The 1st Sunday of Advent - Lighting the Candle of Hope

This past Sunday was the first Sunday of the 2017 Advent Season and within our tradition, this was the Sunday that we light the 'Hope' candle.  The thing we have to remember is that for us this 'Hope' is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that it isn't 'Hope' at all but rather 'Faith'.  And likewise, we must remember that our 'Faith' in our Lord and Savior to deliver us (when we are struggling through all that life can throw at us) may well be the 'Hope' that when witnessed by others brings them to 'Faith'. This alone is a mighty service to our all-loving God and may be the single most important act we can do for His creation.

Please take a few moments and watch or listen to the sermon and as always...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His all-surpassing Grace,
Roy

Psalm 71:1-6 (NRSV)

1 In you, O Lord, I take refuge;

    let me never be put to shame.

2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

    incline your ear to me and save me.

3 Be to me a rock of refuge,

    a strong fortress, to save me,

    for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,

    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.

5 For you, O Lord, are my hope,

    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth;

    it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.

My praise is continually of you.

Romans 5:2-5 (NRSV)

2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.