[Nov 30, 2025] Adore the King of Hope

Devotional

Day 1: Adoration: Seek and adore the newborn King

The Advent posture is one of active seeking and adoration — like the Magi who traveled to worship the newborn King, the call is to set aside distractions, approach Jesus with expectancy, and offer him the devotion of one’s heart and resources as an act of worship in this season. [02:03]

saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." (Matthew 2:2 ESV)

Reflection: Tonight, can you set aside 15 uninterrupted minutes to turn off devices, read Matthew 2:2 aloud, and offer one sentence of adoration to Jesus out loud as your personal act of worship?

Day 2: God helps and shelters the helpless

The truth that God helps the helpless—not those who help themselves—reorients the heart to run into God as shelter and stronghold in distress, acknowledging the need for daily grace rather than leaning on self‑effort or pride. [05:59]

For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall. (Isaiah 25:4 ESV)

Reflection: What one specific area of your life will you hand to God as your stronghold today—can you write it down, pray the sentence "Lord, be my shelter," and take one practical step (call a friend, rest, or set a boundary) before bedtime?

Day 3: Jesus meets the helpless and gives hope

Jesus meets people exactly where they are—He found the man at Bethesda in his helplessness, challenged him, and offered a new way forward that turned despair into hope; the way out often begins with encountering Jesus, not more striving. [08:38]

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty‑eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. (John 5:1–9 ESV)

Reflection: Think of one area where you’ve been waiting for a change like at the pool—what is one concrete step of obedience you can take today (a call, joining a group, admitting need to someone) to move toward Jesus, and will you do it before tomorrow evening?

Day 4: God's power is perfected in weakness

When weakness or helplessness is admitted, God's grace becomes the operative power in a life; like Paul’s thorn, suffering can point to dependence on Christ so that his power—not human strength—shapes and sustains the believer. [28:29]

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10 ESV)

Reflection: Name one weakness you tend to hide—who is one trusted person you can share it with this week and ask them to pray and remind you "My grace is sufficient" the next time you feel overwhelmed?

Day 5: Incarnation: God became one of us

The incarnation means God truly became one of us—100% God and 100% man—so that rescue, redemption, and presence would be real and accessible; this humbling of the King invites a response of humility and practical service in worship. [03:32]

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6–8 ESV)

Reflection: Who will you serve this week as an act of worship recognizing the incarnation—can you commit to one concrete service today (make a meal, sit and listen for 20 minutes, or deliver groceries) and do it before the end of the day?

Sermon Summary

Advent teaches us to wait with expectation, not for a vague feeling but for a Person—the King of Hope who meets us in our real lives. I walked us through the story of the man at the Pool of Bethesda who had been stuck for 38 years, convinced that one narrow path—the stirred water—was his only hope. Jesus steps into that space and asks a piercing question: Do you want to get well? The question exposes how easily we fixate on one solution, one timeline, one outcome, and miss the God who stands before us, offering a different way.

We named what many of us feel right now: helplessness. That feeling is not failure; it’s the doorway to grace. Scripture calls God a shelter for the helpless, and I reminded us that the popular saying “God helps those who help themselves” isn’t in the Bible; instead, God helps the helpless. Moving from helpless to hopeful involves three decisive rejections: rejecting pride by admitting our need, rejecting self-reliance that tries to control God and outcomes, and rejecting self-pity that keeps us ruminating and blaming rather than moving with Jesus.

When Jesus heals the man, he gives three commands: get up, take up your mat, and walk. That’s grace in motion. Grace doesn’t just soothe us; it empowers us to do what we could never do on our own. Taking up the mat removes the easy option to drift back to the old pattern. Walking names our life with Jesus as a sustained, step-by-step journey of trust. In weakness, we don’t collapse; we discover a different power. As Paul heard from the Lord, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That paradox becomes our practice: confess your need, refuse the illusion of control, trade self-pity for serving love, and respond to Jesus’ voice today.

Hope isn’t naïve optimism. It’s the settled confidence that Jesus has already overcome sin, death, and the evil one, and is present now—stronger than our feelings, steadier than our circumstances. So we stand up, we pick up what once defined us, and we walk with him.

