WEBVTT 00:00:03.880 --> 00:00:04.728 Yay. Alrighty. 00:00:04.761 --> 00:00:08.233 So we begin the Advent season, 00:00:08.369 --> 00:00:11.017 right? I'm going to ask this question all morning long. 00:00:11.017 --> 00:00:15.761 How many of you grew up in a worship practice tradition where you 00:00:15.833 --> 00:00:20.105 celebrated the Advent wreath and its recognition and all that? 00:00:20.145 --> 00:00:21.135 Raise your hand. 00:00:21.665 --> 00:00:22.321 Okay, see, 00:00:22.321 --> 00:00:23.489 here's what I found out. 00:00:23.489 --> 00:00:25.441 If you grew up in that tradition, 00:00:25.441 --> 00:00:29.573 it's hard for you to imagine that people in worship as a part of a 00:00:29.573 --> 00:00:32.505 congregation didn't grow up in that tradition. 00:00:32.845 --> 00:00:33.261 I mean, 00:00:33.261 --> 00:00:34.549 I grew up very Baptist, 00:00:34.549 --> 00:00:36.585 y'all. We didn't do that. 00:00:37.245 --> 00:00:41.797 I never saw an Advent wreath until I was in high school. 00:00:41.981 --> 00:00:43.077 Didn't know what it meant. 00:00:43.077 --> 00:00:44.365 Didn't know anything about it. 00:00:44.365 --> 00:00:47.501 Didn't know there was candles and all that sort of thing. 00:00:47.501 --> 00:00:50.545 And so in high school, 00:00:50.885 --> 00:00:53.069 right around my junior senior year, 00:00:53.117 --> 00:00:53.997 somehow like that, 00:00:53.997 --> 00:00:54.745 I was. 00:00:55.715 --> 00:00:57.415 I was dating a girl, 00:00:58.395 --> 00:01:00.375 coincidentally. Her name was Rhonda Jones, 00:01:00.419 --> 00:01:01.739 but it wasn't her. 00:01:02.715 --> 00:01:05.155 But that's how I remembered her name from the minute I met her. 00:01:05.155 --> 00:01:05.595 But anyway, 00:01:05.595 --> 00:01:07.027 this girl I was dating, 00:01:07.027 --> 00:01:07.563 she said, 00:01:07.563 --> 00:01:08.579 well, Christmas Eve, 00:01:08.627 --> 00:01:15.415 we always go to midnight Christmas Eve candlelight worship, 00:01:15.795 --> 00:01:20.415 right? That was the first time I was ever introduced to an Advent wreath 00:01:20.685 --> 00:01:23.021 and the whole Christmas Eve worship time. 00:01:23.053 --> 00:01:23.653 Because, I mean, 00:01:23.653 --> 00:01:26.405 growing up in the congregation that I grew up in, 00:01:26.405 --> 00:01:27.333 the place I grew up, 00:01:27.333 --> 00:01:28.765 we didn't do Christmas Eve worship. 00:01:28.765 --> 00:01:30.645 We didn't do any of that stuff. 00:01:30.645 --> 00:01:36.277 And then when I moved to Maryland to pastor a church up there, 00:01:36.341 --> 00:01:38.265 they did Christmas Eve worship. 00:01:39.165 --> 00:01:40.815 And leading up to it, 00:01:40.885 --> 00:01:42.365 every Sunday was planned. 00:01:42.405 --> 00:01:44.715 So they told me what to preach. 00:01:46.415 --> 00:01:49.055 I was preaching the candles of the Advent. 00:01:49.415 --> 00:01:53.183 And so I've made that a practice on and off through the years, 00:01:53.183 --> 00:01:56.275 and we haven't done it here in several years. 00:01:56.895 --> 00:01:57.663 So this year, 00:01:57.663 --> 00:02:00.911 as we were finishing up Hebrews and moving into our priorities, 00:02:00.911 --> 00:02:05.531 and then as we got ready to finish our gratitude messages leading up to 00:02:05.543 --> 00:02:06.391 Thanksgiving, I thought, 00:02:06.391 --> 00:02:07.115 you know, 00:02:07.895 --> 00:02:10.205 all four Sundays of the Advent wreath, 00:02:10.239 --> 00:02:11.495 fall in December. 00:02:11.575 --> 00:02:11.943 This year, 00:02:11.943 --> 00:02:12.943 this December 1st. 00:02:12.999 --> 00:02:14.223 Welcome to December. 00:02:14.399 --> 00:02:15.475 Glad you're here. 00:02:16.135 --> 00:02:16.719 Thank you. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:17.279 All right, 00:02:17.279 --> 00:02:21.103 somebody's already told me I have to do the woo because the video just 00:02:21.103 --> 00:02:22.039 doesn't get it. 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:23.235 Sorry, Kyle. 00:02:24.375 --> 00:02:24.975 But anyway, 00:02:24.975 --> 00:02:29.351 so we are going to celebrate through these weeks. 00:02:29.543 --> 00:02:30.135 And really, 00:02:30.135 --> 00:02:37.975 the idea of Advent means the coming or the expected coming of Christ. 00:02:38.055 --> 00:02:39.375 And so the candles, 00:02:39.615 --> 00:02:40.635 the weeks, 00:02:41.125 --> 00:02:45.825 the messages that lead up to Christmas really kind of focus our attention 00:02:46.365 --> 00:02:48.015 on the birth of Christ. 00:02:48.445 --> 00:02:51.585 And so the first candle of the Advent wreath. 00:02:51.925 --> 00:02:53.653 And different traditions do different things. 00:02:53.653 --> 00:02:55.303 Were y'all aware of that? 00:02:56.165 --> 00:02:56.941 Some wreath, 00:02:57.013 --> 00:02:58.993 it's called the Candle of Hope. 00:03:00.405 --> 00:03:03.345 Some people celebrate The Prophet's candle. 00:03:03.925 --> 00:03:07.265 So I call it the Prophet's Candle of Hope. 00:03:07.895 --> 00:03:11.855 Okay. I just figure I'll roll all of it up into one. 00:03:11.791 --> 00:03:15.247 Alrighty. So this is the way I've done it over the years. 