Hope Has a Name: Jesus, Light in Darkness

Devotional

Day 1: Hope is embodied in the name Jesus.

You are reminded that hope is not an idea but a Person whose name carries power and promise; calling His name releases the help and presence God has promised. Lean into the truth that the Child born to us is also the Son given for governance, counsel, strength, and peace—His name is your access point to those realities. Speak His name in your moments of need and remember that calling on Jesus is your permission and your privilege. [17:39]

Isaiah 9:6 (Amplified Bible)
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Reflection: When the weight of life makes you anxious, which one of the names listed in Isaiah 9:6 do you need to call out most right now, and what would calling that name look like practically this week?

Day 2: God births hope out of darkness.

When life feels shadowed and the light seems gone, understand that God often does His best work in the unseen places; the darkness is not the end but the incubator for what He’s forming. Remember how Scripture describes people who walked in darkness seeing a great light—your current night can be the setup for God’s revealed glory. Sit with the tension of waiting and let faith adjust to the dark until the light returns. [20:52]

Isaiah 9:1-2 (ESV)
But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier time he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in later days he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you feel “in the dark,” and what small step of faith can you take this week to trust God while you wait for His light to appear?

Day 3: Hope responds, "Be it unto me."

Hope is posture—like Mary’s response of surrender, hope says, “Lord, let it be with me,” even when circumstances make no sense. Practice that posture by offering God your uncertainty and saying yes to His purposes despite fear or doubt; this posture positions you as a vessel for God’s promise. Reclaim a Mary-like openness so God's plan can move through your life. [26:15]

Luke 1:31 (ESV)
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

Reflection: What is one area where you are holding back from saying “be it unto me,” and what is one concrete sign of surrender you can give this week to demonstrate trust in God’s plan?

Day 4: New life in Christ fuels living hope.

Because anyone in Christ is a new creation, the hope Jesus brings changes identity and future—old things pass away and new things begin. Take hold of that reality in the quiet moments: let the promise of newness reshape your expectations and daily choices as you walk in the light of hope. Live out the truth that hope produces a present transformation, not just future wishful thinking. [40:00]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Reflection: Which old pattern or label do you need to let go of because the new thing God is doing in you contradicts it, and what practical step will you take to live out your new identity this week?

Day 5: Every knee will bow to Jesus.

The sermon declared that hope has a name and that at that name every knee will bow—Jesus’ name carries authority now and in eternity, so calling on Him is both an act of faith and a right of the redeemed. Let that truth shape how you face opposition, sorrow, or uncertainty: worship is anticipatory victory and confession acknowledges His Lordship today. Keep declaring His name as the source of hope, peace, and ultimate triumph. [32:42]

Philippians 2:10-11 (ESV)
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Reflection: When you encounter resistance or discouragement this week, how will you intentionally name Jesus in that moment, and what brief confession or declaration can you prepare now to speak aloud?

Sermon Summary

Hope has a name, and His name is Jesus. As we step into Advent with “The King Has Come,” I reminded us that Advent means arrival and expectation. We began with hope—hope not as a mood or a wish, but as a Person who entered our world. Before hope stepped in, darkness covered the earth. That’s how Isaiah paints it, and that’s how many of us feel. Yet God does some of His best work in the dark—seeds grow underground, diamonds form under pressure, babies develop in the hidden place. Your darkness isn’t a dead end; it’s an incubator. The power isn’t gone; we’re simply waiting for the right moment when the light breaks in.

We also saw that hope is anchored in God’s promises, not our feelings. Isaiah declared, “Unto us a child is born,” seven hundred years before Bethlehem. That’s not a missed deadline—that’s a sovereign timeline. When God speaks, He binds history to His word. So we rehearse what He promised—provision, healing, restoration, deliverance—not as fantasy, but as a firm anchor.

Then we turned to Mary. The angel’s word met a surrendered heart, and Mary’s response teaches us the posture of real hope: “Be it unto me according to Your word.” Hope believes when understanding is limited, trusts when sight is scarce, and surrenders when explanations are unavailable. That’s not passivity; that’s partnership with God in the waiting. Expectation is the womb of manifestation.

Finally, we named our hope. Isaiah said, “His name shall be called…” That’s permission to call on Him in every storm—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus is not an idea; He is the light in our darkness, the joy in sorrow, the hope for tomorrow. We lit our candles to remember: where Jesus is, hope lives, and where He reigns, peace holds steady. At the Table, we remembered that Hope took on flesh, carried a cross, rose on the third day, and is coming again. Until He returns, we live awake, we wait with trust, and we call His Name.

