The Lord's goodness and his mercy endures forever.
Amen. See how I did that from the last two weeks.
You can tell it's definitely the Sunday after
Thanksgiving. It's very evident. Very evident.
And scientifically, they think they've proven
that... Turkey has a certain amount of lead in
it. And it's got you dragging this morning. Amen.
That means truth. Because you drag it. So if
you'll pray for me, maybe I won't drag. Drag
it out, drag it on. Maybe we'll say what we've
got to say and move along. Amen. And maybe we
can get it done in less than an hour. But I'm
excited. In preparing yesterday, I was literally
trembling on the inside, just shaking with what
the Lord has just been speaking to me. And when
it's done, you may get a car on your way to a
Mexican restaurant or wherever you're going saying,
Well, I'm glad he got something out of it. Just
know I did. Amen. And so the Lord just really
touched my heart the last few days. Matthew's
Gospel, first chapter. Look at verse 18. It's
familiar. We'll be going to very familiar places
with our scripture reading for the next few weeks.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.
When? As his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph
before they came together, she was found with
child of the Holy Ghost. Everybody say the Holy
Ghost. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just
man, not willing to make her a public example,
was minded to put her away privately. But while
he thought on these things, Behold, the angel
of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto
thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Ghost. She shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet,
saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son. And they shall call
his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is
God with us. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep,
did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him,
and took unto him his wife, and knew her not
till she had brought forth her firstborn son.
And he called his name Jesus. There's a lot in
that. I mean, this is loaded. And we don't have
time to unload it all. And you better hope it
don't move on me to try to do it. Because we
will be here a while. But I want to preach to
you on a thought. For years in my ministry, I
think around my third decade of ministry, Comparing
to some in here, that's still just a bleep on
the radar. But early, because I'm going to need
you to help me pray about it, this practice,
I just wasn't for it. Never have been for it.
I struggle with the liturgy of the church because
I was raised, in an old -fashioned Pentecostal
church. And now that I just had a flash in memory
and thinking about some of my pastors, they probably
didn't even know what this was. Some of the ones
I had growing up, they probably didn't know a
thing about Advent. What's that? And then they
had their own connection, and we sure didn't
do it. So we become products of our raising,
right? But in the last few years, I'm being drawn
more towards some, not all, but some of the liturgy
of our past. And this Advent wreath is one of
those. I'm just... Never really been. I don't
still like to put too much pomp and circumstance
around it. But when you read the text, as Pastor
Brian read to us today, and the semblance of
why we light this candle four Sundays before
Christmas, it begins to draw our focus. If you
keep the main thing, the main thing, liturgy,
is okay. Too many times in our humanity, though,
we're... We're more about the candle and the
wreath and the ribbon than we are the flame that
has been lit. So I erred to the other side of
that. Instead of trying to bring balance, I just
didn't bring it at all. So the Lord's been, I
think, dealing with me some in my latter years
that we focus on the importance on some of the
liturgy. And if you'll start praying this Sunday
for whenever I get ready to bring my Christmas
message, if the Lord don't change my mind, I'm
going to preach on Christmas tradition myth busters.
All you anti -Christmas tree folk, hang on. Don't
skip that Sunday because I'm going to help you.
I'm going to help you. See, I'm already ahead,
and I've got to start right here. So what I want
to preach to you this morning on this thought
before we pray is the mission of Advent. The
mission of Advent. Today is Mission Emphasis
Sunday. And so we're talking about the mission
of Advent. I hope you can see that within that
wreath. You see the Lord on that. White House.
Amen? Yeah. Lord, I love you today. I thank you
for your mercy and grace. Lord, I thank you for
your people. And Lord, we can't always ride the
high wave into your house because life comes
and things of life happen and practices of life
we go through. So Lord, may our hearts be open
today. Lord, may our minds be acceptable to your
word. May our spirit be receptive to your touch
and your draw. Help me now, Lord. Help me. I
need your help today in a mighty way. Help me,
Lord, as we together hear from heaven. In Jesus'
name, everybody say amen. The mission of Advent.
