Steve Gentry
[0:00] Go ahead and have a seat
[0:04] Welcome to Village Church if it’s your first time here, I apologize
[0:13] Merry Christmas, it is my goal to make Christmas fun again bigly
[0:20] So so in the spirit of the season I’ve been asked by a lot of our more traditional [0:28] Congregants, why don’t you ever wear a suit? [0:31] And so so this morning I decided you know what I’m just gonna give a gift to you guys [0:37] I’m gonna be a little more traditional today [0:39] You’re gonna you know really get formal for the holidays and so this this is just I think this is very fitting very Christmasy [0:47] So Merry Christmas and today. I have a really tough task because here’s what I’m gonna try to do
[0:52] I’m going to try to preach you know a serious gospel message while looking like an idiot [0:59] So so you know pray for me that I can endure through the next few minutes [1:06] You know we as fitting as we’ve been talking through the themes of Christmas as to you know how to [1:13] Enjoy this season how to really embrace [1:16] Faith in Jesus and allow that to to come into your life and let you enjoy [1:23] Grace so that you are not really the scrooge of the season so that you’re not the Grinch of the season
[1:28] But instead because of your faith in Jesus you have more joy you have more love in your life [1:35] You’re able to really live a life of peace because of the faith that you have and so we’ve been covering these four main [1:43] One theme a week and we started with what really is the catalyst [1:48] For every other theme and that is the love of Jesus that we’re able to experience now [1:54] We’re able to have because of what he did by coming to the earth [1:59] Living a perfect life dying for our sin and then rising again and because of that it translates into
[2:06] The peace that we have with Jesus we have peace with God he has literally [2:12] Reconciled our relationship with God if we trust in him and then he gives us peace within ourselves [2:18] So that we can repent of the anxiety so that we can turn away [2:21] From really that fire that’s inside of us of stress and anxiety [2:26] That grief that constantly grips us and through faith we can turn away [2:31] Enjoy peace within and we can also have peace with others because God loved us to the extent that he loved us
[2:38] And bringing peace in our lives we can offer peace to other people but without the love of God you can have none of these things [2:45] Without the love of God you cannot have peace without the love of God you cannot have what is real [2:52] Hope you cannot have what we’re gonna talk about next week on Christmas Eve you cannot have real joy [2:58] There has to be an objective reason behind these things [3:04] Specifically when we talk about the issue of hope which is what we’re gonna be talking about today [3:08] when we talk about
[3:10] Christmas it’s often kind of equated with this season of hope and when you talk about hope [3:16] I mean every Christmas movie that you see I mean they’re all over the airwaves right now [3:20] There’s Christmas. There’s a Christmas me on right now where someone’s talking about. Oh, but Christmas is the season of hope [3:26] There’s no greater time than Christmas when we can experience hope [3:32] But the fact is that much of what is talked about as hope in those movies and much of what is talked about as [3:39] Hope in our lives is really hollow
[3:42] It’s just a sentiment. It’s that really well. I hope [3:47] It’s going to work out. Well. I hope that things are going to turn to my favor [3:55] Well, I just I have this hope what are you basing that hope in well [3:58] What if it doesn’t go the way that you want it to go what if things don’t turn out the way that you’re hoping [4:06] That they turn out and so today building on that love and that peace [4:12] I want to talk about the theme of hope I want to talk about the fact that you don’t have to have a hollow
[4:19] Hope you don’t have to go through this season [4:23] You don’t have to go through this life all of the seasons of it with that hollow [4:29] Sentimental version of hope that doesn’t have any [4:34] Objective base it doesn’t have something that you can look at and say this is why I [4:41] Have hope I want to talk about that type of hope because Christmas is [4:47] the season and should be the season of hope but namely because
[4:53] Of the hope that we have in the birth of Jesus [4:56] So if you have your Bibles go ahead and open them to Matthew chapter 1 [5:00] I want to talk about a portion of the Christmas narrative this morning and [5:05] Matthew’s recording of the birth of Jesus and I want to start in verse 18. I’m gonna go through to verse 23 [5:11] It says now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way [5:16] When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together
