Embracing Hope: Living in Expectation This Advent
Summary
In this season of Advent, we are reminded of the importance of expectation and preparation, not just for the celebration of Christ's birth, but for His eventual return. Many people, both young and old, often miss the profound significance of Christ's coming, seeing it merely as a part of a story rather than a transformative event for the world. Our task is to breathe life into this season, helping others to see beyond the commercial and mythical aspects, and to embrace the hope and anticipation of a future with Jesus.
The early church in Thessalonica serves as a poignant example of living in expectation. Despite facing opposition and having many questions, they lived with the belief that Jesus would return in their lifetime. This belief guided their daily lives, even as they struggled with the challenges of their time. Paul, Silas, and Timothy found joy in the Thessalonians' faith, which was not just a past event but a present and future reality. Salvation, for them, was an ongoing journey, not a one-time event.
As we enter this Advent season, we are called to restore what is lacking in our faith, much like Paul prayed earnestly for the Thessalonians. The holiday season can be a time of stress and anxiety, but it is also an opportunity to focus on the hope that Christ brings. This hope is not something that can be filled with material possessions or events; it is a deep, enduring assurance that strengthens as we engage with it.
We are reminded that our time here is temporary, and we should not waste it. Living in hopeful expectation means being intentional about where we place our focus and attention. It means waking up each day with gratitude for our salvation and living in a way that reflects the ongoing work of Christ in our lives. As mature Christians, we have the responsibility to guide and encourage others, helping them to see the true meaning of this season and the hope that it brings.
Key Takeaways:
- Advent is a time to remember the significance of Christ's coming, not just as a historical event but as a transformative moment for the world. We are called to help others see beyond the commercial aspects of the season and embrace the hope and anticipation of a future with Jesus. [49:12]
- The early church in Thessalonica lived with the expectation of Christ's return, which guided their daily lives. Their faith was not a one-time event but an ongoing journey. We are encouraged to live in the same way, seeing our salvation as a present and future reality. [01:01:16]
- The holiday season can be stressful, but it is also an opportunity to focus on the hope that Christ brings. This hope is not something that can be filled with material possessions; it is a deep, enduring assurance that strengthens as we engage with it. [01:05:23]
- Our time here is temporary, and we should not waste it. Living in hopeful expectation means being intentional about where we place our focus and attention, waking up each day with gratitude for our salvation, and living in a way that reflects the ongoing work of Christ in our lives. [01:04:32]
- As mature Christians, we have the responsibility to guide and encourage others, helping them to see the true meaning of this season and the hope that it brings. We are called to breathe life into the story of Christ and share the hope that He offers. [01:06:18]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[45:03] - The Significance of Advent
[49:12] - Living with Expectation
[01:01:16] - Salvation as an Ongoing Journey
[01:04:32] - The Temporality of Life
[01:05:23] - Focusing on Hope
[01:06:18] - The Role of Mature Christians
[01:06:55] - Encouragement to Live Intentionally
[01:07:59] - Prayer for Hopeful Expectation
[01:08:51] - Closing and Invitation to Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Observation Questions:
1. What challenges did the early church in Thessalonica face, and how did their expectation of Christ's return influence their daily lives? [49:12]
2. How does Paul describe the faith of the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, and what does he pray for them?
3. According to the sermon, what are some of the cultural pressures that can distract us from the true meaning of Advent? [01:05:23]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of mature Christians in guiding others during the Advent season? [01:06:18]
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to live in "hopeful expectation," and how can this mindset impact a believer's daily life? [01:04:32]
2. How might the Thessalonians' understanding of salvation as an ongoing journey differ from a more static view of faith? [01:01:16]
3. In what ways can the stress and busyness of the holiday season detract from the hope that Christ brings, according to the sermon? [01:05:23]
4. How can mature Christians effectively "breathe life" into the story of Christ for others during Advent? [01:06:18]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you feel your faith is lacking? How can you work to restore these areas during this Advent season? [01:06:55]
2. The sermon mentions the importance of gratitude for our salvation. How can you incorporate gratitude into your daily routine this Advent? [01:01:16]
3. Consider the cultural pressures mentioned in the sermon. What specific steps can you take to focus more on the hope of Christ rather than the commercial aspects of the season? [01:05:23]
4. How can you, as a mature Christian, guide and encourage someone in your life to see the true meaning of Advent? [01:06:18]
5. The sermon encourages living with intentionality. What is one area of your life where you can be more intentional about reflecting the ongoing work of Christ? [01:04:32]
6. Identify a specific way you can help someone see Christ more clearly this Advent season. What practical steps will you take to make this happen? [01:07:59]
7. How can you use the Advent season as an opportunity to strengthen your "hope muscle"? What practices or habits can you adopt to engage more deeply with the hope that Christ offers? [01:08:51]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Embracing the Transformative Power of Advent
In this Advent season, we are called to recognize the profound significance of Christ's coming, not merely as a historical event but as a transformative moment for the world. Many people, both young and old, often miss this significance, viewing it as just a part of a story rather than a life-changing event. Our task is to breathe life into this season, helping others to see beyond the commercial and mythical aspects, and to embrace the hope and anticipation of a future with Jesus. This is a time to remember that Christ's coming is not just a past event but a present reality that continues to shape our lives and the world around us. [49:12]
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12, ESV)
Reflection: How can you help someone in your life see beyond the commercial aspects of the season and embrace the true hope of Advent today?
