The Mission of Advent

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

Acts 2 · chapter mention

follows Acts chapter 1. Where in verse 8, we

Acts 1 · chapter mention

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.