00:03:15.247 --> 00:03:17.159 And I look at this and I think to myself, 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:20.595 alright, so the message of the first candle, 00:03:20.935 --> 00:03:23.711 the first Sunday of the Advent, 00:03:23.783 --> 00:03:28.951 the message that we're supposed to really consider and focus on is God's 00:03:28.983 --> 00:03:32.755 hope and God's promise to us of hope. 00:03:33.665 --> 00:03:35.593 And so I started considering these things, 00:03:35.593 --> 00:03:36.057 I was like, 00:03:36.057 --> 00:03:36.717 all right, 00:03:36.833 --> 00:03:37.841 so the prophets, 00:03:37.913 --> 00:03:42.041 if you go back and read through the prophets and a lot of the Christmas 00:03:42.041 --> 00:03:44.345 prophecy, the birth of Jesus prophecy, 00:03:44.385 --> 00:03:48.097 the Messianic prophecy we find in the book of Isaiah. 00:03:48.281 --> 00:03:51.481 And so I kind of wanted to focus there over the years in the book of 00:03:51.481 --> 00:03:52.049 Isaiah. 00:03:52.137 --> 00:03:57.057 So we're going to look at three passages basically in the book of Isaiah 00:03:57.121 --> 00:03:57.965 this morning. 00:03:58.465 --> 00:04:00.565 And we start out with condition. 00:04:01.265 --> 00:04:04.921 And there's a reason I wanted us to look at this particular passage in 00:04:04.921 --> 00:04:06.585 Isaiah, chapter 2, 00:04:06.625 --> 00:04:07.929 verses 2 to 5. 00:04:08.057 --> 00:04:08.921 I'll read this to you. 00:04:08.921 --> 00:04:09.225 He said, 00:04:09.225 --> 00:04:13.081 now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the 00:04:13.081 --> 00:04:17.457 Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall 00:04:17.481 --> 00:04:19.065 be exalted above the hills, 00:04:19.065 --> 00:04:22.685 and all nations shall flow to it. 00:04:23.385 --> 00:04:25.017 Many people shall come and say, 00:04:25.017 --> 00:04:27.465 come and let us go to the mountain of the Lord, 00:04:27.465 --> 00:04:29.361 to the house of the God of Jacob. 00:04:29.361 --> 00:04:33.359 He will teach us his ways and we shall walk in his paths. 00:04:33.359 --> 00:04:38.447 For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord. 00:04:38.591 --> 00:04:43.711 From Jerusalem he shall judge between the nations and rebuke many people. 00:04:43.783 --> 00:04:46.919 They shall beat their swords into plowshares, 00:04:47.087 --> 00:04:49.503 their spears into pruning hooks. 00:04:49.679 --> 00:04:52.679 Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, 00:04:52.767 --> 00:04:56.435 neither shall they learn war anymore. 00:04:57.945 --> 00:04:59.165 Sounds like hope. 00:04:59.585 --> 00:05:00.977 Would you pray with me, 00:05:00.977 --> 00:05:03.961 Father, today we thank you and praise you again that we get to gather in 00:05:03.961 --> 00:05:04.769 this place. 00:05:04.937 --> 00:05:07.217 And God indeed we celebrate hope. 00:05:07.281 --> 00:05:08.473 We celebrate God, 00:05:08.569 --> 00:05:11.869 that our hope is found in you and only you. 00:05:11.865 --> 00:05:18.089 We can hear different messages and different perspectives and different 00:05:18.177 --> 00:05:20.569 ideas about what hope is, 00:05:20.617 --> 00:05:21.937 what hope looks like, 00:05:22.001 --> 00:05:22.991 who brings hope, 00:05:23.017 --> 00:05:23.753 who gives hope. 00:05:23.753 --> 00:05:25.403 Where do we find hope? 00:05:25.635 --> 00:05:27.219 And yet God as your kids, 00:05:27.219 --> 00:05:27.947 as your people, 00:05:27.947 --> 00:05:29.597 as the family of God, 00:05:29.635 --> 00:05:32.635 this fellowship of believers and gathering of the saints. 00:05:32.675 --> 00:05:37.907 God, we thank you that we know our hope is in you and God, 00:05:37.931 --> 00:05:39.827 that you have given us through your word, 00:05:39.827 --> 00:05:40.491 a promise, 00:05:40.563 --> 00:05:41.795 a message of hope. 00:05:41.795 --> 00:05:42.579 And so God, 00:05:42.579 --> 00:05:46.163 my prayer this morning is that we hear you, 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:52.267 hear your voice as you speak hope through the message of Isaiah. 00:05:52.331 --> 00:05:53.851 And we Pray it in Jesus name. 00:05:53.851 --> 00:05:56.099 Amen. Isaiah was a. 00:05:56.147 --> 00:05:56.683 Thank you. 00:05:56.683 --> 00:05:57.547 I heard that. 00:05:57.211 --> 00:05:57.963 Amen. All right. 00:05:57.963 --> 00:05:59.975 Isaiah was a royal prophet. 00:06:00.475 --> 00:06:02.785 Isaiah was a prophet to the kings, 00:06:02.803 --> 00:06:03.835 to the royal family. 00:06:03.835 --> 00:06:08.859 He was also found to be in the lineage of the kings of Jerusalem. 00:06:08.907 --> 00:06:14.707 And so his message was not a countryside message like Amos the fig 00:06:14.771 --> 00:06:15.867 picker. Okay, 00:06:15.931 --> 00:06:16.851 just so y'all know, 00:06:16.851 --> 00:06:18.619 one of these days I might preach on Amos. 00:06:18.619 --> 00:06:19.279 But anyhow. 00:06:19.299 --> 00:06:22.479 But Isaiah was prophet to the kings, 00:06:22.667 --> 00:06:28.751 and his period of prophetic ministry was during three of the kings. 