Hope for the World

By Pastor Tim White

I am crazy about Christmas Spirit.  Every year, for the last 28 years, I have dressed up as Santa and gone to the hospital to deliver much needed joy to the patients.  My kids grew up thinking I was a nut, and kept telling me I was not the real Santa.  But I just love Christmas.  I sing Christmas Carols all year long, this year my daughter even called me from Princeton and asked me to sing her some Christmas Carols. Yes, I am a Christmas nut- the kind that is for many people their worst, most annoying nightmare (like Buddy the Elf from the movie Elf). However, the Christmas season only gives me joy when I remember that Jesus Christ is the hope for the world.

That is such an old fashioned statement that some might think it is culturally insensitive.  I am not trying to put down any other religion or philosophy by making that statement.  Too many times Jesus has been misunderstood in history as try to stomp the life out of every other group to make his point.  But that is not the Jesus we know.  He said, “Whoever is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:50).  In this passage Jesus seems to reverse himself.  Because earlier he had said that “Whoever is not for you is against you”.  Meaning we need to be fully committed to our faith.  But here is he is talking about people who are helping but not in the name of Jesus.  So Jesus is saying, ‘Don’t worry about them, we need their help to address the great hurts of this world.’ 

In my view, we have yet to fully appreciate what it means that Jesus is the hope of the world.  We need government, but Jesus is the hope the world not the government.  We need politics (I think) but politics are not the hope of the world.  We need philanthropy and I am totally committed to giving Christ honor by doing what we can to help people in his name.  But still Jesus is the hope of the world.  We need our families – I would die for mine.  But Jesus in a family is the hope of the world.

Yes, we need a pervasive hope which enters every marketplace, every competition, and every frustrating challenge.  This year we are exploring what it means if we get it- Jesus is the hope of the world.

When I was a young preacher, I wanted to have my own ‘Just as I am song’ that people would dedicate their lives to Christ during its performance.  So a friend of mine wrote this song:

Christ is the answer no other will do – he will make you new.

Whenever I am troubled and lost in deep despair.

I run along with all my troubles and I go to God in prayer.

 Christ is the answer, sinner don’t wait, Christ is the answer don’t be late,

Christ is the answer, no other will do – he will make you new.

I love that song – I love Jesus. So how can help but not get excited about his Birthday and remembering that he is the hope for the world.

 

"And his name will be the hope
of all the world."

Matthew 12:21

What are you hoping for this Christmas season? What hopes would you have if you knew that God was going to work a miracle in your life this Christmas?