2017-12-03 Hope: An Advent Message
Hope: An Advent Message
December 3, 2017
The Father’s Story
A Jewish man’s son was approaching his Bar Mitzvah, so the father decided to send him to Israel so he could learn more about his religion and the history of his people. When the son returned, he was very excited. He told his father, "I’ve learned so much! And by the way, while I was there, I became a Christian."
The father was very upset, so he went to his neighbor and told him about it. The neighbor said, "Funny you should come to me. I, too, sent my son to Israel, and he also came back a Christian."
They decided to go to their Rabbi and ask him what to do. They told the Rabbi their stories, and the Rabbi said, "Funny you should come to me. I also sent my son to Israel, and he, too, came back a Christian."
All of them were very upset, so the Rabbi suggested they pray. They poured their hearts out to God, and God replied, "Funny you should come to me. I, too, sent my son to Israel..."
Understanding Biblical Hope
This is the season of Advent, a time when we await and prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. On this first Sunday of Advent, we focus on hope.
The dictionary defines hope as "a feeling of expectation or desire for a certain thing to happen." An archaic use defines it as "a feeling of trust." Today, we often use the word "hope" in the sense of a wish: I hope I get the job or I hope I make it to church on time.
However, in the Old Testament, there were several words translated as "hope" that primarily meant to trust, to wait, or to be patient. In the New Testament, the Greek word for hope carried the idea of waiting patiently and expectantly. As used by the authors of the Bible, hope was never meant to be an idle desire; it was a certainty—a trust in something to come.
Psalm 62:5-6 says:
"Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and salvation."
If we say our hope is Heaven, it does not mean we "wish" we will make it there; it is the certainty that we will be there.
Hope as a Basic Human Need
Hope is one of the greatest gifts. It gives our lives meaning and direction, yet it is often missing in modern life. Josh McDowell, author of Evidence That Demands a Verdict, notes that the lack of hope is not unique to our generation. The Greek philosopher Theocritus once said, "There is only hope for those who are alive, but those who have died are without hope." Shakespeare’s Macbeth famously claimed that life is "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Contrast that with the words of the Apostle Paul. Just before his impending death, as recorded in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, he had profound hope.
The song "Every Man" by Casting Crowns asks:
"Is there hope for every man? A solid place where we can stand in this dry and weary land? ... Is there love that never dies? Is there peace in troubled times? Someone help me understand, is there hope for every man?"
The song concludes with the answer: Jesus is hope for every man.
The Lesson of Viktor Frankl
In the period leading up to WWII, there were three prominent psychiatrists in Vienna. Sigmund Freud concluded that the most basic human drive is the search for pleasure. Alfred Adler disagreed, believing the primary drive was the search for power.
The third, Viktor Frankl, was a young man who could not escape before Hitler invaded. He was taken to a concentration camp. There, he observed that the survivors were often not the ones you would expect. Many who were physically strong wasted away, while others who were much weaker managed to survive.
Frankl realized that in the camps, there was no pleasure to be found and no power to be had. He observed that the difference between those who died and those who survived was hope. The survivors believed their lives still had meaning and held onto the hope that they would one day live meaningful lives again. Frankl concluded that the primary human drive is the search for meaning and hope, not pleasure or power.
Sharing the Gift of Hope
Everyone here who has put their trust in Jesus has the surety of Heaven. We have the promise that we will never be alone. Our God, who always keeps His promises, is by our side no matter what is happening around us. He will never stop loving us.
But as the song lyrics asked: "Will we help them understand Jesus is the hope of every man?"
Advent is a time to look forward to Jesus' birth, but we often spend more time preparing for family gatherings and gifts. I love finding the perfect gift for someone, but sometimes I spend more time holiday planning than celebrating the Messiah. The dinners, decorations, and church rehearsals are all good things, but they can overwhelm us.
We must not forget to tell those who are lost about the hope that comes with knowing Him. It isn’t enough for them to see Christmas lights or holiday sales. Those are human trappings. People need to see how we are different. They need someone to tell them plainly how Jesus offers meaning to life.
Our Call to Action
Pastor Ron and I might sound like broken records when we tell you to invite others to church, but it is the truth. It is up to us to speak of Jesus.
I know it can be hard; I struggle with it myself. But we must remember that people are more likely to believe what we say if we have a relationship with them. They need a reason to trust us. This season, take a step of faith. Invite a neighbor or a family member to join us. The messages of Advent—hope, love, joy, and peace—are exactly what the world needs.
We are the people of hope. Let’s share that hope.
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