Living with Certain Hope: The Christmas Promise

The allure of Hallmark-style movies lies in their predictability and the promise of a happily ever after. These films resonate with us because they reflect a deep-seated desire for certainty and hope in our lives. Just as we know the ending of these movies, the Christmas story offers us a similar assurance. The arrival of the Messiah, prophesied centuries before, is a testament to a hope that is certain and unwavering. This hope is not abstract or wishful thinking; it is a solid foundation upon which we can build our lives.

The Christmas story, much like our lives, is filled with off-script moments. Mary, the mother of Jesus, experienced such a moment when the angel Gabriel announced her divine pregnancy. Her life, like many biblical figures, did not follow a predictable script. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Ruth, and others all faced unexpected turns. Yet, these off-script moments are not the end of the story. They are part of a larger narrative that leads to a certain hope and a happily ever after.

This hope is not the world's version of hope, which is often a mere wish. Instead, it is a life-shaping certainty about the future. It is the assurance that, despite the ups and downs, our story will end in victory. Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection, has secured this ending for us. He is the Prince of Peace, bringing ever-increasing peace into our lives.

As followers of Christ, we are called to live with this hope, to be eternal optimists. This hope should permeate every aspect of our lives, influencing how we interact with others and how we face challenges. It is a hope that transforms us and those around us. Our families, our communities, and the world need this hope. We are to be carriers of this hope, reminding ourselves and others that our story ends in a happily ever after.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **Predictability and Hope:** Hallmark-style movies offer a predictable ending, much like the certainty we find in the Christmas story. This predictability reflects our deep desire for a certain hope, a hope that is not abstract but a solid foundation for our lives. [02:18]

2. **Off-Script Moments:** Life often goes off-script, as seen in the lives of Mary and other biblical figures. These moments are not the end but part of a larger narrative that leads to hope and fulfillment. [16:21]

3. **Certain Hope vs. Wishful Thinking:** The world's idea of hope is often wishful thinking, but biblical hope is a life-shaping certainty about the future. It is the assurance that our story will end in victory, secured by Jesus. [32:08]

4. **Living as Eternal Optimists:** As Christians, we are called to live with hope, influencing our interactions and how we face challenges. This hope should transform us and those around us, making us carriers of hope in a world that desperately needs it. [39:40]

5. **The End of Our Story:** The Christmas story assures us that our story ends in a happily ever after. Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, guarantees this ending, and we are to live with the certainty of this hope every day. [47:56]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:18] - The Allure of Hallmark Movies
- [04:31] - Indoor Dating and Movie Recommendations
- [06:16] - Creating Our Own Movie
- [08:39] - Life Goes Off-Script
- [16:21] - Mary's Off-Script Moment
- [18:11] - Biblical Off-Script Moments
- [20:18] - The Pattern of Life
- [21:15] - The Gospel's Certain Hope
- [22:53] - Happily Ever After
- [32:08] - Certain Hope vs. Fool's Hope
- [33:40] - The Impact of Hope
- [35:38] - Living with Hope
- [37:43] - The Certainty of Victory
- [39:40] - Jesus, the Eternal Optimist
- [41:11] - The Role of Hope in Family
- [47:56] - The End of Our Story

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**

1. Isaiah 9:6 - "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
2. Luke 1:26-33 - The announcement of Jesus' birth to Mary by the angel Gabriel.
3. John 11:25-26 - "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'"

**Observation Questions:**

1. What does Isaiah 9:6 reveal about the nature and roles of the Messiah? How does this connect to the theme of hope in the sermon? [47:56]
2. In Luke 1:26-33, how does Mary initially react to the angel Gabriel's message, and what does this tell us about her character? [16:21]
3. According to John 11:25-26, what promise does Jesus make about life and death? How does this promise relate to the concept of a "certain hope"? [22:53]
4. How do Hallmark-style movies illustrate the idea of predictability and certainty, and how is this similar to the message of the Christmas story? [02:18]