[5:20] She was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit and her husband Joseph being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame [5:28] Resolved to divorce her quietly [5:30] But as he considered these things behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying [5:35] Joseph son of David do not fear to take Mary as your wife [5:39] For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit [5:44] She will bear a son and you shall call his name
[5:48] Jesus for he will save his people from their sins all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [5:56] Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call his name [6:02] Emmanuel which means God with us. Let’s pray [6:07] father [6:09] We are so thankful [6:12] For all that you’ve given us all that you’ve done for us for the love that’s shown to us
[6:17] By the fact that you entered creation you became one of your own creation in the person and work of Jesus [6:25] Lord today my prayer is is that you will give us that type of hope [6:30] That you will fill our lives with a hope in your love that gives us peace [6:35] And hope not just for the future but hope that we can fill our lives with to give to others to offer to others [6:42] Who are going through this life without hope? [6:45] Lord ours is not hollow. It is a concrete hope give us faith in it in the name of Jesus. I pray
[6:52] Amen, you know as a follower of Jesus [6:56] Our hope is that Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the promises that God has made [7:03] You know God throughout the history of the scriptures has made a ton of promises and Jesus stands as proof [7:09] He stands as the ultimate evidence [7:11] That God can be trusted to keep all of the promises that Jesus delivered while he was on this earth [7:18] But also because of the miraculous actions of Jesus both in his life death and resurrection
[7:24] We can have hope that even that which we have not seen God will also deliver [7:29] It’s the number one this morning [7:30] I want you to understand that God fulfills his promises through Jesus and that is one of the reasons that Jesus came [7:37] Is the ultimate reason that we can have hope in this life and without that without Jesus [7:44] I’m telling you you cannot have a [7:47] Foundational basis upon which to have hope in this life. That is not just some pie-in-the-sky
[7:54] Sentimental hollow reasoning and Matthew 1 st. Is great evidence of that because once he gets to verse 18 [8:01] He’s already covered all of the history of the Old Testament in the first 17 verses [8:06] I don’t see how he did that when you look through the first 17 verses of Matthew 1 what you see is a great [8:13] Genealogy you see the family tree of Jesus Christ. You see all of his descendants starting with [8:21] Abraham now if you’re in the nation of Israel [8:23] This is of utmost importance because it proves first that Jesus is a descendant of the nation of Israel
[8:28] But he doesn’t just stop with Abraham who started at all [8:31] He also includes King David showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise that someone shall reign forever [8:38] From the line of David you see when he began with Abraham [8:43] He’s pointing out a very important promise that God made to Abraham Abraham was a sojourner in the world. He’s living his life [8:51] He’s not following God God intercedes into the life of Abraham [8:55] And one of the promises that God looks to Abraham as Abraham is seeking to trust in this God that’s come into his life
[9:02] He says Abraham your offspring [9:05] Will be a blessing to the nations [9:09] In other words everything that I’m going to do off of your life is going to impact the entire [9:16] World then from Abraham’s birth the nation of Israel [9:20] Ultimately leading up to King David who said he’s a man after God’s own heart [9:25] And he reigns over Israel and God then furthers the promise that he made to Abraham and he looks to David and says out
[9:32] Of your life one of your descendants will reign over my people [9:37] forever [9:38] 14 generations from now [9:40] Then when Matthew records this amazing genealogy that leads up to Joseph and then to Jesus [9:48] What he’s doing is he’s saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the promises that God has made to his people [9:59] Matthew is establishing the importance of the birth of Jesus as
[10:04] this fulfillment of the all of the promises that God ever made to the nation of Israel and this promise [10:10] Kind of brings us back to the Old Testament says where’s the evidence that there would be this child this little baby? [10:17] Because that’s what we talk about during Christmas is this little child Jesus [10:21] It’s the basis for that and Isaiah chapter 7 one of the prophets of Israel [10:26] He says this and this is what Matthew quotes to kind of bring Israel to this reality in verse 23 [10:32] He says therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign behold the virgin shall