In our text today, just simply. the reference
to the Holy Ghost multiple times. The Holy Ghost
was present at the Advent, before the Advent.
He's working, moving, speaking. And in spite
of the world's philosophy, especially here in
our Western culture, in spite of all that philosophy,
Friday morning was not the official beginning
of the countdown to Christmas. Amen. When we
think about the countdown to Christmas, our attention
is drawn to the advent. For see, the advent begins
to point us as a reminder to the beginning of
anticipations. of what Christ came to do this
Advent season. Advent from the Latin, Adventus,
which means coming, sets in motion a time for
focus, anticipation, celebration of the birth
of our Savior as well as the return of Jesus.
The first of four candles that will be lit in
the following weeks, the first today, represents
hope. It's the candle of hope. The prophetic
words of Isaiah begin to foster hope in the people
of God. It's not a beginning of it, but it's
a reminder. We can go all the way to Genesis
3 .15 and find the beginning. where we have that
prophetic first voice, God himself is telling
that that seed of woman is coming. That's going
to put a smack down on the devil. He's coming.
So Isaiah is merely reminding God's people, Messiah
is coming. Amen? And so we look toward and hope
forward to the hope of the return. The first
advent points to the hope of the coming of the
Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one. Not only
is today the beginning of advent, but as we've
stated, it is our mission's emphasis Sunday.
And so as we draw from this season of advent,
it becomes a reminder that Christ's coming was
and remains the mission of God. And when we begin
to take into thought the mission of God, we understand
that just through this birth of his son, it's
revealed to us. You know the types and shadows
of the Old Testament. God brought forth that
lamb, amen, to be the Passover lamb, the one
whose blood would be the covering for the sins
of his people. The effort and the attempt of
heaven, the mission of heaven, is simply to reconcile
humanity to God himself. That's what it's all
about. That's what a lamb was about because of
sin and disobedience. That's what that blood
pouring out for was for, was that God could be
reconciled and be among his people. Amen? And
that is the focus of the advent. So the mission
of advent defined... By Christ's name. Look at
it in verse 21 of our text. They shall call his
name Jesus. Amen. When we think about all that
is in the titles of the names of the Son of God,
the advent points us toward the mission of God,
which is in the very name of the Son of God,
the incarnate one. Thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins.
beginning to get an idea now of how that advent
and mission goes together? It's at the very heart
of God himself. The name of Jesus begins to pour
it out. His name from the Hebrew is Yahshua or
Joshua as we would pronounce it, which simply
means the Lord is salvation or God saves. Are
you beginning to see now what God is trying to
formulate in simply through what we are lighting
a candle? This morning, we'll go through the
process, and they'll light their candle, and
they'll say, oh, that's sweet, but they'll miss
the whole point that it's beginning to turn our
focus again to the heart of God. It's about the
heart of God, and the heart of God is the reconciliation
of humanity with himself. It's all about the
mission, and on this Mission -ificent Sunday,
that's what we are about, that we understand
that the coming of the Christ was all about the
fulfillment. of the mission of the Heavenly Father
so that humanity could be reconciled. What are
you talking? I'm saying that we could be saved
from the wretchedness of our sin. It's all about
the heart of God. God's mission has always been
to save humanity. Luke 2 .10 says, The angel
said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be
to all people. You know that's the angelic choir
and the angel that is proclaiming to the shepherds
who sit on the hill sides. We'll talk about them
no doubt later on throughout this month and the
emphasis of the missions toward the message that
was shared by the shepherds. When we begin to
think about this, the angel of the Lord sharing
with them this good news, this good tiding, this
good hope is going to be to all people with great
joy. We begin to understand that God has formulated
this plan from the very beginning. You do understand
that Jesus was not an afterthought when the law
failed. Huh? He's not an afterthought. The plan
was always that he would come. But isn't it just