00:06:28.823 --> 00:06:32.791 And so the dates for the book or the writings of Isaiah, 00:06:32.903 --> 00:06:33.711 they vary. 00:06:33.783 --> 00:06:35.879 Somewhere between 700 B.C. 00:06:36.007 --> 00:06:37.455 and 500 B.C. 00:06:37.535 --> 00:06:38.031 you know, 00:06:38.031 --> 00:06:38.807 different scholars, 00:06:38.871 --> 00:06:40.655 different people piece it together. 00:06:40.735 --> 00:06:42.423 And I just don't argue with. 00:06:42.423 --> 00:06:44.195 I just know this. 00:06:44.815 --> 00:06:50.455 Isaiah brought a message to the leadership Israel. 00:06:50.795 --> 00:06:53.735 And his message was a message of warning, 00:06:54.355 --> 00:06:56.699 but it was also a message of hope. 00:06:56.699 --> 00:06:58.259 And right in chapter two, 00:06:58.259 --> 00:07:01.219 we see this message of the hope to come. 00:07:01.219 --> 00:07:06.307 Now, we know that there's some things that happen between these early, 00:07:06.411 --> 00:07:07.683 before Christ days, 00:07:07.739 --> 00:07:09.451 because I don't put the E on the end of that. 00:07:09.451 --> 00:07:12.539 Y'all notice that BC stands for before Christ, 00:07:12.627 --> 00:07:14.467 not current era, 00:07:14.651 --> 00:07:15.971 just so y'all know. 00:07:15.899 --> 00:07:17.935 I guess that's politically incorrect. 00:07:18.555 --> 00:07:19.275 All right, 00:07:19.395 --> 00:07:24.571 so Isaiah is giving us the hope to come. 00:07:24.723 --> 00:07:26.115 What's the hope to come? 00:07:26.115 --> 00:07:26.803 If we're gonna. 00:07:26.803 --> 00:07:29.113 We're gonna look into Isaiah chapter two. 00:07:29.011 --> 00:07:33.003 If we're gonna consider what God wants us to know through the message of 00:07:33.003 --> 00:07:33.993 Isaiah, through the. 00:07:34.003 --> 00:07:36.867 Through the prophetic ministry of Isaiah, 00:07:36.971 --> 00:07:42.575 is that one day God rules from his mountain, 00:07:43.195 --> 00:07:44.683 right? Now, 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:45.499 guess what? 00:07:45.587 --> 00:07:48.355 We all kind of want to look at it and go, 00:07:48.355 --> 00:07:49.535 how about today, 00:07:50.155 --> 00:07:52.379 right? We want it to be now. 00:07:51.891 --> 00:07:54.027 And God's people were the same way. 00:07:54.027 --> 00:07:55.091 The Jewish people, 00:07:55.203 --> 00:07:56.123 the nation of Israel, 00:07:56.123 --> 00:07:57.331 they were the same way. 00:07:57.331 --> 00:07:58.475 They wanted to be. 00:07:58.475 --> 00:07:59.739 They were anticipating. 00:07:59.827 --> 00:08:01.807 They were looking forward to it. 00:08:01.763 --> 00:08:04.635 And because they were studying from creation, 00:08:04.715 --> 00:08:05.747 Torah curse, 00:08:05.811 --> 00:08:06.915 all of those things, 00:08:06.915 --> 00:08:07.795 all through the. 00:08:07.795 --> 00:08:10.773 The hundreds and thousands of years that they were looking at all this 00:08:10.773 --> 00:08:11.677 going, yes, 00:08:11.741 --> 00:08:12.261 you know, 00:08:12.261 --> 00:08:15.077 God is going to redeem his creation. 00:08:15.181 --> 00:08:17.661 God is going to set up his leadership. 00:08:17.661 --> 00:08:18.837 God is going to rule. 00:08:18.837 --> 00:08:24.613 There will be a king who will rule from the mountain of God. 00:08:24.709 --> 00:08:25.813 And that's what they were anticipating, 00:08:25.813 --> 00:08:27.429 man. They're looking forward to it. 00:08:27.429 --> 00:08:29.045 They're ready for it to be that way, 00:08:29.045 --> 00:08:31.293 right? It's a promise of hope. 00:08:31.389 --> 00:08:33.149 It is a hope to come. 00:08:33.005 --> 00:08:33.333 And folks, 00:08:33.333 --> 00:08:34.493 I'll just tell you from. 00:08:34.493 --> 00:08:38.571 From 700 or 500 to 2024, 00:08:38.643 --> 00:08:45.535 we're still looking forward to God's rulership of his creation. 00:08:45.915 --> 00:08:50.243 Now we Know that with the advent of Christ and the death, 00:08:50.299 --> 00:08:54.187 burial and resurrection of Christ and Christ on his throne today, 00:08:54.251 --> 00:08:56.171 we know that God is in charge, 00:08:56.171 --> 00:08:57.059 he's in control. 00:08:57.059 --> 00:08:59.039 But let's consider a few things. 00:08:59.555 --> 00:09:02.853 The Jewish people from the time of Isaiah, 00:09:02.989 --> 00:09:03.837 you see, 00:09:03.981 --> 00:09:07.557 that was some of the period of time when Israel had a whole lot of 00:09:07.557 --> 00:09:08.345 influence. 00:09:10.605 --> 00:09:14.853 That little strip of land right there on the eastern side of the 00:09:14.853 --> 00:09:17.585 Mediterranean Sea is a very, 00:09:18.005 --> 00:09:21.745 very important little strip of land. 00:09:22.285 --> 00:09:26.465 Because you couldn't get from Egypt, 00:09:27.515 --> 00:09:29.575 that empire area, 00:09:30.035 --> 00:09:31.403 to the Babylonian, 00:09:31.499 --> 00:09:32.595 Persian, Medo, 00:09:32.675 --> 00:09:33.867 all that area, 00:09:34.011 --> 00:09:35.667 without going through Jerusalem, 00:09:35.731 --> 00:09:37.455 without going through Israel. 00:09:38.195 --> 00:09:39.603 It was a thoroughfare. 00:09:39.659 --> 00:09:40.779 So people want to know, 00:09:40.779 --> 00:09:44.227 how is it that Israel and the kingdom of Saul, 00:09:44.291 --> 00:09:45.291 David and Solomon, 00:09:45.363 --> 00:09:47.219 how did it become so influential? 