[10:37] Conceive and bear a son and shall call his name [10:42] Emmanuel and this promise was made some 400 years before the birth of Jesus and [10:48] Matthew quotes it in chapter 1 verse 23 for the specific purpose of [10:53] Telling the nation of Israel telling everyone that would read this look to the promises that God made to Israel [10:59] He is the fulfillment Jesus is the fulfillment of all of these [11:06] Promises you see in
[11:07] Isaiah in that time when the people were receiving this prophecy they looked to a child that was born in their time [11:14] And they said aha here is the fulfillment of this promise [11:17] But that child who is named mahar shalom hashbaz he could not have possibly been the fulfillment of this why? [11:25] Because of the name that’s used in Isaiah 7 that name is very important because Emmanuel [11:32] Matthew kind of letting us in on that so that you didn’t have to take Hebrew [11:35] He says it literally means
[11:39] God with us [11:42] So the child that would be born to ultimately be the largest fulfillment of this promise [11:49] would literally be [11:52] God in our presence and all of the New Testament proclaims [11:56] Who Jesus was but Isaiah himself as his prophecies deepened throughout the book [12:03] We begin to get this picture that this child to be born would be more than just a great leader of the nation
[12:10] He would be more than just a man as in Isaiah 9 6 which we covered last week [12:14] He says in there that this child would be called the mighty God [12:20] And he said this child would be born to us [12:22] The son would be given to us as a gift and he would be called among many other names the mighty God
[12:33] And so what Matthew is doing is he’s saying look back to everything that God has said he was going to do [12:40] For his people look back through the entire record look back through all of the stories because many of you haven’t done that [12:48] I mean many of you you read through Matthew 1 and you’re like that’s very interesting [12:51] But I don’t know anything about these people that’s kind of boring [12:54] You see if it had just been my genealogy if you’re reading the story of my life [12:59] And it just traces my genealogy back more than 20 generations when you get to me. You’re like big deal
[13:06] But if you know the history of the Old Testament which the recipients of the book of Matthew originally they would have known [13:14] You read through that genealogy what begins to happen in your mind [13:18] Which is why the record of the Old Testament so important it’s so vital to your discipleship [13:24] Is that you begin to say well I’ll start over Abraham. Well. There’s the great promise receiver [13:28] He received the covenant from God then you go through the narrative [13:31] This is how God kept his promises how God furthered that promise then you get to King David
[13:37] You say well this is King David [13:38] He will reign forever is what God said to his bloodline [13:42] And then it gets to Jesus and then he says look at Isaiah 7 14 [13:47] When you read up to that point in verse 23 you look at it, and you say
[13:53] Jesus is the son of God [13:57] He is the Savior of the world so yes that is literally [14:04] What Matthew is saying here? [14:06] This is about God’s faithfulness to keep his promises these prophecies carry with them a [14:14] burden [14:14] To show God’s faithfulness to the king of Israel and Matthew points us to Jesus as
[14:23] that very fulfillment because he came to literally be the fulfillment of [14:29] The promises of God here’s how the Apostle Paul remarked about it in [14:34] Second first Corinthians chapter 2 verse 20 he says in 2nd Corinthians [14:38] He says for all the promises of God find their yes in him in Jesus [14:44] That is why it is through him that we utter our amen to God for his glory [14:51] He’s saying that everything about life
[14:55] It’s about Jesus [14:57] He’s saying if Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the promises you look to Jesus. That’s the guarantee [15:02] You look to Jesus you say well can God be trusted to keep his promises [15:06] Well, yes, God fulfilled his promise to Abraham God fulfilled his promise to David he came he lived he died [15:14] He rose again therefore I can trust that the promises of God all have their yes [15:19] Why because of Jesus therefore if my life is pointed towards Jesus then he is my amen to God
[15:25] He is the glory of God. He is why I can have hope [15:30] He’s the basis [15:32] Upon which you can trust the promises of God about your future [15:39] As the hope of God is completely dependent on Jesus therefore [15:44] If you are a follower of Jesus you’re someone who has placed your faith in [15:48] Jesus that he is who he says he is that he did what he said he did and he’s going to come again as
[15:54] He said he would then you do not have a hollow hope [15:59] You do not just have a sentimental hope you have a hope that is rooted in [16:04] Objective reality you have a hope that’s been guaranteed by real action [16:11] Jesus and without his miraculous birth without his life [16:16] Without his death and without his resurrection there then would be no basis for hope [16:21] But my hope is that I want to talk to you today about the whole scope