like a loving God who's giving opportunity to
his creation so that he might not have to send
him? My mind's just having a forward flash to
Calvary's hill in the prayer that, gee, how do
you get from a manger to Calvary? Well, it all
goes together. The story is intertwined. It's
all meant to be together. But I just had a flash
forward to the foot of Calvary's hill. But before
he enters there, he's in a garden and he prays,
not my will but thy will be done. And then I
hear in my mind's echo again from the foundations
of the world, Christ was slain from the very
beginning. But in the process of time, God sent
a plan that, Maybe he would not have to send
his son. Maybe I can reconcile my people through
the shedding of this lamb's blood. Maybe they
can live under these few ten rules. No, they
couldn't abide by that, and they could not hold
to that. And the blood of the lamb wasn't enough
to cleanse men's conscience and cleanse men's
heart. And so the plan now has always been the
advent from the very beginning and the dawning
of creation, even before Christ had already been
slain. God could see through time and ages and
endless millennia and to know that it would require
the sending of the advent. The advent would have
to happen and the only sacrifice worthy would
be God himself. So the mission of the advent
is the heart of God that God himself would recognize.
We have insight to the coming of this advent
all throughout his story, history. Through the
beginning and the giving of the word, I said
315 in Genesis, and now you make your way all
the way to Isaiah 9, who again Matthew begins
to quote when he calls his name, and he declares
unto him Isaiah 9 and 6, where the eagle -eyed
prophet who sees through the millennia of time
would begin to prophesy unto the unction of that
same Holy Ghost that is present at the conception.
My God! Don't you just feel it begin to stir
up as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost. He
began to say, for unto you a child is born. Unto
you a son is given. And his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, and the Prince of Peace. And before he
declares, and the government shall be upon his
shoulders. Not this world's governments, not
this world's powers, but the government of heaven
is placed upon him. extends throughout eternity
from the foundation of the world. The father
knew his mission would be to send his only begotten
son. It would be the same eagle -eyed prophet
that would see through time another 33 years
after this son is given. And begin to tell of
his death. In the 53rd chapter. But he proceeds
further in the 64th chapter. This name of Jesus.
Is the apex. In the story. Of the advent. Of
the coming of the Christ. Messiah will come.
And Messiah, when he comes, is going to do great
things. As we remember, as Advent becomes a reminder
that Jesus came as the hope of the world. You
understand as we light this candle, it represents
hope. It is the hope candle. And the hope that
we have, we are now fulfillment of. Because the
Advent has already taken place. Can you not see?
It's Isaiah. I begin to picture as the Spirit
would roll back time in the heavens and he would
look through space continuum and see the one
who is suffering for the sin of humanity. Amen.
To fulfill the heart of the Father, the mission
of God to reconcile. I'm talking about our part
is coming up. We have a part two in this Advent
story. You and I have a role to play in the history
of God. this is doing to you, maybe nothing,
but it is turning me inside out. I don't know
if it's just a preacher thing in me and what
he's doing for me this morning. I have no clue.
But when my mind tries, the finite mind that
I have tries to grasp hold of the infinite wisdom
and knowledge and the plan of God, I get a headache
and I get dizzy. And then I get all excited because
it's beyond me. Some of you need to realize that
life is beyond you. And the plan and the purpose
of God is beyond the crisis and the circumstance
of the moment. It's not about now. It's all about
the mission of God to reconcile us. When you
see the advent through the lens of your crisis
and chaos, my God joy will overwhelm your spirit
and fill your soul. Yes, use your crisis as a
lens to look to and gaze in the advent. And when
you gaze to the advent, your vision becomes clearer
because it is the will of God. It becomes not
your or our or my, but his. A crisis begins to
pale in the shadow of God's hope for humanity.
The missionary heart of God. The mission of God.
Is simply to save the very core of God. This
is my second point. The mission heart of God.
