The Best Christmas Ever Part 3: When Hope Needs Help Micaiah Irmler Luke 8:43-48 NKJV Joke: A couple of guys were in the locker room at the Country club and a cell phone rings so the man picks it up and puts it on speaker phone. The wife says honey I saw a new Louis Vitton Purse that costs $2000 so I put it on the credit card? Sure honey. I also saw that new Mercedes I’ve been wanting and I bought it for $200K. Sounds good honey. Also you know that house that I wanted to buy. Well its back on the market for $2.5mil can I make an offer on it. Sure but make the offer for $2.225mil and if they want the full amount then we have it so we can buy because after all its Christmas. Wow honey thank you so much goodbye. The other guys all looked at each other and said wow those are some expensive Christmas gifts. The man said I just have one thing to say, Does anyone know whose phone this is? Well, I never meant to preach an Advent series but this series has turned into an Advent series. Note: This won’t be a traditional Christmas Eve service. Tonight I want to give a message entitled: When Hope Needs Help Illustration: Some of you may not know this but I had my Bus Drivers License for about 7 years. I had my air breaks and passenger endorsement on my drivers license. I had to pass not only a written test at the DMV but the behind the Wheel Test with a CHP officer. The DMV has a clipboard while the CHP has an AMMO clip. I passed and I would drive precious children to field trips, basket ball games, and give them rides to church all in a 84 passenger Blue Bird Bus. With all of that extensive experience I have still have a little helper in the car who helps me. Do some of you have a little helper in the car? Aren’t they great!?! My helper tells me how fast I’m going and how fast I should be going. Because that spedometer might be wrong. Also my helper thinks that I might be going color blind because she will say Green. But my helper has helped so much because she has trained three more little helpers who also help me. They will say Green. Note: While in this Christmas season hope is often expressed its not as often experienced. Key Thought: Don’t let what you expected keep you from what God wants you to . Question: Does your hope need help this Christmas? Luke 8:43-48 NKJV 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Is Your Hope Healthy? Question: Have you ever had someone tell you, “Don’t get your hopes up?” Remember: Our hopes aren’t supposed to be high but deep. Hebrews 6:18-19 NKJV 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, Remember: It’s not about getting our hope up but giving our up. We often forget that we have what others are for. Luke 8:40-42 NKJV 40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. She was diseased but not dying. The . It Happened but She Still Had Hope vs. 43 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, Note: She was hurt but she still had hope. Note: Life was hard but she had hope. Hope was hard but she still had hope. Note: Hope was all that she could hold on to. She lost her health. She lost her wealth. When Your Hope Meets Gods Help Healing Occurs vs. 48 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” When you work the it changes your world. 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith not by sight. Her hope lead to more hope, joy, and peace. Remember: Our Greek word for peace is only found in a few places in the Bible and this does not mean Shalom but Ira-nay which means complete. You don’t have to beg for it just for it. Luke 8:49-50 49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” 50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” Hold up the light of hope and watch it spread hope to others. Remember: I won’t let what I expected to get in the way of what God wants me to experience. Note: This woman didn’t know that her body was hurt and so was her heart. Note: He calls her daughter. She started off as a woman nameless nobody and because part of the family of God. God is enough but is not. He spoke Hope to her heart and brought Healing to her body and Joy to her future. Mark 5:28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Question: Ever heard someone say Hope is not a strategy? You Don’t Have to Hide Your Hope.