The Way of Hope: Help! I Need Somebody, Not Just Anybody (Worship 12/14/25)

Devotional

Day 1: Advent joy begins with admitting we need help

You were not designed to carry your brokenness alone. Even your best plans and strongest habits cannot heal the deeper fracture of sin or the destructive patterns that follow. The wonder of Advent is that God saw our need and stepped in, not with advice first, but with Himself. Joy begins when you can say, “I can’t fix this,” and welcome the Savior who gladly does what you cannot. Ask for help; it’s the doorway where grace walks in and lifts your head. Let today be a simple, honest yes to His help [28:22]

Genesis 3:7,21
After they disobeyed, their eyes opened and shame covered them, so they stitched leaves together to hide. But the Lord made lasting garments and clothed them Himself, stepping in where their quick fix could never hold.

Reflection: Where do you most resist asking for help right now, and what one specific prayer or conversation will you initiate this week to invite Jesus—and perhaps a trusted friend—into that need?

Day 2: Good news of great joy for all people

The first birth announcement of Jesus did not go to the impressive but to shepherds who were overlooked and kept at a distance. God aimed His joy at the margins to make clear that no one is counted out. If the outcasts are invited first, then everyone is invited—neighbors, co-workers, family members, and even the person you least expect. Joy grows when you carry this welcome to others with humility and hope. Open your hands and your eyes; the field is wider than you think [33:24]

Luke 2:8–14
Shepherds were guarding their flocks at night when an angel blazed with God’s glory and they trembled. “Don’t be afraid—this is good news bringing great joy for everyone: today in David’s town a Savior was born for you, the Messiah, the Lord. You’ll find Him wrapped up and lying in a feeding trough.” Suddenly heaven’s army filled the sky, praising God: “Glory to God highest above, and peace on earth to those He graciously embraces.”

Reflection: Who is one person you’ve quietly counted out spiritually, and what gentle, concrete step (a note, an invitation, an offer to pray) could you take toward them this week?

Day 3: Jesus gives life the thief can’t steal

There are voices and habits that promise relief but only drain the soul—stealing time, joy, and clarity. Jesus doesn’t come to thin your life; He comes to fill it with a resilient, steady joy that outlasts changing circumstances. Happiness rises and falls, but joy remains when it is rooted in Him. Pay attention to what leaves you empty and to what restores you in His presence. Choose the path that gives, not the one that takes [41:32]

John 10:10
The thief shows up to take—stealing, killing, destroying. I came so they could truly live—life that is rich, full, and overflowing.

Reflection: Identify one pattern that consistently leaves you drained; what boundary or alternative practice will you adopt this week to guard the abundant life Jesus offers?

Day 4: Grace trains us to say no and yes

Salvation is not only a rescue; it is a school. Grace becomes your trainer, teaching you to refuse what harms and to desire what brings life to you and others. This is a process—daily, patient, Spirit-led—rooted in relationship before responsibility. From belonging flows becoming; who you are in Christ leads what you do for Christ. Start where you are, and let grace coach your next faithful step [52:51]

Titus 2:11–14
God’s grace has appeared, bringing rescue for all people. It tutors us to turn from godless ways and cravings, and to live now with steady self-control, integrity, and devotion to God as we wait for our blessed hope—the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself to free us from all our wrongdoing and to make us His own people, eager to do what is good.

Reflection: What specific “no” is grace inviting you to practice this week, and what life-giving “yes” will you put in its place at a set time each day?

Day 5: Who we are leads to what we do

God does not waste chapters you wish He’d erase; He weaves them into a testimony that blesses others. Your past is not your name—Jesus is. As you stand in that identity, your choices shift from striving to responding, from fear to faith, from scarcity to generous love. Joy blossoms when you trust that God is already at work, even in the hard and unfinished places. Walk forward today with quiet confidence in His redeeming hands [55:36]

Romans 8:28
We are convinced of this: for those who love God, He is actively weaving everything—every piece—into good, according to His purpose for their lives.

Reflection: Which part of your past do you most wish were different, and how might you share that redeemed story with one person this week in a way that offers them hope?

Sermon Summary

Advent is the honest cry of the human heart: Help. I need somebody. From the garden onward we’ve tried to cover ourselves, manage our brokenness, and muscle through with better habits and grit. But sin, shame, and our destructive patterns don’t yield to self-improvement. The good news is that God stepped into the gap. Jesus didn’t come to take from us; he came to give life—life to the full. That’s why the announcement to the shepherds matters so much. The first people to hear heaven’s birth announcement were the outcasts who couldn’t even enter the temple. The angel declared good news of great joy for all people: a Savior, Christ the Lord, has come.

