In this Advent message, we’re reminded that hope doesn’t overlook our weariness — it shines through it. For centuries, God’s people waited in silence and darkness, clinging to a promise they couldn’t yet see. That same promise meets us in our own seasons of uncertainty. Advent hope is the trust that even when the night feels long, the dawn is already on its way. Jesus is the fulfillment of every longing and every promise — the Light who still breaks into our darkness and calls our weary hearts to hope again.

Living out the Beatitudes won’t always bring applause. Jesus reminds us that persecution comes with a promise: we are never alone, and our reward is eternal.

God calls us not just to keep the peace, but to make it - building bridges, resolving conflict, and bringing reconciliation. We are peacebreakers, peacefakers, or peacemakers. God wants us to deal with conflict with honesty and respect. Jesus challenges us in our motives and our methods as we pursue unity.

This text shows the cards for many themes of the sermon on the mount. We begin to understand our hearts, do whatever we can to get them clean toward God, and realize that it is futile - we are powerless to do that on our own. We need something that we can’t provide.

Guest speaker Tim Gray shares a heartfelt message about what it really means to receive and show mercy. Through a down-to-earth story and Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount, he reminds us that God’s mercy meets us in our mess and moves us to forgive others. It’s an honest look at grace, healing, and how mercy can reshape the way we live and love.

What are you hungry for? This message examines our appetites and ambitions, encouraging a life deeply satisfied by pursuing God’s will, justice, and holiness. This also connects with Matthew 6:33, enabling us to satisfy our hunger with the food of God’s will.

Meekness isn’t weakness - it’s strength under control. A gentle and humble spirit brings influence, peace, and the favor of God in a world obsessed with power.

This beatitude speaks to those who grieve over sin, suffering, and brokenness - in their lives and the world. Underneath anger, resentment, problematic coping, and generational wounds lies an inability to grieve well. God draws near to the brokenhearted and offers deep, lasting comfort. This verse leaves the idea and solution broad enough to encompass all of life’s troubles.

To be poor in spirit is to recognize our deep need for God, knowing we have nothing to offer that’s not broken. It’s the foundation of faith: humility, dependence, and spiritual hunger. This week sets the tone for the entire series by challenging pride and self-sufficiency. Admitting we are spiritually empty prepares us to be filled.

We were created to serve. This week calls believers to step into their God-given purpose by using their gifts for the good of others. Jesus modeled servant leadership, and we are called to follow in His footsteps. True greatness is found not in being served, but in serving others.