00:09:47.219 --> 00:09:49.199 How did it become so important? 00:09:48.979 --> 00:09:50.027 Well, guess what, 00:09:50.171 --> 00:09:58.125 everybody had to pay tribute to the nation of Israel just to traverse the 00:09:58.165 --> 00:09:59.825 world, right? 00:10:00.165 --> 00:10:01.013 And so, 00:10:01.029 --> 00:10:01.749 yeah, Israel, 00:10:01.797 --> 00:10:05.185 this little bitty 80 mile strip of land, 00:10:05.565 --> 00:10:10.141 was so important to the world's communication, 00:10:10.293 --> 00:10:11.865 economy and everything. 00:10:12.165 --> 00:10:17.545 And that's how Israel became such a conduit of wealth. 00:10:18.255 --> 00:10:19.023 All right? 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:24.791 And so Isaiah is speaking into the kings following the split of the 00:10:24.823 --> 00:10:25.391 kingdoms. 00:10:25.463 --> 00:10:26.839 Actually, no, 00:10:26.887 --> 00:10:29.039 actually, during the bad years of the kings, 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:30.029 some of them. 00:10:30.167 --> 00:10:34.975 But what we see is that Isaiah has audience with the kings to tell them, 00:10:34.975 --> 00:10:39.719 this is what God would have you do, 00:10:39.887 --> 00:10:42.675 this is what God would call you to. 00:10:43.665 --> 00:10:46.165 So I started looking into that. 00:10:47.345 --> 00:10:49.585 By the time Jesus is born, 00:10:49.705 --> 00:10:51.057 500 years later, 00:10:51.161 --> 00:10:52.193 700 years later, 00:10:52.249 --> 00:10:52.969 whatever it is, 00:10:52.969 --> 00:10:53.765 guess what? 00:10:54.585 --> 00:10:56.925 The kings aren't in control anymore. 00:10:57.825 --> 00:10:59.045 There's a king, 00:10:59.945 --> 00:11:01.565 but he's a sellout. 00:11:02.185 --> 00:11:02.889 Can I just, 00:11:02.889 --> 00:11:05.105 I'm going to put it bluntly for you. 00:11:05.105 --> 00:11:07.925 Rome is an occupying force, 00:11:08.875 --> 00:11:13.295 right? They've set up a puppet king named Herod. 00:11:14.395 --> 00:11:16.135 And 10%, 00:11:16.555 --> 00:11:22.923 roughly about 10% of the nation benefits and profits from this puppet 00:11:23.099 --> 00:11:26.815 rulership under the authority of Rome. 00:11:27.995 --> 00:11:33.379 And so you got King Herod and you got this religious establishment and 00:11:33.387 --> 00:11:36.923 you got these governing authorities and you got this, 00:11:37.099 --> 00:11:40.855 this sort of divided population. 00:11:41.435 --> 00:11:43.363 And can I just put it this way, 00:11:43.363 --> 00:11:48.655 about 90% of the nation of Israel just hated both of them. 00:11:49.755 --> 00:11:53.415 They didn't like Rome and they didn't like Herod, 00:11:54.835 --> 00:11:55.815 you see. 00:11:56.235 --> 00:12:00.243 And so you've got these people who are just waiting on the promises of 00:12:00.243 --> 00:12:01.975 God to be fulfilled. 00:12:03.125 --> 00:12:04.445 Where will it happen, 00:12:04.501 --> 00:12:05.821 when will it happen, 00:12:05.853 --> 00:12:07.133 how will it happen, 00:12:07.133 --> 00:12:08.381 what will it look like? 00:12:08.213 --> 00:12:13.453 And they're waiting on this king to come riding in on this grand stallion 00:12:13.509 --> 00:12:17.581 and just start slaying all his enemies with swords in both hands and all 00:12:17.581 --> 00:12:18.901 this kind of stuff. 00:12:20.045 --> 00:12:21.533 And God didn't do it that way, 00:12:21.533 --> 00:12:22.185 y'all. 00:12:25.085 --> 00:12:26.905 There is hope to come. 00:12:27.325 --> 00:12:27.781 You know, 00:12:27.781 --> 00:12:29.279 I think about what. 00:12:29.477 --> 00:12:30.219 Can I just say, 00:12:30.219 --> 00:12:31.615 I'm glad it's December. 00:12:32.475 --> 00:12:34.295 I'm glad November's over. 00:12:35.915 --> 00:12:38.575 I'm glad certain conversations are over. 00:12:39.435 --> 00:12:41.571 Okay. I'm just glad. 00:12:41.643 --> 00:12:43.293 But I tell you what. 00:12:44.155 --> 00:12:46.135 I see some similarities. 00:12:47.475 --> 00:12:49.083 I see mistrust. 00:12:49.219 --> 00:12:50.475 I see conflict. 00:12:50.555 --> 00:12:54.275 I see hatred between people. 00:12:54.315 --> 00:12:54.923 I'm going, 00:12:54.923 --> 00:12:58.343 folks, if we could, 00:12:58.439 --> 00:13:04.955 if we would put our hope in God, 00:13:05.815 --> 00:13:07.767 trust God's provision, 00:13:07.911 --> 00:13:10.355 trust God's gift to us, 00:13:11.015 --> 00:13:11.995 you see, 00:13:13.535 --> 00:13:19.831 then I think we could find a path that our priorities and goals need to 00:13:19.863 --> 00:13:20.447 please God. 00:13:20.447 --> 00:13:21.279 One of my prayers, 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:30.525 and I've got this noted to mention when I pray for our country, 00:13:30.685 --> 00:13:32.253 state, county, 00:13:32.349 --> 00:13:35.981 town, my prayer always resembles this. 00:13:36.053 --> 00:13:40.185 God bend our leadership to your will. 00:13:42.125 --> 00:13:43.685 Bend our cause. 00:13:43.725 --> 00:13:44.545 Guess what? 00:13:45.005 --> 00:13:47.445 We live in a very selfish world. 