**Interpretation Questions:**

1. How does the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 provide a foundation for the hope that is central to the Christmas story? What implications does this have for believers today? [47:56]
2. What can we learn from Mary's response to her off-script moment in Luke 1:26-33 about handling unexpected changes in our own lives? [16:21]
3. How does Jesus' statement in John 11:25-26 challenge the world's understanding of hope? What does it mean to have a "life-shaping certainty about the future"? [32:08]
4. The sermon mentions that life often goes off-script. How can believers find assurance and hope in these moments, according to the examples given in the sermon? [18:11]

**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a time when your life went off-script. How did you respond, and what role did your faith play in that situation? How might you respond differently now with the understanding of certain hope? [18:11]
2. The sermon encourages believers to be carriers of hope. Identify one area in your life where you can intentionally bring hope to others this week. What specific actions will you take? [39:40]
3. Consider the concept of "certain hope" versus "wishful thinking." How can you cultivate a mindset of certain hope in your daily life, especially when facing challenges? [32:08]
4. How can the assurance of a happily ever after, as promised in the Christmas story, influence your perspective on current struggles or uncertainties? [22:53]
5. The sermon suggests living as eternal optimists. What practical steps can you take to embody this optimism in your interactions with family, friends, and colleagues? [39:40]
6. How can you use the Christmas story to share the message of hope with someone who is struggling with uncertainty or fear? What approach will you take to ensure the message is received with love and understanding? [41:11]
7. Reflect on the role of hope in your family dynamics. How can you be a source of hope and encouragement to your family members, especially during difficult times? [41:11]

Day 1: The Certainty of Hope
The allure of Hallmark-style movies lies in their predictability and the promise of a happily ever after. These films resonate with us because they reflect a deep-seated desire for certainty and hope in our lives. Similarly, the Christmas story offers us a similar assurance. The arrival of the Messiah, prophesied centuries before, is a testament to a hope that is certain and unwavering. This hope is not abstract or wishful thinking; it is a solid foundation upon which we can build our lives. Just as we know the ending of these movies, we can trust in the certainty of the hope that the Christmas story brings. [02:18]

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself longing for certainty? How can you remind yourself of the certain hope found in the Christmas story today?


Day 2: Embracing Off-Script Moments
Life often goes off-script, as seen in the lives of Mary and other biblical figures. Mary, the mother of Jesus, experienced such a moment when the angel Gabriel announced her divine pregnancy. Her life, like many biblical figures, did not follow a predictable script. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Ruth, and others all faced unexpected turns. Yet, these off-script moments are not the end of the story. They are part of a larger narrative that leads to a certain hope and a happily ever after. Embracing these moments can lead us to a deeper understanding of God's plan for our lives. [16:21]

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent off-script moment in your life. How can you see God's hand at work in that situation, and how might it be part of a larger narrative?


Day 3: The Assurance of Certain Hope
The world's idea of hope is often wishful thinking, but biblical hope is a life-shaping certainty about the future. It is the assurance that, despite the ups and downs, our story will end in victory. Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection, has secured this ending for us. He is the Prince of Peace, bringing ever-increasing peace into our lives. This hope is not just a comforting thought but a transformative reality that shapes how we live and interact with the world. [32:08]

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: How does the assurance of certain hope influence your daily decisions and interactions with others? What changes can you make to live more fully in this hope?


Day 4: Living as Eternal Optimists
As followers of Christ, we are called to live with hope, influencing our interactions and how we face challenges. This hope should transform us and those around us, making us carriers of hope in a world that desperately needs it. Our families, our communities, and the world need this hope. We are to be carriers of this hope, reminding ourselves and others that our story ends in a happily ever after. Living as eternal optimists means allowing this hope to permeate every aspect of our lives. [39:40]

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to see the hope of Christ through you today? How can you intentionally share this hope with them in a practical way?


Day 5: The Promise of a Happily Ever After
The Christmas story assures us that our story ends in a happily ever after. Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, guarantees this ending, and we are to live with the certainty of this hope every day. This promise is not just for the future but impacts how we live in the present. It gives us the courage to face challenges and the strength to persevere, knowing that our ultimate victory is secure. Embracing this promise allows us to live with joy and purpose, even in the midst of life's uncertainties. [47:56]

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

Reflection: How does the promise of a happily ever after change your perspective on current struggles? What steps can you take to live more fully in this promise today?

