Hope

Yeah, it's not every week you get to speak on such a hopeful theme, right. The topic of hope. I think there's something special about the Advent season that brings excitement to the city. Maybe you even felt it as you came in here today. There just seems to be excitement.

We see the city lighting up. We see the. The lights, the preparations. You know, there might be some different things you're looking forward to, you know, as we enter this season. Maybe it's the Christmas markets.

And I know at least person has traveled a long way to be here in Berlin to see the different Christmas markets. And what a blessing to live in a place where we get to experience this. Now we have some kids here this morning. Maybe it's the presence, right as we get close to Christmas, anticipating the presents coming. Maybe you're a big kid and you're looking forward to that as well.

Go back to the last slide there. Now, if you're me, I'm more like this little kid down here in the corner with the pancakes. I enjoyed the food that comes with this season. And you probably recognize that if you. I've been at the table with a lot of you over the past week and you've probably seen my place, you know that I enjoyed the food that comes this time of the season.

Maybe it's just being with friends and family, being with people that you don't get to be with throughout the year, but we find something special this time of year. It's interesting because, you know, I think that every year it gets earlier, this expectation, doesn't it? Have you noticed that? I think I was in a store and back the first week of September and people were. There were already Christmas decorations out, things that they were trying to get you to purchase.

I was talking with Sarah a couple weeks ago in the store she works at. The first week of August, they're putting out these decorations and there's this expectation that builds. We're hopeful about what Christmas will bring. Maybe presents under the tree, food that we'll enjoy eating or fellowship that we've missed throughout the year. There's an anticipation that builds at this time of year that what we hope for will be realized.

I think we find joy in anticipating what is on the horizon at Christmas time. Now, it's interesting. I found that the German language actually has a perfect word for this. Maybe you're familiar with this, but it's the word for Freude. It's this idea.

It's very. It's awesome. I love the German language. It's so practical. But they Take this word Freude, joy, and put vor in front of us.

This idea that we're anticipating with joy what is on the horizon. It communicates a joy set before us. That's why in Germany they say, vor Freude istunste Freude. Right? Sometimes this anticipation is even better than what we actually realize at the moment.

And I think that that's the thing. Sometimes when we're, when we look at what is coming and we anticipate this, maybe we don't always anticipate that what is coming is good. Sometimes the anticipation brings more joy than the actual arrival. You know, you, I have elf on here. I don't know if you, how many of you have seen this movie, but I think this is a, a good example of this.

And you have, you have elf here and he's, he says, you did it. Congratulations. The world's best coffee. And this is what it says on the, the sign there, world's best coffee. And there's this expectation that he's going to experience the world's best coffee.

Actually takes his, his date to this place, blindfolds her, gives her this coffee, and he's waiting with expectation to see what if she's going to think that it's the best coffee. And unfortunately, she takes the blindfold off after she, she takes a sip and she says, this is just a cup, a crappy cup of coffee. The expectation was much better than what arrived. And sometimes this can be the case. You know, we just had this time with Jack and Lulu.

They're getting ready to embark on a new adventure. Maybe you've been in a similar situation and maybe you're looking forward to this. But there's also things that you're not sure about that comes with a move, the expectations that come with that. And they've been at our house a lot. They have stuff stored in our basement and we've seen all the work that's gone into what is coming for them.

4 Freuda. It's a lot different than anticipation, the word we have in the English language. And in the English language, this word anticipation, it can be positive or negative, right? Actually, anticipation can be something that we actually have anxiety to what is coming. But what I want us to dwell on today is this idea of fourth Freuda that we can anticipate with joy what is coming, that the Christian hope that is coming, the reality of this will meet our expectations.

That's why we set out candles and we have our candle lit here, the candle of hope. And it marks the weeks leading up to Christmas. And it's this flicker of light that holds our attention, and it reminds us that something special has come. But these candles, they also remind us that something special is coming, that joy will arrive, that our hopes will be realized. And even as we enter a cold, dark season, we're reminded that we have every reason to be hopeful.

And we can look outside now, and even this early in the day, it's getting dark.

But I can. I believe that we can recognize that even as we move into this season, you still may find yourself struggling to be joyful. Maybe you're struggling this year to anticipate what's coming with joy. And maybe this is because you've experienced loss this year. Maybe this is this season that reminds you of the people you have lost.

Maybe the outlook for your career seems bleak, seems to be fading. Maybe you're looking at the prospects of being alone in a season that should be filled with friends and family.

Maybe you feel like you're moving into the bleak midwinter instead of a season filled with warmth and light. And if this is the case, then my desire today is to encourage you to strengthen your hope that regardless of the circumstances that you find yourself in, that joy is coming. And this is the question we want to answer today. It's this. How can we purposely and intentionally anticipate with joy, regardless of the circumstances that may come, what is coming in this Advent season?