The very core of God's love for humanity. It's
displayed through the first advent. It's displayed
through the first advent. Oh, he done marvelous
things. He put a bow in the clouds for Noah to
remind him of his promise. Did he not? He separated
the Red Sea for Moses. He separated a flooding
Jordan. Amen? For Joshua. And on and on and on
it goes. God revealed his power. But his power
is no greater revealed than when the advent of
the Son of God. Because his power is now present
upon the face of the earth. How do you know?
Know that, preacher, because he who created the
heavens spoke to the winds, and they became still.
He who created the shoreline boundaries for every
wave of the sea began to walk across the breast
of each, and they became calm and solid beneath
him. He speaks to his creation, though breathless,
life enters in. The mission in the heart of God
is to reconcile. life into humanity. My God in
heaven. I don't know if we really understand
what's happening here this morning. This mission
heart of God is revealed in John's gospel in
the third chapter. Among many other places. But
it's really brought out of the shadows in that
16th verse. When the mission heart of God is
revealed. For God so loved the world. Are you
hearing me? For God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish but have everlasting
life. And so often we stop and want to shout
right there, but that's not where the shout really
gets. It's verse 17 that really should stir the
heart of the believer as we hear this declaration.
Oh, for God sent not his son into the world to
condemn the world, but the world through him
might be saved. Oh, it's a wonderful thing to
know that God loved the world and sent his son.
But the mission of God is in verse 17. For God
sent not his son into the world to condemn it,
but he sent his son to save it. And what are
we going to call him? You call him Jesus, for
he shall save. His people. Just so you know.
This is not out of the archives. It's out of
heaven's oven. Fresh yesterday afternoon. And
finished baking this morning. Fresh bread. You
know what I found out, though? You can take a
three, four day old kind of dry piece of bread
and give it about ten seconds in the microwave
and it's fresh. Oh, Lord. That's why them old
messages preach so good. You just put them back
through the fire and they get fresh again. The
missionary heart of God is in that God loved
the world. And that he loved this world so much
that he sent his son not to condemn it. But his
son might save it. That little candle burning
there is a representation of the hope of all
humanity. Understand that the heart of God, the
missionary heart of God, is not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come unto
repentance and everlasting life. The missionary
heart of God is this. All that call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. The missionary
heart of God is revealed in Romans 10, 9, and
10. With the mouth confession is made. With heart
man believes unto salvation. For it's by grace
that you're saved, not by are you following me?
The missionary heart of God is revealed to the
mercy and the grace. When good is good enough,
it appears in the form of an advent when the
Christ comes. God's heart is for the world. Not
like a Calvinist doctrine would describe as being
selected. Either you're in or you're out. And
if you're out, no hope of getting in. Well, who
wants that? The folks that's convinced they're
already in. Let me tell you right now, I knew
from the beginning I was on the outside looking
in. So my hope wasn't in Calvinism and that tulip
branch. My hope was in an advent, and I didn't
even realize it. My hope is in lighting a candle
on the fourth Sunday out from the celebration
of the coming of the Lord. That's where my hope
resides in the prophetic words that hope is going
to be placed upon the earth on the utterance
of knowing that hope is coming to humanity. That
hope will be revealed. That hope will be released.
That hope can be accepted. That hope could be
given. All nations, all tribes, all tongues.
His great love knows no boundaries. And his mission
has always been to reconcile the world to himself.
On this first Sunday of Advent celebration, we
are reminded. I don't know what's going to happen
to you, but let me just tell you this. I am stirred
and reminded. That we are part of his great mission
plan. That mission plan includes his love and
his salvation and his great grace. The advent
of the Holy Ghost empowers and ensures. Now you
missed it right there. The advent of the Holy
Ghost. The coming of the Holy Ghost. You see,
the birth, the Holy Ghost was there. I actually
think it's a Pentecostal tradition, the Advent,
because the Holy Ghost is present. The Holy Ghost
is there. The Holy Ghost is speaking. The Holy
Ghost is impregnating. The Holy Ghost is putting
life within. Are you hearing me? Joseph, don't
be ashamed to take Mary as your wife. Don't hide
it, son. because what's in her has been placed
there by the Holy Ghost. Can I tell you, we are
part of the mission plan of God. Don't be afraid
to hide it. Don't be ashamed to get in the shadows.
