Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned.

– Isaiah 40:1-2

ADVENT:

Week 1 | Hope

Week 2 | Humility

Week 3 | Joy

Week 4 | Peace

PROPHECY CANDLE OF HOPE

Each week we add another candle as the birth of Christ draws closer. This is a visual reminder that though we are in darkness of the world now, the morning light of Christ is drawing near to shine the fulness of His shining rays of peace and love upon our hearts. Our world is full of the darkness of fear, uncertainty, anxiety, restlessness, and division. This coming light of Christ is the hope which we hold to, and the anticipation which fuels our fervor and joy. In order for us to look forward to the second coming of Christ, we must remember His first coming which was promised by the prophets and delivered by God at the right time. May we let the hope of Christ sink deep into our hearts and motivate our love. 

Merciful God, thank You for sending Your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Give us grace to listen to their warnings and forsake our sins, so that we may greet with great joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reign with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever. Amen. 

BIG IDEA:

Hope is always forward looking but has present impacts on how we live our lives.

LUKE 1:57-66

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD:

THANKS BE TO GOD!

I. ROOT OF HOPE

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention has to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

- 2 Peter 1:19-21

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

- Malachi 3:1

What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.”

- Matthew 11:9-10

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

- Malachi 4:5

For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

- Matthew 11:13-15

II. FRUIT OF HOPE

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth."

– Luke 1:13-14

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

– Galatians 6:8-9

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

– Matthew 7:7-8

RESOLVED CHRISTMAS GIFT: 4 WAYS TO SHARE HOPE

We want to raise $8000 to share and bless that we might be able to partner with them as they, too, share the hope of Christ to those we can’t reach by ourselves. 

• The Zick’s in Italy

• The Maddox’s

• The Henry’s to the Navajo

• Our Own Church (AV & Playground) 

Challenge:

Find a passage of Scripture that God wants to use in your life and write it down somewhere where you will see it often and be reminded of what He is seeking for you to trust Him with. 

The Lord's Supper is a sacred time of grace between believers and God. If you plan to take communion as a household, please exercise caution and wisdom with regard to health safety.

Make sure you prepare the elements ahead of time and have them ready if you plan to partake.

We give much because we’ve been given much by a generous God. You can give online or by texting a dollar amount to 84321.

If you prefer to give by mail, you can make payable to “The Resolved Church” and mail to:

5444 Napa St. San Diego, CA 92110

So far, we've raised $20,627, which is 69% of our goal of $30K per month! Thank you for your generosity!

Click here to learn how to set up recurring giving online.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

– Isaiah 40:28-31