Advent – When God Brings Hope to Our World: December 3, 2017

Sermon信息：Advent – When God Brings Hope to Our World

1. Advent– We Have Hope in All Circumstances of Life (v. 24-27)
   
2. Advent – It Is a Firm Promise from God (v. 28-31)
3. Advent – It Is a Surprise! So, Watch (v. 32-37)

CONCLUSION

The Season of Advent – Remarks

          ADVENT marks the beginning of the church year and lays before us the pathway of faith for the year ahead. Each year, Advent encourages us to think anew about our heritage in Christ. It is a time where we can joyfully retell, remember and celebrate the Gospel story in our loving fellowship with other believers.

          We only have four weeks in Advent, but in these weeks, we proclaim that Messiah has come in the birth of Jesus. We have the strong hope that God’s kingdom reign will one day be fulfilled.  We can pray these words boldly when we see the Christ child, “Lord, let your Kingdom come.” This is also a time where we prepare, so we don’t miss the most important gift of all that comes through the incarnation.

          In this season, the message that matters is not in the lights or the slogans or the presents that we exchange. These things last for only a short moment. Advent confronts us with eternity. Advent calls us to choose. God has given us a message of love. 1. Jesus Christ has come. 2. He is present with us now. 3. He will come again. Advent embraces these three realities, past present and future.  One day there will be a final victory when all darkness, pain, and evil will be no more. In Advent we see hope for this world. There is good news for a world that is lost.  Soon, we will join with the angelic chorus in singing, “Christ the Savior is born.”

          Modified from A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God

Quote of Note:

Believe the gospel, that is, believe the joyful news, the message of divine grace through Jesus Christ; Cease from sin, manifest repentance for your past lives, submit obediently to the Word and will of the Lord; and you will become companions, citizens, children and heirs of the new and heavenly Jerusalem; walk according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh.

From The Complete Works of Meno Simons (c. 1496-1561)

信息：在降臨節，上帝為世人帶來盼望

1. 降臨節- 盼望充滿在我們生命裡。(v. 24-27)
2. 降臨節- 是上帝信實的承諾 (v. 28-31)
3. 降臨節- 看哪！多麼奇妙 (v. 32-37)

結論：

關於降臨節期

         降臨節標誌着教會開始新的一年，擺在我們面前的新一年的信仰之路。每年的降臨節都鼓勵我們再次思想在基督裡的得著。現在就是我們基督徒彼此回顧、紀念和慶祝耶穌誕生的時候。

       降臨節僅有的四個星期中，我們要宣稱耶穌的降生就是彌賽亞的到來。我們有個強烈的盼望：天國終將實現。當我們看到基督的兒子，我們禱告是堅定的：“我們在天上的父，願你的國降臨。”我們也當預備好，不能失去最重要的禮物，藉由耶穌道成肉身的福音。

       降臨節的信息絲毫不代表我們交換的禮品，這些物品只能存留片刻。與我們面對的是永生的福音，這個節日召喚我們去做選擇。上帝給出了愛的信息; 1基督已經降生；2 祂與我們同在；3 祂將再來。在末日，基督得勝，不再有黑暗、痛苦和邪惡。降臨節包含了以上的愛的信息，要帶給終將失去的世界和其上的人類。然後，相信福音的人就要與天使同聲合唱：“基督救主已降生。”

A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God

參考文獻:

        相信福音，就是相信這令人歡欣的信息，這是耶穌基督帶來的神聖恩典；不再犯罪、真心悔改、順服上帝；你將會成為耶路撒冷聖城的一員、神國的子民、上帝的兒女；你要與聖靈同行、不要順從肉體的情慾。

From The Complete Works of Meno Simons (c. 1496-1561)