“All people” really means all. We don’t get to pre-screen who might be interested in grace. I shared the story of Ozzy Osbourne receiving a Bible with his name on it and cherishing it. It’s a reminder: never count anyone out. Often the people we assume are least interested are the hungriest. And for those of us who struggle to believe this includes us because of our past—God not only forgives; he redeems. All things, even the parts we wish we could erase, can be woven into his purposes for good.

Joy isn’t a Sea-Doo moment; it’s ballast in the storm. It’s rooted in a living relationship with Jesus. And that relationship trains us. Titus says grace brings salvation and then trains us to say no to what steals and yes to what gives. Identity comes before activity. Who we are—his treasured people—leads to what we do. So each day, empowered by grace, we renounce what only takes and we practice what gives: generosity, integrity, compassion, faithfulness. This is the way of hope. This is salvation at work—life that overflows to others.

Key Takeaways

1. Advent exposes our need for help We don’t have the power to fix the deepest fault lines in our hearts. Advent is God’s decisive answer to our helplessness: the Father sends the Son to step into our mess and rescue us. Owning our need is not defeat; it’s the doorway to real joy. Jesus meets us where discipline and self-talk finally break down. [26:20]
2. Joy arrives with salvation for all The angels announced joy not as a feeling but as a person—Savior, Christ the Lord—given to all people, beginning with overlooked shepherds. God refuses our pecking orders and social boundaries. If grace came first to the outcasts, then no one is beyond reach—including us. We carry this same wide invitation into every conversation. [31:43]
3. God redeems even our past We often believe grace is true for others but not for the worst parts of our story. Yet God works all things—not just the tidy parts—for the good of those who love him. What the thief used to wound you, God can use to bless others. Your scars can become seams of strength in his hands. [43:28]
4. Grace trains us for godliness Salvation is not merely a ticket to heaven; it is a school of formation. Grace is both pardon and power—teaching us to renounce what deforms us and to practice a new way of life. Identity fuels obedience: as God’s own people, we grow into what we already are in Christ. This is slow, hopeful, daily training. [48:22]
5. Say no to what steals, yes to what gives Ungodliness promises quick payoff but always takes more than it gives. The life Jesus offers—truthfulness, kindness, self-control, generosity—actually increases your capacity to love and be loved. Choosing the “green” path doesn’t just bless you; it nourishes everyone around you. This is how joy takes root. [52:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:20] - The cry for help at Advent
[28:22] - Self-reliance versus God’s rescue
[30:18] - Life to the full in Jesus
[31:43] - Angels bring good news of joy
[33:24] - Shepherds and the wideness of grace
[35:48] - Ozzy Osbourne Bible encounter
[39:27] - A heart unexpectedly hungry
[43:28] - God redeems all of our past
[46:00] - Joy deeper than happiness
[48:22] - Grace that trains our lives
[51:10] - Renouncing what only takes
[52:51] - Saying yes to what gives life
[55:36] - Identity first, then practice
[59:07] - Prayer and response

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Luke 2:8-14

Observation questions

Read Luke 2:8-14. Who are the people the angels first approached, and what exact phrase did the angel use to describe the news they brought?
The angel says the message is "good news of great joy that will be for all the people." What does "for all the people" include or exclude in the passage's context? [31:43]
How did the shepherds immediately respond after hearing the angel's announcement (what actions or emotions are recorded in the text)?
Why were shepherds treated as outcasts in that culture, and how does that fact shape the significance of the angel appearing to them? [33:24]

Interpretation questions (third-person)

The announcement centers joy on a person—"a Savior, Christ the Lord"—rather than a temporary feeling. What difference does it make theologically and practically to understand joy as rooted in a person instead of a momentary emotion? [30:18]
If the proclamation is "salvation for all people," how should that claim change the way Christians view and relate to social outsiders or those deemed "unworthy"? [31:43]
Titus 2:11–12 presents grace as both the source of salvation and the trainer of new habits. What tension should be expected between being forgiven now and being formed over time, and how should that shape expectations for spiritual growth? [48:22]
Romans 8:28 says God works "all things" for good for those who love him. How should this promise reframe the way one thinks about deeply shameful or damaging parts of a personal past? [43:28]

Application questions (personal and practical)