So by God's grace, may we understand this in a greater way as we open his word today. Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to meet together today. And, Lord, as we dwell on your word, would you help us understand?

Would you give us hope, Lord? Would you help us anticipate with joy what you're doing? We pray this in your name, Jesus. Amen. So I believe that we can anticipate the future with joy.

And I believe this because our God is trustworthy. And I truly believe that he has proven over and over again that he will fulfill his word, that we have every reason to anticipate that his promises will be fulfilled. Now, I picked a passage that's very common this time of year. You know, this is one that we probably tend to go to. And there's many men that we could have chosen to talk about today, but I find this passage so hopeful.

Verse 2 says, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, that those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. And this is a promise. It's a promise that light would return to a land of deep darkness. That those who believe his word, that it is trustworthy, they can anticipate the future with joy. Because Isaiah promised that God would send someone that would change everything.

It's a promise that during a time of darkness the long awaited Messiah would come, that light would return. And as we look back at Jesus, how can we not this not cause our hearts to leap with hope?

Isaiah, he goes on to say that God himself will increase our joy.

And he gives us astounding clarity into how this Savior would come and who he would be. In verse six, the the fulfillment of this it's so easy to see that this is Jesus. It says, for to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The promise is that God himself would come to save his people, that heaven would give us the Son of God for this purpose.

That in the name of Jesus we would find one who is a Wonderful Counselor, a mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. And I love how John testifies that Jesus is the long waited one. He says in John 1:4, in him or in Jesus was life and the life was the light of men. And then he goes on to record what Jesus actually said himself. This this very fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.

In John 8:12 he says again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of light. And we see another great promise that is understood fulfilled in Jesus. That in following Jesus we find a way that is filled with light and life. And we can look back with joy to that starry night in history when light pierced the darkness and salvation appeared in a lowly stable in the city of Bethlehem.

We can be sure that God will fulfill his promises that he will do this in spite of what you may be going through.

Because he has experienced the same heartache as you have, because he knows the same frustration and fear. He allowed himself to experience things that we cannot imagine. Yet he still set joy before him, as it says in Philippians 2. He truly is the author and finisher of for freude. And we can anticipate joy in what is coming because God has appeared.

He appeared that night in the face of a baby boy. It's in this that we find hope. And we're reminded on this first advent that God will fulfill his promises. That whatever you're facing today, you can be confident that God has and will fulfill every Promise. And today we celebrate hope that has arrived.

Now not only can we anticipate that God will fulfill his promises, but because light has shone out of the darkness, we can anticipate that light will once again shine out of the darkness. That our fourth freude is that light will shine in the darkness. And there's been this great hope of believers throughout history that light would return to their lands. I have a couple pictures here. It might be hard to see these.

The one down here in the corner with the matchstick. We just come from this series on the five SOLAs and the Reformers. And the battle cry of the Reformers was this phrase post Tenebris luxury. It's the idea of out of darkness light. And we see how the reformer shone the light of the gospel once again in this dark period and how it lit up our world.

The light of the gospel once again filled the land of darkness. Now many of you might recognize this star, the Hanhuta stand. And this is the Moravian star. And we see how this flicker of gospel hope, this flicker of gospel light began with Jan Hus being burned at the stake. And through the 18th century, this, this flicker of hope burned brightly.

It's spread across the world as Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, who just lived not far from here, welcomed the Moravians. And from this place, one of the greatest missionary movements of all time went out to our world.

This star represents the light that appeared that night that Jesus was born. But it also reminds us that light will shine once again in the darkness. And through history it has. And we look at the great Awakenings, all of these waves of, especially in the English speaking world in the 1700s, 1800s, even some would say the 1960s with the Jesus movement, how these great Awakenings really pursued the idea that light has appeared. And all these great preachers of the Great Awakenings, they had one common theme.

They emphasized spreading the light of Christ. And my question today is why not a new awakening? Couldn't we once again be the matchstick that brings the light of the gospel to a dark world? And I say this because I think we're in a similar place. I don't know how you feel, but I feel like we're in a dark place.

Our world seems to be getting darker. And my question is, why not us?

My question is, is it too much to think that our church cannot play a central role in this continent once again being lit by the light of the gospel of Christ?

I think if God can use a ragtag group of disciples, why couldn't he use us.

And you want to know how you can change your perspective this Advent season? Then recognize that you are a keeper of the light, of the gospel. That you have the ability to bring light to those walking in darkness. That there is a world around us that needs to know the true light. I don't know if you've ever been in a situation where you yearned for light to come.

I saw this next picture here just a couple weeks ago. It says, the sun has officially set in Ikwik, Alaska. It won't rise again until January 26, 22nd, 2026. Now you might wonder, okay, when was this? Did this happen?