Day 2: Living with Expectation
The early church in Thessalonica serves as a poignant example of living in expectation. Despite facing opposition and having many questions, they lived with the belief that Jesus would return in their lifetime. This belief guided their daily lives, even as they struggled with the challenges of their time. Their faith was not a one-time event but an ongoing journey. We are encouraged to live in the same way, seeing our salvation as a present and future reality. This means living each day with the expectation that Christ's return is imminent, allowing this hope to guide our actions and decisions. [01:01:16]
"Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into." (Matthew 24:42-43, ESV)
Reflection: What is one practical way you can live with the expectation of Christ's return in your daily routine this week?
Day 3: Finding Hope Beyond Material Possessions
The holiday season can be a time of stress and anxiety, but it is also an opportunity to focus on the hope that Christ brings. This hope is not something that can be filled with material possessions or events; it is a deep, enduring assurance that strengthens as we engage with it. In a world that often equates happiness with material wealth, we are reminded that true hope and joy come from our relationship with Christ. This Advent, let us focus on the hope that Christ brings, allowing it to fill our hearts and guide our actions. [01:05:23]
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." (1 John 2:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one material possession or event that you often rely on for happiness. How can you shift your focus to find hope in Christ instead?
Day 4: The Temporality of Life
Our time here is temporary, and we should not waste it. Living in hopeful expectation means being intentional about where we place our focus and attention. It means waking up each day with gratitude for our salvation and living in a way that reflects the ongoing work of Christ in our lives. As we navigate the busyness of the holiday season, let us remember that our time on earth is limited and precious. We are called to live intentionally, making the most of every opportunity to reflect Christ's love and grace to those around us. [01:04:32]
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants!" (Psalm 90:12-13, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can be more intentional about reflecting Christ's love and grace today?
Day 5: Guiding Others to the True Meaning of Advent
As mature Christians, we have the responsibility to guide and encourage others, helping them to see the true meaning of this season and the hope that it brings. We are called to breathe life into the story of Christ and share the hope that He offers. This Advent, let us take the opportunity to mentor and support those around us, sharing the joy and hope of Christ's coming. By doing so, we not only strengthen our own faith but also help others to experience the transformative power of Christ's love. [01:06:18]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: Who is one person you can encourage or mentor this Advent season to help them see the true meaning of Christ's coming?
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Quotes
We're a lot of us are living a little blurry so we have to patiently remind people we get to breathe meaning into the season so that others can truly see that it's not just about receiving gifts it's not just about you know mythical characters that's all sweet and beautiful but there's much more to this this whole season to be seen and experienced now this is about preparing to live and to a season of hope in anticipation of a future with jesus. [00:51:34] (40 seconds)
If we blindly allow culture to shape our spirit during this season of advent then we run the risk of getting caught up in this frenetic pace of what should be a season of peace stillness and hope can you put stillness and the christmas season in the same sentencei mean culture is going to shape us and it's going to try to do all it can to convince you of what you're lacking society they're going to try to rush to get you to focus on the new things on the new mercy merchandise you know some stores work night and day to get products ready for you to see culture is working hard as we said right after halloween sometimes before they're gonna push christmas because thanksgiving it asks us to take a moment to think of what we have so you know you're a lot less willing to buy something at thanksgiving because you're supposed to be grateful for what you already have of course some people say wouldn't you be more thankful if you had this culture is doing everything it can it's working night and day to tell you what you're lacking so they can tell you what you need so they can fill it for you and it's true that we all have parts of our faith that are lacking but but these spaces can never be filled with stuff never be filled with extra events these are. [00:58:16] (93 seconds)
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