Here are the audio and notes from my sermon preached in Naperville at our Carol Service at Cross of Christ Fellowship.
“Hope of Christ” (Matt 12:21, Isaiah 42:4)
and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
Intro: TONIGHT, I want to speak to you as a Christian about the HOPE that Jesus Christ offers.
-What gives you hope in this life? (Children’s success; career; relationships; future plans)
-The hope that is offered to us in Christ is even better and more secure than all these.
1 A Prophesied Hope; 2 Fulfilled Hope; 3 Present Hope
1. A PROPHESIED HOPE: Spoken of 2,700 Years Ago
PROPHECY: is a statement given by God about a future event that will take place.
-The hope of Christ is a prophesied hope: it was foretold long before it took place.KIDS: How good are you at predicting the future?
-Could you tell me what will happen later tonight? (eat cookies) Tomorrow? Next week? Next year? 100 years? 700?
-Did you know: Bible records statements made hundreds of years before they took place -God knows all things—including future—God spoke about future events.
-2,700 a prophesy was given by an Israeli prophet named Isaiah
-It was about the coming Messiah, who would come bring salvation to Israel
-It ended with this line: “in his name the nations will hope” (Isaiah 42:4)
-All the nations would hope in this promised Individual.
-Hundreds of years God’s people were waiting for this to come to pass
QUESTION: How would it happen? Who would fulfill it?
2 A FULFILLED HOPE: Jesus is one who fulfilled the Prophecy of a Future HOPE
The prophecy of Isaiah 42:4 was fulfilled in Jesus.
-We know this because in Matthew 12:21, the apostle quotes this Scripture and applies it to Jesus.
PERSON OF JESUS:
-God the Son, eternal, truly God
-Became a human the first Christmas and dwelt among us.
-Lived a holy life, never-sinned
-Fulfilled the ministry of the promised Messiah:
-Healed the sick, raised the dead, taught about God.
-HOPE Fulfilled in unexpected way: through his death.
-Jesus spoke about his impending death and resurrection.
-HOW would Jesus death bring hope?
-UNIQUE DEATH OF JESUS: Jesus’ death accomplished something for humanity
-Jesus’ death paid for our sins, by dying in our place.
OUR NEED: Things are not right.
-Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23
-We need to get right with God.
-Romans 5:8
-Salvation Comes as GIFT: Eph 2:8-9
-This brought hope to Israel
-It also brought hope to the nations around Israel: they could become right with God!
3 A PRESENT HOPE: Jesus gives us hope TODAY
Thousands in Naperville, millions in America, Billions around the world are putting their hope in Jesus.
-We can have a very real present hope in Jesus today.The hope Jesus offers is better than the hope you will find anywhere else
1 We can have our sins forgiven and be right with God
2 We can know that good wins in the end: Jesus overcame Satan, sin, and death (resurrection
3. Through Christ we know God. This is better than all other hope.
CLOSE: Believe in Jesus and experience the HOPE that only he can offer: John 3:16