The Holy Ghost was there at the conception, and
he's here today empowering us. The advent of
the Holy Ghost. Well, when was that really? When
did that happen, Pastor? Acts chapter 2. Which
follows Acts chapter 1. Where in verse 8, we
have our mission emphasis. And after that, the
Holy Ghost has come upon you. You shall. Thou
be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria,
and to the uttermost parts of the world. And
as he spake, he began to levitate. A reverse
advent. I don't know what you call that. It must
have been a word, devent. The vent. He begins
to rise in front of them. Go tarry you in Jerusalem,
I'm telling you, boys. The Holy Ghost is coming.
Do we need the Holy Ghost? Yes, we do. I don't
have him. We can remedy that here in about 32
minutes. When the day of Pentecost was fully
come, there was a sound as of a rushing mighty
wind. It filled the upper room where they were
seated in cloven tongues, like as a fire, sat
on it. And they began to speak with other tongues
as the Spirit gave them utterance. The mission
heart of God, the missionary heart of God is
to empower and to resource those in whom he dispatches
into the reconciliation process. The advent.
is not the beginning. The manger is not the beginning.
It's the continuation. It didn't begin. He carries
on through and past beyond the manger. Number
three, you'll be happy to know there's only four.
We have to live out the mission of Advent. We
have the hope and the missionary heart of God.
We have the plan of God simply through the naming
of his son. His name alone represents that he
is our salvation. We have our hope in the missionary
heart of God that he loved this entire world.
And you can be saved. We have to live out the
mission of Advent. We not only celebrate Advent,
we engage with it. Matthew 28, 19 through 20
gives us what we know as the Great Commission.
Go you into all the world. Right? We're preaching
the gospel. We're baptizing converts in the name
of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost
according to the divine direction of Christ.
Teaching them to observe all. We have to live
that out. Well, I'm not going anywhere. You get
up and get out the house most every day. You
engage the mission of God as you go about your
daily life. You engage the gift of hope at every
point you turn. You and I have a choice to be
bitter or better. You and I have a choice to
allow our crisis to form our attitude or our
attitude to reform our crisis. Write that down,
says Eric. Don't miss that one. Don't ask me
to say it again. The onus is you and I. The missionary
heart of God. The plan of God. To send hope into
your heart. And if hope is not dispelled, then
it causes life to spring forth. If you've got
hope, what did the psalmist say? Why art thou
cast down within me, O my soul? Hope thou in
God. What other hope is there in this world?
None. None, there's no other hope other than
Christ alone. That's why Paul would tell young
Timothy, the preacher, he said, Jesus Christ,
which is our hope. He is our hope. We live out
this great commission mandate. We pray for all
nations. We engage this mission mandate as we
give, like some of you have done today. You've
given towards something that will go beyond your
ability to reach. That's why we give. Made a
kingdom connection the other day right here in
town. Good friend of Pastor Brian's. He mentioned
that earlier. There will be more to come up on
that. Another way to engage and lock arms with
our community. People that are doing things for
Christ. I think it kind of surprised this young
man a little bit. Stood right here and told him.
I said, man, our heart's for the mission. I'm
not really concerned about your name on your
sign, but Christ in your heart. Let's do something
for Jesus. How can we help? How can we get together?
How can we lock arms and do something for the
mission of God? It's not Church of God missions.
