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The Hope of Christmas The horizon looked dark and bleak in the eyes of Isaiah wondering
if this would be the end of his people as he voiced a message of doom and
destruction. Darkness as black as pitch prevailed upon the land through
the sin of the people and the coming judgment by the hand of God. Isaiah 8:21-22 They will pass through it hard pressed and hungry; and it
shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their
king and their God, and look upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and
see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into
darkness. Hope is usually built upon the tangible
of the things we expect or want to happen. But the Bible never allows the
person of God to build their hope upon the likes of man but upon the
immutability of God Himself. Where is your hope today? Is it wrapped up in the
expectations of a gift under the tree? Is it lost in the darkness that
surrounds your life? We all need to learn to hope again, for there's
always hope! By all appearances there was no hope in the days of Isaiah.
The nation was quickly coming to an end. But out of the darkness a voice
was heard that spoke of the light of hope that would touch the very soul of
man. It was the hope of Christmas! Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those
who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. Isaiah 9:6 For
unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be
upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. A Child would be born and given to bring
hope into the hearts and lives of the hopeless. This Child was the
"Light of the World" (John 8:9) and He came to pierce the darkness
that we might live. The Child of Hope is Jesus! The One whose
birth, our hope, we celebrate at Christmas. It was Zacharias the father of John the Baptist who prophesied of
the light of the Christ Child. Luke 1:79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of
death, To guide our feet into the way of peace." When the Christ child was brought to the
temple for circumsion it was Simeon who saw and spoke of the hope in this One. Luke 2:32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of
Your people The coming of Christmas is filled with
the wonder, counsel and peace of hope that exceeds our expectations and lifts
us from our darkness into the Light of Christ. 1. Christmas Hope is Wonderful Christmas is wonderful! In other words Christmas is full of
wonder. And it is more than, "Wonder what I'm getting?"
It is a wonder that exceeds the minds of men and women for it is composed in
the miraculous.
It is the psalmist who expresses to God
that His works of wonder are many (Psalm 40:5). Today we have in our
world and hopefully in our hearts the most wonderful work of God, salvation
through Christ. This is the wonder of Christmas for Jesus came to save us
"from" and "for." He came to save us from . . .
He came to save us for . . .
The apostle Paul reminds us that we were
once people without hope . . . but we are people who need to know the hope of
the calling of Christ to save us from our sins and know the hope of our calling
to salvation. The wonderful hope of Christmas comes to accomplish what we
cannot ... salvation. Christmas is wonderfully hopeful! 2. Christmas Hope is Counseling It seems like never before a greater number of people are seeking
out a counselor of one sort or another. You can now attend counseling
sessions and self help groups for most anything that troubles you. It is
all a sign of hopeless lives in need of a good word. Jesus as the Counselor and the Hope of Christmas comes to give . .
.
Jesus has the Spirit of Counsel upon him
(Isaiah 11:2) and He speaks the words of eternal life. We must seek His
counsel concerning the issues of life. Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire,
that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the
shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye
salve, that you may see. Christ's counsel states that in and of
ourselves we are poor, naked and blind and in need of help. We need His
Word in our mind, heart and life. 2
Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The hope of Christmas comes as the
Counselor of our lives that speaks to us in our moments of despair to look to
Jesus. 3. Christmas Hope is Peaceful Fear, stress, confusion and heartache are the trademarks of our
day because of an absense of peace. And they seem to be enlarged in this season
of hope, love, joy and peace. John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the
world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid. Through the wonder and counsel of
Christmas Hope we find peace through the Prince of Peace. Real peace . . .
Ephesians 2:13-17 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have
been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who
has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having
abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained
in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making
peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the
cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace
to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
When we have peace with God through Jesus
Christ, we have peace with ourselves (Philippians 4:7) and others (Romans
5:1). Christmas peace is a great gift to give and receive through Christ. Conclusion: Christmas hope is wrapped in the wonderful counsel of peace that
Christ brings to our lives by the hand of our Mighty God and Everlasting
Father. Hebrews 6:17-20 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs
of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by
two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before
us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and
which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered
for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek. God assures us of the unchangeable hope of Christmas that will anchor our souls in times like these. So in this Christmas season let us be hopeful for Christ is our Christmas hope! |
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