[16:26] From birth to life to death to resurrection and show you why during the Christmas season that we above all [16:34] people [16:35] Should be people of hope so that you can have hope in yourself because that’s where it needs to start [16:43] But that is not where it needs to end. I don’t want today just to be about you [16:49] I want you to understand that we walk through this life with hope that is above everything else going on in our life [16:57] So that others will look and say there is a hope in you that is distinct
[17:02] There is a hope in you that is unique there is a hope in you that everyone around you needs to have [17:08] More than that everyone in the entire world [17:12] Needs to have because the birth of Jesus in fulfilling the promises of God is shown more than just in [17:20] That manger is shown than more than in that baby because he grew up. He became a man [17:26] He had a beard and more than that he died [17:31] More than that he rose so I want to show you two things today that you can base this hope in
[17:37] Above just saying that he fulfilled those promises the Old Testament [17:41] He did something to fulfill those promises from the Old Testament [17:45] The first thing that he did was that he gives us hope by atoning for our sin [17:50] Jesus gives us hope by atoning for our sin. Jesus fulfilled your greatest need [17:57] You know that your greatest need is to be forgiven of your sin [18:02] Your greatest need is more than just be forgiven. Your greatest need is to have hope that sin can be conquered
[18:10] Your greatest need is to know that your sin is not that which defines you is not that which [18:18] Owns you is not that which is to be the thing that leads you through life [18:23] But there is hope of victory over your sin [18:26] There is a hope that a price can be paid for your sin that will not be levied against you [18:34] That’s exactly what Jesus brings us. That’s exactly what he offers us. Therefore we can have joy and hope
[18:44] That vanquishes the sin that would remove [18:48] Joy and hope we can have hope because Jesus has literally [18:54] Removed the guilt of our sin off of us [18:57] Here’s what Romans chapter 5 has to say about this hope against sin the Apostle Paul writes [19:03] And he says there’s a hope that does not put us to shame think about that [19:08] Think about the hopes that you have in your life right now. Think about the things that you’re hoping for
[19:12] I mean, don’t try to be super spiritual here. All right [19:16] The real stuff you’re hoping for [19:18] All right [19:19] The grades that you’re hoping will turn out to your favor the house that you’re hoping to move into the salary that you’re [19:24] Hoping to have next year the person that you’re hoping will make your dreams come true [19:30] What guarantees do you have?
[19:33] Not much on many of those [19:35] Because here’s the key you can hope in something and then be put to shame [19:42] How [19:42] Because it’s really embarrassing if you’re hoping for something [19:47] I mean have you ever had that thing you just knew it was gonna happen [19:50] You just knew you were gonna get it. So you started telling people about it before it happened. You’re like, oh, I’m totally getting this promotion
[19:56] Or if you’re a guy, you’re like this girl’s totally into me. All right, and [20:01] Then you come to find out. Oh the promotion went to Fred down the cubicle alley. Oh [20:07] That money never actually came. Oh, she’s into that dude [20:12] That puts you to shame [20:14] That’s called [20:16] Embarrassing some would call it
[20:18] Humiliating what the Apostle Paul is saying here is if that is what your life is based on [20:24] These hopes that you really don’t have any control over. Maybe you have the illusion of [20:32] Control you don’t have any real control [20:34] If that is what your life is based on if that is what all of the hope in your life is based on [20:40] You can be put to shame [20:42] But Paul’s saying here there is a hope that will not put you to shame and he’s saying that’s what your life needs to
[20:50] Be based on and he furthers it he says because what because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit [20:57] Who’s been given to us because while we were still weak at [21:02] The right time Christ died for the ungodly for one will scarcely die for a righteous person though [21:07] Perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die [21:10] But God chose his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us since therefore [21:17] We have now been justified by his blood much more shall we be saved by him
[21:22] from the wrath of [21:24] God [21:25] See friends Jesus did not die just for a generalized sense of sin [21:32] He died for your sin [21:35] Personally he died for everything that you’ve done that was against God [21:41] He died for you