Advent exposes the honest cry, "Help." How willing are you to ask for help with sin, shame, or destructive patterns? What is one specific step you will take this week to ask for help from God or a trusted Christian friend? [26:20]
The good news is for all people. Who in your life have you quietly written off as unlikely to respond to the gospel? What one concrete step (call, message, invite, prayer) will you take this month to carry the invitation to them? [31:43]
God can redeem even the parts of life you wish you could erase. What particular wound or regret do you still protect from God's redeeming work, and who is one safe person you could share a portion of that story with in the next 30 days? [43:28]
Grace trains believers to "say no to what steals and yes to what gives." Identify one "red" habit from the lists (gossip, greed, deceit, etc.) active in your life. What is one small, concrete "green" practice (generosity, honesty, a daily prayer habit, a time of service) you will try this week to begin replacing it? [52:51]
Identity comes before activity: who you are in Christ leads to what you do. What truth about your identity in Christ do you need to rehearse each morning, and what practical rhythm (scripture memory, 2‑minute prayer, accountability text) will you use to remember it? [55:36]
Joy is ballast in the storm because it rests in relationship with Jesus. When stress or loss erodes your joy, what spiritual habit tends to help you reconnect (silence, worship songs, confession, serving)? Commit to one specific habit to practice during this Advent season and describe how you will keep yourself accountable. [46:00]

Sermon Clips

When we think about just the story and why Jesus showed up, is that somebody needed to step in. Because we needed help. And so just a question to throw out to you all is, how easy is it for you to ask for help? Think about that. How easy is it? How easy is it for you to actually ask for help when you're struggling? When there's a difficulty there? And sometimes we can plan it out just a little bit, and we can plan through something, and we know that we might need help. [00:26:53] (30 seconds) #AskForHelpCourage

Because we have an issue, right? We need help with something. And it's something that lies within each and every one of us. There's not a single person that doesn't have this issue. It is the issue of brokenness. It is the issue of sin. It is the issue of habits that we have. It is the issue of destructive patterns that we have in our life. And no matter how much we try, no matter how much discipline we put into our lives, no matter how many great and healthy habits we plug in, we still struggle. Right? And so often we can buy into this lie that we can somewhat do this on our own. [00:27:52] (47 seconds) #BrokenNotAlone

When we think about our world, we think about just where we're at. Right? I mean, we think about just what this news can really do and who God is inviting in. It changes everything about how we look at people, how we talk to people, how we view them. It changes this worldview. And what it really teaches us is that we don't count people out. We don't make that judgment call. That's not even, that's not our job. Our job is never to determine who's in and who's out. Just by looking at somebody. [00:35:19] (38 seconds) #SeePeopleDifferently

Our job is never to determine who's in and who's out. Just by looking at somebody. But we have this amazing news, just like these shepherds, to carry this good news forward that is great joy, salvation for all. And when we do this, it lights us up. It's what gives us life. It's why Jesus came into this world. And it changes everything. [00:35:48] (31 seconds) #GoodNewsForAll

And when we hear a message like that, salvation is for you. Jesus came for you and you and you and you, despite your past. That's the craziest thing. Jesus showed up on the scene, knowing exactly who you were and everything that you would do. And yet he still came, right? He knew all of it, right? We serve a God who's over past, present, and future. He is larger than anything we can even get our minds wrapped around. And his love is so much bigger. And his invitation is for all. [00:42:47] (38 seconds) #JesusCameForYou

And joy is that no matter what's going on, whether you're in calm seas or rocky seas or stormy seas, it doesn't matter. Your joy is still there because it's in your relationship with Him. Because no matter what you face, no matter what goes on in your life, He is always there. He is always present. And He loves you right where you are. [00:46:03] (24 seconds) #JoyInHisPresence

And our trainer is God's grace as he works in our life, helping us to live in to this call. Because it's not easy, right? This call is not easy to live in a different way, to be a light to all people. There is a lot of fighting, right? There's a lot of inner tension within us that we are constantly pulled back and forth. As we can see in the text, it doesn't say automatically. You will renounce all ungodliness just like that day one. Doesn't work like that. Training carries this idea. It's a process. It's a process that we walk in and God is walking with us. [00:49:46] (43 seconds) #TrainingByGrace

Stand on that foundation that has been established for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God's only begotten son who lived the life we could not live. Died on the cross that we deserved. And yet death could not hold him. And he rose again on that third day. This is the way of hope. And we grab a hold of that. And we say yes to this. This is salvation for all. It unleashes us. It gives us the life that we so desperately want. And when we say yes, God enters in. [00:57:39] (39 seconds) #ResurrectionHope

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How does Advent reframe hope beyond the manger?

Why announce Christ's birth first to outcast shepherds?

How does grace train us toward godliness?