Advent: The call to Hope
Passage: Isaiah 9:2,6-7 Preacher: Mark Kingston
QUICK RECAP
In Sunday's talk, we started by looking at places other then hope that we can find ourselves in.
Some of us live in fear—always braced for the worst. It’s exhausting, like walking through life holding your breath, waiting for the next blow. Then there’s cynicism. It’s safer than hope because hope risks disappointment. But it’s a dark, heavy place, where the glass isn’t just half-empty—it’s cracked and leaking. Or maybe it’s apathy. Life feels beige, like an endless waiting room. No highs, no lows, just… "blah".
But then there’s hope.
Biblical hope is different from optimism or wishful thinking. It doesn’t deny the darkness. It looks straight at it and says, “The light is coming.” Biblical hope isn’t rooted in circumstances or other people who might let us down—it’s rooted in God. That's why it's dependable.
Isaiah paints this picture beautifully:
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light… For to us a child is born.”
That child is Jesus. Hope comes as a baby in a manger, small and fragile, yet carrying the weight of the world.
He’s our Wonderful Counselor, bringing wisdom.
He's our Mighty God, bringing strength.
He's our Prince of Peace, bringing wholeness.
This kind of hope is solid because it’s grounded in God’s unshakable promises. Advent invites us to take a risk and try this 'Jesus' hope. And remember: hope doesn’t mean the darkness is gone. It means the darkness doesn’t win.