[21:44] Personally and so it’s the specific death of Jesus this specific [21:51] feeling this specific [21:53] personal [21:54] Application that Paul’s talking about in this text Jesus’s death was for you [22:01] He died for you while you were still a sinner this [22:08] Is the love of God
[22:10] This is the hope that will not put you to shame why because just like everything else you’re hoping for [22:18] It is outside of your control
[22:21] When you think about that you’re like, but it might disappoint me [22:27] the Apostle Paul says [22:28] No, that’s impossible [22:31] Why because God has already done the work God has already? [22:37] delivered on the promise Jesus died for [22:42] Your sin and no you didn’t deserve it. It was while you were still weak
[22:47] It was while you were still dead in your sin, but Jesus died for you [22:53] That word a tone for your sins. What does that mean? [22:57] What’s exactly what Paul’s talking about in that passage to make atonement means to repair the wrong in [23:04] Dying for sin. This was the act of Jesus making the repair [23:09] Necessary for you to be reconciled to a right relationship with God [23:14] He had to actually pay the cost and repair in order for
[23:20] Redemption to be real and this is a hope that you can live in now [23:27] How how can you walk in that now? [23:30] because if [23:31] God has placed all of your sin on to Jesus’s account if Jesus has paid the price if [23:38] He has endured the shame if he took the penalty on his shoulder [23:43] Then you can walk through a life not being defined by shame
[23:49] You can walk through life not finding your identity in sin not finding your hope in rebellion [23:56] Not defining who you are by your sin against God and instead you can walk through life saying yes [24:04] I have sinned yes. I have done wrong. Yes. I have failed but thanks be to God that he loved me enough [24:11] That there’s not coming a day where he’s going to hold that sin against me and instead [24:17] Jesus has paid the price he has atoned for my sin [24:24] Friends that is hope
[24:26] Friends that is the most hopeful thing that you can carry through life [24:31] And it is exactly what God promised that Jesus would do as the prophecy and Isaiah [24:37] Further down the line as Isaiah became more specific as to the person and work of Jesus in Isaiah 53 [24:44] He command he says this prophecy this promise [24:47] He says surely he speaking of Jesus 400 years before he was even born has born our grief [24:53] He’s carried our sorrows we esteemed him stricken smitten by God afflicted, but he was pierced for our transgressions
[25:01] That means for our sin he was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the [25:08] Chastisement that brought what peace? [25:11] He’s saying Jesus paid the price that you could have peace in your life and [25:16] With his wounds we are healed. It’s true all we like sheep [25:21] We have gone astray in our sin we’ve turned [25:24] Everyone to his own way and what in rebellion against God and the Lord God has laid on Jesus
[25:33] every ounce of sin [25:36] That you have [25:38] Friends this is why we can have hope in a painful world [25:42] We know that God’s love and peace are on our lives through Jesus [25:48] And therefore we can walk through the world as hopeful people [25:54] You see friends as a Christian
[25:56] If you’re a follower of Jesus if you’re someone that is trusted in him for your redemption [26:01] Then you can literally walk through a painful world [26:05] marked by hope [26:07] We’re an amazing thing [26:10] We’re an amazing thing that people especially right now especially where we are as a culture people need hope and you
[26:19] Are the one that can walk through this world? [26:22] Marked literally by that hope and Christmas friends is the season where this hope needs to be shown to people [26:30] By us because no matter what happens in my life [26:34] No matter what I endure and there are tough days. There are hard days. There is pain from sin [26:42] There’s pain from sickness. There’s pain all around in this world marked by sin [26:47] But no matter what comes into my life. No matter what goes out of my life one thing can be
[26:54] concrete for me and that is the hope that I have in Jesus Christ [27:01] So whatever comes my way I [27:04] Can still have hope [27:07] But Jesus gave a greater hope than even his death can give to us because if he had just died [27:15] Really wouldn’t be any difference between him and me [27:19] But Jesus did more than die Jesus rose from the dead
[27:24] So the third thing that you have this morning is that Jesus gives hope by defeating [27:29] Sin and death for you can be crushed by sin without Jesus you will be [27:36] But that’s not what made Jesus unique being crushed under the penalty of sin is not what made him distinct [27:42] What made Jesus distinct is is that after being crushed by sin he rose again [27:48] Victorious over it with the message that not even sin itself not even the penalty for sin, which is death [27:55] Nothing can crush him, but he is victorious over it all you don’t just need Jesus to die for your sin
