As the Advent season begins, we remember and celebrate the incarnation of our Savior and the hope that we have in Christ Jesus, the one who was and is and is to come.
Our Former Hope
From the very beginning, when man disobeyed God and sin entered the world, God planted a seed, a seed of hope for humanity. You see, God cursed the serpent, the devil, who tempted Adam and Eve in the garden. And this is what God said to the serpent in Genesis 3 verse 15,
Genesis 3:15
I will put hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.
From the start of man's sin, God had a plan for future restoration, a Son of Man that would crush the serpent's head once and for all. Throughout the scriptures, we see how the Israelites, God's chosen people, looked forward to this promised Messiah or this promised Deliverer, the one who, just like Moses in the book of Exodus, would deliver God's people out of bondage. They looked forward to the one Isaiah prophesied about in Isaiah chapter 9 starting in verse 6,
Isaiah 9:6-7
For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
The dominion will be vast,
and its prosperity will never end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.
And He came!
Our Present Hope
The word became flesh and dwelt among us as it says in John 1:14. Jesus Christ brought life to the world. He brought light and hope for all who would believe in Him. You see, many of the Jews and the Pharisees of that time thought the Messiah would come and deliver them not from sin and bondage, but from their oppressors: the Roman Empire. But Christ, the Messiah offered something even better, something more than we could ever hope for or dream for. He came to deliver people from their sins, to offer them eternal life. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to be baptized, John the Baptist exclaimed,
John 1:29
Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Through Christ: His life, His death, His burial, and His resurrection, any and all who believe in Him and repent of their sins will be delivered from their sins. The Apostle Peter said it best when he wrote his first letter to the church in 1 Peter 1:3
1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
Our Future Hope
For those who have faith in Christ Jesus, they are not given a static one-time hope, but a living hope and assurance in Jesus Christ. And one day, Jesus will come again, veiled in love, justice, power, and authority forever and ever. Amen. So I asked this one question today. Where is your hope found this Advent season? Is it found in the perishable things of this world? Or is it found in the one and only shore and steady anchor that is Christ Jesus? As we celebrate and remember our hope in Christ Jesus, I encourage all with this hope: He is coming again!
Revelation 22:20-21
He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. Amen.
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