Hope

I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge - God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.  Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

The hope of Christmas is not just for the Christmas season.  The hope of Christmas extends to every day in our lives, year round.  We can live in the assurance of knowing that our past sins and hurts are covered.  But there are trials and troubles that will come our way that we will always have to deal with.  The reality of day-to-day life can sap the hope right out of us.  We can easily be distracted by problems with kids, bills, a stressful job or co-workers, and other normal life issues. 

What then? Is there hope for all that mess? Yes there is because the hope of Christmas is hope for today. It is hope for our day-to-day life. All too often, we try to separate the spiritual part of our life from the “real” part of our life. One is spiritual, the other is practical. One is theology, the other is reality. But Paul tells us in the scripture above that there’s no such distinction.  There is nothing more practical than your relationship with Jesus. In verse 5 He says that Jesus enriches everything you do. Not just the things you do on Sunday. Not just the things you do in church. Otherwise, where would the hope be in that? Jesus is our hope that enriches everything. He enriches our words. That means He enriches the words we speak and he gives us something to talk about that’s worthwhile. He gives us words that are eternal and everlasting; something that relates to everybody and something that benefits everybody. There’s daily hope in that.

Verse 5 also says that Jesus enriches our knowledge. This means He will give us everything we need to know. By His grace, Jesus gives you everything you need to know to live for Him every day. He gives you everything you need to know to be in His will. He gives you everything you need to be a witness for Him. Your hope for today is that Jesus enriches your speech and He enriches your knowledge.

The true hope of Christmas is hope for tomorrow.

Today we are again waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We aren’t looking for a baby like the Wise men and shepherds.  Are you ready for Jesus to come back? He is coming back. We are getting to that time of year when we celebrate when Jesus came to earth the first time.  Jesus, the eternal Son of God… God the Son… emptied Himself of His position in heaven… and became flesh. He became a baby. A helpless, crying baby. Why did He do it? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus came the first time as a baby. He came the first time to save us.  He’s coming back, not as a baby in a manger, but as a conquering King claiming what belongs to Him. He’s coming back as a victorious warrior gathering the spoils of war.  There is great hope in that! The hope that comes from anticipating the Lord’s return; the hope that comes from waiting for the coming of OUR Lord Jesus, that is the hope of Christmas—the hope that Jesus is coming back.

Scripture to Claim:
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen isnj not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.   Romans 8:24-25