Advent Pt. 1: The Hope that Lights the Way - 12/3/2023

Pastor Dale Benson Romans 5:1-5   We throw the word “hope” around a lot. Most often in scripture we find hope accompanied by other virtues or circumstances that shape it or give definition to it.   * “Where then is my hope – who can see any hope for me?” – Job * “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper and not to harm you.  Plans for a future and a hope.” – The Prophet Jeremiah Very often, hope gets overshadowed by the other virtues it gets grouped with. Take for example, Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth: * “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love.” – The Apostle Paul Hope is rarely revealed in isolation. Often, hope brings along companions like faith, love, joy, patience, long suffering. For the Christian, hope should be compared more too a huge, solid, safe rock, rather than a vapor.   Biblical Hope vs Western Hope (The Rock/Anchor vs Vapor) * In Greek Mythology: * Pandora brings with her a jar containing "burdensome toil and sickness that brings death to men,” diseases, and "a myriad other pain.”  * Prometheus had – fearing further reprisals – warned his brother Epimetheus not to accept any gifts from Zeus. But Epimetheus did not listen; he accepted Pandora, who promptly scattered the contents of her jar. As a result, Hesiod tells us, “The earth and sea are full of evils.” One item, however, did not escape the jar: hope. * Only hope was left within her unbreakable house, she remained under the lip of the jar, and did not fly away. Before [she could], Pandora replaced the lid of the jar. This was the will of aegis-bearing Zeus the Cloud gatherer. * We are not told why hope remained in the jar.  Was one of the other demons or spirits to be released on humanity? Was hope different than the others? Elipis does not maintain a very important role in Greek mythology and some even hold a negative view of her as Elpis is often simply translated “anticipation.” * We must remember, however that the Hebrew people from whom the Jews were descendants, did not view hope from the same perspective. * The Hebrew word Tikvah has the meaning of something strong and sure. Like we read earlier in Jeremiah: I know the plans I have for you. . . Not for evil, but for a future and a hope!   Romans 5:1-5 (NLT) Hope that is seen is not hope. . . What Paul is basically saying here is you don’t have to hope for something when it is already in your hand.   Colossians 1:25-29 (NLT)   Hope lights the path to the manger that reminds us of God’s faithfulness in the past.  Hope lights the path toward the return of Christ and our faithfulness in the future.   “Christ in you” assures the reflection of that same hope through you to others in the present!