It's not Southern Baptist missions. It's not
United Methodist either split missions. It is
the mission of God. And that is to see that lost
souls are reconciled with a hope -giving, love
-offering, salvation -providing God. We live
it out. We give. We go when we can. We live the
mission. And we live the mission by letting the
gospel of Christ shine through our everyday life.
Now, if you're like me, a vessel of imperfection,
you know, I no longer get dizzy on the potter's
wheel. Some of you Bible readers are already
there, aren't you? I don't get dizzy anymore.
How many know Lake Winnipesoka? There's this
one particular ride. I've got to tighten this
one up, folks. That's why you see me reaching
this slide. I've got to tighten it. There's a
ride they have there that you get in, you stand
up against the wall. Oh, come on now. You there.
Other theme parks have them. It begins to spin
with centrifugal force. Till you stick to the
wall. And they let the floor out and under you.
See, I don't even go in there. Because the last
time I had a grandchild on the little Dumbo deal,
I got sick as a dog. Dumbo. Because Dumbo goes
around and around. And then slowly they'll go,
you go up. And then hydraulics, if not tuned
well, when you start to go down, goes, and you're
going in that circle. And I'm going, stop. I
don't need the thing with the floor falling out
from under me to get dizzy. So when I tell you
I no longer am dizzy on the potter's wheel, It's
just a straight sight line for me now because
he keeps me on the wheel. I know no other life
than being on the wheel. I don't ever get to
get off and rest off of the wheel. I'm on the
wheel every single day. And I would love to tell
you that there's a day go by that it's the gentle
pressure and he's forming me. No, no, it's every
day for me. He's adding more water, the water
of the Spirit. He's got to keep pouring it in,
this old boy, and he's got to break me back down,
and he's got to mold me and shake me back up,
and he's got to kick the wheel a little harder.
Matter of fact, we ain't slowing down. He's speeding
up with me on the wheel because there's still
a great work to do in my life. He's conforming
me to the idea of the reconciliation of humanity
is more important than any crises of my life,
and there's a deep passion beginning to stir
for the kingdom. kingdom of God and heaven's
great shore. There is a hope that's rising in
me to help spread the gospel and tell the good
news so my everyday valor is to live out the
gospel and the advent is evident in my everyday
life. I tell you to the point where I'm getting.
The other day I had to go through Walgreens and
sit through the nine -car deep line because I
didn't want to go in. And so when I get to the
window, make my transaction, and, you know, they
put your change in that little larger -sized
pill bottle, right? Well, I dumped it out and
got my change, and I thought, well, she's put
my other in my bag. Now. Now, I left $18 at Walgreens.
And I only thought once about turning around.
Because I'd been spending too much time on the
wheel. And instantly my mind says, well, maybe
the next person through might need $18. And they
feel down in the jar and they get it out. That's
how much time, because I'm beginning to see through
the lens of crisis, there are greater things
at large. There's greater things happening through
the lens of my crisis and the chaos of my life.
And through the spinning of the potter's wheel,
I can see more clearly now. And the image of
God's will is beginning to reveal itself in everyday
life. And then he stirs my heart on something
I don't even like doing. And he causes me to
feel this way because we've lit a candle. representing
the hope of the advent of the first coming of
the anointed one. When I was a kid, we used to
sing that little song. He's still working on
me to make me what I ought to be. Took him just
a week to make the moon and the stars, Jupiter
and Earth and all the other ones. I forgot it.
But he's still working on me. While you're on
the crisis of the potter's wheel, focus on the
potter. Because you see, the potter is stationary.
Everything else may be spinning in your atmosphere,
but focus on the potter. He remains unmoved.
And know this, the whole time you're on the wheel,
you're not going to fly off because he never...
takes his hands off of you. The mission of the
advent. Let's move to the last one. We're in
that critical you check out on me zone. It's
1205. So let's see. What are we at here? We had
the mission of Advent defined by his name. We
had the mission heart of God. Living out the
mission. And fourthly, the hope of the second
Advent. Of the first. Advent. That reality is
displayed. Through the life. Ministry. Death.
