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Confident Hope





Those who had the experience of waiting in the hospital waiting rooms know it can be exhausting. Some of those times are filled with an agony and anxiety, filled with sorrow, loneliness, and fear. No one seems to enjoy this kind of sad, passive waiting. But another kind of waiting moves us to put up trees, light candles and stars and sing carols of joy. This anticipation brings hope and thrills our souls. We look forward to it all year long — waiting for the celebration of the coming of the Christ child. As we mark each day off the calendar, the excitement grows, moving us to acts of love and kindness toward friends and strangers alike. We wait, full of hope, because we know that good news is coming to a manger and into our hearts. This Advent, may we join the psalmist in singing, “I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning" (Psalm 130:6), like a sleepy guard on the last watch of the night stands in anticipation of the sunrise that will set him free from his toil. In a similar way, we wait during this month with excitement for the appearance of the Son who will set us free.

In Romans 13:12, Paul says: “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” When Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome, people were under the subjugation of a military machine and a cruel, relentless emperor. They needed desperately to learn how to find hope in the midst of oppression and suffering. He was giving them a message of hope that their trust in a faithful God will bring hope. Our life security is not determined by the circumstances that surround us, but by what we believe about the future. Hardships will pass soon because we believe in a God who is in control. “Rejoice in confident hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer" (Romans 12:12). Hope is powerful enough that one can hope against all odds, against all human evidence, which is phrased by the apostle Paul in Romans 4:18 as “hoping against hope.”

Christians around the world observe the season of Advent in the month of December. The meaning of Advent is 'coming or arrival'. It is the confident expectation of a promise to come to this world as savior. He appeared in history 2000 years ago. The season of Advent has past, present and future in itself. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah into history, it also signifies the longing for the coming of the Messiah into our hearts and lives; and also it alerts for His second Coming as the King. The Hope of His coming brightens the days ahead with possibility as never before. It is the day for the blind to see the beauty around them, it is the day for the prisoner to see freedom and it is the day of those who are waiting in sadness and disappointments to see the light of victory and success.

Advent waiting is about an expectant waiting. It is not just a waiting. It is a waiting with expectation. The Bible calls it the living hope. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). The word used for hope is the Greek word 'Elpis' that means ‘a favorable and confident expectation’. It has to do with a positive vision of the unseen and the future. Hope is not just wishful thinking, or a vague aspiration. It is a confident expectation. I hope it will be good weather tomorrow is a wishful thinking. But tomorrow is Monday is confident anticipation. But when an expectant mother says that the baby will be here next month, is a favorable expectation with confidence. It’s not ‘wanting’ things to turn out well. It is about being certain that they actually will turn out well in the midst of uncertainties. It means something that will, absolutely, positively come to pass. Hope is the absolute certainty that God is just as good today as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow.

We live in a broken world, full of broken dreams because of greed, failure, defeat and disappointment. Our bodies are broken with sickness, death and grief. There are so many ways that hope can be shattered. In the midst of this grim situation, the people of faith have a season of celebration. Because of Jesus Christ, there is an expectation in the air that we hope for a new life, a new chance, a new start, a new day. Spiritual darkness of doubt and fear can hide the light of hope of a bright tomorrow. But the promis of Advent is that God has sent the light of hope. The songwriter (Edward Mote 1834) wrote when he faced darkness: "My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace.”

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Roman 15:13

Blessings

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Fulll sermon audio: Mathew Philip 

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