza, Sudan, and countless other places of conflict. The promise still stands of the increase of peace. There will be no end. The promise. God, born in Bethlehem, came to bring peace, not just between nations, but between heaven and earth. [00:27:01]
For the parent and teenager not speaking to each other, for the colleagues who can't see eye to eye, for friends separated by misunderstanding, for families divided by different beliefs. Bring your peace, Lord. Start now. [00:29:01]
Love. What a word. How can four letters mean so much? Though I must say, after centuries of watching, sometimes your modern expression of love is a very different expression of love. In my days, we didn't have heart emojis. [00:30:44]
In my day, we didn't have them at all. It was the burning, the light of a candle that brought the warmth of love. But the essence remains the same. Love hates anger. [00:30:58]
Who would bring justice with such gentleness that not even a bruised reed would he break and here in Jesus that gentle power came not in force but in a child not in wealth but in a manger not in a palace but among the poor the wise men understood their gifts both of kinship but also of sacrifice of love poured out like perfume and now you too carry such gifts hope burning bright in darkness joy springing up in barren ground heat flowing like a river and love love and love that transforms everything. [00:38:48]
Hope in the wilderness I spoke of compress of God people today your wilderness looks different from ours but the promise remains when I see your struggles the weight of uncertainty the burden of expectations the fear of what tomorrow might bring I tell you that these words still live every valley shall be raised up every mountain made low God is still in the business of making rough places smooth not by removing the obstacles but by giving strength to overcome them. [00:41:45]
In your world of carefully measured happiness and calculated successes, I proclaim that joy still breaks through like a shoot from dry ground. It comes not from circumstances, but from recognizing God's hand at work in the midst of us. [00:42:49]
In your highest moments of joy and your deepest valleys of shadow, in your moments of strength and in your times of weakness, in your uncertainties and in your doubts, God is with us. [00:46:31]
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In the early days of our exile, life was hard. We had lost everything. But God gave me a vision of something that I could do. Something new, sprouting from a tree stump. Someone would bring great joy to the whole world. [00:08:02]
Joy in Mary's heart when Gabriel spoke that same joy I foresaw frowning from joy Jesse stumped though I imagine Mary's first reaction was probably less joy and more what in the world but even in our troubled times through illness loss and uncertainty this joy breaks through like a tender shoot from the ground. [00:14:36]
Our response to God's promise can transform our darkest moment into dancing. Come, let's dance as we move on our journey. [00:15:18]
Today, we think of Ukraine and Gaza, Sudan, and countless other places of conflict. The promise still stands of the increase of peace. There will be no end. The promise. God, born in Bethlehem, came to bring peace, not just between nations, but between heaven and earth. [00:27:01]
For the parent and teenager not speaking to each other, for the colleagues who can't see eye to eye, for friends separated by misunderstanding, for families divided by different beliefs. Bring your peace, Lord. Start now. [00:29:01]
Love. What a word. How can four letters mean so much? Though I must say, after centuries of watching, sometimes your modern expression of love is a very different expression of love. In my days, we didn't have heart emojis. [00:30:44]
In my day, we didn't have them at all. It was the burning, the light of a candle that brought the warmth of love. But the essence remains the same. Love hates anger. [00:30:58]
Who would bring justice with such gentleness that not even a bruised reed would he break and here in Jesus that gentle power came not in force but in a child not in wealth but in a manger not in a palace but among the poor the wise men understood their gifts both of kinship but also of sacrifice of love poured out like perfume and now you too carry such gifts hope burning bright in darkness joy springing up in barren ground heat flowing like a river and love love and love that transforms everything. [00:38:48]
Hope in the wilderness I spoke of compress of God people today your wilderness looks different from ours but the promise remains when I see your struggles the weight of uncertainty the burden of expectations the fear of what tomorrow might bring I tell you that these words still live every valley shall be raised up every mountain made low God is still in the business of making rough places smooth not by removing the obstacles but by giving strength to overcome them. [00:41:45]
In your world of carefully measured happiness and calculated successes, I proclaim that joy still breaks through like a shoot from dry ground. It comes not from circumstances, but from recognizing God's hand at work in the midst of us. [00:42:49]
In your highest moments of joy and your deepest valleys of shadow, in your moments of strength and in your times of weakness, in your uncertainties and in your doubts, God is with us. [00:46:31]
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