Promise in the Waiting: Hope Sprouts from the Stump

Devotional

Day 1: God's promised Branch brings restoration and peace

Read Isaiah 11 and let its images shape your hope: a shoot from Jesse’s stump, the Spirit resting on a ruler, a world made right where the wolf dwells with the lamb—this passage calls the worshiper to expect restoration that begins small and grows into peace for the whole earth; hold on to the promise that life can come from what seems lifeless and that the promised Branch brings justice, wisdom, and healing. [52:11]

Isaiah 11:1-10 (ESV)
1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Reflection: What “stump” in your life feels lifeless right now? Name one concrete way (a prayer, a visit, a small act of service) you will do this week to watch and pray for a sprout.

Day 2: Look for sprouts not the whole forest

Advent invites attentive seeing: instead of being impressed only by the grand and immediate, practice noticing the small signs of God’s work—the tender shoot, the mustard seed, the quiet kindness—that signal growth beneath the surface; cultivate eyes for detail and patience for what takes time to become what God intends. [55:01]

Matthew 13:31-32 (ESV)
31 He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

Reflection: Who or what in your daily rhythm is easily overlooked (a neighbor, a coworker, a small ministry)? This week, choose one small, specific action to honor that person or place (send a note, offer to listen for 10 minutes, bring a simple meal) and notice what changes.

Day 3: Advent calls the church to patient expectant waiting

Planting a winter garden is an act of faith: Advent trains the soul to wait, to hope, and to believe that unseen growth is real; practice one small discipline of waiting this week (a short daily silence, a written prayer of expectancy, or watching for one sign of new life) so faith is strengthened by patient attention rather than hurried achievement. [46:40]

Romans 8:24-25 (ESV)
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Reflection: Choose one five-minute practice you will do each day this week (silence, a single breath prayer, or noting one small “sign” of God) and record one sentence each evening about what you noticed.

Day 4: Don't mistake being cut down for being finished

What looks like an ending can be the beginning of new work beneath the surface; whether a relationship, a job, or a dream seems “cut down,” God may be at work turning decay into the soil for fresh life—don’t rush to final judgment, but take one hopeful step toward restoration (a call, a counseling appointment, a humble confession) and stay present for growth. [53:56]

John 12:24 (ESV)
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Reflection: Identify one relationship or situation you have assumed is finished. What is one concrete, humble step you can take this week (a phone call, an apology, a counseling referral) to test whether new life might be forming underneath?

Day 5: Jesus notices the overlooked and ministers to the small

Jesus’ ministry turned toward the child, the Zacchaeus in a tree, the tax collectors and sinners—Advent reminds the church to slow and seek the marginalized and overlooked; practice looking for one person this week who is often passed by and offer an unexpected invitation, presence, or blessing. [58:10]

Luke 19:1-10 (ESV)
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not,
because he was small in stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today."
6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."
9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

Reflection: Who is one person on the margins of your routine (a cashier, an elderly neighbor, a co-worker) you can intentionally notice this week? Plan and carry out one specific act of welcome or presence toward them.

Sermon Summary

Advent opens with a single flame and a quiet invitation: slow down and learn to wait. I shared how a winter garden taught my daughter and me the strange courage of planting seeds in cold, hard soil. Everything around says death and dormancy; still, beneath the surface, things are happening. Advent is that posture of faith—watching and trusting that God is working where we cannot yet see. Isaiah 11 gives us a vision big enough to hold our waiting: a shoot from the stump of Jesse, a Spirit-anointed King whose justice restores the poor, and a peace so deep that wolves and lambs rest side by side. This is not optimism; it’s resurrection hope that rises from what looks finished.

We walked through three practices of hope. First, learn to look for sprouts, not forests. We are drawn to the grand and immediate, but God’s work often begins in what seems small, slow, and easily missed. Georgia O’Keeffe taught me that focusing on a single crevice can reveal a world; Jesus showed us the same—seeing Zacchaeus in a tree, welcoming children, sharing tables with the overlooked.

Second, don’t confuse “cut down” with “finished.” Isaiah’s stump image is honest about loss yet insistent about roots. In pastoral life and your life, we’ve all seen God stir embers we assumed were cold—like a marriage revived through tearful honesty and stubborn, humble practices of love. Resurrection requires a tomb; endings aren’t the end.

