First Week of Advent - Friday

This week has been about hope. Not a wishy-washy kind of hope. Hope that is full of expectation that God keeps his promises. For many, many years He foretold through the prophets that a Savior would come. The book of Hebrews says it like this - "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world."

It is in the Son that we have hope. 1 Timothy 1:1 says that Christ Jesus is our hope. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory [Colossians 1:27]. There are many things that Christ has given us hope for:

• We have forgiveness of sins [Ephesians 1:7]
• We are put in right relationship to the Father [2nd Corinthians 5:18-20]
• We have the power to do what is right and good [Philippians 4:13]
• We are delivered from the fear of death [Hebrews 2:14-15]

I've always loved this song by Michael Card. It is from his album "The Life". It speaks of what Jesus has done for us to make our way to God. Jesus was born to be a sacrifice for us. It is in the birth of Jesus that we have hope and expectation, not only in this life but in the world to come.

Cross references:

1. Hebrews 1:1 : [Num. 12:6, 8; Joel 2:28]
2. Hebrews 1:2 : 1 Pet. 1:20; [ch. 9:26; Acts 2:17]
3. Hebrews 1:2 : ch. 2:3
4. Hebrews 1:2 : See Matt. 14:33
5. Hebrews 1:2 : Ps. 2:8; Matt. 21:38; See Matt. 28:18
6. Hebrews 1:2 : [ch. 3:3]; See John 1:3
7. Hebrews 1:2 : ch. 11:3