Hope Revealed: God With Us from Conception

Advent draws our hearts to the promises revealed in Jesus—hope, peace, joy, and love—and today I leaned into hope. We began by asking the Holy Spirit to open our ears, because God is eager to speak into the highs and lows of this season. From John 1:14–16, I reminded us that Jesus is the living Word who “became flesh and dwelt among us,” and that out of His fullness we receive “grace upon grace.” Grace increases as we engage. Like Moses stepping into the fire on the mountain, we are invited to draw near, to listen, and to be changed.

We traced the wonder of the incarnation. Jesus did not appear as a full-grown man two days before the cross; He came as a baby, from conception, identifying with us at every stage of life. In a world where so much good—and sometimes harm—happens in the womb, He entered those hidden places to redeem them. The Christmas story unfolds in real human chaos: Roman oppression, Herod’s violence, scandal in Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph’s fear. Yet God speaks hope precisely there. He calls Joseph “son of David,” restoring identity and courage. Hope in Scripture often overlaps with waiting and trusting; hope isn’t passive optimism, but a steady yield to the God who keeps promises.

Angels speak. Dreams disrupt despair. A star guides foreign scholars. Shepherds hear the first birth announcement. The King lies in a feeding trough in a no-name town. This is an upside-down kingdom where glory is revealed through weakness. And because Jesus became like us in every way—yet without sin—we have a High Priest who fully understands our frailty. Hebrews 4 invites us to come boldly for mercy and help, and Romans 15:13 declares that the God of hope fills us with joy and peace as we believe, so that we overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus still baptizes with the Spirit and with fire; when hope feels thin, we can ask Him to fill us again.

We ended by praying for hope to meet us practically—provision, family, forgiveness, healing of memories, courage for witness—and by blessing each other. As we move through Advent, let’s engage daily: speak with Jesus, listen for His voice, soak in His Word, and carry His hope into a weary world.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Hope learns to trust and wait Hope is not passive; it is a decision to entrust outcomes to God over time. Joseph’s fear yielded to trust when God named him “son of David,” restoring his identity before giving him an assignment. Biblical hope is braided with waiting and trusting; we anchor our hearts not in outcomes, but in God’s character. That’s where courage is born. [14:45]
• 2. Incarnation heals from the very beginning Jesus chose to enter our story from conception, dignifying and redeeming life in its most hidden place. He meets us in the places we can’t explain or repair—prenatal wounds, lost memories, inherited fears—and speaks hope there. The One who limited Himself to a womb can restore what was damaged in one. Nothing is too early, too small, or too hidden for His redemption. [16:35]
• 3. God’s glory advances through weakness Bethlehem’s stable, a feeding trough, lowly shepherds—this is how God chose to introduce Himself. Hope reframes power: glory does not always arrive in comfort or acclaim, but in humility and costly obedience. We need not hide our lack; it is often the very altar where God’s strength becomes visible. [18:34]
• 4. Grace grows as we engage God “Grace upon grace” is not a one-time splash; it’s a river that deepens as we draw near. The living Word still speaks, creates, and guides, but proximity matters. Like Moses stepping toward the fire, we receive more as we risk listening and responding. Make room daily—and notice how grace multiplies. [09:43]
• 5. Hope is empowered by the Spirit We don’t manufacture hope; we receive it. Scripture invites us to approach the throne for mercy, and the Spirit empowers us to abound in hope beyond our emotional reserves. When hope runs low, ask Jesus to baptize you afresh with the Spirit and with fire. Expect strength to return where resignation once ruled. [24:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:37] - Advent begins: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love
• [01:58] - Josh’s Advent encouragement
• [07:09] - Prayer: ears to hear
• [08:22] - Word became flesh: grace on grace
• [11:02] - Incarnation from conception
• [13:31] - Scandal and Joseph’s restored hope
• [17:13] - Angels, magi, shepherds: hope for all
• [18:34] - Bethlehem’s stable and upside-down kingdom
• [20:33] - Sympathetic High Priest: approach with confidence
• [23:47] - The God of hope fills us
• [24:27] - Baptized with the Spirit and fire
• [26:39] - Guided prayer: receiving hope
• [32:08] - Renewed strength: Isaiah 40
• [33:27] - Final call to engage daily

Bible Reading

John 1:14–16 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Observation Questions

1. What specific titles and actions are used in John 1:14–16 to describe who Jesus is and what he gives to people? [08:22]
2. The preacher said Jesus entered life “from conception” and mentioned examples connected to the womb (John and Jesus filled with the Spirit in utero). Which concrete gospel details did he point to that show God’s work beginning before birth? [12:17]
3. The sermon listed several ways God announced and guided Jesus’ coming (angels, dreams, a star, shepherds). Make a short list of those supernatural means and note how each one reached a different kind of person. [17:13]
4. How did the preacher use Joseph’s dream and the phrase “son of David” to connect hope with waiting and trust? What actions did Joseph take after that word came? [14:45]

Interpretation Questions

1. How should one understand “of his fullness we have all received—grace upon grace” in John 1:14–16: is this a static gift, an ongoing process, or both? What does the sermon suggest about how a person participates in that increase of grace? [08:22]
2. The preacher described the kingdom as “upside-down” because glory is shown through weakness (stable, feeding trough, shepherds). What does that claim imply about how God’s power operates in ordinary human weakness and failure? [18:34]
3. If hope in the Old Testament often pairs with waiting and trusting, what does that mean for someone who wants to practice hope today—does hope require passivity or an active posture? Use the sermon’s treatment of Joseph as the starting point. [14:45]
4. Hebrews 4 was used to argue that Jesus understands our weaknesses and invites us to come boldly for mercy and help. How should a person interpret that invitation when they feel ashamed or convinced a situation is beyond repair? [20:33]

Application Questions

1. The speaker urged engaging daily so “grace upon grace” increases. Pick one specific 10–15 minute time slot each day this week to engage (read John 1:14–16, listen, pray). When will it be, and what will you do in that slot to notice any increase of grace? [09:43]
2. The sermon said Jesus came to meet wounds that begin in the womb (prenatal pain, inherited fears, painful memories). Name one early or hidden wound you carry. Will you bring it to Jesus this week and share it with a trusted person for prayer? Who will you tell and when? [16:35]
3. When hope runs low the preacher recommended asking Jesus to “baptize” with the Spirit and with fire. Identify one concrete area in your life where you will pray that request this week (e.g., courage to witness, healing of a memory, provision). What specific change would show you the Spirit is answering? [24:27]
4. Joseph’s identity was restored when God called him “son of David.” Is there a name from God you need to hear (for example: forgiven, chosen, courageous)? How will you intentionally listen for that word this week, and whom will you ask to speak that identity over you if needed? [14:45]
5. The preacher said God’s glory can come through weakness. Name one recent failure, limitation, or area of need. What are three practical steps you will take this month to let God demonstrate strength there (e.g., admit need to a friend, ask for prayer, stop pretending you’re fine)? [18:34]
6. Isaiah 40 was used to encourage those who wait on the Lord to gain new strength. Identify one situation you will choose to “wait on the Lord” for rather than control this month (a relationship, a job decision, health). What is one observable sign you will look for that indicates God is increasing your strength? [32:08]