“In his name the nations will put their HOPE.”
-Matthew 12:21 [Isaiah 42:1-4]
Everyone needs Hope.
Everyone has Hurts.
Which is having more of an effect on your life,
Your Hopes or your Hurts?
Christmas is about
God blessing You and
giving you HOPE when you HURT.
Q: What lengths would you go
to help someone?
‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.’”
–Numbers 6:24-26
[“Prince of Peace”]
“I have come into the world as a light,
so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
-John 12:46
We ALL need HOPE.
Three Kinds of Hope
1. Wishful
2. Expectant
3. Certain Hope
1. Wishful Hope
(Most common)
(“Wishful thinking”)
(Practically speaking it is “useless”)
2. Expectant Hope
(Even though something may not be a “sure thing”,
our hope has some basis in reality)
3. Certain Hope [Christmas Hope]
(Biblical Hope)
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see.”
- Hebrews 11:1
Certain Hope is like an ANCHOR
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
-Heb. 6:19
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
–Luke 18:1
Most Common Sources of Hopelessness
1. When feeling Alone/Abandoned
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
-Hebrews 13:5
“I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
-Matthew 28:20
2. When life seems out of control
“We are hard pressed on every side, BUT not crushed; perplexed, BUT not in despair; persecuted, BUT not abandoned; struck down, BUT not destroyed.”
-2 Corinthians 4:8,9
3. Not seeing a purpose (Purposeless pain)
“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future.”
-Jeremiah 29:11
4. When grieving loss.
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do NOT grieve LIKE the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
-1 Thessalonians 4:13,14
5. Not having what you need
“God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 4:19
6. When we do something wrong.
“We all stumble in many ways.” -James 3:2
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [Greatest Christmas Gift] not by works, so that no one can boast.”
-Ephesians 2:8-10
7. When in deep pain (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Relational)
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
-Psalm 34:18
8. When pulled in the wrong direction
(Temptation)
“I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, BUT I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, BUT the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing… 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
-Romans 7:18-25
[“Certain Hope”]
9. When afraid.
“Do not fear, for I am WITH you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
-Isaiah 41:10
10. When it looks like defeat.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
-John 16:33
Comeback Stories
Joseph - (Coat of Colors) endured mistreatment.
David - bounced back from several probs.
Nehemiah - was discouraged with “Wall-to-wall” probs.
Mark - was rejected by Paul.
Peter - inability to withstand pressure.
A Great “Comeback story”
Franco Harris
“A man without God is trusting in a spider’s web. Everything he counts on will collapse. If he counts on his home for security, it won’t last.”
-Job 8:14,15
“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.”
-Psalm 33:20