And resurrection. Of Jesus Christ. The birth
of Jesus. Was the beginning. Of God's great mission.
Plan to save humanity. And bring hope. To a hopeless
world. Remember, the mission didn't end at the
manger. It simply began at the manger. And will
be culminated and completed at the second advent.
Matthew 4, 16, a little further in our text,
reads, the people which sat in darkness saw great
light, and to them which sat in the region and
shadow of death. We understand the mandate greater.
The day is far spent. The night is coming when
no man is going to be able to work. We're coming
to the conclusion of the advent's first appointment.
Reconciliation. Light has come. Poured in the
darkness where men sat in hopelessness in the
region where death reigned. Now hope brings life.
And it has sprung up. The root from Jesse has
blossomed. The scepter shall never leave his
hand. Why? Because he's the everlasting father,
the prince of peace. It resides upon his shoulders.
This great light has sprung forth and the mission
of hope declares it. The hope of this second
advent, the hope of the first advent is redemption.
The hope of the second is victory. How does that
look, Pastor? Well, it looks as though Isaiah
would pin it well in 61. For the Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, and he's anointed me to preach
the good news to the blind, to the bruised, to
the broken, to those who are being held captive.
That's what this first advent looks like. That
in the chaos and crises of life, hope springs
high. Hope burns bright. A hope that can only
be accepted, not forced. Wouldn't you love to
just shove hope down some people you know's throat?
I know that's sort of crude and it was formed
in my mind. It was already coming out of my mind.
I thought we'll fix it after you say it. There
are some people you cannot force the act of the
reconciliation that God offers through hope in
people's life. Be burdened but do not be bound.
What does that mean? Have a burden for them,
but do not let their refusal of the hope and
the reconciliation to bind you in the joy that
is in the hope that you have in that first advent,
looking toward the second. Stand with me, I'm
closing. The mission of advent is not, celebrating
his birth only. But rather it's about anticipating
his return. It's about continuing his mission.
It's about anticipating the hope of the second
advent. Revelation 22 and 12. John the revelator
stranded on the isle. Whom they thought they
would separate but only positioned. Thought they
were punishing him. And probably in his eyes
he felt like he was being punished. Until he
found himself in the 10th verse of the first
chapter. And his declaration is this. And I was
in the spirit on the Lord's day. And I heard
a voice. And when I turned to see. I saw an image
that had a gown flowing white. His feet, as I
began to look up to gaze the rest of his countenance,
were like polished brass. Hair white as wool.
And his eyes a flaming fire. My, my, my, my.
That's in chapter 1. So in 22, he's saying, and
behold, I come quickly. And my reward is with
me to give every man according as his work shall
be. We must engage Advent's mission. Well, it's
Christmas. I know it is. You see now why a few
months ago I told you this enters in my least
favorite time because we become so distracted
by everything that's going on and I can't check
out. God does me like this. Turns me inside out.
What we have so normalized, there's nothing normal
about it. What has become so commercialized,
this is not a commercial. It is the movie. It's
part one. What we have commercialized, we should
be worshiping. Not the commercialization. But
we should remember the glimmer of the first candle.
It's hope. It's hope. And we have to engage the
mission of the advent. Because we have been empowered
to do so. And if we don't, are we AWOL? If we
refuse to engage. You don't have to go to Africa,
to Honduras or Brazil. You're going to Walmart.
If you want to engage a Honduran, just go stand
in there a little bit and talk to some folks
that don't look like you. Ask them, say, where
are you from? Google it in Spanish on your phone.
Let her tell you how to say it, and then just
ask them. You'll find yourself standing with
Honduras in front of you. El Salvador, San Salvador,
Brazil, Jamaica, Haiti. You don't have to go
there. It's here. So many feel ostracized because
no one will approach them and say hi. If you
want a three -cornered eye look, when you're
going through Walmart or any grocery store, and
you hear somebody speaking a language you don't
know, and the Holy Ghost ain't interpreting it
for you, and if it is Spanish, say, when was
this? And just ease on by. I do it all the time.