**Hallmark Style Movies**

Come on. Who's not afraid to admit that you like these kinds of movies? Let's be brave, okay? Yes, I know. Brian did Die Hard. Very manly. Whatever. My favorite movies are Hallmark style. And I say Hallmark style because I actually like the Netflix version better. They're slightly more elevated, a little bit more refined, whatever. But it's all the Hallmark movie formula.

And I like them because I know exactly what I'm getting. It's the same reason why anybody who's ever offered me a chocolate chip cookie, I've been like, yeah, that's great. I will take that cookie. I know exactly what I'm getting. What I'm getting is a happily ever after story.

See, there's something deep and profound about these movies that we can laugh about or watch with popcorn or fall asleep for half of and wake up and still know exactly what's happening. And the profound truth is that you and I were made to live a life that is certain of its end, that has a certain, certain, certain, certain, certain, certain, certain hope to it.

The Christmas story is a story about the Messiah coming, and in the ancient world, in ancient Judaism, the Messiah was this long prophesied figure who represented the arrival of hope. Some of you might celebrate Advent in your house, and the first candle you light is a candle of hope. It's the foundation of the Christmas story, the foundation of this Messiah who's coming.

And a lot of what was written about the Messiah, about Jesus who would be born in the manger, was actually written centuries and centuries and centuries before him. And we have archaeological evidence to prove that this is true. These manuscripts existed long before Jesus, and they describe things about his life with remarkable accuracy. And they'll go beyond it to point us to hope.

One example is Isaiah 9, verse 6. You might have heard this read before. It says this: Isaiah says from the beginning of the Christmas story, this is written 700 years before Jesus arrives. He says, "I want to tell you how it ends. It ends with ever-increasing peace."

I don't know where you are in your life. I don't know what's going on, what you're dealing with. But my hope today is that you walk out of here having had two things happen. One, you had fun. I really hope you have fun today. And two, I hope you walk out filled up with hope.

Because the Christmas story is a story of hope, not abstract hope, not squishy hope, but a solid hope that you can base your entire life on. Let's pray before we go any further.

God, I'm asking that you would do that for all of us, that you would give us the gift of hope, the gift of laughter, the gift of fun, that we'd walk out with our hope tank filled up because of you. Amen.

Now, maybe you're somebody who's like, "Hallmark-style movies, is this a thing?" I don't know why you would think that, but welcome out from under the rock you've been living under. Yes, Hallmark-style movies are massive. Do you know that the Hallmark Channel alone, the pioneers of this formula, make over 40 Christmas movies every single year? 40.

They film them all up in Canada. These are true facts. You can look them up on the internet, I promise. They cost about a million to two million apiece. They film them in 15 days. And I found this: in 2021, they made $350 million from them alone. Crazy. It's this massive industry, and they're all exactly the same. All of them.

Now, Sarah and I, we got into watching these style movies back when our kids were a little bit younger, and we wanted date nights, you know? That's an important thing. Everybody tells you that. You want a healthy marriage. You need to prioritize date night. And so we would try that, but then a kid would get sick, or a babysitter would cancel, or whatever. It was just impossible.

And then I had this brilliant idea. Maybe the best one of my whole life. I invented something. It's called indoor dating. It's amazing. I know, follow me for just a second. You do exactly what you would do if you left your house, only you don't. That's how it goes.

So our favorite version of this is we get takeout sushi, and we put on a Netflix Christmas movie, and it is spectacular. And ladies, I know what some of you are thinking. You're like, "Man, Kyle, I wish I was married to you." You're telling me if you take your wife on dates to nowhere, wow, yeah. That is technically true. Don't tell Sarah that, okay? Just let that be your own little realization; that's what happens.

The point is, though, I've watched a lot, at this point, a lot, a lot, a lot of Hallmark-style Christmas movies. So many of them. I'm not just a fan. I'm not just a connoisseur. I would say more like a sommelier of them.

