Christians are supposed to be hopeful people. God gives us great promises about how He will care for us, and how He will make all things right. Yet, these hopeful promises can be hard to believe when our everyday life is full of challenges and disappointments. This sermon argues that Advent is meant to help us keep hope while remembering that the challenges are real.

Scripture Reference: Jeremiah 33:14-18; Luke 21:25-36

Preached on the First Sunday of Advent, December 2, 2018 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

Sermon Highlights

• People flourish when they stay hopeful without denying the bitter truth
• The birth of Jesus reminds us that God keeps His promises to Israel
• Jesus' prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem shows us that when an era ends, it is natural to be fearful
• We can keep hope that Jesus will come again, when we prepare ourselves through daily looking for ways Jesus is present now

Further Reading

A useful prayer app for preparing us for Church in Advent

• Pray As You Go: Advent Reflection
• An Advent reflection for each Sunday of Advent

The Practice of Examen

• A prayerful method of self-examination
• Developed by the Jesuit Order in the Roman Catholic Church, this daily reflection method helps us see how God is at work in our lives

A Book Fr. Stephen Mentioned in the Sermon

• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• A book about business and leadership, which mentions Jim Stockdale and insights gained during his imprisonment in Vietnam

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