When was the last time the sun set in this village and actually looked it up? It was on November 18 this year. So for over two months, there is a village in Alaska that does not see the light of day. I'm sure that these people yearn for the light to return. I'm sure they go out and they watch the sunrise when it comes up on June 22nd.

I don't know if you've been in a similar situation. I can't really compare this. I don't know what this is like. I can tell you one time when I was young, this is the thing that came into my mind. I think I've actually used this example in the past, so forgive me if you've heard it already, but when I was young, I was at the beach with my family and we decided to go fishing all night or overnight.

So we got to this pier. I have a picture of the pier here on this next slide. And it looks something similar like that. And we got there about midnight and decided to fish. And, you know, it was fun.

The first hour or two, it was exciting, you know, but then the fish, they weren't biting. And, you know, it's amazing even the middle of the summer in South Carolina, how cold it can get in the middle of the night with the wind coming over the ocean, the waves breaking. You can just hear the water rushing around you. And you can't really see it because it's so dark you can't see anything around you. But I remember just wanting the sun to rise.

3 o' clock came and I made it to 4 o'. Clock. And it seemed like the longer the night went on, the darker it got. I got to 5am and I was so looking forward. I knew the sun would rise, but it seemed like those last 30 minutes, it just got longer and longer.

But then the dawn broke and the light returned. And it was amazing, that feeling to See the light shine out of the darkness.

And maybe you haven't experienced something like this, but maybe you've experienced a different kind of darkness, spiritual darkness that doesn't seem to be breaking into the light of day.

You know, maybe you're here today and you feel stuck, unable to move forward, maybe frustrated with the place that God has you in.

And my encouragement to you today is to remember that God will fulfill his promises. My encouragement is to remember that light will once again shine out of darkness, to hold on if you feel like the darkness is surrounding you. Because if we wait patiently, I believe our hope will be realized.

Recently I was studying First Corinthians, came to chapter seven, and there was a specific verse in chapter seven that was an encouragement to me. Verse 17, it says this, and only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. And what we find is that God appoints and he summons us to experience different things in this life.

The path we follow does not always lead to health, wealth and prosperity, but many times God leads us through peril, heartbreak and calamity. And the question I think we're confronted with is, are we willing to find joy in the way God has ordained for us? And if you remember, even the greatest disciples, they struggled with submitting to God's ways for them. In John 21, we see Peter struggling with, this is Jesus. He gives him a glimpse of what it means to follow him.

And Jesus is getting ready to ascend to heaven. And he gives Peter a charge and he tells him some tough words. He says, in John 21, 18 and 19, it says, Truly, truly. I say to you, Peter, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.

And this, he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God by crucifixion. And after saying this, he said to him two simple words. He said, follow me.

Follow me.

Even though this path is going to lead you to where you don't want to go, follow me.

And I'm sure Peter, he grasped the gravity in this moment of what this actually meant, to follow Jesus. I mean, how is it possible to anticipate with joy what is coming if you know that the path may lead you to somewhere you do not want to go, anticipating with joy what is to come? It understands that submitting to God's plans better than our own and it's for this reason, because contentment is not found in prosperity and security, but in trusting that God's ways are better than our own.

The joy is found in following Jesus wherever this may lead.

And it means that we are confident. And Jesus promised that he will lead us to light and life and joy.

Now, this doesn't mean that you won't struggle with the way that he tells you to go, that you at times won't struggle to hope well with what God expects you to do, that you must be joyful in the middle of this suffering. And when you maybe get a tumor, it's not that we have to say, oh, yay, cancer, I get to struggle, or when you lose your job, it's not that you say, oh, yes, I'm excited, I'm jobless now. That's not what God's asking us to do.

You know, if you were with us at prayer meeting this past Friday, it was encouraging to hear. Christy just encourage us to remind us that it really depends on the perspective that we choose to dwell on, that we can focus on the things that are causing us to put our head down, the things that are tough in our lives, or we can focus on what is coming. We can set our joy on what God is doing. Even through the hard things, will we focus on the tragedies or the triumphs that God brings our way? And it's easy to desire someone else's path, because maybe it seems easier instead of being content with the path God has us to walk.

Returning to the passage in John 21, even Peter was not immune to this. It says in verses 20 through 22, Peter turned and saw the disciple who Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and said, lord, who is it that is going to betray you? And when Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, if it is my will that you remain until I come, what is that to you? And then he repeats himself, he says, you follow me.

And sometimes we can struggle with the lot we're given.

But here's the thing. You can be sure that he knows what you need, that if you wait patiently, he will make your joy complete.

Jesus half brother James. I love the way he says it. In James 1, 2 and 3, he says, count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds for you to know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And we know that it was not easy for James. I mean, how could it be being the brother of Jesus.

But we can anticipate with joy even in the midst of suffering, because it is these things that are producing a steadiness to follow that's creating a confidence to live a life that finds joy in God's plans for us.