And I'd like to recommend a few, just kind of pairings, some vintages that are particularly favorites of mine, in case you're new to this. I'm just going to introduce you, give you some indoor date nights if you're interested.

If you want something older, I'd recommend a 2019 vintage. It's called *A Night Before Christmas*. It's a very plausible story about a knight from the year 1300 who interacts with a magical Christmas person who transports him to the future where he falls in love. And you'll never guess how it ends. Happily ever after. It's crazy.

If you want something a little bit newer, I highly, highly recommend getting in on this train. Train, 2022, *Falling for Christmas*. Now, this is a truly historic film. I think it's going to go down in the history books. Why? Because it's played an important role in Lindsay Lohan's Lohanisense. She's back, and this movie's a big reason why. Highly recommend it.

There's a newer one called *Our Little Secret*, also Lindsay Lohan. Highly recommend it. You won't guess how both of those films end. Happily ever after, it turns out.

There's a newer one. If you want something a little bit newer, now it's young, and so it's a little bit spicy, got to warn you, 2024 vintage. I know somebody in this room has watched it. *Hot Frosty*. Yeah! Yes! I was so pumped when I saw that. It was like, oh, we're saving this for a good night. This is so great.

Listen, if you don't know *Hot Frosty*, okay, look, Netflix did it, guys. They did it for us. They made the thing we've all always wanted, a Christmas movie about a sexy snowman come to life. Yes! It's great. Very much, very much recommend that. Not going to guess how it ends. Happily ever after. Oh, that's right. You did guess it.

Now, my favorite vintage is actually from 2017. It's *A Christmas Prince*. Oh my gosh, so great. It's about a big city woman on a career path who gets sent by her boss to the country of Aldovia where she runs into the prince, and you won't believe it, but they fall in love, and the movie ends happily ever after. Guess what? It's also part of a trilogy. Just sink your teeth into that one. It's great.

Now, these all follow the same pattern. They're so wildly predictable that Sarah and I actually played this game, which I super recommend doing, by the way. We played this game where we play the first two minutes of the movie, and then we press pause, and then we have to predict the rest of the movie to each other. And then whoever gets the closest wins. And we're always like both the closest, but we're not going to win. Because it's so easy. So incredibly easy.

Now, in this series, we typically play clips from movies, but today we thought we'd mix it up just a little bit. Because these movies are so wildly predictable, we actually think we can create our own movie live together right now. That's exactly right.

So we've got some improv actors up here who are going to join us. First, for our female lead, we were able to find a professional improv actress, Susan Jung. Please welcome her to the stage. Susan, fantastic.

Now for our male lead, we weren't able to find a professional or anybody good at all, but we did find Dayton Community Pastor, a.k.a. Super Bowl Preaching Referee, Matt Castleman, who we forced to be here. So he's here. We've got a couple of surprise guests.

Now, this is going to be improv, okay? And so I want you guys to stay on stage the whole time. No talking to each other. No, it's got to be in the moment. Deal? Deal. Deal. Perfect.

Now, what I need from you guys. Oakley, specifically. Oakley, you have an important job. All the sites, we're all counting on you, okay? Everybody in Lexington, Eastside, Westside, Columbus. Everybody's counting on you. Everybody online counting on you. I need you to give me a title for the movie we're about to watch.

*Hot Frosty*? Hot Frosty's taken, sir. That's excellent. Hybrid right infringement. Can't do that. Don't want to go to jail. Other suggestions? Ooh, *A Christmas Melody*. Let's do *A Christmas Melody*. A Christmas melody. Yeah. A Christmas... Okay. Ahem!

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to welcome you to the first ever showing of our brand new film, *A Christmas Melody*. This way. Rabbit patch. I didn't see that coming. That's great. Fantastic. Fantastic.

What did that teach us? Who knows? Anything? Anybody? It's this. Tell you what. Number one truth from Hallmark-style movies is that your life will go off script. Do you notice that?

See, every single one of these movies, every single one of these movies, we have a script for our life. We have a plan. We have a thing that we think is going to happen. You know, I'm going to go to high school and graduate, get into a good college and get a good job and then meet a good girl and then get married and have good kids, right? That's kind of this progression.