Third, hope grows where God plants it—often where we least expect. A friend found community in a cancer infusion room, then birthed a ministry to walk with patients and families. She hates cancer, and yet she’s honest that God seeded compassion in a hard place. That is Advent’s logic: light begins as a small candle, not a lightning bolt. Week by week the light grows, not by spectacle, but by faithfulness.

So we wait—not passively, but attentively. One day at a time. One prayer at a time. One act of kindness at a time. In the ordinary soil of our days, the Root of Jesse is at work. The child of Bethlehem is already making all things new.

Key Takeaways

1. Look for sprouts, not forests. God’s newness often starts small, buried in places we’d rather overlook. Advent trains our eyes to notice slow, hidden growth rather than chase instant results. Jesus’ attention to the unnoticed shows us where the kingdom breaks in—on edges and in small rooms. Practice attending to details, and you’ll learn to see God at work. [55:01]
2. Don’t mistake cut down for finished. Loss, failure, and delay do not get the last word with God. The stump of Jesse is honest about what’s been severed, yet announces a future rooted in God’s fidelity. Hope refuses to confuse pruning with death, or winter with forever. Trust the roots—God is working beneath what you can see. [61:04]
3. Hope grows where God plants it. God sows life in places we’d never choose—hospitals, waiting rooms, wildernesses. When we show up to hard places with open eyes and open hearts, community and calling can sprout. Hope is not naïve; it’s attentive to grace that meets us in the dark. Expect God in the unlikely place. [65:45]
4. Wait faithfully, one day at a time. Advent is not passive; it’s a practiced patience. Like sobriety, hope is built through today’s faithful choices—prayer, presence, and small obedience. God meets us in the daily, not just the dramatic. Take the next right step and trust tomorrow to the One who holds it. [60:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[16:16] - Candle of Hope Lighting
[17:33] - Affirmation of Faith
[37:48] - Angel Tree & Murphy-Harp Appeal
[39:21] - Offering and Prayer
[45:15] - Sabbath Cohort and Farming Story
[47:09] - Advent: Promise in the Waiting
[52:11] - Isaiah 11:1-10 Read Aloud
[53:56] - What “Root of Jesse” Means
[55:01] - Look for Sprouts, Not Forests
[61:04] - Cut Down Isn’t Finished
[65:45] - Hope Grows Where God Plants It
[69:03] - Advent’s Candle Light and Communion
[72:06] - Cantata Invitation and Sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Isaiah 11:1–10
1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the sash of his loins.
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of it shall the nations seek; and his resting place shall be glorious.

Observation questions

What concrete promises and actions does Isaiah list about the coming leader in verses 2–5 (Spirit resting on him, how he will judge, what qualities he bears)? Which phrase stands out most to you and why?
The pastor described planting a winter garden and the patient waiting for small sprouts. What details did he give about that experience and why did he connect it to Advent? [46:01]
Isaiah includes several images of peace (wolf with lamb, child near a cobra). Which of those images are in verses 6–9, and what do those images emphasize about the kind of world this leader brings?
The sermon used the “stump of Jesse” image—what does Isaiah say springs from the stump, and how does the text balance the reality of brokenness with the promise of new life? See the reading of these verses in the service. [52:51]

Interpretation questions (third person, objective)

How does the image of a shoot coming from a cut-down stump challenge common expectations about how God begins renewal and restoration? Consider the sermon’s warning not to mistake “cut down” for “finished.” [01:01:04]
What does Isaiah mean when the leader “shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear” (v. 3)? How might that shape a community’s understanding of righteous judgment and mercy?
The pastor told a story of a marriage that seemed finished but later sprouted new life after counseling. How might that example inform a person’s discernment about whether to give up on a relationship or to look for hidden roots and small signs of life? [01:03:39]
Isaiah holds together radical peace and a world filled with the knowledge of the Lord. The sermon said hope often grows where God plants it—even in unlikely, hard places. How should that shape expectations for where the church should look for signs of God’s work? [01:05:45]

Application questions (specific, personal)

