Finding Certain Hope in the Christmas Season
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound theme of hope, especially as it relates to the Christmas season. Christmas is a time filled with traditions, expectations, and often overwhelming busyness. We find ourselves caught up in the whirlwind of activities, from attending numerous parties to ensuring every tradition is upheld, hoping that these will bring us the joy, peace, and hope we seek. However, this pursuit often leaves us feeling empty and disappointed, as we place our hopes in the wrong things. The essence of Christmas is not found in the decorations, movies, or even the perfect snowfall, but in the fulfillment of God's promises through the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells one grand story of creation, fall, and redemption. From the beginning, God has been speaking hope into our broken world. Despite humanity's disobedience and the resulting separation from God, He promised restoration. This promise is seen in His covenant with Abram, where God assured that all families on earth would be blessed through him. This blessing is fulfilled in Jesus, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection offer us a certain hope, a hope that is not wishful or merely expectant, but assured.
We discussed three types of hope: wishful, expectant, and certain. Wishful hope is baseless optimism, like hoping for green lights when running late. Expectant hope is based on reason, like expecting a harvest after planting seeds. However, both can disappoint. Certain hope, the rarest kind, is found only in God. It is a hope that is unwavering because it is grounded in God's unchanging nature and His faithful promises. This hope is what sustains us through life's challenges, including the loss of loved ones, as it assures us of eternal life and reunion with those who have gone before us.
As we navigate this Christmas season, let us focus on the certain hope that Jesus brings. This hope is not based on our wishes but on God's word, which never fails. May we choose to place our hope in Jesus, who is the true source of joy, peace, and fulfillment.
Key Takeaways:
- Christmas often brings expectations and busyness that distract us from its true meaning. We must focus on the hope, joy, and peace that come from Jesus, rather than traditions and activities. [20:45]
- The Bible is a unified story of God's promise of redemption, beginning with creation and culminating in Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection. This narrative offers us hope in God's faithfulness. [27:56]
- There are three types of hope: wishful, expectant, and certain. Only certain hope, found in God, is unwavering and reliable, as it is based on His promises. [36:22]
- Certain hope in Jesus provides comfort and assurance in the face of loss and life's challenges, knowing that we will be reunited with loved ones and experience eternal life. [41:12]
- Real hope is grounded in God's word, not in our desires or circumstances. We must evaluate where we place our hope and choose to trust in God's promises. [42:37]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[18:46] - Ugly Sweater Humor
[20:45] - Christmas Expectations
[22:47] - The Busyness of the Season
[24:54] - Pursuing the Wrong Things
[25:24] - The Post-Christmas Blues
[26:13] - Focusing on True Hope
[27:56] - The Story of Redemption
[29:10] - God's Promise of Restoration
[30:35] - The Blessing of Abraham
[32:36] - Types of Hope
[33:49] - Expectant Hope Explained
[35:39] - The Reality of Expectant Hope
[36:22] - Certain Hope in God
[37:06] - Faith and Hope Connection
[39:02] - Personal Story of Loss
[41:12] - The Assurance of Certain Hope
[42:37] - Evaluating Our Hope
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Hope of Christmas
#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 12:1-3 - God's promise to Abram that all families on earth will be blessed through him.
2. Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen."