But what Hallmark-style movies show us is that the script always breaks. Something happens that sends us off of our path. The big city girl gets sent back to her small hometown and meets the guy she didn't want to see again. This is our life, and this is the Christmas story.

I mean, think about this. The Christmas story has a female lead. Her name is Mary. I don't know if you've heard of her before. Mary, mother of Jesus. And her life literally has an off-script moment. She's in the spot of life where she's happily betrothed. She's engaged. Wedding's coming. She's planning for it. She's thinking about it. She's got her life picked out with this guy named Joseph. And then out of nowhere, the off-script moment happens.

Here's what it says in Luke 1, 26. "In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, oh favored one. The Lord is with you.' But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb a child.' And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom, there will be no end.'

And Mary says, "One." No, it's not what she says at all. She's like, "What? How can this be?" Like, she's not pumped about it. It's this off-script moment for her life, which, by the way, makes her perfectly fall in line with every major character in the Bible ever and with all of us.

Think about it for just a second. Abraham. Abraham's a successful business owner. He's growing his business. He's growing his flocks. He's getting more wealth. And then God out of nowhere shows up in a dream and says, "Abraham, I want you to leave everything you've ever known, and I want you to head out the door, and I'm not going to tell you where you're going until you start moving." That's an off-script moment.

Think about, for a second, Joseph. Joseph gets sold into slavery. Off-script moment. Wasn't planning on that. Moses. He gets put into a basket and basically put up for adoption. Then he gets exiled for 40 years. Then he gets sent into a job that he doesn't want to be the mouthpiece of God. All off-script moments for what he planned for his life.

Ruth has off-script moments. Her husband, her father-in-law, and her brother-in-law all tragically die at about the same point in her life. Off-script moment. Esther. She marries a guy who she can't even reveal her ethnicity to. Leah marries a guy who doesn't even love her. All the disciples. Peter wants to be a fisherman. Off-script moment. Jesus comes along and says, "Follow me." Matthew thinks he's going to be an accountant. Tax collector. Off-script moment. Paul. Off-script moment. Again and again and again. And it's us.

In fact, I'm willing to make a bet. There's never been a single person who's ever lived whose life followed their script. None. Think about your life for a minute. When did your life first go off-script?

Was it when you didn't get into the college you wanted to? Or when you didn't graduate high school? Or was it when she said no? Was it when you got a divorce when you were young? Was it when you had a baby unexpectedly? Was it when you couldn't conceive? Was it now when you find yourself still not married? Was it a career that went sideways? When did your life go off-script?

I don't know when, but I do know that it has. It has for all of us. See, part of the formula in these Hallmark-style movies, part of the reason they resonate with us is because they bake this in, this realism inside of these movies that say, yes, your life will go off-script. Not just once, by the way. Again and again and again.

You know, Mary is this incredible figure. I think sometimes we look at her, and she kind of becomes almost two-dimensional. But she doesn't live a two-dimensional life. She has this first off-script moment, and it was a big one, by the way. She knows that Joseph's likely to leave her. All kinds of things are likely to happen. But then, good news, he doesn't. He stays with her. But then, bad news, off-script moment, they have to flee to Egypt because Herod wants to kill Jesus.

And then more off-script moments happen. It's young. Why do we believe this? Well, for lots of reasons. But one is, at the cross, Joseph, who was a righteous man, who was a good earthly father to Jesus, is nowhere to be found, but his mother Mary is. And on the cross, as he's dying, Jesus actually points at his friend John, and he says, "Will you take care of my mom for me?" What does that mean? It means Joseph isn't around anymore.

It also means more off-script moments. We know that Jesus had other brothers and sisters, Mary and from Joseph. But in this moment, John, for some reason, can't point to any of them, or Jesus in this moment can't point to any of them to take care of his mom. Instead, he goes to his friend. Why? Well, there's likely some off-script moments happening.

This is our life again and again and again. In fact, in the script of Netflix movies, or Hallmark, sorry, movies, there's the setup. There's the initial complication. They get sent somewhere. And then there's the near kiss. There's a moment where life looks like it's going to happen, right? We're going to get together. And then it's followed by the breakup.