00:13:47.525 --> 00:13:48.861 A selfish country, 00:13:48.933 --> 00:13:50.365 a selfish state, 00:13:50.485 --> 00:13:51.665 county and town. 00:13:52.115 --> 00:13:55.745 Okay, can I just go ahead and be blunt like that? 00:13:55.595 --> 00:13:59.815 Folks seek their own way in what they want, 00:14:00.275 --> 00:14:01.987 when what we need to be praying, 00:14:01.987 --> 00:14:03.637 and particularly as God's people, 00:14:03.643 --> 00:14:05.067 we need to be God. 00:14:05.067 --> 00:14:06.955 What is it that you desire? 00:14:06.955 --> 00:14:08.035 What pleases you? 00:14:08.075 --> 00:14:09.403 What brings you glory? 00:14:09.539 --> 00:14:12.923 What proclaims your kingdom and the good news? 00:14:12.979 --> 00:14:14.611 The Gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:14:14.611 --> 00:14:16.715 How can I be a part of that? 00:14:16.715 --> 00:14:17.569 You see, 00:14:17.707 --> 00:14:19.687 that's what God's called us to. 00:14:23.365 --> 00:14:25.105 Isaiah, chapter 9, 00:14:26.045 --> 00:14:27.665 verses 2 and 3. 00:14:28.045 --> 00:14:29.925 What is it we're hoping for? 00:14:29.925 --> 00:14:31.945 What's the hope God's promised? 00:14:32.325 --> 00:14:34.829 What is it you're looking for this Christmas? 00:14:34.829 --> 00:14:35.213 I mean, 00:14:35.213 --> 00:14:35.717 here we are, 00:14:35.717 --> 00:14:36.445 four weeks out, 00:14:36.445 --> 00:14:36.775 right? 00:14:36.685 --> 00:14:37.445 Four and a half weeks. 00:14:37.445 --> 00:14:37.941 Something like that. 00:14:37.941 --> 00:14:38.685 If this is the first. 00:14:38.685 --> 00:14:41.325 Yeah, something like three and a half. 00:14:41.405 --> 00:14:42.205 I don't know. 00:14:41.957 --> 00:14:42.905 I'm confused. 00:14:43.335 --> 00:14:51.863 Anyway, what hope do we find in this Christmas season? 00:14:51.999 --> 00:14:57.075 Okay. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. 00:14:58.295 --> 00:15:01.735 Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, 00:15:01.735 --> 00:15:04.715 upon them a light has shined. 00:15:05.215 --> 00:15:08.799 You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy. 00:15:08.887 --> 00:15:14.113 They rejoice before you according to the joy of harvest as men rejoice 00:15:14.249 --> 00:15:16.185 when they divide the spoil. 00:15:16.345 --> 00:15:18.345 Well, I just told you these are the same people, 00:15:18.345 --> 00:15:20.433 that they don't like each other. 00:15:20.489 --> 00:15:21.897 They don't like their leadership. 00:15:21.897 --> 00:15:24.233 They don't like the empire of Rome. 00:15:24.409 --> 00:15:25.569 They're struggling. 00:15:25.697 --> 00:15:26.809 And most likely, 00:15:26.937 --> 00:15:28.673 here's what they're subjected to. 00:15:28.809 --> 00:15:30.777 And if you identify with this, 00:15:30.777 --> 00:15:31.765 okay, fine. 00:15:32.105 --> 00:15:34.285 Most of this population, 00:15:34.665 --> 00:15:35.713 they're agrarian. 00:15:35.769 --> 00:15:36.897 They're farmers. 00:15:37.081 --> 00:15:42.445 A lot of them raise sheep or goats or grapes or olives or grain. 00:15:43.705 --> 00:15:45.721 And the Roman Empire, 00:15:45.913 --> 00:15:47.405 through its puppet. 00:15:48.225 --> 00:15:49.365 Sorry about that. 00:15:50.865 --> 00:15:52.885 Through its Puppet king Herod. 00:15:54.105 --> 00:15:56.209 They have to produce one what, 00:15:56.297 --> 00:15:57.409 basket, bushel, 00:15:57.497 --> 00:16:02.145 something of grapes for themselves and one as taxes. 00:16:02.185 --> 00:16:03.925 That's a 50% tax. 00:16:04.655 --> 00:16:07.047 But that was the way the culture worked back then. 00:16:07.047 --> 00:16:11.271 They had to work their land or what land was entrusted to them, 00:16:11.271 --> 00:16:13.791 and they could keep half what they produced and had to give the other 00:16:13.791 --> 00:16:15.595 half to the government. 00:16:16.495 --> 00:16:19.431 Right. That creates kind of a hostility, 00:16:19.503 --> 00:16:24.487 especially when maybe you're having a bad year or a bad harvest or some 00:16:24.511 --> 00:16:28.141 kind of plague hits your livestock and that sort of thing. 00:16:27.983 --> 00:16:31.355 And so God's people are looking for relief. 00:16:32.425 --> 00:16:36.537 They're looking for the hope that God's promised for hundreds of years. 00:16:36.601 --> 00:16:39.129 They're looking for the Messiah, 00:16:39.297 --> 00:16:40.849 the king that would reign, 00:16:40.849 --> 00:16:42.169 the king of kings. 00:16:42.425 --> 00:16:44.593 And we're going to get to that passage in just a minute. 00:16:44.593 --> 00:16:48.125 The idea is that they're looking for hope. 00:16:50.345 --> 00:16:54.965 Do you know people in your life this morning that are looking for hope? 00:16:59.315 --> 00:17:01.615 Who's sharing hope with them? 00:17:05.235 --> 00:17:08.535 Do they expect to find it on the evening news? 00:17:10.995 --> 00:17:16.175 Do they expect to find it in what we used to call water cooler talk? 00:17:16.515 --> 00:17:16.939 You know, 00:17:16.939 --> 00:17:18.611 when you work in a place that has a water cooler, 00:17:18.611 --> 00:17:20.261 everybody stands around and talks. 