3. Job 8:13-15 - "The hopes of the godless evaporate. Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider's web."
#### Observation Questions
1. What are the three types of hope discussed in the sermon, and how are they different from each other? [32:36]
2. How does the story of Abram in Genesis 12 illustrate God's promise of hope and blessing? [30:35]
3. According to the sermon, what are some common expectations people have during the Christmas season, and how can these lead to disappointment? [20:45]
4. How does the speaker describe the connection between faith and hope in Hebrews 11:1? [37:06]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why might the speaker suggest that certain hope is rare and can only be found in God? [36:22]
2. How does the promise to Abram in Genesis 12 relate to the birth of Jesus and the hope we celebrate at Christmas? [30:35]
3. In what ways does the speaker suggest that misplaced hope during the Christmas season can lead to feelings of emptiness and disappointment? [26:13]
4. How does the speaker's personal story of loss illustrate the power of certain hope in Jesus? [39:02]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own Christmas traditions and expectations. Are there any that might be distracting you from the true meaning of Christmas? How can you refocus on the hope that Jesus brings? [20:45]
2. Consider the types of hope in your life. Are there areas where you are relying on wishful or expectant hope rather than certain hope in God? How can you shift your focus? [32:36]
3. How can you incorporate the story of God's promise to Abram into your understanding of Christmas this year? What does it mean for you personally that all families are blessed through Jesus? [30:35]
4. The speaker mentions the post-Christmas blues as a result of misplaced hope. Have you experienced this before? What steps can you take to prevent it this year? [25:24]
5. In what ways can you share the certain hope of Jesus with others during this Christmas season? Identify one person you can reach out to and how you might do so.
6. Reflect on the speaker's story about his grandfather. How does certain hope in Jesus provide comfort in times of loss for you? [39:02]
7. Evaluate where you are placing your hope today. Is it based on God's word or your own desires? What changes can you make to align your hope with God's promises? [42:37]
Devotional
Day 1: Rediscovering the True Essence of Christmas
Christmas is often a season filled with traditions and expectations that can distract us from its true meaning. Many find themselves caught up in the whirlwind of activities, from attending numerous parties to ensuring every tradition is upheld, hoping that these will bring the joy, peace, and hope they seek. However, this pursuit often leaves people feeling empty and disappointed, as they place their hopes in the wrong things. The essence of Christmas is not found in the decorations, movies, or even the perfect snowfall, but in the fulfillment of God's promises through the birth of Jesus Christ. By focusing on Jesus, we can experience the true joy and peace that Christmas offers. [20:45]
Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV): "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."
Reflection: What are some traditions or activities that have distracted you from the true meaning of Christmas? How can you refocus your heart on Jesus this season?
Day 2: The Grand Narrative of Redemption
The Bible tells one grand story of creation, fall, and redemption. From the beginning, God has been speaking hope into our broken world. Despite humanity's disobedience and the resulting separation from God, He promised restoration. This promise is seen in His covenant with Abram, where God assured that all families on earth would be blessed through him. This blessing is fulfilled in Jesus, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection offer us a certain hope, a hope that is not wishful or merely expectant, but assured. [27:56]
Genesis 12:2-3 (ESV): "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Reflection: How does understanding the Bible as a unified story of redemption change your perspective on God's promises? How can you live in light of this grand narrative today?
Day 3: Understanding the Nature of Hope
There are three types of hope: wishful, expectant, and certain. Wishful hope is baseless optimism, like hoping for green lights when running late. Expectant hope is based on reason, like expecting a harvest after planting seeds. However, both can disappoint. Certain hope, the rarest kind, is found only in God. It is a hope that is unwavering because it is grounded in God's unchanging nature and His faithful promises. This hope is what sustains us through life's challenges, including the loss of loved ones, as it assures us of eternal life and reunion with those who have gone before us. [36:22]
Hebrews 6:19 (ESV): "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain."
Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been relying on wishful or expectant hope? How can you shift your focus to the certain hope found in God?
Day 4: The Comfort of Certain Hope
Certain hope in Jesus provides comfort and assurance in the face of loss and life's challenges. It assures us of eternal life and reunion with those who have gone before us. This hope is not based on our wishes but on God's word, which never fails. As we navigate life's difficulties, we can find solace in the promise of eternal life and the knowledge that we will be reunited with loved ones. [41:12]
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (ESV): "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."
Reflection: How does the promise of eternal life and reunion with loved ones impact your perspective on loss and grief? How can you find comfort in this certain hope today?
Day 5: Grounding Our Hope in God's Word
Real hope is grounded in God's word, not in our desires or circumstances. We must evaluate where we place our hope and choose to trust in God's promises. This involves a conscious decision to rely on the certainty of God's word rather than the uncertainty of our circumstances. By doing so, we can experience the true joy, peace, and fulfillment that come from a relationship with Jesus. [42:37]
Psalm 119:114 (ESV): "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word."