This is the pattern of life. Just when it looks like things might break, just when it looks like we might get ahead, all of a sudden, there's another off-script moment. There's another setback.

Speaking of which, it is time for another scene from our favorite movie, whose title I forget. What's it called? *Christmas Melody*. Oh, my gosh. Cannot wait. Now, for this one, Oakley, again, depending on you, did a great job with this one.

So, we're going to get together, and then it's followed by the breakup. This is the name. I need from you an idea. I need an activity that you would do on a Christmas date. Shout them out. Ice skating. Ice skating. Another one? Snow tubing. You're all talking at once. I can't. We need to organize this better. I can't. Making a snowman. Making a snowman, ice skating, snow tubing, making a snowman. Perfect.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to act two of *A Christmas Melody*. Sooh man, oh, we're on pins and needles right? Oh, what's gonna happen? How's it gonna end? I don't know. Oh, that's right. Happily ever after.

Yeah, that's the second truth that Hallmark-style movies can teach us. No matter what happens, no matter how many ups and downs there are, you and I, our story turns out to be one that ends happily ever after. I think it's the main reason why these stories resonate.

Yeah, in that formula, the next two steps, the last two steps are what's called the reconciliation and the happily ever after, which is the gospel. I don't know if you know that the gospel, the story of Jesus that starts in this Christmas story, is not primarily good advice for how to live your life. It is primarily a certainty about the future of your life and how your story will end. That's what it is. It's a certain hope.

Here's how Jesus put it in John 11. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live." Certainty. "Will not might, will live even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die." And then he says, "Do you believe this?"

See, God as a storyteller is the ultimate one who spoils his own story. He tells us the end of the story. Why? Because He wants us to live with a certain hope. You and I are not actually made to go through life wondering how our story ends.

If you find yourself in a place where you're full of fear and anxiety and worry, maybe, just maybe, I might want to press into you and ask you the same question that Jesus just asked. Do you believe what he said? Not about the story, but about your story, about your life and where you're headed, the Prince of Peace who brings ever-increasing peace. Do you believe that's the trajectory of your life?

Now, this idea of certain hope, it's very, very different than the world's idea of hope. See, I think the world uses this word hope, but what we mean by hope is a wish, you know? We say things like, "I don't know what's going to happen, but I hope that." And what can happen is it feels like the Bible story, if you apply that kind of hope to the Bible, what the Bible's asking you to do is to live a Disney life. Wish upon a star. That whole thing, right? That's the Christmas story.

Oh yeah, there's a star up in Bethlehem. You kind of hope on the Christmas star and just dream that everything will be great. No, no, that's not the kind of hope the Bible talks about. That's a fool's hope. That's wildly different.

By the way, wives, a fool's hope is what you have if you want your husband to get you the thing you want and you haven't told him exactly what it is. And I cannot stress the word exactly enough. I mean, exactly. Like put it in the Amazon cart, click buy now, and then tell him what you got, okay? That's how you have to do it. Promise.

None of us, none of us husbands, none of us are like, "Oh, I hope she makes me guess." Oh yeah. Early on in our marriage, I learned this. I tried to guess what my wife wanted, and it did not go well. Our first year in marriage, our first Christmas, I remember we go to the mall together. Back when malls were still a thing. It was great.

We go to the mall, and this is totally true. At this moment, I am a humble, poor church worker who's also an amateur carpenter. And she's a big city corporate career woman. Literally worked for a big corporation in the city in a high rise, okay? And so we go to Amazon in Taylor, where she would buy all of her fancy suits and clothes. And she sees this sweater, and it's $90. I remember this the rest of my life. Gray sweater, $90. And she says, "Ooh, I like that sweater."

And I'm like, "Awesome. I know exactly what she wants. Great." So I come back the next day on my lunch break, and I buy the sweater. I wrap it. I put it under the tree. She opens it, and she goes, "Oh, this is nice." I'm like, "It's that sweater that you want." And she's like, "Yeah, I sure did. Oh, this is great." And folds it up and never puts it on ever in her entire life, not even one time. Went to Goodwill so fast.