Look through the past month and name one small “sprout” you noticed in your life (a tiny change, a new habit, a softened attitude, a small reconciliation). What is one concrete thing you will do this week to notice and nurture that sprout? [55:01]
Identify one area of your life that feels “cut down” right now (loss, broken relationship, job, health). Write its name and then list two practical next steps you can take to trust that roots may still be alive (examples: call a counselor, invite a trusted friend to pray, commit to one weekly conversation). [01:01:04]
Where are you resisting being planted—in places you wouldn’t choose to be? Name one unlikely or hard place you could “show up” in the next 30 days (hospital waiting room, community center, a neighbor who’s lonely). What exact action will you take and when? [01:05:45]
Advent asks for practiced patience—“one day at a time.” Choose one measurable daily discipline for this season (3-minute morning prayer, nightly gratitude list, one short scripture reading, a weekly visit). When exactly will you do it each day and how will you keep yourself accountable? [01:00:17]
The sermon pointed to Jesus noticing the overlooked (children, Zacchaeus, tax collectors). Who in your life has been overlooked lately? Pick one person and commit to one specific act of attention or kindness toward them this week (call, bring a meal, sit and listen). [58:10]
The pastor shared a story of someone whose suffering became the soil for a new ministry. Is there a painful experience in your life that, if tended, might bear unexpected fruit for others? Describe one first, small step you could take to explore that possibility (talk with a pastor, join a support group, research a volunteer opportunity). [01:07:16]

Sermon Clips

It occurs to me that in some ways, this is kind of a metaphor of this season that we're entering into called Advent. Advent is this gift that the church gives us every year at this time. While the rest of the world is rushing on towards Christmas, church is called to slow down and to wait and to have faith and trust and expectation and to have this belief that beneath the ground, places we can't even see, that God is at work restoring and creating life. [00:47:20] (51 seconds) #AdventSlowDown

He talks about the hope of this child, this child that would bear the weight of the world. He talks about a light that shines even in the darkness so the world could comprehend God's presence. And he writes about a time when the wolf and the lamb will lie down and be at peace with one another. This is the images that he presents to the people of Israel and they ring true for us as well. [00:50:23] (42 seconds) #LightInDarkness

Look for sprouts not forest. Look for sprouts not forest. And that's that's not what we're conditioned to do. We don't look for the small. We are impressed by the large by the forests that are there. [00:54:49] (20 seconds) #ValueSmallBeginnings

We live in a time when we just everything has to be instant and immediate and there is no waiting. You know we order something from Amazon and we get very frustrated if it can't be there the next day. Right? We're going to wait three days and it can be delivered to my front porch. You know but that's that's just the way that we have been conditioned. We need to look for sprouts not forest and realize that God does some of his best work in what appears to be the small and the insignificant. [00:55:31] (33 seconds) #LookForSproutsNotForest

God does some of his best work in the waiting the things that aren't instant. I mentioned to you that just recently last month actually we're still in November yeah in October I went out to New Mexico and I've already shared in one Sunday that with another group of clergy our little cohort went out to this ranch that was in the desert there in New Mexico and we took an astronomy of course for two and a half days. [00:56:04] (34 seconds) #GodWorksInWaiting

``Second is don't confuse cut down with finished sometimes sometimes when things don't work out the way that we hoped they would sometimes when we suffer defeats sometimes when we get bad news we think it's over you know that's over that's done yet God is still at work beneath the surface sometimes just like he is with those little seeds that get planted God is still at work God has not given up God is still bringing forth life. [01:00:42] (39 seconds) #CutDownNotFinished

I don't know what you're going what's going on in your life but you might be facing something that feels like it's pretty cut down it's pretty much over realize that God is in that business when death comes actually without death we don't get to resurrection yet God is in that business of restoring life I think Advent can remind us of that I think the message of the seed and the barren ground can bring us that message don't ever confuse cut down with finished. [01:04:44] (43 seconds) #RestorationNotEnd

And then one more point is we're focused on hope this morning was that hope grows where God plants it which is often where we least expect it lots of times God is working you know we feel like we know where God's going to be but God is everywhere and God is working in places sometimes where we least expect it. [01:05:27] (31 seconds) #HopeGrowsWherePlanted

I think it's of no small significance that the symbol that we have for Advent is not a lightning boat the symbol that we have for Advent is not even like a fruit tree that's full of fruit the season the symbol that we have for Advent is a candle which Mark and Joyce lit our first one this week next week we'll add another and then another and another to Christmas Eve when we light the Christ candle and then we all light our candles during that candlelight service and that serves as a reminder every year of God walking through us starting in the small and then bringing forth this light for the world. [01:08:41] (59 seconds) #AdventCandleLight

On the 21st which is not our usual Sunday usually we have communion on the first Sunday of the month on the 21st we're going to be receiving communion on that Sunday this month it's the Sunday before Christmas the last time that we'll be together for regular worship as part of that service as we always do we will proclaim the mystery of faith which is Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again that my friends is our hope in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit thanks be to God. [01:09:39] (47 seconds) #ChristIsOurHope

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