In Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, we hear Paul telling us what naked faith looks like as he describes the garments worn by a genuine community of Christians: garments like compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and, above all, love. These are the “style” or “fashion” marks of those who live “in Christ,” who have been blessed as “God’s chosen ones” (3:12). It is the kind of clothing that the newly converted are to wear, contrasted to the old clothing in the preceding verses that the newly converted are to take off, the kind of clothing that comprise moral and spiritual corruption, evil desire, lust, greed, rage, malice, slander, obscene language, lying (3:5-8).

Read carefully, this whole passage speaks of “taking off” and “putting on”: that’s the language of baptism. It’s also the language of conversion. It is the language of endings and new beginnings.

In fact, I am sure this week, when the clock strikes 12:00 o’clock on December 31st, when we all make our New Year’s Resolutions, we all will resolve to take off those things that we want to say “goodbye” to and put on those things we want to improve on: to cut out the carbs and spend more time in the gym, right? We all will resolve to take the stairs instead of the elevator and spend more time working on the waistline. We all will resolve to spend less time on social media and more time conversing with family and friends. We all will resolve, in short, to make a fresh start, to make good changes in our lives, to put on a fresh, new persona.

Now to be sure, I am all for making resolutions, and I hope we all can make resolutions. But I also hope that the resolutions we make are the kinds of resolutions that will make a difference: Be it resolved that the resolutions we make will make a difference!

What inner change needs to happen in our lives to make a difference? What kind of new clothing do we need to put to show the world who Christ is? 

Both inner change and outer clothing are necessary. How may we show forth the kind of changed clothing Christ brings?
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Pastor Andy Kinsey 
 
 

When we turn to Scripture, we need to come to grips with hope: in Scripture, hope takes on a bit of a different form or tone, as hope becomes a confident expectation for the good to come. Grounded in who God is as a God of faithfulness, and grounded in how God acts on our behalf to redeem us – hope is the confidence that God will be faithful to what God has promised. It is what the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Carey, meant when he said once, “Expect great things from God.” It is in the very nature of God to bring about what God intends. God will be faithful to God’s purposes.

I believe that this is what the apostle Paul shares with respect to Abraham in Romans: Paul describes Abraham as the great example of faith: Abraham is reckoned as righteous because of faith in God to fulfill God’s promises in the future (Romans 4:21). “In hope,” Paul writes, “Abraham believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations” (Romans 4:18).

“Against hope” means that from a human point of view, there was no hope. After all, Abraham and Sarah were barren. And yet, with God and in God, the full assurance of hope was given to Abraham and Sarah (Hebrews 11:1). A whole new people was born: Israel. Despite all evidence to the contrary, God was able to create a new future, a whole new beginning.  

It is why, Paul continues, hope does not disappoint us: because of God’s grace, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, even things that work against hope only serve to strengthen it (Romans 5:3-5). Nothing is going to stop this hope!

How true! How may we trust God with this hope as we anticipate the coming of Jesus Christ? How may we place our hope in the One whose Birth will bring a new beginning for all? 
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Pastor Andy Kinsey

Emily Dickinson once wrote:
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

Hope is a powerful force and one that can change everything from a broken spirit and uncertain mind, to a bitter attitude and selfish perspective.  In the gospel of Luke, chapter three, John the Baptist raises his voice against those of political authority, cultural status, and financial influence and calls to the people of God: Thunder in the desert! Prepare God’s arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! Every ditch will be filled in, every bump smoothed out, the detours straightened out, all the ruts paved over.  Everyone will be there to see the parade of God’s salvation. (Luke 3:5-6 The Message).

Advent is that time of preparation.  This passage reminds believers what we are preparing for, and it is not simply the birth of a baby.  It is the promise that baby has come to fulfill. The promise that every low place in our lives will be filled in and restored.  Every rough spot smoothed out and renewed. Every confusing or uncertain path made clear. In this promise we find our hope and that hope changes us.  It changes how we view the world around. It changes how we face hardships and tragedy. It changes how we navigate the tough times and handle the broken pieces of our lives or the lives of those we care about.  It changes our perspective and gives us the courage and strength to carry on.

If we prepare our hearts and minds to encounter the holy and cling to the promise God gives us through Jesus, then we have no reason to doubt and every reason to hope!  It doesn’t mean it's easy or that there won’t be challenges and disappointments, but it does mean we are not alone and that things will be better, the pain won’t go so deep, the tears will lessen, love will return, joy is possible, and all will be well.  

Have hope people of God.   Have hope those who are young and old.  Have hope those who are ordinary and quirky.  Have hope those who are grief stricken and weary.  Have hope those who are accepted and rejected. No matter what,  have hope.  

For all will be witness to God’s salvation…hope changes everything. 
Pastor Jenothy Irvine

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The prophet Jeremiah was trying to proclaim hope in the midst of a very dark time in Israel, during a time of uncertainty and instability, when the Babylonians were preparing to destroy Jerusalem. 

Throughout the period leading up to the Babylonian Exile both Israel and Judah had experienced good times and bad times, good kinds and bad kings. There were good times with good kings like Josiah and Hezekiah who carried out great religious reforms, and there were bad times with bad kings like Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, who oppressed the poor, corrupted worship, and persecuted the prophets. It is King Zedekiah who has placed the prophet Jeremiah in prison (33:1). 

And yet, it is from his prison cell that Jeremiah now speaks “a word from the Lord,” saying that “the days are surely coming” when both Judah and Israel will enjoy a truly righteous ruler in the line of David, one who will demonstrate justice and righteousness (33:15). This new king will save Jerusalem and will do so in a way that will bring glory to God (33:16). This new king will keep and fulfill God’s promises and remind the people that God’s word will stand forever, that God’s word does not come back empty (Isaiah 40:8, Isaiah 55:11). There will come from the stump of Jesse a shoot and out of that shoot a branch, and God will raise up a king who will rule in righteousness and goodness. 

In other words: Hope is coming! God will cause “a righteous Branch to spring forth for David” (33:15), and it will be a Branch that will fulfill God’s purposes and communicate hope to the people. Indeed, in Advent, hope is coming and his name is Jesus, God’s righteous Branch! Despite what ails the world, there is hope to mend and heal the world (John 3:16) and provide hope to whatever is confronting God’s children. Hope is coming!

How may we keep hope alive in our hearts? How may we demonstrate hope to a broken and sinful world?
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Pastor Andy