So wives, tell your husband what you want. Otherwise, you have a fool's hope. But again, the kind of hope we're talking about here in the Bible is not that kind of hope. It's not a fool's hope. The kind of hope that the Bible describes is a certain hope, an absolute certain hope.

One of my favorite theologians is a guy who recently published a book called *The Bible Describes a Certain Hope*. His name is Tim Keller, and his definition of biblical hope is incredible. He says, "Biblical hope is a life-shaping certainty about the future." He says, "When you have biblical hope, literally every single day in your life should be lived differently."

Why? Because you know how your story will end, and you believe it. This is actually the thing that stood out most about Mary. You know, when the angel comes to her and he says, "Hey, good news, you found favor with God." One of the questions that people have asked for 2,000 years since then is, "What about Mary made her find favor in the eyes of God?"

And I don't know with absolute certainty, but my guess, my best guess, based on what I read, is that the thing that stood out about her was her certainty of hope, that she was willing to believe the things that God said to her about her future.

After that scene where the angel comes to her, she actually gets up and she goes and visits her cousin, Elizabeth. This is how the story picks up. Luke 1:39. It says, "In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town in Judah. And she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped with joy.'

And then she ends with this. "And blessed is she." I think in this moment, she's looking right at Mary, right in the eyes. She says, "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

See, the thing that makes Mary remarkable is that she just believed what God said about her future. She just decided that it was certain that He meant what He said. And I believe it changed every single day of her life.

I want you to imagine for a moment that I was to hire two people, okay? Let's imagine the job is to split firewood. Got it? You need firewood. It's getting cold. And it's going to be outside. It's going to be hard. It's going to be painful. It's going to be very, very cold. I'm not going to give you gloves, okay? It's going to be awful. But I'm going to hire two people.

And imagine for person A, I hire them and I say to them, "Hey, at the end of the day, I'm going to give you $10, okay?" And then person 2, I say, "Hey, same exact work as them. It's going to be hard. It's going to be cold. It's going to be painful. You're not going to like it. But at the end of the day, I'm going to give you $10 million."

Do you think that maybe, just maybe, their attitude during the day might be different? Do you think that one of them might just be more filled with hope? Might even as things are hard, even as things are cold, even as things are painful, might just have an extra little bounce in their step? Of course. Why? Because they know what's coming at the end of the story is a happily ever after. That's why.

Well, that's you and me, friends. This is what's supposed to be us. See, if you believe in Jesus, when you walk into a room, every single person in the room should go, "Oh, yeah, Jim's here. Oh, man, that guy. He's just like a breath of fresh air. He just lifts everybody up." When Susan walks in, there's just hope in the room that you can just feel the thing change. Man, she's just phenomenal. This is what it's supposed to be to follow Jesus.

Another way to think about it is if you're a Christian, you're supposed to live life like a Kansas City Chiefs fan. You're just certain you're going to win, right? Without the cheating refs. Just saying. Just point that out.

By the way, Christmas movies, I don't even do this. There are two Hallmark-style Christmas movies about the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor and Travis this year. And I am thrilled. Can't wait to watch them. I'm saving them. Two fine bottles of wine for the right night. Haven't watched either one yet. Don't spoil them. I don't want to know what happens.

I think I do, though. Happily ever after is probably where it ends. But this is it. See, to follow Jesus, to live this life, to believe that this baby born in a manger so long ago is actually not just the Messiah, but your Messiah, means that you believe your life ends in victory.

And it's not a maybe. It's not a, "Well, I don't really know how it's going to go. I don't know if it's going to get there." No, it's a certainty. Because that baby grew into a man, died on the cross, and when he was hanging there, he said, "It's finished." That means there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

And so in your life, you're heading towards a happily ever after. That's where you're going. It's a guarantee. Listen to this from the book of Hebrews, chapter 6. It says, "As we hold to the hope that lies before us, this hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls."

Every day you anchor to it. Every day you wake up, and every day you say, "No matter what happens today, I know where my life is headed. I know there's a kingdom that's coming. I know it's more present today than yesterday because Jesus said his peace will increase day after day after day. And I'm clinging to that hope, and I'm living out of that hope every single day."