Key Takeaways

1. Hope is born in the dark God often builds what He plans for us in places that feel hidden and heavy. Darkness is not evidence of abandonment; it’s the environment where God prepares sight, character, and capacity. Don’t despise the night—learn to adjust your eyes, listen for His leading, and expect the switch to flip. When the light returns, you’ll be ready to carry it. [20:52]
2. Promises, not feelings, anchor hope Isaiah’s prophecy outlasted centuries because God’s word is sturdier than time and stronger than mood. Feelings fluctuate; promises hold. Rehearse what God has said until your soul learns its weight, and tether your decisions to His word rather than your weather. Hope matures when memory becomes your anchor. [23:38]
3. Hope waits with active expectation Mary’s “Be it unto me” wasn’t resignation—it was courageous consent. Expectation shapes habits: we pray, prepare, and posture ourselves for what God has spoken. In the waiting room, faith is not idle; it is arranging the room for the arrival. Expectation is the womb where God’s word takes on form. [26:15]
4. Call His Name: Hope is Jesus We’re not clinging to an abstract virtue; we’re calling on a living Lord. Naming Him—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—trains the heart to lean into who He is, not what we fear. You have permission to call Him in every season and every need, and His presence brings clarity, courage, and calm. [32:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[14:51] - Advent series: The King Has Come
[17:39] - Opening prayer and focus on hope
[20:52] - Hope is born in darkness
[23:38] - Hope anchored in God’s promises
[26:15] - Expectation: the womb of manifestation
[32:42] - Permission to call His Name
[35:30] - Lighting the peace candle
[37:28] - Communion: remembering the cross
[40:00] - Praise, response, and online prayer details

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Isaiah 9:6 (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.

Observation questions

What four names does Isaiah 9:6 give to the child, and what single idea about him does each name highlight? (read the verse aloud and list one short phrase for each name)
What responsibility is placed “upon his shoulder” in Isaiah 9:6, and why would that matter to people living in darkness?
The sermon said, “Hope is born out of darkness,” and used images like seeds, diamonds, and a baby developing in hidden places. Which of those images most helps you see God’s work in hard seasons, and why? [20:52]
Mary’s response was “Be it unto me according to your word.” What does that phrase mean in plain words, and what does it reveal about the posture of hope? [26:15]

Interpretation questions

How do the titles “Wonderful Counselor,” “Mighty God,” “Everlasting Father,” and “Prince of Peace” together shape a fuller picture of who Jesus is for someone sitting in a difficult season? [32:42]
When darkness is described as an “incubator” rather than a final state, what does that imply about God’s timing and the purpose of waiting? What theological reasons support that view? [20:52]
If hope is anchored in God’s promises rather than feelings, how should a person weigh inner emotion against Scripture when making decisions under pressure? [23:38]
In what ways is Mary’s “let it be” an active cooperation with God rather than passive resignation, and what does that teach about human responsibility in the “womb” of expectation? [26:15]

Application questions

Name a current “dark” season you are in (loneliness, grief, stalled dreams, illness, job loss, etc.). What one practical step will you take this week to treat that season as an incubator (for example: daily 10-minute prayer, journaling what God has promised, joining a support group)? [20:52]
Write down two specific promises from Scripture that speak to your situation. How will you rehearse those promises this week so they become your anchor (read them aloud each morning, memorize a line, share them with a friend)? [23:38]
Identify one area where you need to adopt Mary’s posture of “be it unto me.” What concrete yes or no will you give to God this week (a place to go, a person to forgive, a risk to take, a ministry to try)? [26:15]
Choose one of the names from Isaiah 9:6 (Wonderful Counselor / Mighty God / Everlasting Father / Prince of Peace). When will you call that name this week—during a morning routine, before sleep, in the middle of a stress—or in a short prayer you’ll actually use? Share the plan with the group. [32:42]
Communion is a reminder that hope took on flesh, carried a cross, and rose again. What regular habit (weekly, monthly) will you adopt to remember that work of Christ so hope stays present in your daily life? [37:28]
The sermon described expectation as “arranging the room for the arrival.” What is one practical thing you can “arrange” in your life this Advent to be ready for what God is promising (time, relationships, learning, rest)? [26:15]

Sermon Clips

Hope is not anchored in what we feel. Hope is not anchored in what we see. Hope is anchored in what God has promised.Amen. And sometimes you have to sit back and remind yourself of what God has promised you. And just like the Brown Singers told us, God keeps his promises. Amen. If God promised provision, it's coming. If God promised healing, it's coming. If God promised restoration, it's coming. If God promised deliverance, it's coming. His promise may not come when you want them, but they always show up right on time. He is an on time. God. Yes, he is. [00:23:28] (41 seconds) #promisesNotFeelings

As we get ready to get out of here, I want you to understand that somebody ought to shout because hope has a name. Amen. Hope has a name. Amen. Hope, amen, stepped into a manger. Amen. Hope wrapped himself in flesh. Hope walked among men. Hope healed thesick. Hope opened the blind eyes. Hope cast out demons. Hope spoke to storms. Hope loved the unlovable. Hope carried across. Hope died for your sins. Hope got up on the third day and hope is coming back again. Hope, amen, is what we, amen, believe. Hope has a name. [00:26:52] (39 seconds) #hopeHasAName

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