Introduction JESUS CAME To Fulfill Hope December 2, 2012 Illustration: Hope This Christmas, I m hoping for {favorite toy A Christmas Story; a bonus at work Christmas Vacation} This Christmas, I m hoping that {it snows White Christmas; family gets together Home Alone; don t have to work A Christmas Carol} This Christmas, I m hoping in {my family, my friends, my job, my government} Open your Bibles to 1 Peter 1 Exegesis The Plan for Hope The Plan for Jesus o 1 Peter 1:18-20 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 20 before the foundation of the world = Before human history/existence, God (trinity) has a plan for God the Son the plan that becomes His advent (Christmas) o Ephesians 3:11 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 11 eternal purpose = Jesus coming or advent (Christmas) may have happened about 2000 years ago but as a plan it always existed 1
o Jesus, the Son of God, has always been God s plan to fulfill the HOPE of mankind The Plan for salvation o Ephesians 1:4 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 4 chose us = Man s HOPE is found in God s choosing us for salvation o 2 Timothy 1:9-10 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 10 appearing = that Jesus came (advent) 9 saved us and called us = Man s HOPE is found in God s saving and calling us into life and light o Colossians 1:26-27 26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 27 Christ in you = Man s HOPE is found in Christ being in us the HOPE we have of glory o Salvation, freedom from sin and death, has always been God s plan to fulfill the HOPE of mankind The Plan becomes a promise o 1 Peter 1:10-11 10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 2
11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 11 seeking to know = The prophets of old were looking forward to when the person would come who fulfilled the HOPE they had Transition: God s eternal plan for Jesus and salvation being man s HOPE become God s ancient promise for man s HOPE The Promise of Hope Promise through Eve o Genesis 3:15 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel. 15 her see; He shall bruise you on the head = Immediately following mankind s fall into sin, God offers HOPE one, a human, who will crush the head of the one who tempted them into sin o Genesis 3:15 = victory over the one who tempted mankind into sin Promise through Abraham o Genesis 12:3 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. 3 in you = Through Abraham (his family or descendants) all peoples may bless themselves; God offers HOPE blessing to all peoples through the one who will come from Abraham o Genesis 12:3 = blessing through one of his family Promise through Judah o Genesis 49:9-10 9 Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up? 3
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 10 obedience of the peoples = Through Judah will come a ruler that will rule over all the peoples; God offers HOPE a ruler for all peoples from the family of Judah o Genesis 49:9-10= ruler from his family over all peoples Promise in Bethlehem o Micah 5:2 2 But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity. 2 the days of eternity = In Bethlehem will be born a ruler for God s people who is from eternity; God offers HOPE an eternal ruler born in the town of Bethlehem o Micah 5:2 = ruler over God s people from eternity Transition: God s promise of HOPE is meant to be taken up by people people with HOPE (like those in the Christmas story) The People with Hope Zacharias o Luke 1:67-68 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, 68 has visited us and accomplished redemption = Zacharias is a person with HOPE God having come to them and accomplished their redemption Zacharias speaks about both before they happen but as if they had already happened = that s HOPE o Luke 1:67-68 = redemption and salvation for God s people 4
Simeon o Luke 2:25 25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 25 looking for the consolation = Simeon is a person of HOPE God bringing consolation (encouragement, exhortation, comfort, help) to His people Simeon is looking now not past and not future but now (present) = that s HOPE o Luke 2:25 = consolation for God s people Anna o Luke 2:36a, 38 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher 38 At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 38 looking for the redemption = Anna is a person of HOPE God bringing redemption (deliverance ) to His people/ city Anna shares with those looking now not past and not future but now (present) = that s HOPE o Luke 2:36a, 38 = redemption for God s people and city Response The story of Christmas is the story of Jesus coming (His advent) to earth as a baby born in Bethlehem and placed in a manger Jesus came to fulfill HOPE HOPE our longing for something better is met in Jesus If you have never come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then this morning I would invite you See Jesus as what you have always hoped for Accept Him as HOPE If you have already accepted His salvation and HOPE, then what is distracting you or defeating you in the HOPE you have? 5
Remember the HOPE of what you have and what you will have Live in Him as HOPE If you have already accepted His salvation and HOPE, then how will you share that HOPE this Christmas? Share Him as HOPE Personal witness Invitation to services Angel tree Christmas offering 6