00:17:21.555 --> 00:17:25.515 Now we have bottled water and we take it to our desk. 00:17:26.075 --> 00:17:26.563 You see, 00:17:26.563 --> 00:17:31.775 my point is that if there is going to be the communication of hope, 00:17:32.595 --> 00:17:34.815 who's going to communicate it? 00:17:36.755 --> 00:17:39.135 Who's taking hope to the world? 00:17:39.995 --> 00:17:40.507 I mean, 00:17:40.507 --> 00:17:44.515 we've created such a system where we're told, 00:17:44.635 --> 00:17:46.363 I don't believe it's true, 00:17:46.499 --> 00:17:48.011 but we're told that, 00:17:48.123 --> 00:17:50.925 oh, you can't talk about faith, 00:17:51.005 --> 00:17:53.105 religion, God or Jesus. 00:17:55.005 --> 00:17:55.533 You know, 00:17:55.533 --> 00:17:56.725 my. Rather, 00:17:56.885 --> 00:17:58.535 I don't believe that's true, 00:17:58.645 --> 00:18:03.025 folks. I believe we are called to talk about our faith, 00:18:04.165 --> 00:18:05.545 our Savior, 00:18:05.925 --> 00:18:07.213 the kingdom of God, 00:18:07.213 --> 00:18:09.061 the hope that we have in him. 00:18:09.061 --> 00:18:11.581 And I don't really care where we are. 00:18:11.397 --> 00:18:14.037 I think we're supposed to talk about it. 00:18:16.015 --> 00:18:23.795 I think if my neighbor down the street needs to hear a message of hope, 00:18:24.415 --> 00:18:26.395 then on our street, 00:18:27.215 --> 00:18:30.155 who should be speaking hope to that neighbor? 00:18:30.655 --> 00:18:31.675 I should. 00:18:33.095 --> 00:18:36.275 Right. I need to be taking hope to people. 00:18:37.135 --> 00:18:38.375 I need to be telling them, 00:18:38.375 --> 00:18:39.035 guess what? 00:18:39.103 --> 00:18:40.911 God's still on his throne. 00:18:41.063 --> 00:18:44.247 He was on his throne when he gave this message to Isaiah. 00:18:44.247 --> 00:18:46.143 When Isaiah gave this message to. 00:18:46.143 --> 00:18:48.123 To a beaten and burdened people, 00:18:48.405 --> 00:18:51.749 to a people who were being misled by some bad kings. 00:18:51.749 --> 00:18:54.389 And then along would come a good king. 00:18:54.325 --> 00:18:57.365 And then the Roman Empire steps in and occupies, 00:18:57.525 --> 00:19:00.397 and Isaiah is giving them a message of guess what? 00:19:00.397 --> 00:19:05.785 There will be born a child, 00:19:06.685 --> 00:19:09.785 a light in darkness. 00:19:12.295 --> 00:19:13.814 Isaiah 9, 00:19:13.887 --> 00:19:14.791 6 and 7. 00:19:14.863 --> 00:19:17.595 So there is A hope to come. 00:19:18.655 --> 00:19:20.271 A hope for what? 00:19:20.463 --> 00:19:22.103 What is it that we're hoping for? 00:19:22.103 --> 00:19:27.031 We're hoping that God takes charge of this mess we've made, 00:19:27.143 --> 00:19:27.795 right? 00:19:28.175 --> 00:19:30.275 What will that hope look like? 00:19:30.695 --> 00:19:33.335 What is it that I am looking for? 00:19:33.535 --> 00:19:34.735 Folks, I'll just be honest. 00:19:34.735 --> 00:19:35.599 I've been preaching, 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:36.589 oh, 30 years now. 00:19:36.591 --> 00:19:38.571 I've been in ministry 40 something years. 00:19:38.719 --> 00:19:42.123 I can't wait to see everybody. 00:19:42.259 --> 00:19:43.387 My voice is cracking. 00:19:43.387 --> 00:19:47.835 Sorry. I can't wait to see everybody around me just bowing and praising 00:19:47.875 --> 00:19:48.815 God together, 00:19:49.355 --> 00:19:51.731 right? Sunday mornings. 00:19:51.843 --> 00:19:52.523 I picked. 00:19:52.579 --> 00:19:54.819 I generally pick on Sunday mornings, 00:19:54.987 --> 00:19:57.555 y'all. I did something this morning I don't ever do. 00:19:57.555 --> 00:19:59.495 I press the snooze button. 00:20:01.115 --> 00:20:03.015 My alarm went off at 4:30. 00:20:04.365 --> 00:20:06.105 Coffee's not ready yet, 00:20:07.365 --> 00:20:08.941 right? Ten minutes later, 00:20:08.973 --> 00:20:10.623 the alarm went off again. 00:20:10.765 --> 00:20:13.669 Right about the same time the coffee pot went beep, 00:20:13.669 --> 00:20:14.413 beep, beep, 00:20:14.469 --> 00:20:15.181 beep. I was like, 00:20:15.181 --> 00:20:16.925 okay, I can get up now, 00:20:16.925 --> 00:20:19.037 right? But when I got up, 00:20:19.061 --> 00:20:25.205 I put on my headphones and I got my phone out and I hit a song that I 00:20:25.245 --> 00:20:27.905 particularly enjoy right now called Trust in God. 00:20:29.415 --> 00:20:30.959 And I just listen to it. 00:20:30.959 --> 00:20:32.515 Just trust in God. 00:20:32.855 --> 00:20:35.071 I don't care what the headlines say this morning. 00:20:35.071 --> 00:20:36.555 Just trust in God. 00:20:37.375 --> 00:20:40.047 I don't care what's going on in the world around me. 00:20:39.767 --> 00:20:41.315 Just trust in God. 00:20:42.135 --> 00:20:43.479 I don't know what the guy, 00:20:43.479 --> 00:20:44.055 you know, 00:20:44.055 --> 00:20:46.351 I tell a joke a lot of Sunday mornings that, 00:20:46.351 --> 00:20:46.631 you know, 00:20:46.631 --> 00:20:48.831 you guys let me be the pastor here, 00:20:48.831 --> 00:20:51.767 man. I am so blessed that you let me be the pastor. 