​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
December 27, 2020
Russell Long
Psalm 111: A Hallelujah Helper             December 27 2020
Millions of people have used this product since its introduction in 1971. You may even have a couple of boxes of it in your pantry right now: Hamburger Helper. It may not be what you serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but it’s obviously tasty and convenient enough for people to keep buying and using. It’s the same reason Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is so popular. Sometimes you just need a quick meal that everyone in the family is happy to eat.
Just as we need some help with meal prep from time to time, we Christians often need help with our worship prep. Maybe today was one of those Sundays. It’s not Easter, Christmas is over, and so you didn’t come to church with the expectation of an inspiring service. Instead you went through your morning routine feeling more obligated than excited to go to church. Wouldn’t it be something if there was a product that could put us in the right frame of mind for worship every Sunday? Hamburger Helper won’t do that, but Psalm 111 can. It’s a Hallelujah Helper. A close look at this Psalm will motivate us to lift our hallelujahs to God with genuine cheerfulness no matter what Sunday or day of the week it is.
Psalm 111 in fact begins in Hebrew with the word “Hallelujah!” Ever wonder what that word means exactly? It means: “Praise the Lord!” Why should we want to do that? Listen again to a few verses from Psalm 111. “Praise the Lord…Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered…” (Psalm 111:1a, 3, 4a).
Our God is worth praising because his deeds are majestic. You might think of how God created the earth in six days with his powerful Word. I’ve gained a new appreciation for this miracle when I compare it to the construction being done a typical house. It takes planning drawings, plumbers, carpenters, painters, carpet layers and others to get the job done. No matter how carefully a person builds a house or a church, there’s always going to be something that could have been done better. And yet when God was done with his work of creation on that first Friday afternoon, he looked with satisfaction on a universe with stars, comets, oceans, animals, and two people named Adam and Eve. Everything God created was absolutely perfect. Genesis 1:31 says “ And indeed it was very good.”
But then sin came into the world and ruined everything just as a single grain of sand can easily ruin an expensive camera. So perhaps you don’t feel so inclined to raise a “Hallelujah!” for God’s work of creation – not when it’s cold outside and we have the windows open. Consider more closely then these sentences from the verses we just read: “He provides food for those who fear him… 6 He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations.” The author seems to be alluding to the way in which God provided for the Israelites after he rescued them from Egypt. He not only brought them out of slavery, He also provided food for them as they made their way to the Promised Land.
We’re not struggling through a wilderness like the Israelites did, but we are reliant on the food and homes that God provides for us every day. What’s amazing is that God continues to provide for us even when our attitude is less than thankful. Sure, you may have paid for the food that’s on your table but who gave you the ability to earn the money to buy the food? Who ensures peace so that the food could be delivered to the grocery store from which you purchased it? God. And so he is deserving of our praise.
But what ought to motivate us even more to give God our hallelujahs is what the psalmist said in this verse: “He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—” (Psalm 111:9a). This verse has special meaning for all who are baptized, for through baptism God has made a covenant with us. A covenant is like a contract. As in building a house each of those contracts states what the plumber, the electrician, or the painter will do in exchange for what we will do for them: pay them. Compare those contracts with the covenant God made with you in baptism. Through baptism God adopted you as his child. He washed your sins away. He gave you the Holy Spirit and has granted you eternal life through faith in Jesus. He’s done this all for free and forever. Have you ever seen a contract like that? Have you ever heard of a will in which the signatory left everything to his worst enemy, even pledging that his heirs will be the enemy’s servants forever? That’s what God has done for you and for me, for all those who have been baptized. For even though we, as sinners, were God’s enemies, through baptism God pledged himself to us and gives us blessings through Jesus we don’t deserve. That’s quite a covenant! It’s no wonder the psalmist concluded that verse by saying, “…holy and awesome is his name” 