[28:04] What do you need? You need victory? I? [28:07] Mean there’s no hope without victory [28:10] No one gets to the end of the World Series and when their team loses they are I’m still hopeful [28:15] No, you’re not your team lost, bro [28:18] All right all hope is lost [28:21] Okay, no hope is
[28:24] Celebrated when you look at you say victory [28:27] It’s exactly what the resurrection is [28:30] resurrection the resurrection of Jesus Christ is literally [28:34] The hope that we had in him the hope that we have in him [28:39] Coming to fruition in a physical way when Jesus walked out of that grave that was the seal [28:47] On every promise God had ever made and that is the seal on every promise that we have yet to
[28:55] Experience in Jesus you see the angel revealed something very interesting to Joseph and Matthew 1 21 [29:02] Here’s what he said saying she Mary will bear a son and you will call his name [29:08] Jesus for he will save his people from their sin [29:14] You see if all Jesus had done was died [29:18] Then that angel was a liar [29:22] That angel was conning Joseph
[29:25] That angel was not telling him the truth because for salvation to be something that I can actually apply to my life [29:32] Not only did I need someone to be the substitute for my sin [29:37] But I needed someone who could conquer the penalty for my sin and that is exactly what Jesus did [29:44] I mean look at the way the Apostle Paul put it in first Corinthians chapter 15 [29:47] He says if the dead are not raised not even Christ has been raised if Christ has not been raised your faith is feudal [29:54] In other words, it’s pointless and you are still in your sins
[29:58] Then those also who have fallen asleep and died in Christ have perished if in Christ [30:05] We have hope in this life only we are of all people [30:09] Most to be pitied but in fact Christ has been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep [30:16] For as by a man came death by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead [30:23] See in that line, but in fact Christ has
[30:28] Been raised from the dead as a very important line [30:31] Because he’s pointing out if it wasn’t true if all there was was death if Christ is still physically dead [30:39] Then our faith is pointless people should pity us. Why because we believe a lie [30:44] We base our lives on a lie, but then he comes in with a very important segue and he says but in
[30:51] fact [30:53] concrete
[30:55] Objective reality not a myth [30:58] He says in fact Christ has been raised from the dead [31:06] The Apostle Paul is so clear in this passage [31:10] He puts it so well in this passage because what he’s doing is he is summing up the basis [31:17] For all of our hope he’s saying [31:20] that every aspect of the life of Christ is
[31:25] vital to hope [31:27] The miraculous birth the fact that Jesus was born to a virgin had to happen for him to be God
[31:36] It’s true [31:38] His perfect life [31:40] Puts it in Romans 5. He’s saying it’s true [31:43] Why why does that have to be true because if Jesus wasn’t perfect then he would have his own sin to die for if [31:50] Jesus wasn’t perfect [31:51] He could not substitute my sin for his righteousness because he would have to pay the penalty for the sins that were his own
[31:58] But he was perfect. So he had no sin to pay for therefore he could take mine. He could take yours [32:05] See so the perfect life’s true [32:08] He goes further in Romans 5 goes further in Isaiah 53 [32:14] He says Jesus. Yeah, he died [32:17] Why did he have to die? [32:19] Because that is what we have earned
[32:23] That is what we have done. That is the just penalty [32:27] For our sin, but God loved us enough that he didn’t just lower himself to become part of his creation [32:35] He lowered himself to die a sinner’s death, which he alone did not deserve [32:43] Put on public display dies to atone for your sin [32:49] It’s all true [32:50] Then he says even more
[32:53] The record is even greater than that
[32:56] He rose [32:59] Jesus literally [33:01] There’s no myth. This isn’t just a spiritual understanding [33:05] Instead as a physical concrete reality that Jesus Christ three days after his death [33:11] He physically got up and walked out of that tomb and he’s alive [33:17] Right now and he rules and reigns over
[33:21] Every single person that believes in him that trusts in him. It is all true [33:29] therefore I [33:32] Have hope [33:34] Therefore it’s concrete can’t take it nothing can take it [33:40] And so for you this season for you this life [33:44] You should be if you’ve trusted in Jesus and if you haven’t I pray that you will
[33:49] But if you’ve trusted in Jesus, no matter what comes your way [33:53] It should not rob you of your hope you should walk through this world [33:59] Hopeful not with your head down gloom and doom this life is awful [34:03] I can’t wait till it’s over but hopeful because Jesus lived this life and to live is Christ because he’s taken the pain of [34:10] He’s taken the guilt away. He’s risen from the dead. Therefore I have his victory [34:16] I am defined by him
