MOTIVATE

Hope. Sometimes it’s hard to hope. We begin a journey not realizing it will be a spiraling valley of confusion, challenges, and darkness.

We try to remain hopeful but each step becomes harder to walk / difficult to see / and heavier. And while you ask “what else could possibly go wrong?” unfortunately you get an answer with an even more inflexible experience.

Personally, I’ve learned to hope through the church.

• I’ve seen marriages that should have been torn apart, saved and renewed stronger bc of the gospel changing a spouse, and church members modeling healthy marriage and biblical manhood/womanhood.
• I’ve also seen marriages crumble and how members offer environments for families to crash, heal, and recover to stand on their own.
• I’ve seen small groups step up to provide meals and childcare for crisis
• I’ve seen church members and small group assist financially with immediate needs for a family after a significant house fire
• I’ve seen church body pray and see miraculous provision of a heart organ… /
  healing of cancer… and also the opposite with those not healed but church family step in for grieving widows offering support and care
• I’ve seen church benevolence provide financial assistance of mortgages, bills, and food for those unemployed, underemployed, and in crisis
• I’ve seen church family pray for the rescue of lost children / the recovery of physical surgeries with transportation to/from dr appts /
• I’ve seen the beauty of a church family with laughs, friendships, biblical teaching, and family support to grow godly generations.

Today I want to encourage all of us to hope again. We need the reminder that hope is not wishful thinking, but instead is a relational reality. Being hopeful isn’t avoiding challenges, it’s facing them to understand God is bigger than anything we will face, with the power to help, and the purpose to teach us lessons that will help us take every next necessary step.

EXAMINE      Hope Entering The World (Matthew 1 / Luke 2)

Jesus is the hope for every sinner (Matthew 1 – – Read 1:1, 17-21).

• Matthew opens with a genealogy / not “Once upon a time” or “In a galaxy far, far away” These events are rooted in history, where Jewish genealogies were coherent records of relationships, preserving dates of historical happenings, and documenting legitimacy to positions/inheritance.^[1]
• What’s interesting in Matthew’s genealogy is not just the royal lineage of King David and patriarch Abraham. Any first-century Jew would find this family tree impressive and compelling.[2] But what stands out in this family tree is the list of rebels and ragamuffins, which reveal the type of Savior Jesus would be for every kind of sinner.
  • Mat 1:1 Abraham (and Jacob) often lied and manipulated
  • Mat 1:1, 17 David was an adulterer and murderer
  • Mat 1:7 Solomon was a womanizer and political idolater
  • Mat 1:7 Rehoboam pride was reason for divided kingdom
  • Mat 1:8 Jehoshaphat was name means Yahweh judged; he made alliance with evil king Ahab
  • Mat 1:9 Uzziah as king made progress for Israel but did not destroy idol altars, and the LORD afflicted him with leprosy – thus denied a royal burial.
  • Females
  • Mat 1:3 Tamar was a Canaanite who practiced immoral & deceptive behavior (Gen 38)
  • Mat 1:5 Rahab was a Jericho harlot (Josh 2)
  • Mat 1:5 Ruth was a Moabite widow (Ruth)
  • Mat 1:6 Bathsheba was wife of Uriah the Hittite, and though she was a victim of David’s abuse, she played a part in adultery, and later conspired for her son to become king (2Sam 11; 1 Ki 1:15,ff).

Illus: Jason DeFord (AKA Jelly Roll) has had over 40 arrest charges and spent two stints in prison. Yet, he recently won two Grammy awards: best contemporary country album and best duo/group performance. On a night marked by typical political commentary, DeFord’s acceptance speech stood out as different. He said, “I know they’re going to try to kick me off here, so let me try to get this out. First of all, Jesus, I hear you and I’m listening Lord…” Then he attributed his life transformation as a former criminal and prisoner to the love of his wife. And his next words emphasized his faith: “There was a time in my life that I was broken. That’s why I wrote this album. I didn’t think I had a chance. There was days that I thought the darkest things. I was a horrible human. There was a moment in my life that all I had was a Bible and a radio [in my 6×8 jail cell]… And I believe that those two things could change my life. I believe that music had the power to change my life. And God has the power to change my life. I want to tell y’all right now, Jesus is for everybody. Jesus is not owned by one political party. Jesus is not owned by no music label. Jesus is Jesus, and anybody can have a relationship with him.” Jelly Roll’s song “Hard Fought Hallelujah” speaks to many of enduring difficult moments, but realizing God is patient and faithful to save repentant sinners.                                     – Also his cross tattoo below eye illustrates Ro 5:8.

CF.

• Peter foremost foot in mouth disciple
• Paul chief of sinners
• 1 Cor 6 / Eph 2 you WERE… immoral, lustful, idolatrous, greedy and underserving, but in Christ you now ARE… washed, made new, transformed by God’s love.
• Grace does not erase the reality that our sin is significant. It’s not hidden and it does have a cost. So, we must allow God’s grace to wake us up, repent, and restart.
• Seek out and spend time with sinners, that they might taste forgiveness too.

Jesus is the hope for every struggler (Luke 2 – – Read 2:4-14).