Key Takeaways

1. Admit your helplessness before God Helplessness is not a disqualifier; it’s clarity. When I stop pretending I can manage life on my own, I make room for the power I actually need. Naming my limits is an act of faith that puts me under the shelter of the One who is not limited. Confession becomes the path to strength. [12:56]
2. Reject self-reliance to receive grace Self-reliance narrows our vision until we can only see one fix, one timetable, one pool to crawl toward. Grace expands our vision to notice Jesus standing within reach, speaking a new possibility. Control feels safe, but it quietly keeps us stuck; surrender risks trust and discovers God’s sufficiency. Hope grows where control is released. [14:47]
3. Trade self-pity for outward love Self-pity rehearses what’s been done to me; love asks what God can do through me. When I look outward—serve, encourage, laugh with others—my soul remembers it isn’t powerless. This isn’t denial; it’s reorientation toward the God who works through weakness and generosity to renew hearts. The path out of despair often runs through someone else’s need. [17:34]
4. Hear Jesus: get up and walk Jesus doesn’t merely sympathize; he commands what he empowers. “Get up” challenges our learned paralysis, “take up your mat” removes the option to go back, and “walk” calls us into daily trust. Grace is not passive comfort; it is active strength for sustained obedience. Hope takes shape as steps, not just feelings. [22:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:33] - Prayer and gospel grounding
[02:03] - Come Let Us Adore Him series
[02:49] - Advent and anticipation
[03:32] - The miracle of incarnation
[04:47] - God helps the helpless
[05:59] - Hope vs. helplessness defined
[07:48] - The Pool of Bethesda
[11:47] - From helplessness to hopefulness
[12:56] - Admit our helplessness
[14:47] - Reject self-reliance
[16:44] - Reject self-pity
[22:57] - Get up, take your mat, walk
[27:57] - My grace is sufficient
[31:04] - Blessing and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible study guide — “From Helpless to Hopeful” (based on John 5 / sermon)

Bible reading (ESV)
Read John 5:1–9 aloud together.

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay many who were sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred the water; whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Observation questions (3–4)

What specific details about the setting or people does John give in verses 2–5? How do those details shape your picture of the man’s situation?
What does the man’s answer in verse 7 show about where his hope and expectation were placed?
What three actions does Jesus command in verse 8, and what immediate result does John record in verse 9?
In the sermon the preacher pointed to the pool’s superstition and the man’s long pattern of trying the same thing over and over. How does that description help explain the man’s helplessness? [10:02]

Interpretation questions (3–4) — (third person, objective)

Why might Jesus begin with the question “Do you want to be healed?” rather than immediately acting? What does that question reveal about the man’s posture and the nature of the help Jesus offers? [08:38]
The man focuses on one solution (the stirred water). What does the sermon suggest this kind of single-minded self-reliance does to a person’s ability to see God’s work? [14:47]
The preacher argues that self-pity keeps people looking inward and blaming others. How does the man’s first response (blaming his lack of helpers) fit that pattern, and what does that say about the first steps needed to receive help? [17:34]
Jesus tells the man: “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” According to the sermon, what is the theological meaning of those three commands (i.e., how do they represent grace in motion)? [22:57]

Application questions (5–7) — practical and personal

Admit helplessness: Can you name one area right now where you have been trying the same thing over and over and getting nowhere? What would it look like for you to honestly tell God, “I am helpless here,” this week? [12:56]
Reject self-reliance: Identify one “pool” (one narrow fix or ritual, one timeline, or one strategy) you’ve been focused on. What step can you take this week to loosen your grip on control and invite God to do something you haven’t allowed him to do? (Be specific: a prayer you’ll pray, a person you’ll ask to pray with you, or one choice you’ll stop making.) [14:47]
Trade self-pity for outward love: Who around you is currently more helpless than you — a neighbor, coworker, friend, or family member? What single concrete thing can you do in the next 48 hours to serve or encourage them (call, bring a meal, offer childcare, send a note)? [17:34]
Respond to Jesus’ commands: The sermon described healing as “grace that empowers.” What is one small, specific “walk” Jesus might be calling you to take step-by-step (a difficult conversation, a habit to stop, a discipline to start)? When will you take the first step? [22:57]
Remember grace in weakness: Paul’s words “My grace is sufficient” were used to reframe weakness as the place God works. When you feel weak or helpless this week, what short truth or sentence will you practice saying to yourself to reorient your heart toward God’s power (write it down now)? [27:57]
Accountability and next steps: Who in this group will you ask to remind you of this commitment and check in next week? Name the person and the specific thing you want them to ask you about. [12:56]

Notes for the leader
- Start with the Bible reading and let at least two people read the passage aloud.
- Keep discussion focused on concrete next steps in the Application section; encourage people to pick one or two actions only.
- If someone shares a heavy need, follow up after the meeting with practical help or a pastoral visit.

