ADVENT: Hope

Matthew 1:23; 2:6

By Pastor Stewart McCarter, December 01, 2024

Matthew 1:23 Matthew 2:6

We realize we are shipwrecked on God and stranded on His purpose.

  1. HOPE IS BASED ON GOD’S PROMISE

    1. Matthew 1:23 that we just read is the fulfillment found in Isaiah 7:14. Isaiah 7:14 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
    2. Matthew 2:6 is the fulfillment of Micah 5:2-5. Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
    3. Application: God who made the Heavens and the Earth, who spoke to the prophets, kept His word by coming to Earth in Jesus Christ.The Advent of Jesus is not the beginning of God’s plan but its fulfillment. The virgin birth is the sign that God would be with us in a tangible personal and powerful way.
    4. Jesus coming shows that the fulfillment of God’s promises are not contingent on our human ability. We can lose our confidence but God is never uncertain. His promises are sure because they are based on His faithfulness.

  2. HOPE FOR A WORLD IN NEED

    1. Israels’ History is one of struggle, oppression, exile, and foreign dominion. God’s people longed for a Savior, a King who would deliver them. When Christ came, He came into our broken world in need of redemption
    2. God had been preparing for Christ to come and the gospel to spread through history. The Greeks had provided a common language, the Romans had provided a peace and a road system. Even Israels disobedience and discipline had spread them far and wide so that there were synagogues all over the world. This is not a coincidence but God carefully preparing the World for Christ to come.
    3. Application: We still live in a World where the vast majority of the World is still in need of the Savior. But the HOPE that we have in the Advent of Christ is at work in ways we do not always see. The gospel is being preached, but there are still places that the gospel need to go.
    4. Gods’ plan has always been global. Just as He prepared the World for Jesus first coming, He is preparing the World for His return. Advent calls us to remember Gods’ sovereignty. He is preparing the hearts and minds of people all over the world.

  3. JESUS IS THE FULFILLMENT OF OUR HOPE: GOD’S PRESENCE, RIGHTEOUS RULE, AND SALVATION OF ALL PEOPLE

  1. Christ birth is announced to both Joseph and Mary (Matthew 1 and Luke 2)
  2. Mary speaks of it in her speech (Luke 1:54)
  3. John the Baptist Father speaks of it in Luke 1:68-79
  4. Jesus is Hope for Gods’ Presence Matthew 1:23 (Immanuel, God with us)
    1. This is the essence of Advent. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, took on flesh and entered into our world. He is not distant, removed, or unconcerned with our pain, He is present with us and the heart of our hope.
    2. Application: WE do not walk through life alone. Whatever the circumstances you find yourself in, whether it is joy or suffering, the promise of His presence is the heart of our hope. He is closer to you than the breath in your lungs and you can rely on Him to sustain you.
  5. Jesus is Hope of a Righteous King Matthew 2:6 (combines verse 2 and 6 in Micah 5)
    1. Jesus is the fulfillment of the hope of a righteous King who would shepherd His sheep. He is more than the King of Israel; He is the King of Kings and His rule sone of justice, mercy and righteousness.
    2. Application: In a World where national leaders can be corrupt and unrighteousness, we have a King who reigns with perfect righteousness. Advent call us to bow in obedience and to surrender to His rule, and to long for His return!
  6. Jesus is the Hope of Salvation for All People Matthew 2:6 (Gentiles and Jews come together in the gospel. We are the sheep of His pasture)
    1. Jesus has come for a select group of people. Those people are not defined by race or geographical location. Jesus came for all people who express hope in Him and surrender to His Lordship. That salvation is available to all the World, every nation, tongue, and tribe.
  1. Application: The gospel is inclusive. There are no boundaries to God’s grace. We, as followers of Christ, are called to spread the HOPE of the Gospel. We are the conduits of the hope that Christ brings inviting others into the family of God.

Conclusion: Gods’ glory and the spread of the gospel are the ultimate aim of Advent. The coming of Christ is the kick-off of Gods’ global mission to gather worshippers from every corner of the Earth. This is why Advent should not just stir personal longing, but should compel us to participate in the mission of God — to bring this message of hope to the ends of the earth.

Advent is not just a time of looking back to the birth of Jesus,, to os a time of looking forward with HOPE to His return. Jesus is our Hope — He is Immanuel, God with us. He is the Righteous King who will rule with justice and mercy. He is the Savior of all people, offering salvation to the nations. This is the hope to which we cling and the hope we proclaim.

Advent is not just about nostalgia for the past, but about fueling our anticipation of the future. Jesu WILL return and when He does, He will set everything aright. We are reminded in Advent that God keeps His promises and His ultimate plan is to glorify Himself through the redemption of the Church. We wait in Hope, we live in Hope, and we proclaim the Hope of Christ to the world

This Advent season, rest in the certainty that Jesus is the fulfillment of all our hopes, and let that HOPE overflow in your life. Let your heart be filled with the joy and peace that comes from knowing that God is with us. He is our righteous king. He offers salvation to all who would come to Him in faith.