Pastor Josh Yates
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” Isaiah 9:2
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:6-7
Hope is something that we all need. It does not matter who you are or what you think you need; we all need hope. When we are hopeless, we do things we would never do. We think poorly, we act poorly, and we make decisions that are desperate. Without hope, life is DARK.
Christmas brings out the best and the worst in us. We love to look at the lights on the tree and anticipate what the season will bring. Family, shopping for gifts (yeah, that can go either way), giving and receiving gifts, food, and friends can all bring that joy we look forward to. The season also brings out things in us that we thought we had dealt with, like guilt, loss, pain, greed, and even anger.
Hope is so fleeting. One day can be hopeful and the next can be hopeless. Living in between the time when Jesus came and when He will come again is fraught with so many ups and downs.
Perhaps you have walked through some darkness in your life. Maybe you are reading this very moment and struggling to see anything but darkness. Maybe you even feel like you have been left out from family, friends, and fellowship with others.
Perhaps you have been spared from darkness, or at least such a darkness that you cannot see light.
Perhaps you are in a place this Christmas season where you have so much to look forward to with family, times together, and things going well for you.
Whether or not you have hope today is directly related to your foundation of hope. Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He is the Light that has dawned in the middle of a land of deep darkness.
No matter where you are this Christmas, we all have something to learn from Jesus. We have something to look forward to. This is what Advent is all about.
The people of Israel had walked away from God and followed other things. They had followed after power, pleasure, and possessions.
• Power - as they had looked to other kings and kingdoms of the world so often when problems came upon them, whether financial, fear from outside attack or even wanting to be like other nations. They wanted a king rather than “just” following the King.
• Pleasure - as they had followed after other gods that brought them what they desired. Pleasure in the world takes on many forms, and they went after them all.
• Possessions - as they desired to have wealth more than purity. They desired things over obedience to God. They worshipped the created rather than the Creator.
Israel was waiting for the coming of the Messiah. They had experienced so much sorrow and struggle and were longing for freedom. They were longing for restoration. They were longing for HOPE. This hope had been prophesied for centuries when Jesus was born. The in-between was long and troubled for the Israelites; then, Immanuel came.
GOD CAME.
God fulfilled His promise in Jesus. His birth was foretold centuries before His birth in Bethlehem. The longing of Israel had come to its fulfillment! He would sit on David’s throne, and righteousness and justice would be hallmarks of the Kingdom of Christ. As the prophet Isaiah had said, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts would accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7).
God comes to you today right where you are. God is present with you whether this Christmas is coming with anticipation of one to remember or one to forget. Immanuel has come. God has done it. He promises to be with you and to never leave you or forsake you. Have you followed after power, pleasure, or possessions, trying to fill the gaps in your life, and now find that none of these things are fulfilling? God sent Jesus to bring you the forgiveness, healing, and restoration that you are longing for. GOD CAME.
God fulfilled His promises to Israel when Jesus was born. He fulfilled what had been spoken about the Messiah centuries before. You can place your hope in God because you can be sure that He will not leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8).
1. As you come to this Christmas season and this book on what Advent is all about, what are some things you have to look forward to?
2. Can you see God working today? Do you know that God is present with you? What is keeping you from seeing God? How do you see God working?
3. Where are some places where you put your hope? How have you placed your hope in God?
4. What are you waiting for this Christmas? How can you (or do you need to) wait on God’s work while you are waiting?
5. What things do you tend to turn to, other than God, when you are waiting on Him?
6. What does Psalm 27:14 and Isaiah 40:31 have to say about waiting on God?
7. How has God fulfilled promises in your life?
8. When have you been tempted to believe that God was not present with you?
9. How can you know that God is with you?
10. Who or what are you following this Christmas: power, pleasure, possessions, or the King?
1. What are some of the names of God? Do you know what they mean?
2. What is hope? What are some things you hope for?
3. Where does hope come from?
4. What does it feel like to wait (like waiting to open Christmas presents)?
5. Do you know that Jesus is always with you and loves you? How have you seen Jesus this week?
6. What are you looking forward to this Christmas (other than the presents!)?