[34:18] So when financial problems come into your life, do not let it rob you of hope [34:23] Because when you do that what happens is is you are not applying the promises of God to your life [34:30] The yes for every promise of God is in Jesus when that hard relationship comes when that person is not treating you the way [34:38] You should be treated when great pain and termos going on in your life be hopeful [34:45] Because Jesus has given us not hollow hope not sentimental hope. He’s given us concrete hope [34:51] Believe the promises when the pain of sickness comes into your life and all of these will come friend
[34:59] Don’t let it take your hope [35:01] Don’t let it take it believe the promises believe what God has said in Jesus for you [35:08] and be hopeful [35:10] Because it needs to start in your life because what are we supposed to be as followers of Jesus? Quite frankly [35:16] We’re supposed to be hope dealers [35:19] Right, that’s what we sling to the world
[35:22] That’s what we give to the world [35:25] Is that there is a hope that transcends death and when you have that type of hope nothing should be able to take it [35:31] away from you [35:32] And so what needs to happen in your life is you apply it to your life you stop feeling so sorry for yourself [35:40] and [35:41] You say no matter what comes my way
[35:44] I have hope because of Jesus all of the promises of God find their yes in him
[35:51] And then and only then will you ever have hope to offer anyone else [35:57] I’m gonna walk around gloom and doom feeling sorry for yourself [36:00] And then you’re like, you know, I don’t really have many gospel conversations. That’s because no one wants the hope that you’ve got friend [36:07] Because it’s not very attractive [36:09] Doesn’t look very hopeful to anybody [36:12] But see when you’re a follower of Jesus you’re one that has hope you see
[36:18] In our lives, we have so many choices [36:21] We have so many things that are going to come our way we have so many things that are going to happen [36:26] We have hard decisions to make we have hard situations to face [36:30] But right now where we are as a world the Church of Jesus Christ [36:34] Must rise up and be those people who do not base their hopes on this world
[36:40] We must be a people who define our hope by a king who will reign forever [36:45] We must be a people who will find our hope find our peace find our love and find our joy in [36:51] The God who came the God who lived the God who died and the God who rose again [36:56] From the dead and then we offer it to the world that [37:02] Is what the world is looking for [37:05] You know a few weeks ago
[37:07] We started this series and really a week before we started this series [37:12] We said that on December the 18th [37:14] We were going to take up an offering called the Ladi moon Christmas offering that would be for the international international missions board [37:20] Today is the day of that offering and you’re like, well, what does that have to do with what we’ve been talking about? [37:25] What does that have to do with this issue of hope? Here’s what I want you to understand [37:30] You are the one that has hope in you, but then Jesus says he says go tell the world
[37:36] He says make disciples of all nations is as they need to know the hope that is within you [37:42] But what I want you to understand about this world is is that you are the hope for your neighborhood
[37:50] You are the hope for your family [37:53] If you’ve trusted in Jesus, you are the hope for your friends and for your co-workers. What do I mean by that? [38:01] Well, there are literally places in this world
[38:05] Where there are no Christians in the neighborhood [38:09] There’s no one in the neighborhood that’s ever even heard the gospel of Jesus Christ [38:12] There are places in this world where there are no Christians and the tribe [38:17] There are no Christians in the region not in my family not in the workplace [38:23] Not where I hunt and gather for food. There are no Christian witnesses in many areas of this world. So they are literally [38:32] hopeless
[38:35] But we have the opportunity
[38:39] To be a part of not just my neighborhood not just my family not just my friends and my co-workers [38:44] But we have an opportunity to be a part of reaching the world [38:50] with the gospel of Jesus Christ [38:52] We have the opportunity to be a part of taking the hope that is within us to people who have never [38:59] Heard the name of Jesus and we partner all year with the International Missions Board [39:04] But this time every year we mark one Sunday where we get everybody ready and we say
[39:11] 100% of what we take in today [39:14] Is gonna go to the International Missions Board. This is a missions board that has I think it’s a little under [39:20] 5,000 [39:22] People all over the world some of them in places that we can’t even talk about because they’re so strategic and there’s danger [39:28] Going on in those areas [39:30] There are people in our country that are organizing all of it getting people visas getting people