00:20:51.767 --> 00:20:55.067 And what's cool about that is you keep showing up. 00:20:55.625 --> 00:20:56.565 Thank you. 00:20:57.225 --> 00:20:58.361 I love it, 00:20:58.513 --> 00:20:59.793 man. All Sunday morning. 00:20:59.793 --> 00:21:00.705 So on my Facebook, 00:21:00.705 --> 00:21:01.065 he says, 00:21:01.065 --> 00:21:02.365 yay, it's Sunday. 00:21:02.785 --> 00:21:03.953 I love it, 00:21:04.089 --> 00:21:08.913 right? But I want to see everybody celebrating the birth of Christ and 00:21:08.929 --> 00:21:12.929 the hope and the promise that we have in redemption and salvation and 00:21:12.929 --> 00:21:16.113 that no matter what's going on in the world around us, 00:21:16.113 --> 00:21:19.169 whether it's here or halfway across the world, 00:21:19.257 --> 00:21:19.665 you know, 00:21:19.665 --> 00:21:20.073 halfway. 00:21:20.169 --> 00:21:21.161 Once you get past halfway, 00:21:21.161 --> 00:21:21.761 you're coming back. 00:21:21.761 --> 00:21:22.241 Y'all know that, 00:21:22.241 --> 00:21:26.155 right? Wherever it is in the world, 00:21:27.535 --> 00:21:29.185 God is on his throne. 00:21:29.239 --> 00:21:33.199 And he has given us a way and a means of salvation. 00:21:34.215 --> 00:21:35.687 And that's Jesus. 00:21:35.871 --> 00:21:37.599 And the person that's suffering, 00:21:37.687 --> 00:21:39.155 the person that's hurting, 00:21:39.935 --> 00:21:43.127 needs to understand that Christ is the answer. 00:21:43.191 --> 00:21:47.075 Maybe not for the specific moment or suffering, 00:21:47.535 --> 00:21:54.105 but in the promise that God has given us for his creation in the world we 00:21:54.145 --> 00:21:54.545 live in. 00:21:54.545 --> 00:21:55.565 You see that, 00:21:56.225 --> 00:21:58.441 man? This world can spin out of control. 00:21:58.441 --> 00:21:59.445 I tell people, 00:21:59.865 --> 00:22:00.249 you know, 00:22:00.249 --> 00:22:01.065 if you got Jesus, 00:22:01.065 --> 00:22:02.385 that's all you need. 00:22:03.985 --> 00:22:04.561 And they go, 00:22:04.561 --> 00:22:06.685 yeah, but what about lunch? 00:22:08.745 --> 00:22:11.089 Well, that's a very real kind of thing. 00:22:11.089 --> 00:22:12.441 I'm not saying it's not. 00:22:12.441 --> 00:22:16.765 And so in the 70s, 00:22:17.705 --> 00:22:18.657 for some of you, 00:22:18.657 --> 00:22:20.045 that's ancient history. 00:22:20.465 --> 00:22:24.457 But I did watch a video this week that said if you lived in the 70s, 00:22:24.457 --> 00:22:25.705 you remember these things. 00:22:25.705 --> 00:22:28.449 How many of you watch those videos just for the fun of it, 00:22:28.449 --> 00:22:29.125 right? 00:22:30.065 --> 00:22:34.649 I remember a Christmas toy back in the 70s that they called a clacker. 00:22:34.649 --> 00:22:36.361 Anybody remember the clacker? 00:22:36.553 --> 00:22:38.765 These two really hard, 00:22:39.505 --> 00:22:40.193 sort of. 00:22:40.289 --> 00:22:43.259 And you put your eye out with those things. 00:22:43.505 --> 00:22:44.825 So they outlawed them, 00:22:44.857 --> 00:22:45.445 right? 00:22:47.945 --> 00:22:49.513 But going back, 00:22:49.649 --> 00:22:51.433 I think about these things and I go, 00:22:51.433 --> 00:22:52.105 all right, 00:22:52.265 --> 00:22:56.705 so growing up and coming through life and thinking about how it is that 00:22:56.705 --> 00:23:10.563 God has shown a way always of what he is providing for the message of our 00:23:10.659 --> 00:23:12.715 hope, right? 00:23:12.795 --> 00:23:14.107 And I look at that and I go, 00:23:14.107 --> 00:23:16.295 wow. Isaiah 9, 00:23:16.355 --> 00:23:17.243 6, 7 says, 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:20.935 for unto us a child is born. 00:23:21.515 --> 00:23:21.955 All right, 00:23:21.955 --> 00:23:22.739 guess what? 00:23:22.907 --> 00:23:24.587 Isaiah had a child. 00:23:24.771 --> 00:23:28.655 The immediate fulfillment of this prophecy was Isaiah's own child, 00:23:29.315 --> 00:23:34.411 right? But the future fulfillment of this prophecy is Christ. 00:23:34.483 --> 00:23:36.285 It's messianic unto us. 00:23:36.325 --> 00:23:40.125 A son is given and the government will be upon his shoulder and his name 00:23:40.125 --> 00:23:42.333 will be called Wonderful Counselor, 00:23:42.389 --> 00:23:43.517 Mighty God, 00:23:43.661 --> 00:23:45.005 Everlasting Father, 00:23:45.085 --> 00:23:46.305 Prince of Peace. 00:23:50.445 --> 00:23:51.981 Right? I mean, 00:23:52.173 --> 00:23:53.945 that's the hope to come. 00:23:54.805 --> 00:23:56.213 Or for us in Christ, 00:23:56.213 --> 00:23:57.061 that's the hope. 00:23:57.061 --> 00:24:00.545 Today I get to live that peace. 00:24:01.205 --> 00:24:04.079 I get to know that Christ is the prince of peace. 00:24:03.853 --> 00:24:09.895 I get to know that God has provided this rulership of his creation, 00:24:10.055 --> 00:24:13.911 despite the details that go on around us. 00:24:13.983 --> 00:24:15.239 I have hope. 00:24:15.367 --> 00:24:19.687 And that's what I'm looking for of the increase of his government and 00:24:19.751 --> 00:24:23.303 peace. There will be no end upon the throne of David and over his 00:24:23.303 --> 00:24:27.023 kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice. 00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:28.975 From that time forward, 00:24:29.095 --> 00:24:30.271 even forever, 00:24:30.343 --> 00:24:34.205 the zeal the Lord of hosts will perform this. 00:24:36.105 --> 00:24:40.165 God has promised hope. 00:24:41.585 --> 00:24:45.485 God is the promised hope. 00:24:46.065 --> 00:24:49.365 Okay, we were told about it. 00:24:51.705 --> 00:24:53.085 We were warned. 