But if our God is so deserving of our hallelujahs, why can days, even weeks go by without any praises escaping our lips? It’s because like the Israelites we have such a short term memory when it comes to remembering God’s blessings and his love for us. The psalmist gives us a way to combat this attitude. He wrote: “Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them” (Psalm 111:2). The word “ponder” in Hebrew literally means to “visit often.” Does that describe your routine with God’s Word? Do you visit it often, as often as you visit your favorite Facebook page? No, the content of Faithbook (God’s Word) doesn’t ever change like the content on Facebook does so Satan makes us believe that there is no point in visiting God’s Word often. But although God’s Word doesn’t change, your life does! A psalm you read last year may not have seemed to say much to you at the time but what about today? What new challenges are you trying to sort through that this psalm would speak to?
The story is told of a church member who shared how visiting again a portion of the Bible she had read many times before led to a truth she knew well but was presented in an inspiring way she hadn’t thought of before. She was reading from the book of Exodus about the building of the tabernacle, that tent-church which served as the focal point for Israelite worship in Moses’ day. Besides the tabernacle itself, God wanted his people to build the ark of the covenant, the altar of incense, a lampstand, and other worship utensils all made from or covered with gold. God then appointed a man named Bezalel to be the chief artisan and gave him the ability to build these objects. You can bet that if we had these objects today, and if God permitted this, they would be on display in a world-class museum – not just because they would be 3,500 years old by now, but because they would be genuine works of art to rival anything Michelangelo sculpted.
But when Bezalel and his helpers were done with the work, these objects were kept in the tabernacle where only the priests got to see them. In fact, the ark of the covenant was only seen by the high priest once a year or when the Israelites moved from one place to the next. How did Bezalel feel about that? Wouldn’t he have wanted everyone to see his handiwork? It’s this thought that struck this student of God’s Word: all our gifts and talents come from the Lord and are to be used for his glory – even if no one else sees or appreciates what God has done through us. Doesn’t that truth help in your daily work as a mother for example? Very few people see how many vegetables you have cut for school lunches. Your family probably takes for granted the hours of your life you have spent in line at the grocery store for them. And that card you made to cheer up a friend? She treasures it for sure but no one else may know about the effort you put into making that. And that’s OK. Your talent and your faithfulness might not be obvious to the people around you, but God sees and delights in them just as he delighted in the works of art that Bezalel made for the tabernacle. What other truths like that will God open your eyes to this week as you visit again his Word?
That brings me to one last point our psalm makes. The first verse of the psalm reads like this: “I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly” (Psalm 111:1). The psalmist is encouraging us to do more than visit God’s word often in the privacy of our home, he points out the importance of joining with fellow believers to sing God’s praises. it’s God’s encouragement. Put it into practice. Now we are in the middle of a pandemic and many are afraid to come out. I get that totally. You can worship online with us and connect with others in church through phone calls and other means.
But will you be excited about going to church every Sunday? No. So what can you do? Well, when you’re stuck for a meal idea you can reach for the Hamburger Helper, but when your hallelujahs have become stuck in your throat reach for Psalm 111 – that Hallelujah Helper. As you read the psalm again, you’ll be reminded of the many reasons you have to praise the Lord, even if it isn’t Easter or Christmas. Psalm 111 teaches that we have an awesome God who saved us from our sin, and who never takes a break from caring for us. May we never take a break from praising him.
One year ago today I was up here and talked about new year’s resolutions. How do we successfully carry out our resolutions? It all begins with the vision of Christ in our hearts, in our minds, and before our eyes. May one of your resolutions be to spend time in God’s word, looking to see what he has for you to hear. Who knows what you may discover?   “Hallelujah!” Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (4th Sunday in Advent, December 20, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“God’s Love Revealed!”
1 John 4:7-12; 18-21
 
The Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, (1886-1968), is regarded as one of the greatest Reformed theologians of the 20th century.  One of Barth’s accomplishments is his Church Dogmatics.  You may be interested to know that Barth’s Church Dogmatics runs to over six million words and 8,000 pages ~ one of the longest works of systematic theology ever written.  When Barth visited the University of Chicago in 1962, students and scholars crowded around him.  At a press conference, someone asked, “Dr. Barth, what is the most profound truth you have learned in your studies?”  Without hesitation Barth replied, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”  Karl Barth, the greatest mind of the 20th century, was impacted and touched most, not be reading theology, but by the simple gospel truth, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
 
Today is the Fourth and last Sunday of Advent.  The Season of Advent takes us from hope, to peace, to joy, and now to love.  LOVE is celebrated as the theme of this Sunday.  I am grateful that on this Fourth Sunday in Advent we get to focus and reflect on God’s love.  I believe that we, as a church, and also as individuals, need to come back to the foundation.  What is this all about? 
 
Sometimes we just need to step back and ask ourselves: what is this all about?  Someone said that sometimes we need “a gospel reset.”  And if we are hitting that reset button, we need some kind of “truth” or “main idea” or “start screen” that sets us straight and tells us where to go.  I believe this Forth Sunday in Advent takes us to that main idea, to that start screen.  It takes us to the magnitude and wonders of God’s love.
 
If the birth of Christ tells us one thing about God, it tells us that our God is a loving God.  When humans failed to reach God because of our spiritual blindness, God reached out to humanity.  When humanity failed to find God, God left His glory in heaven and came down to earth to search for us.  When we couldn’t figure God out, He revealed Himself to us; he lived among us; walked down our streets; our eyes have seen Him, and our hands have touched Him.  The incarnation of Jesus Christ reminds us that God absolutely loves us.  Yes, it’s hard to wrap our heads around this amazing truth because it seems too good to be true.
 
So as we ponder God’s love on this Fourth Sunday of Advent, please allow me to share with you this morning two short observations from First John chapter 4.
 
First: Be Assured of God’s Love
The Apostle John speaks of God’s love not as much as an attribute of God, but as part of God’s very nature.  “God is love,” says 1 John 4:9.  John wanted his audience to capture this transforming truth and to be assured of God’s love.  1 John 4:16 states, “We have known and believe the love that God has for us.”  John says you’ve got to know that love and to believe it.  It’s so sweet.  It’s so good.  “I have known God’s love and I’ve got to believe it,” John says.  I wish that you would do too.
 
For some people, this truth may sound elementary, it’s a Sunday School lesson.  And indeed it is, but it’s also a lesson that we need to learn over and over again.  In fact, when it comes to the challenges and problems we face in our lives today, a lot of it has to do with us not really knowing that God loves us; a lot of it has to do with us not grasping the love of God.  How many times you’ve asked yourself if God loves me, why I am going through all these difficulties, trials, and tribulations?  If God loves me, why things are going south?  If God loves me, why my health is failing?
 
John wants us to be assured of God’s love because God’s love transcends our circumstances.  The more we are assured of God’s love for us and of how much we don’t deserve it, the more we are humbled and filled with joy, and then the more we are poured out in love for others, which all amounts to magnifying the glory of God.  Be assured of God’s love.
 
Second: God’s Love is Demonstrated
But you may ask yourself, why we can be assured of God’s love?  First John chapter 4 gives us a few reasons why we can be assured of God’s love.  John says, God’s love is demonstrated and displayed.  God’s love is a person.  We can see this right here in 1 John 4:9, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son,” says John in his gospel 3:16.
 
What the apostle John says in his gospel and letters is also echoed by the apostle Paul in Romans 5, which again is super clear.  In Romans 5:8 Paul says: “God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  The birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ is where we see the love of God displayed.  Jesus Christ is the most vivid display of God’s love.
 
What John is saying — and what actually the whole New Testament is saying — is that we don’t ever have to wonder if God loves us.  We don’t have to scratch our heads about this because when we ponder the mystery of God’s incarnation, it’s impossible to miss the point.  It’s impossible to miss God’s love.  God has made it so clear that we never have to question His love.  God has shown His love for us.  He has made it plain.  He has spelled it out.  God has demonstrated His love for you.  How?  When Jesus came down from heaven and died for you. 
 
Friends, as you leave this house of worship today, I want you to know that you’re loved.  You’re loved beyond measures.  The evidence of God’s love is not the smooth sailing, but the scars on Christ’s palms.  They will never fade away because they are the sign and seal of His everlasting love.  We have done nothing to earn God’s love and nothing we will ever do that might cause God to stop loving us.  So day after day after day we are called to reflect God’s love.  When we use our time, talent, and treasure to expand God’s kingdom, we reflect God’s love for us.  When we love one another, we reflect God’s love.  When we love the stranger and unloved, we reflect God’s love.  There is no fear in love.  There is assurance and affirmation.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (3rd Sunday in Advent, December 13, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor 
 
“Find Joy in the Right Place!”
Luke 10:17-24
 
Luke chapter ten takes place near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry.  Jesus got time for one last preaching tour before He makes His final journey to Jerusalem and the cross.  So to get the towns and villages ready for His arrival, Jesus sends out 70 of His disciples in pairs to prepare the way.  He sent them out with His blessing and with some simple instructions that we find in Luke 10:8-9, “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.  Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”  As Jesus commissioned them, He said in Luke 10:16, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
 