I know about five or six phrases, enough to get
in trouble. But I use them. Why? Because I want
to engage somehow. Let somebody see the love
of God. Let somebody see the evidence of the
advent and the hope that I have. We don't have
to go around the world. We just have to engage
the world that's before us. Father, I love you
today. I digress today or I shall am alone because
my heart is full and overflowing. Holy Ghost,
speak to me today. How do I go about this time
of our ending in prayer? How do I go about this
moment? Because I know in my heart there's chaos
and crisis in lives in here. I know it. I know
it. We can't gather a crowd this size and there
not be chaos and crisis. We've got all manner
of diagnosis standing here. But all those as
we stand, we look to this little candle glimmering
with hope. Knowing that if thy will, you can
heal and deliver. This very moment. That is our
hope. But my hope excels beyond the mere touch
of my physical being. Beyond just the simplicity
fact that my bones don't hurt anymore. That my
soul be secure in eternity. Where? I shall receive
a new glorified body. Help us see you, Lord.
If you're comfortable, I want us to kind of link
hands across aisles. Just join hands with each
other. Your row, just kind of make your way.
You know I've never done this before. This is
a brand new one on me. If you're comfortable.
If you're not, just put a hand on the shoulder.
Just kindly join hands together. We do not know.
Just kindly. We're going to pray one for another.
We're about to set the bushes on fire. Hope's
about to really flame. You know I've not preached
an hour because that's a one -hour candle. About
45 minutes worth. We need hope. Let me tell you
something. According to the word of God, laughter
doeth good like a medicine. Some of you need
a double dose because of what's going on in your
life. Because of what's going on surrounding
you. You need the joy of the Lord. We need to
hear that the Advent brings hope for every crisis.
For every moment. For even those who are in the
region where death has reigned. Light springs
up. Father, I come to you today in the name above
every name. That name of Jesus. Lord, as they
are joined together across this room, we are
joined together in crisis and in rejoicing. We
share the burden of both. That I may rejoice
with my brother and sister even though my crisis
may have my joy stifled. May I be filled with
joy because of their great joy. And joy springs
forth as light. Springs up. Lord, there are dire
sicknesses in this room. Everywhere from cancer.
There's blood issues. There's heart issues. There's
nerve issues. There's mind issues. All across
this place. Across the spectrum in severity.
Lord, I'm grateful for the faithful. Brother
Fred came in this morning hopping on a brand
new knee, just installed on Monday, but in the
house of the Lord today. Others, having had procedures
and visitations in hospitals, have made their
way for strength and grace and hope's great light.
Lord, across this room, let hope, let hope, let
hope, let hope foster in the heart of your people
as we enter this Advent celebration season. Lord,
you came and we're so grateful and so thankful
for your humbling yourself, coming from glory
down to the earth which you've created, to the
lowliness of a manger to be born. For we proclaim
good tidings of great joy. For unto us today,
the child was born, the son was given. We love
you this morning. Pray one for another. Father,
every need in the house, touch my brother, my
sister, to my right or to my left. Touch my friends,
touch my spouse, Lord. Move in every situation,
God. In every need and in every concern as we
enter in, we enter this season with great hope.
This could be the last that we celebrate. You
may come before the 25th of December. You may
come with that second great advent hope, the
hope of your return. And as your declaration
from your own self, behold, I come quickly and
my reward is with me. Lord, as we look forward
to your return, the hope of your grace that we
have day by day, bless every heart, touch in
every life. In Jesus' name I ask. Amen. And amen.
God bless you. Go in grace. Go in peace. If you're
visiting with us today, please stop by the booth
out to my left. Have something great there. Just
wonderful to let you know how much we appreciate
you being in the house. Choir practice today
at 3 p .m.