• Luke’s Gospel is an orderly account with investigative eyewitness material. Luke tells intimate family details behind the nativity narrative with Joseph & Mary, also their relatives, and along with their church community with Shepherds, Simeon, & Anna.
• IOW, the gospel is good news for people of faith too. God saves but still sanctifies us through troubles and tribulation. Oh, we wish not – but God loves us too much to leave us w/o lessons to grow our humility, dependence, and faith.
• Hymn: Through many dangers, toils and snares, We have already come, Twas grace that brough us safe thus far, And grace will lead us home.
• Joseph & Mary
  • Joseph was a builder; a hard-working profession laboring day by day.
    • Your monotonous work is a calling and means to worship God.
    • Your sweat and secret service are honorable; seen by God
    • Joseph would not live to see his son’s success, nor be there for his struggles; every parent understands this frightful heartache.
    • God’s grace sustained Joseph to invest and plod forward step by step
  • Mary was a young virgin… In 1^st C. news of this birth would be shameful, scandalous, and a potential death sentence.
    • Mary needed a Savior (Lk 1:47)
    • Mary needed support of her sons apart from deceased husband, and apostle John upon Jesus’ death/departure (Jn 19:25-27).
  • Joseph & Mary became outcast w/ Jesus accused of being an illegitimate son. Yet, the Lord protected and provided for them more than the birds of the air.
• Shepherds
  • Israelites, especially the religious, valued cleanliness and purity.
  • Shepherds were dirty and smelly. Men who soaked with sweat, clothes drenched with field stench, and likely their style and language lacked etiquette.
  • Yet, God favored them as the first visitors of the incarnation. God chose shepherds to identify with the ordinary and show his value for ordinary humility.

• Mary’s song says it best: Lk 1:49-50 “God who is mighty has done great things for me, holy is His name. And God’s mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”
• Ps 145:14 “The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down; you give them provision in due season; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
• Tell Jesus your struggles / hurts / hangups… bring them near

Jesus is the hope for every nation (Luke 2:10).

God’s promises have always been global.

• Gen 12:1-2 God to Abraham, “I will make you a great nation and in you bless all the families of the earth”
• Isa 49:6 “I will make you a light for the Gentiles that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.”
• Luke 2:10 “the angel said, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
• Mt 28:19 “make disciples of all nations, baptizing in Father, Son, Spirit, teaching to obey Jesus”
• Ac 8-10 God scattered early church with persecution but used it spread the gospel to Samaria & Rome & beyond
• Rev 7:9 around the throne is a great multitude from every nation singing not to elephant/donkey but to Lamb!

Our nation is facing a pivotal crisis – – – > key principles to understand citizenship of Heaven & earth:

• God saves peoples, not nations. The gospel, & God’s promises are not about a single land or nation but the whole earth & His kingdom. Empires flash & then fall. Every earthly nation will be a mere footnote in eternity as they bow down to one throne.
• National borders are necessary.
  • Submitting to laws. Many cities are overrun with crime and chaos. Whether some choose to admit, election integrity is a matter of national security; and there is a push to open borders to sway elections, if not do worse harm in overtaking USA-culture. So, secure borders are important.
  • Sustaining property. Livelihoods and economies rely on national order. Almost everyone locks their doors, and there are some who live in gated communities. We should not pretend or promote hypocrisy that open national borders doesn’t have consequences.
  • Safeguarding citizens. A gov is responsible to promote the good and provide for the safety of its own citizens.
  • Supporting legal immigration. While borders should be protected, they should not be without bridges and pathways to welcome the weak and needy. Our nation begun and is sustained by immigrants. Yet, there should be an agreed policy that is vetted for the good of USA. Further, we must have structure and order to preserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness of our citizens.
• The USA government has a role to a) enforce laws & punish criminals, b) establish just laws for immigration through national congress and state locales. In plain words, ICE and police authorities are just institutions that should be respected by both sides of the political aisle. But it doesn’t mean that every action of ICE or police authority, or the remarks of a president are justified. /// Therefore…
• The church also has a role to a) express hospitality to the stranger, b) evangelize every sinner, and c) respect the laws while standing up against injustice; we’re prophets not partisans. In plain words, our rhetoric about immigrants (even illegals) still should reflect the imago dei. Further, our empathy and tangible compassion should be evident towards our neighbor – without a Pharisee discussion of “who is my neighbor?” since that question has already been answered by Jesus.
• Overall, the hope of every nation and neighbor is not in government policies, political candidates, or economic opportunity. Instead, the only established and enduring hope is the free grace of Jesus Christ to every repentant sinner. 
• Let’s pray for our nation.
• Invite to upcoming prayer opps: One Prayer 6-weeks Tues during Lent / Jericho Feb 28 9am
  
  

Jesus is the hope for every believer (Luke 2:25-32; 2:36-38).

• Every person is either on the sunrise or sunset of their life. Both are beautiful! I’m 2pm 🙂
• Simeon & Anna on sunset, but God never forgets His children and is always faithful to each to provide glimpses of hope.
  • Aged or widowed is not like a disease to fear but another season of faithful discipleship. Ps 90:12 “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
  • Faithfulness to God is measured by both holding on and reaching out; like these with the Nativity family.
• Linger among younger gen to share your testimony
  Ps 78:4 “We will not hide God’s truth, but tell the coming gen the glorious deeds of the Lord, His might, and the wonders He has done.”
  
  

APPLY/TAKEAWAY

How do you/we hope in times of difficulty or darkness?

MLKJr: “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”

• Invite to hope again.
• Hope is not something you do but a person you relate.

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^[1] Francis X. Kimmitt, “Genealogies,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Chad Brand et al. (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 633.

[2] N.T. Wright, Matthew For Everyone.