Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon today. I hope that you are having a very good week. I know that I am very glad to be able to post the message for this week.
For the next few weeks, we will be focusing on the Advent season as we prepare for the birth of the Savior on Christmas day. It is a time of hope, peace, joy and love.
In today's message, I would like us to focus our attention on the situation that existed before Jesus' Advent into this world. And I would like us to focus on the hope that Jesus brough then, now and in the future.
There are a couple of hymns that reflect for us the way in which the world found itself before the coming of the Lord into this world. One hymn that we sing at Christmastime is O Come, O Come Emmanuel. This hymn tells us that the people needed Emmanuel to come and rescue the people. The world was in darkness, and they needed the light of the Messiah to bring what was right back into this world. Another hymn that I think of at this time says "the whole world was lost in the darkness of sin, the light of the world is Jesus."
Before Jesus was born into this world, sin reigned within this world. Darkness was everywhere. God originally created this world perfect and there was no sin. But our forbears sinned, and death passed upon all people. Sin reigned, and darkness reigned.
However, in the midst of all of this sin, darkness and seeming hopelessness, all was not lost. The Father in Heaven was not content to let His creation abide in darkness and hopelessness. Clear back in Genesis 3:15, a promise was made that one born of woman would come and break the hold of the evil one on this earth. That is the first promise of the Messiah. The first promise of the Savior.
There are many other passages in the Old Testament that speak of the one that God would send to redeem His people and bring help and hope into this world. Isaiah chapter 11 and Isaiah 53 are passages that speak of the Messiah coming to this world to make a difference. He would come and bring forgiveness of sins and light into the darkness.
Jesus came into this world as the one who was promised by God. In Jesus, the light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it. Jesus is the one who was promised, and He has brought to us the love of God. Through His life, death and resurrection, sin is defeated. He has brought help and hope to the human race.
Jesus brought help to us in our sin then, and He offers His help and light to us now. But, the world is not all that it is supposed to be yet. However, there is coming a day when Jesus will return. When He does, all that is opposed to God and the things of God will be done away. All will be well.
Right now living in a hard world we can take heart in the fact that help in on the way. Jesus is coming. Just as He came in the First Advent, He is coming again. We can live in hope and live in the light of His ever present love. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for me in regard to my health. I am having a hard time.
Remember to pray for peace in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and Sudan.
Let us keep praying for those recovering from the storms in Alaska, the Caribbean, the Philippines and Vietnam.
For our prayer focus countries, let us pray for those in the nations of Iran and Sierra Leone. Pray that many will come to know the Lord.
Next week, we will have another Advent message. I will post the verses on Tuesday and the next chapter of the book on Wednesday. May God bless you all.
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