In other words, you're meant to be an eternal optimist. I actually think that's one of the most kind of untalked about character traits of Jesus. I believe Jesus was the most optimistic person who ever lived. I believe he was one of those guys that when he got in the room, everybody went, "Man, I'm glad Jesus is here. He just brings hope. He just brings positivity. I just feel lighter when he's around." That's Jesus.

When he got with people, he was always telling them not to worry and it would be okay. He would say things like this, Matthew 6: "Therefore, don't be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat? Or what? Or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear?' For the Gentiles, the people who don't believe what you believe, they seek after these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Seek first his kingdom, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well."

See, when he says it with his words, it's not lip service. It's the same word that created the universe, that established reality. He says, "This is the reality I'm establishing for you." It's not rose-colored glasses either.

You know, Jesus wasn't just an eternal optimist. Jesus was a realistic optimist. He wasn't promising that every moment and every scene of your entire life would go just perfect on script. He did not promise that at all. John 16, he said, "Truly I say to you, you will weep and lament, and the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy."

He says, "Yeah, you'll have some scenes you don't like, but it's not the end. It's not the end of your life."

And I think about our church in pursuing an awakening. You know, that's what we're going after, a nation that wakes up to the gospel. The thing that I think we might need the most are Christians to wake up to the hope they're supposed to carry around and start carrying with it into every meeting and every place that they ever go. The world needs this from us.

And by the way, not just the world, our families need it. I've realized this recently in my own family. As my kids get older, you know, everybody kind of told us, like, when they're babies, it's hard. But when they get older, the struggles are more difficult.

And in the middle of the night, when I was changing my 19th dirty diaper, I was like, "I will take the older part. That sounds better. They don't crap their pants in the middle of the night when they're 15, right? Cool. I want that."

But now that my kids are older, the issues are more complex. As I've had kids struggle in school this year and struggle with being teased and being bullied, what I've realized is part of my role as a father that I have to embrace more and more and more is I have to be the driver of the hope train for my kids.

If you're a mom, if you're a dad, I'm telling you, this is a role that is critical for you to play. You have to be the one who, when they say, "No one likes me and it's never going to change," you have to be the one to say, "Oh, honey, I understand. I understand it's hard now. But this is not the story of your life. This is not how this thing is going to end. It's going to get better."

You have to be the carrier of hope for your family, the one who believes the story isn't over. I think the greatest gift God may have given you is to know with 100% certainty exactly how your story will end.

Speaking of which, it's time for the last act of our favorite Christmas movie, the one that's making just records at the box office, *A Christmas Melody*. Justin, Hannah, Matt, Susan. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Oh my gosh. Yeah, we will send you guys the royalty checks. As soon as Netflix wants to make that movie, look out for that next year.

Spectacular. Shocking, right? There was a happily ever after. Earlier in the service, I read you that verse from Isaiah, but the prophecy of the coming Messiah. There were names for him, things like Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. These incredible names.

But I'll tell you that the name that I love the most for Jesus this Christmas isn't any of those. It's actually one that comes out of the very last book of the Bible. It's the name, The End. It says this in Revelation 21: "I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look, God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I'm making everything new." And then he said, "Write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. He said to me, "It is done. I am the alpha. I am the omega. I am the beginning. And I am the end."

I don't know where you are in your life. I don't know what scene's currently playing out for you. I don't know whether it's one where it looks like things are going to be hopeful. I don't know whether it's one where it looks like everything's just falling apart again. I don't know. But I know this, unless it's Jesus standing up with his arms spread over your life and saying, "I'm making all of this new," good news. It's not the end.

That's the end of your story. See, you and I, if you believe in Jesus, your story ends, guess how? Happily ever after.

Jesus, thank you so much for your story. Thank you for the Christmas story. Thank you for the certainty of hope, the rock that we can build our life on. And I'm asking for everybody here, Lord, that you would fill up our hearts with hope, that we would have the courage to believe that you are who you say you are and that your love for us really, really, really has no end. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.