Luke doesn’t give us too much details about the adventures of the 70 so we don’t know if they were welcomed or dismissed, if people rejoiced or rejected the gospel message they proclaimed.  But one thing we do know, the 70 newly commissioned disciples return from their first mission trip rejoicing over the outcome.  They returned with joy, and they stated the reason for their joy: “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”  Everything Jesus said came true.  Jesus rejoiced with His faithful disciples, saying in Luke 10:18-19: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”  The disciples are pleased and so is Jesus.  In fact, if you read between the lines a bit, you can even see a smile on Jesus’ face.
 
The Real Source of True Joy
But in the same breath, Jesus wants the disciples to step back and think about an even greater source of joy; a true source of genuine joy.  In Luke 10:20, Jesus said, “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  Why?  Why would Jesus pour cold water on their faithful work and their resulting joy?  
 
I want you to know that Jesus never meant to discourage the disciples or minimize their accomplishments, rather, Jesus wanted to take their rejoicing to a new level, a more excellent level.  In other words, Jesus reminded the disciples that the work He has given them to do is well and good, but they should not lose sight of a greater source of joy, namely, eternal security.  There was a better place for them to find their joy. 
 
Today is the Third Sunday in Advent.  The season of Advent takes us from hope to peace and now to joy.  But I want you to seriously consider this question.  What really makes you happy?  Over this last week, what has brought joy to your heart?  What do you like to see every day that puts a smile on your face?  What would you enjoy in the future that would cause your heart to sing?
 
A most recent research data showed that most humans agree that the following items will make them happy: Good or improved health, a romantic relationship, more money, weight loss, peaceful family relationships, genuine friendships, nice vacation and good weather.  These things are not evil in themselves.  And I am not saying that we shouldn’t consider these special blessings and be thankful to God when they come. It’s fine to pursue them.  And when we get them, we should be grateful.  Yet, Jesus invited His disciples to a greater source of joy in Luke 10.
 
The Joy of Names Written in Heaven
The words of Jesus to the 70 in Luke 10 should be a wakeup call for us.   Where do we find true joy?  Jesus redirects our focus away from our accomplishments in this world to what He has accomplished for us on the cross.  “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  This is where we are to find our true joy; not in our own accomplishments, but in what Christ has accomplished on our behalf.  True joy is not found in what this world gives, but in what God offers us.
 
Basically, Jesus was saying rejoice in what God has done for you.  Salvation, the gift of eternal life, is not something we do, but something that God does for us.  Luke puts the verb in the passive voice.  It literally means, “rejoice that your names have been written in heaven.”  The verb that Luke uses and is translated “written” is the Greek “eggraphō” which means recorded permanently in heaven.  Who wouldn’t rejoice over this great truth?
 
Friends, needless to say, this has been a tough year.  Brokenness is all around us.  Where do we find joy?  Is it even possible to rejoice in 2020?  How can we rejoice in the midst of a global pandemic?  How can we rejoice in the face of death, loss, pain, and suffering?  Jesus would say it’s when we accomplish what He has given us to accomplish that we will certainly find true joy.  It’s true that joy is found in using time, talents, and treasures to serve the Lord.  God is pleased when we faithfully carry out our individual callings – whatever that might be.  But even when we fail to do that, let’s remember that our greatest joy is knowing that we are loved and redeemed by God.  The greatest joy is knowing that your name has been written in the Book of Life in heaven.  So as we get to the final days of 2020 and as you realize how hard it is to be joyful this year, let your heart rejoice that your name has been written in heaven.  To Him be the glory, now and forever more.  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (2nd Sunday in Advent, December 6, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor 
 
“Peace for Troubled Times!”
Isaiah 26:1-4; John 14:25-27
 
Today we continue our Advent journey and on this Second Sunday in Advent, we focus our attention on PEACE.  This week we remember that peace is our inheritance.  It’s God’s gift to His children.  Today we remember that from God alone can we receive the peace we need when our days get stormy and trials and tribulations stir up the waters around us.  As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are empowered to utilize the gift of Christ’s peace.  Today we get to remember that we will not be shaken or discouraged by what we see and hear around us, but in a collective determination we will live out the power of God’s peace within us. 
 
