First Week of Advent (Hope) - Part 2

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

Christ's First Advent as King and Savior

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. Jesus was born the king of the Jews, and we know the story. But before Jesus sits on any physical throne in the earthly city of Jerusalem, before he reigns over any earthly kingdom, Jesus must first reign in the hearts of men.

And this leads us to the second element of Advent, the coming of Christ into the heart of the believer. Now skip over to the next chapter, Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2. So yes, Jesus was born a king, but towards the end of his life, do you remember what he said about his kingdom?

Well, he said, my kingdom is not of this world. And that's true. At that moment, the kingdom of Christ was not of this world. He never said it never will be at that moment. It was not of this world. So the emphasis of Christ's first advent mostly was not on his kingship.

He did not come the first time to rule and reign over an earthly kingdom. I know some people have the idea that, no, he did, but then they rejected him. So God went to plan B. That's foolish. God does not have a plan B.

God knows the end from the beginning. The emphasis on Christ in his first advent was not so much his kingship, but his role as a savior. So when Jesus was born, look at Luke chapter 2, verse 8 says,. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. And they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people.

For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. Now, one thing I want to say about his role as king, and certainly there was an element of that there. No question about it.

And then his role as savior. But there are three great offices in the Old Testament. This is something every believer should know. I should be able to call upon a random member of Morris Corner Church.

I'm not going to do this, of course. I don't want anyone mad at me. But I should be able to call on someone and say, what are the three great offices of the Old Testament? Actually, I'll do it. Marcus, what are they?

Prophet, priest, and king. Amen. Prophet, priest, and king. I knew he knew the answer. That's why I called him. I must have studied. But there are three great offices in the Old Testament. Prophet, priest, and king.

Jesus, listen now, he is the only man to hold all three. But for most of his earthly ministry, the multitudes did not regard him as a king. They regarded him primarily as a prophet. Almost all the people regarded him as a prophet.

And when you think of the prophets in the Old Testament, think of Jeremiah. Prophets typically are not very popular. They are not well liked. And Jesus, at times, he certainly did have the support of the multitudes.

But he was, again, this is an understatement. He was disliked, hated by the Jewish leaders. So, Jesus was a prophet. He was a prophet, indeed. But he was also a priest. And again, the people probably weren't thinking along these lines.

Jesus, indeed, is a priest. We find this specifically in the book of Hebrews, of course. And think about it. What does a priest do? Consider our church. Consider most Baptist and non-denominational churches, evangelical churches.

You have pastors. You may have elders. You have deacons. How come there's no priests? How come the pastor is not a priest? We could talk about the priesthood of all believers. But why don't we call the minister, like some people do, why don't we call them a priest?

Well, one thing a priest does, one essential element of being a priest is to do what? To offer up sacrifices. What's the sacrifice that I have to offer? I can offer the fruit of my lips, which is praise unto God.

But I have no sacrifice to offer. So, the role of a priest is to offer up sacrifices. Jesus was a prophet, true. Jesus was a priest. What's the sacrifice that he offered up? He offered up himself as the Lamb of God, a blood sacrifice.

The wooden cross served as an altar. So, Jesus was a prophet, and prophets do what? They preach. And what was the main message that Jesus preached? What was the primary message if you had to boil it all down?

He called upon people to repent and believe. This is what it's about, repent and believe. Believe in him. Believe in his words. Believe in his ways. And believe that he was indeed sent by God. Today, we carry on that same message.

As ministers of the gospel, as children of God, you are commissioned to carry out, carry on the same mission, the same message. That Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, who died and rose again so that sins may be forgiven.

Yes, Jesus has already come once to dwell among men. But the message we have is that he must come again to dwell in the hearts of men. Jesus coming at Bethlehem, amen. But if he's not dwelling in your heart, it doesn't do you any good.

Christ Dwelling in the Heart Through Faith

So, what does it mean? We talk about this. I have Christ in my heart. We're so and so prayed to receive Christ into their heart. And that's wonderful. But what do we mean by that? When you say that, what do you mean that you have Christ dwelling in your heart?

I want to read Ephesians 3, 17 through 19. I think this helps to explain it. You don't have to turn there or you can make a note. Ephesians 3, 17 through 19. What does it say? That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Let me read that again. That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height.

To know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. So, how are you filled with the fullness of God? Christ is coming into your heart through faith.

It is by faith. And that causes you to do what? To be rooted and grounded in love. And, of course, this does give us hope. And what's the title of the message? Christ, Our Blessed Hope. People need hope.

I mean, that's always true. And depending on what a person is going through, they may need it now more than ever. But just in general, I think we know this. People right now, they need hope. And the reality is, there is only one hope for this sin-sick world.

And this is a sin-sick world. It needs hope. It has one hope. And Christ is that hope. There are countless people living in the world right now that do not have hope. Why? Because they do not have Christ.

Especially now, with all the things going on. People, you know this. They're more isolated. They're more anxious. They're more afraid. Some confused. Perplexed. All the things they thought they could depend on.

Just a normal life. It's all been turned upside down. Or so it seems. But for the one who has Christ dwelling in their heart, that hasn't changed. That will never change. And things, yes, they may be difficult at times.

But if you're rooted and grounded in love, if you're trusting in Christ by faith, you have hope. You will always have hope. Can I get a witness on that? You have hope because you have Christ. Now, I'd like you to turn to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12.

The Unchanging Promise and the Shaking of All Things

There's a passage that, in our Thursday night men's group, we covered this several weeks ago. And it's kind of been stuck in my head. And I think it fits in here. Hebrews, chapter 12. To have ongoing hope in your life, that requires a few things.

One of the things that it requires is that there are going to be some things that just don't change. To have hope, there has to be something that doesn't change. When everything changes moment to moment, there's uncertainty.

So there has to be something that does not change. Just take this as an example in the Old Testament. God gave the law, right? And the Israelites, they were under the old covenant. But that changed, didn't it?

And it came to an end. It was always meant to come to an end. But as the author of Hebrews says, that Jesus, who is the Lord, he is what? He is the same both yesterday, today, and forever. Now, that's the next chapter.

We're going to look at chapter 12. Here's what I want you to remember. Yes, the law came and went. But the promise that God made to Abraham, that continues. That endures to this very day. If you say, well, I'm not Jewish.

I'm not descended from Abraham. Well, if you have the faith of Abraham, Paul tells the Galatians in Galatians chapter 3. Speaking of those who have the faith of Abraham, they are partakers of the same promise.

So, speaking of hope, that's something that will never change. The promise doesn't come and go. The promise remains. That should give you hope if you believe it. It's by faith. So, the point is, some things need to not change.

Some things do change. Other things never change. Look at Hebrews 12 verse 22. And, of course, the things that do not change, that's what we need to depend on. That's what we do depend on. Hebrews 12, starting in verse 22.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are registered in heaven.

To God, the judge of all. To the spirits of just men made perfect. And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. And to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Verse 25.

See that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven. Whose voice then shook the earth, but now he has promised.

Saying, yet once more, I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. Now this, yet once more, indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken. As of things that are made, listen now, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Just as a spiritual application, I think it's safe to say that things are being shaken right now. God is shaking our nation. God is shaking this earth. The people who once trusted in man-made structures and institutions, they're starting to see those things crack.

This understandably leads to fear and uncertainty. But for the one who has Christ as their hope, we understand that you know what? One day, it's all not only going to be shaken, it's all going to come down.

And it needs to come down, and we need to trust in the thing that does not change. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Coronet Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, morriscoronetchurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.