Living Hope

Matthew 9:35-38

We need compassion because in so many ways, we are harassed and helpless because of our sin and because of the defeat that the world brings to our front doors. But we have a Savior who always works to bring compassion to those who are harassed and helpless.

John 4:4-26

Jesus had to go through Samaria. There was a woman there whom he had to meet. He had to because she had needs that she couldn’t meet by herself; she had to be shown how thirsty she was for grace. He had to because he had to elevate the conversation they were having to focus

her on the solution he provided. He had to because of the necessity of love. Jesus has to do the same for us. And today we see that he has.

Genesis 12:1-8

God told Abram to leave all he knew and go to a place yet unknown and wait for blessings as yet undefined. God revealed that the Seed of the woman promised in the garden would now descend from the family of an old man and his barren wife living as strangers in a land not yet their own. No logic or emotion could have led Abram to leave his home—only trust in his

Savior God. Abram believed and set God’s plan in motion to build a nation on the promises of God to fulfill the promises of God. Abram wasn’t leaping blindly into the dark. He was leaping as he clung to the promises of his God.

Matthew 7:7-11

Ask, seek, knock. Jesus invites us to seek God and to search for him. These are not achievements but admissions of need. God invites the empty to receive what only he can give. He teaches us in response to treat others in the way God treats us. Jesus does not bless those who already have righteousness. He blesses those who know they lack it. This week, we hear the

invitation of a gracious God who satisfies the hungry, welcomes those who seek, and opens the narrow way that leads to life.

Matthew 4:1-11

Every day you find yourself in a boxing ring of sorts. Your opponent is Satan. He has been fighting mankind since the beginning. He outmatches us. He’s strong. He’s deceptive. He knows every trick in the book. He has studied your weaknesses. He’s going into this boxing match, this

“temptation match,” prepared. Are we?

Isaiah 8:19-9:3

The prophet Isaiah confronts our modern crisis of trust and meaning by showing that the real question is not where information is found, but whom we trust for truth and direction. Like people today who turn to endless sources—technology, media, or vague spirituality—Isaiah’s audience looked everywhere except to God, resulting in despair, darkness, and gloom. Isaiah’s rallying cry, “To the law and to the testimony,” calls God’s people back to the formative, trustworthy Word of God as the only sure guide for life, meaning, and hope. And Christ is the fulfillment of this testimony: the great light dawning in the darkest places, bringing joy where there was anguish and life where there was death. In a world still shadowed by sin and confusion, the Church is called to live and share this better story—bearing Christ’s light until there is, truly, no more gloom.

Matthew 8:1-4

Jesus gives a leper compassion and cleansing, giving him his whole life back. This is what Jesus has done for us too. He has cleansed us of sin and reaches us with compassion and forgiveness. His compassion now works new hearts of faith in us that also want to reach outcasts with the love of Jesus.

Nehemiah 8

The more we come to revere and understand God’s Word the more we see the truth of God’s Law. The Law unveils truths about us that make us want to weep. And yet, the more we come to revere and understand God’s Word the more we also see the truth of God’s Gospel. The good news of Jesus dries our tears and brings joy to our sin-weary hearts. Jesus is the one who takes us from weeping to rejoicing.

Isaiah 60:1-6

The terms darkness and light are loaded with meaning. Light is a symbol of knowledge, goodness, life, truth, happiness, salvation. Darkness is a symbol of ignorance grief, hopelessness, sin, evil, damnation. Sadly, darkness seems to be the world’s default setting. Isaiah agrees:

“See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples…”

But God assures us, our light has come. Jesus is the light of the world, the light and life of all mankind. Through faith in Jesus, light is now our default setting. Jesus overwrites it. We rise and shine with the light God shines on us trusting the Lord to take care of the rest : attracting people to his light and life.

Isaiah 61:10-62:3

Wrapping paper is usually tossed aside after the gifts are opened at Christmas. But today we find out that the wrapping paper God wraps us up with is the most valuable thing ever: the precious blood of Christ. Jesus wraps us with his garment of salvation and his robe of righteousness. The wrapping paper looks for more valuable than the object it’s wrapped around: us. But the reason God wraps us in Jesus’ perfect garments is because he treats us as his treasure; a shining crown in the palm of his hand.