I truly believe this is another timely message.  Peace is what we all need in the face of this pandemic.  There is a constant need for peace.  Our world needs peace.  Our own nation needs peace.  Our families need peace.  We, as individuals, need peace.  Where does peace come from?  Where is real and lasting peace found?  As we ponder this topic this week, I pray that you will find God’s peace in these troubled times.
 
This morning I would like to share with you three important principles that we find in the Bible when it comes to understanding peace; three transformational and foundational principles.  What does the Bible say about peace?  But before I share these three principles with us this morning, it might be helpful at this point to define peace.
 
What is Peace?
What is peace?  “Peace” is one of the most misunderstood concepts in our culture today.  Most of us today would think of “peace” as an absence of war or conflict.  We think of peace as a smooth sailing where everything seems to be just fine.  Yet, the concept of “shalom” in the Old Testament is more comprehensive.  “Shalom” means more than just an absence of war or conflict.  It refers to a sense of wholeness, completeness, fulness, and harmony.  It also carries with it the implication of permanence.
 
In the New Testament, the Greek word for peace is “Eirene”, and it literally means “to join or bind together that which has been separated.”  That’s what faith is all about.  When we trust Jesus as our personal Savior, He binds us to Himself for all eternity.  This unity with Christ gives us harmony, inner rest, and a state of reconciliation with God.  According to the new Testament, peace, therefore, originates in our relationship with God.  Our entering into a relationship with God marks the beginning of our ability to experience God’s true, heart-changing, and supernatural peace. 
 
Peace is not the absence of trouble.  Rather, it is the assurance that God is right there with you in the midst of your troubles.  In other words, don’t wait for all of your problems to be solved and then decide to quit worrying and to have peace.  It is actually the opposite.  Decide to trust God in spite of the hardships and troubles around you.  In Isaiah 26:3-4, the Prophet reminds us, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”  Three important principles as we look at this topic today:
 
First: Jesus is the Exclusive Source of Peace
Christ is the exclusive source of peace.  In our Scripture passage from John 14:27, Jesus boldly said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”  Jesus is the only source of true peace.  Seven hundred years before Christ was born, the Prophet Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be the Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6 states, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  On the night of His birth in Bethlehem, the angels filled the night sky with the chorus “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” Luke 2:14. Friends, when Christ was born, peace was born because heaven reached out to earth and God reconciled humanity to Himself.
 
Second: The Lasting Nature of Christ’s Peace
Christ’s peace is radically different than the world’s peace.  In John 14:27 Jesus goes on to contrast between His peace and the world’s peace.  Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”  When you contrast something, you’re trying to point out how much better one is than the other.  And Jesus says, “I don’t give to you as the world gives.”  Jesus is contrasting His peace against the peace that the world gives.  The peace that Christ gives is genuine and everlasting, but the world offers a false peace; one that is fleeting at best.
 
Third: God’s Peace Transcends our Circumstances
God’s peace always transcends our circumstances.  Writing from his prison cell, the apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Philippi saying, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7.  Yes, we can have God’s peace while in the middle of a storm.  We can have peace in the good and bad times alike.  Nothing should rob us of our peace.  In spite of our circumstances, God can keep us in perfect peace. 
 
The world will be just as troubled, and conflict will continue to abound.  But we can be at peace not because this world is in good shape, but because the ONE who holds us in His hand is greater than all of the problems facing us and the brokenness we feel. We can trust Him to safely bring us through the swamps and jungles of life, and into His eternal presence.
 
“Give me some peace.”  That’s the cry of humanity today.  Psalms 29:11 reminds us, “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”  A trip to Hawaii may bring you some momentary peace.  A Yoga class may bring you some relaxation and stress relief.  But believe me permanent, lasting, perfect, and transcendent peace is only found in Christ.  He is our peace,” says Paul in Ephesians 2:14. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  Amen. 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (First Sunday in Advent ~ November 29, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
“Finding Hope in the Midst of a Pandemic!”
Psalm 46; 1 Peter 1:13-16
 
If you’re familiar with the Church liturgical year, you would know that today is the First Sunday in Advent.  Advent is one of the most uplifting church seasons.  As you may know, the word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus” which means “coming.”   The season lasts for four Sundays leading up to Christmas.  Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation; we prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the First Coming of Christ, while looking forward to His Second Coming in glory.
 