It's trial that's turning us into flint.

I love in John 11 the story of Lazarus. And it's actually this language that the author uses, John uses when Jesus turns to the grave, it's as if he says that he turns with his face like flint to confront death. And there's almost like an indignation as he. He approaches this. And even as he goes to, to the cross, as he begins his journey to Jerusalem from Bethany, he turns his face like flint to the city and he walks right into the.

The steel of the Roman Empire, right into the. The Jewish leaders.

And we're reminded what flint does when it contacts steel. It creates a spark, it creates light.

And what we can find is that we can move forward in the same way in this life, knowing that the things our God ordains will bring light. And when we are like flint, we will also be light. We will be the flicker that brings light to our world.

So how can we intentionally anticipate joy this Advent season? Maybe I can just give you just three practical things, three ways that maybe you can try to focus in this season to be joyful. And the first, I would encourage you be vigilant to follow first Peter 1:13 says, Therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Set hope on grace. I think what this really means is it means to lay aside the sin that is robbing you of your joy.

I think a lot of times we think sin is actually bringing us joy, and it may bring you for a short season, joy. But what we find is actually being destructive in our lives. It's actually stealing the joy from us. I think we need to be vigilant, to follow, to not be deterred by the attacks that are thrown at us. And these are attacks, they're coming from all sides, they're coming from outside.

There's an enemy that is roaring around like a lion trying to devour us. And we have to be ready and vigilant, but we also have to be vigilant to the threat inside that there are passions and desires of our own heart that are springing up, that are robbing us of our joy. And we must be ready in season and out to put sin to death. We must recognize that sin steals our joy. So ground your hope in the fact that God will keep his promises.

Secondly, hold fast in trial, James. He goes on. In chapter one, verse 12, he says, Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test of time, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. So we must recognize that regardless of what God allows or calls you to, that he will give you grace and strength to make it through. Don't forget that there is a loving Father that knows you and that will not let you fail.

Ground your hope in the fact that light will shine out of darkness. And lastly, shine light in the darkness. Shine light in a dark world. Be a bearer of light as God's child. We know that Jesus is the true light, but we are also called to reflect this light.

And in Matthew 5, Jesus reminds us on the Sermon of the Mount, he says, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand. And it gives a light to all those in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

It'd be really odd if we went into our house and we turned a light on and then we put a basket over it. I mean, that sounds crazy, right? But how many times do we do that throughout our week? How many times do we let frustration on the road put a basket over our light? And I say that because that happened this week.

How many times do we get upset with our family and we put a basket over our light? Again, that happened this week.

We must remember that he is light. But we are light to a dark world. And the best way we can anticipate joy is to shine light to those around us, to our own families, but also to our world. As we go out into the city, as we allow our good works to shine the glory of our God, we won't be able to help but being joyful. So ground your hope in the fact that if we wait patiently, our hope will be realized.

And you know, when our family moved here eight years ago, we kind of had a song that we sang very regularly. It's a Toby Mack song. Light shine bright Light shine bright Everywhere you go that's the desire that everywhere we go we would shine the light of the gospel.

I loved how Jordy brought this passage to mind Last week, and we were talking about the glory of God, what is really our purpose here on this earth. And in Isaiah 42, 6 and 7, it says this. He says, isaiah says, I, I am the Lord. I have called you in righteousness. I will take you by the hand and keep you.

I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison, those who sit in darkness. This is our chief goal. This is our chief aim, that we would reflect the glory of God to a lost and dying world. May we in this season, shine the light of the glory of our king and Lord. As we close this time, we're reminded today of the living hope that you have brought, of the light that you have brought out of darkness, that we have every reason to live, hopefully because of what you have done, but also because what you will do.

And Lord, would you help us to live in a way that shines bright for your glory.

Thank you that in this season we can remember Emmanuel God with us.

In your name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Well, thank you once again for joining us. I hope that as we go out into the week, that we will be the lights that this world needs. Yeah, Just a couple reminders. We're going to have a little reception for. For Jack and Lulu, the Murrays here.

You're welcome to join us in the fellowship hall. And there'll be a cake that I think Sarah baked for us and then also a little book that you can sign. So we encourage you to go to the fellowship hall, just say, you know, spend some time with Jack and Lulu as well. And then also we have a couple of rehearsals for the live Nativity next week. Those that are part of the program will be meeting tonight for the.

Which was mentioned earlier, and then the choir practice as well. So don't forget those things. If you'd like to be part of the choir. Yeah. Just wanted to.

To end with these verses from numbers 6, 24 and 26. Tonight, the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Der Herr Zegnadesh and Bahuta desh der Herr lasse.

Auf dich ungibel dir frieden. Thank you so much for coming today. Stick around if you can, and we hope to see you next week.