Hope is one of those funny words that can describe both the waiting and the arrival of a thing. For instance, it could be said that the Jewish people (and truly all people unknowingly) longed for the messiah and that Jesus was their hope, the Messiah. He is the hope of all the world.

Hope anticipates what is to come and is embodied and fulfilled in that which comes. This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent which focuses us on hope. What is the hope that we as believers have? Is there a distinct hope that we are to have?

How does the first coming of Jesus effect our lives? How should it lead us to live lives of hope? What might that look like? Are we just a bunch of optimists?