Sermon Clips

``Many people feel hopeless right now because you feel so helpless, because people feel so helpless. And we don't know what to do as humans when we feel helpless. Many people are struggling with some sort of habit or addiction or pain or depression, betrayal, relationship struggles. And in those crises, you feel helpless. And helplessness can often lead to that feeling of desperation, of hopelessness. The truth is, God doesn't help those who help themselves, but He does help the helpless. He does help the helpless. [00:05:13] (48 seconds) #HelpForTheHelpless

It's okay for us to feel helpless. We actually are helpless left to ourselves. But God doesn't ever want us to feel hopeless because of the King of Hope, because of who Jesus is and what He's done for us. We will always have hope. As we alluded to earlier, the sense of helplessness is the inability to help yourself or to control your circumstances. How many know when you can't control your circumstances, there's this sense of helplessness? And then it's like, ooh, that easily can take the needle over to hopelessness. [00:06:34] (43 seconds) #HelplessNotHopeless

I need to realize and admit I'm helpless. How many know that's a key to life? You're struggling as a husband, you're struggling as a father, struggling in your walk. I'm helpless. I need help. Wave the white flag. But our pride so much wants to say, don't admit that you're helpless. And that's just the evil one lying to all of us. But our strength comes from admitting, God, I'm helpless in myself. [00:12:41] (30 seconds) #WaveTheWhiteFlag

But when we're left to ourselves, we realize that we are in need of grace every day. That whether you've been walking with Jesus all your life, or you're not even sure what you believe right now, the playing field is even for all of us. I'm in need of grace every day, and so are you, and so is every human being. That's one of our statements around here at Novation is we're building community on shared brokenness. So no one's the elite person in the room. I don't need as much grace as you do. No, we all need grace every day. [00:14:07] (41 seconds) #GraceEveryday

He had his mind made up that this mystical pool was the way he was going to be healed. Jesus shows up and says, I got something way better for you than you ever dreamed. This guy was in survival mode. You ever been in survival mode? Survival mode will take it out of you physically, emotionally, mentally. Affects your relationships. When you're in survival mode, that's tough. It leads to a daily discouragement and can lead to that despair of hopelessness. [00:15:31] (41 seconds) #BeyondSurvival

Learning to give up control, I think, is such a secret to receiving the help from God that he wants to give to each one of us. Self-reliance somehow believes that we're in control of our circumstances. You ever been there? If I just do this, then this will happen. If I just pray hard enough, then God will be somehow obligated. If I pray right, God, you heard my prayers. God, you saw me do this. You saw me do that. That's still self-focused versus God, I'm utterly helpless without you. [00:16:12] (42 seconds) #LetGoAndTrust

I think the first step out of self-pity is to ask, what can I do about my situation with God's help? How can I participate with God in my circumstances to receive his help so that I can walk in hope, walk in true hope? I think instead of asking like or looking at what's been done to me, maybe let's reverse this thing and say, what can God do through me and my circumstances? That's called look around therapy. [00:18:08] (40 seconds) #PartnerWithGod

But I think the point of that is we reject self-pity sometimes just by laughing and going, it is what it is. Sometimes you just laugh and go, I don't know, God, but I'm going to trust you. And truly rejecting self-pity is also by serving others, going and help other people who are helpless. And I know that's so difficult. But when we dig deep, when we're emotionally hurting, but we go around and we help somebody else, it does something to our own soul. [00:21:34] (41 seconds) #HelpOthersHeal

Three things. He says, get up. Get up. Jesus challenges us to do the very thing we cannot do for ourselves. This guy has been crawling around for 38 years. What do you mean, get up? Jesus said, get up. Helplessness doesn't mean that he does everything for us, but he empowers us to do what we could never do on our own. That's the power of grace. Grace is the power to do what you could never do on your own. [00:22:54] (34 seconds) #GetUpByGrace

I think weakness and helplessness are the same thing. When we're weak, he's strong. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. For when I'm weak, I'm strong. Is that not counterintuitive to us? I don't feel strong when I'm weak. But that's exactly what we're being told here. That when we are relying on the king of hope and we're relying upon who he is and what he's done, it doesn't matter what we feel. [00:28:14] (43 seconds) #StrengthInWeakness

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