[39:36] Understanding and acclimated to speaking the language to where I mean [39:39] It’s a huge undertaking and it costs money to get the hope to the world and [39:46] So we who are very blessed [39:49] We have the opportunity to make sacrifice and it is a sacrifice some of you many of you are on razor-thin margins [39:56] I understand that some of you trying to figure out you know pay your rent next month [40:01] But here’s what I want you to understand first God can do a lot with a little
[40:06] But then second how many lattes can you do without the next month [40:11] Now let’s be real. Let’s be honest [40:15] Where can you sacrifice where you look and you say, you know what the hope that’s in me? [40:20] It’s vital that I get it to others [40:23] What can you do? [40:25] To get the gospel to the world now as the band comes up
[40:30] I’m going to invite some other people up to we got some some of my friends some of my good buddies from upstairs [40:36] You know, they’re the ones that if you come here, we often hear stampeds [40:40] That are above us and we’re terrified. They’re going to fall on us. Well up in village kids [40:45] They’ve been actually working for the last couple of weeks [40:49] We kind of started planning in the fall to have village kids really take part and I recognize one of them [40:54] He’s got great DNA. That’s why he’s so good-looking
[40:58] It’s my son I’m not gonna bite come on up this isn’t holy ground. This is my ground [41:04] You come on up anybody [41:07] Man praise God [41:09] But our kids here’s what we did. All right [41:11] We wanted our kids and it’s one thing that I understand about village kids [41:15] Our kids are learning to follow Jesus up there
[41:18] Our kids are learning what it is to be generous for the mission of Jesus up there [41:22] And so some of our great village kids workers Kayla the leader and and I think
[41:30] Kelly little [41:32] and [41:33] Sometimes I forget things as our missions director and what we did was we challenged our kids [41:38] We gave me these little coupon books and they if you’re a parent [41:42] You hopefully got one of these and they went home and gave them to their parents and they were to earn money [41:46] By doing work to give to the International Mission Board through the Laudy Moon Christmas offering
[41:51] And so some of the kids probably on their way to church this morning. They were like, hey [41:54] Can I just have a couple of dollars? [41:56] Sorry about that, but for the most part our kids [42:00] I don’t know [42:01] My son has been working and laboring by helping take out the trash and I have a lot of trash in my life [42:07] And so he helps to take that out. I mean I made him doing all sorts of labor around the house while I drink lemonade
[42:13] It’s a great way to bring up kids, but but they’ve been working and earning money and here’s the key [42:19] Here’s what I want you to understand. I’m hearing stories that some of them are giving every dime of their allowance to this [42:24] I’ve still got some of my allowance from a kid [42:27] I’m so greedy and some of them have just been giving everything that they’ve been earning over the past few weeks [42:33] To give to the Laudy Moon Christmas offering and our final tally right now is that our kids guys ten and under [42:42] Have given
[42:43] $350 to the Laudy Moon Christmas offering give God a hand give our kids a hand [42:48] I love you, buddy. I want to thank you guys so much. I want to thank you so much for everything you’ve done [42:54] Thank you, Kayla. Thank you, Kelly little you guys can go on you don’t have to be up here anymore [42:58] You guys look so comfortable [43:00] They looked so happy to be up here. I couldn’t wait to get them all but uh [43:04] God God I was afraid somebody was gonna cry with kids. You never know
[43:09] But here’s what I want us to grasp [43:12] We’re training our children to follow Jesus [43:15] We’re training them to be generous for the mission of Jesus and [43:19] What this is this is a challenge that they’ve given to you [43:23] What can you do? [43:25] What can you give to get the gospel out now? We’re gonna take up an offering the ushers are gonna come forward
[43:31] And we’re gonna take up an offering today [43:33] And so and I hope you’ve been praying about this as a family for the past few weeks what you could do [43:38] But if you’re here this morning, and you’re like you just laid this on my lap [43:42] I haven’t even balanced my checkbook after going to the grocery store yesterday [43:45] We’re gonna we’re gonna keep taking this to the end of the year you can give on the website [43:49] You can just bring it on in but right now
[43:52] What can you give to get the gospel to the world so that we can help the missions board reach the nations? [43:59] Let’s worship Jesus