During Advent, four important themes are emphasized: hope, peace, joy, and love.  Being the First Sunday in Advent, “Hope” is the theme of our worship together today.  It’s the hope of Christ’s coming; it’s the hope of God’s intervention.  I truly believe that hope is what we need the most in the face of a global pandemic.  Hope is a very broad topic and it’s impossible to cover it in one sermon, but I would like to spend a few minutes this morning unpacking very briefly this important topic.
 
Any examination of the topic of hope should start with defining hope.  What is hope?  What is the Biblical definition of hope?  Then we will look at the source or the foundation of our hope.  Where does hope come from?  Finally, I will look at what does it mean for us today to live as people of hope?
 
First: What is Hope?
What is hope?  Unfortunately, hope is an overused word in our culture.  You hope that your team wins the Super Bowl, or you hope you will get a raise this year.  Hope, as the world sees it, is a longing for something that may or may not take place.  If someone says to you that “I hope you have a good day,” there is no guarantee that the day will go well.  That is not hope…that is wishful thinking and it is utterly undependable and has no power to bring anything to pass.
 
Biblical hope, however, is something entirely different than the wishful thinking of the world.   Biblical hope is not a feeling or an emotion.  The Christian hope is far superior to that of the world.  Biblical hope is “A deep settled confidence that God will keep His promises!”  Biblical hope is a “joyful, confident expectation.”  Do you see the difference between the world’s hope and the Christian hope?  To have a Biblical hope is to have a sure anchor of the soul.  If this is what hope means, what is the source or the foundation of our hope?
 
Second: Where Does Hope Come From?
Where does hope come from?  Our hope is rooted in God’s faithfulness.  Ever since the heavenly Father created time, everything has been in flux—everything changes, except God Himself.  The environment changes with the seasons, and in a similar way, our life also goes through seasons.  Some are filled with joy, while others are characterized by difficulty.  But the Lord is faithful, and we can always take comfort in knowing this.
 
Faithfulness is one of God’s unchanging attributes.  It means that He always does exactly what He says He will do and acts in accordance with His nature.  He can never deny Himself, so, for example, when God promises in Isaiah 46:4, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you,” you can count on Him when you sail rough seas.
 
God’s unchanging nature and faithfulness is an important foundation of our hope.  Believers know that their hope is solid, concrete evidence because it is grounded in the very nature of God, in God’s faithfulness.  The Christian hope cannot be moved by circumstances or what the eyes see because an unseen God is seen in His faithfulness.  I like the words of Psalm 91:4. It says, “His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”  True hope is grounded in God and springs from God’s faithfulness.
 
Third: What Does it Mean to Live as People of Hope?
Finally, what does it mean for us today to live as people of hope?  Of course, it doesn’t mean that we will be exempt from facing the difficulties, the hardships, the heartaches of this world because believers and unbelievers alike will have to face those times.  Rather, for us as believers, we have the hope, the assurance, the confidence, of God’s presence with us.  So when we are lonely, we can rely on God’s presence.  When we become week, we can rely on God’s power.  When our resources run out, we can rely on God’s provision.  When you hear those voices telling you to just quit, to give up, and to let go, hope comes in handy.  Don’t stop.  Keep going because God is able to shine his light in the midst of our darkness.  When we are perplexed, confused, and paralyzed by the tragedies of this world, we can be assured that in all things God work for the good of those who love Him.
 
Friends, we are a people of hope.  God is not done with us.  There is still much to be done both in our own lives and in the world.  The Church of Jesus Christ has been called to be an agent of hope in a hopeless world.  In this First Sunday in Advent, we remember that hope is what our world needs the most in the face of this global pandemic.  In our New Testament lesson from this morning, in 1 Peter 1:13, Peter invites us,  “Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed.”
 
So as we revisit our understanding of hope this Advent Season, may we remember that hope is a person.  Colossians 1:27 states, “Christ in you is the hope of glory.”  May we never forget that true hope is found neither in our politics nor in our strong economy; hope is found neither in our power nor in our wealth.  In 1834, the British Baptist Minister Edward Mote (1797–1874), wrote this great hymn:

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name
Chorus
On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

2. When darkness hides His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
 
“I put my HOPE in YOU all day long,” says the Psalmist to God in Psalm 25:5.  May this become our prayer too as we enter this season of Advent.  Amen.