Reflection: Where have you been placing your hope recently? How can you intentionally ground your hope in God's word and promises today?
Quotes
"Christmas presents a whole lot of things. It presents traditions, right? Probably almost every single one of you have a tradition in your family that's a big deal, right? It is really, really, really important in your household that this thing happens in this way. Maybe it's a certain meal that you eat on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or what gets made for breakfast that day, right? Mine are mostly food related. Maybe for you, it's not food-related, right? And there are ornaments that only mom can hang on the tree, right? You know what I'm talking about, right? Like, you unwrap that ornament, and you're like, I'm just, hey, mom, I have this one. It is safely here. You can hang it on the tree, right? And there's traditions based around that, or a certain movie that you watch at a certain time, or whatever it is for you." [00:20:14] (54 seconds)
"And as we place our hopes in all of these things, we experience something that researchers, they call it the post-Christmas blues. Around Christmastime... And in the days following December 25th, anxiety and depression reach highs every year. That is the highest rates of anxiety and depression that we see at any time. Because as we place all of our expectations in this holiday and the beautiful things that will happen here and the hope and the joy and the peace that we'll experience from these things, it lets us down." [00:25:48] (40 seconds)
"And the reality is that if we are going to experience what Christmas has to offer, if we are going to have the hope and the joy and the peace that Christmas should present in our lives, we need to make sure that we are focusing on the right things. And so this year, I want to examine each of those things this week, starting with hope. And where our hope comes from and what hope really is as a whole." [00:26:29] (30 seconds)
"And yet, from the very beginning there's hope. Right as this is broken, God speaks hope into the situation and he'll continue to do so. He speaks hope over and over and over again, he speaks that this is not the end of the story, that what has been broken, while it could never be fixed by us, by humanity, that he will fix it. That he will bring this restoration that is so needed, and God brings this hope into the world." [00:29:18] (36 seconds)
"It's not music, it's not movies, it's not decorations, it's not that if the music will swell and the snow will fall that all of our lives will be made perfect again. What we celebrate at Christmas is that our God comes through on his promises. We celebrate that where there was sin and brokenness and hopelessness, God stepped into the picture, that God sent his son to this world in the form of a little baby, that Jesus was born." [00:31:16] (35 seconds)
"There are three different types of hope that I want to talk about today that we encounter in our lives, okay? The first one is wishful hope. Wishful hope, okay? This is hope that you don't really like have a reason to be hoping for this thing. You just are, okay? This is the kind of hope that you might experience if you're running late to a meeting, right? And you're trying to drive down Del Prado and you turn on Del Prado and you just see all those lights in front of you." [00:32:40] (30 seconds)
"Now, here's the thing about expectant hope. While we have reason for it, while we hope for it, it's not certain. Unfortunately, even with a woman who's expecting, we live in a broken world and there is hurt in this world. There is sickness and there is disease and many of you have experienced a loss where there was a miscarriage. And while you had expectant hope and there was reason for you to expect it, what you hoped for did not happen." [00:35:26] (40 seconds)
"This is placing our hope in something that we can be certain of. And here's the reality. This type of hope, something that we can be certain of its outcome, is incredibly rare. This is a rare hope. This is a hope that is almost impossible to find. And yet, it's the kind of hope that we have. It's the kind of hope that we have as followers of Jesus." [00:36:19] (30 seconds)
"Not wishful hope, not even expectant hope. We are able to have certain hope. We are able to have certain hope. We are able to have certain hope. Hope in our lives, that we can be certain that the thing that we are hoping for will happen. It can only be found in God, though. Because our God has never failed. He has never failed. He has made promises on top of promises on top of promises in the words of Scripture, and our God has always come through." [00:37:11] (33 seconds)
"And yet, yet, because my hope is in Jesus, and because it is not a wishful hope, it isn't even an expectant hope, because my hope in Jesus is a certain hope, I'm able to rejoice. Because if I saw my grandpa tomorrow, he would know my name. And I know exactly where he is. And I know that he's not in pain. I know that he has been restored. I know that I will see him again. I know it. I can place my hope there, a certain hope, because of Jesus." [00:40:52] (45 seconds)
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