00:24:53.985 --> 00:24:54.441 You know, 00:24:54.441 --> 00:24:55.337 we're going to get, 00:24:55.337 --> 00:24:57.647 as we go through our candles here, 00:24:57.737 --> 00:25:03.845 we're going to get to the point where we start seeing the lead up to the 00:25:03.885 --> 00:25:05.865 manger that Scott sang about. 00:25:09.085 --> 00:25:10.973 Why? Why a manger? 00:25:11.029 --> 00:25:12.679 Why not a throne room? 00:25:13.725 --> 00:25:14.905 Why a manger? 00:25:15.245 --> 00:25:17.945 Why not Jerusalem General Hospital? 00:25:19.965 --> 00:25:21.425 Why a manger? 00:25:23.695 --> 00:25:28.047 Because Isaiah also said there would be nothing about him that would draw 00:25:28.111 --> 00:25:29.555 mankind to him. 00:25:30.695 --> 00:25:35.623 It had to be a faith step to trust God, 00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:37.915 to trust God's provision. 00:25:39.135 --> 00:25:41.775 So the first candle of the Advent wreath, 00:25:42.575 --> 00:25:43.995 prophet's candles. 00:25:45.295 --> 00:25:48.155 This is always a very scary moment. 00:25:53.065 --> 00:25:53.489 You know, 00:25:53.489 --> 00:25:54.177 you always wonder, 00:25:54.177 --> 00:25:58.645 will it light the prophet's candle of Hope. 00:25:59.465 --> 00:26:02.435 Do you know somebody that needs hope this morning? 00:26:03.985 --> 00:26:07.825 Do you know somebody that just needs to hear a message of hope from a 00:26:07.825 --> 00:26:10.205 friend? Maybe you're the friend, 00:26:11.825 --> 00:26:14.113 maybe you're the one that needs to go to your neighbor and say, 00:26:14.113 --> 00:26:14.925 look man, 00:26:15.425 --> 00:26:19.715 I just want to come down and say hi and let you know. 00:26:19.745 --> 00:26:20.705 Just let you know, 00:26:20.705 --> 00:26:24.553 man, we had a good time at the gathering this morning. 00:26:24.609 --> 00:26:31.081 I want to take you with me or can I share with you the scripture passages 00:26:31.153 --> 00:26:34.925 from Isaiah where God communicates hope? 00:26:35.785 --> 00:26:41.385 See, take the word of God to the world because that's where they will 00:26:41.425 --> 00:26:42.365 find hope. 00:26:43.545 --> 00:26:44.865 Not in the news, 00:26:45.705 --> 00:26:48.685 not in the latest water cooler conversation, 00:26:50.865 --> 00:26:54.545 not in the events of the last three and a half weeks. 00:26:54.545 --> 00:26:56.525 Our hope is found in Christ. 00:26:56.745 --> 00:26:59.209 Okay, we're going to sing a song, 00:26:59.257 --> 00:27:03.201 give you the opportunity to respond to God and what he's doing. 00:27:02.865 --> 00:27:09.265 I want to encourage you to take the message of the advent to your 00:27:09.305 --> 00:27:13.395 neighbors. Go talk to people about Christ, 00:27:13.555 --> 00:27:14.855 about his birth, 00:27:15.715 --> 00:27:18.251 right? Go buy cupcakes, 00:27:18.323 --> 00:27:19.459 put a candle on it and say, 00:27:19.459 --> 00:27:21.339 hey, just wanted to bring you a cupcake. 00:27:21.339 --> 00:27:23.643 Just celebrating Jesus birthday, 00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:26.211 man. That'll start a conversation right there. 00:27:26.403 --> 00:27:31.635 Okay? Just to deliver hope to a world that needs it. 00:27:31.755 --> 00:27:32.323 Pray with me. 00:27:32.323 --> 00:27:33.483 Father, thank you for today. 00:27:33.483 --> 00:27:34.571 And thank you, 00:27:34.603 --> 00:27:35.771 God, that you loved us. 00:27:35.595 --> 00:27:38.565 And you loved us more than we could imagine. 00:27:38.715 --> 00:27:40.365 God, you love us now. 00:27:40.635 --> 00:27:41.131 And God, 00:27:41.131 --> 00:27:43.771 as we get ready to celebrate this season, 00:27:47.195 --> 00:27:50.335 God, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, 00:27:50.715 --> 00:27:52.035 we do it annually. 00:27:53.875 --> 00:27:58.535 We in a lot of ways have let the world take our message. 00:27:59.635 --> 00:28:00.295 So God, 00:28:00.307 --> 00:28:04.267 help us to reclaim it and share your hope with the world. 00:28:04.595 --> 00:28:07.715 God, if there's even one person here this morning that doesn't know 00:28:07.715 --> 00:28:09.499 Jesus, never trusted Jesus, 00:28:09.627 --> 00:28:13.951 never received the salvation that Jesus has offered God, 00:28:13.983 --> 00:28:17.613 my prayer would be that they would bow before you today. 00:28:18.255 --> 00:28:20.791 They'd admit their sin and God, 00:28:20.823 --> 00:28:24.655 they'd receive the forgiveness and salvation that you've offered. 00:28:24.815 --> 00:28:26.795 God, help us to love you, 00:28:27.015 --> 00:28:30.471 help us to show our love for you to the world. 00:28:30.471 --> 00:28:32.071 And we pray it in Jesus name. 00:28:32.071 --> 00:28:32.255 Amen.