Advent: The Thrill of Hope - Romans 8:18-27

Christmas promises to produce a hope within us that is unwavering and thrilling beyond all compare. During the seasonal lead-up and celebration, it seems easy to believe that this is true and obtainable. However, for many of us once December 26 rolls around, Christmas is already a memory. The indication of whether we've embraced and received the true spirit of Christmas is not our hype in the build up, but our hope in the aftermath. When we've fully trusted in Jesus and have placed our hope in Him, we find everything this world won't and can't give us. Often we settle for hype because to truly find hope requires that we let go of any and all false hopes. For this reason, many celebrate Christmas but fewer are changed by Christmas. In this message we talk about why hope is always better than hype, and we identify and expose our false hopes. Christmas creates a space where all who are wearied can be honest about it and can rejoice knowing that Jesus is our unwavering hope.