Hope Has Come

What do you think of when you think of hope? We are going to explore this today as we begin the first week of Advent….Remember, the four candles of the Advent wreath are: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love… Definition of hope is: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. BUT, when I think of hope, I think of a season of waiting–expectantly–whether it is hoping for a pregnancy to come full term, a new job or promotion, a friend to be healed–they all include waiting WHILE being hopeful… Romans 8:24-25 ~ For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Which brings us to the idea of TRUST…hoping expectantly naturally requires trust, right?! If you are praying (in hope) for something, you also must trust that God is going to provide an answer to that prayer…it may not be exactly what YOU think the answer should be, but it WILL be for your good… The archaic definition of hope, in fact, says simply: a feeling of trust. So, here we are…BACK talking about trust! It is the linchpin of our faith! Hope and trust are two strands of the same rope… Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Talk about hope in the Advent Season…hope in Jesus…what that means… This verse in Romans is so profound! We may have read this verse a 1000 times but during this advent season, let’s meditate on it… The God of hope...he could have used any word that he wanted to but he chose to say God of hope Let’s take a quick look at how Jesus brings hope throughout Scripture In the history of advent this candle is the candle of hope because it shows how the prophecies of Christ in the OT were fulfilled in Christ Romans 5:5 Hope in Christ will not disappoint Scriptures to Read: Isaiah 11:1, Matthew 1:22, Matthew 2:6, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:8, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:14, Romans 6:23, Jeremiah 29:11, Acts 5:31, 2 Corinthians 9:15, Acts 5:31 Jesus fulfilled between 300-500 prophecies Numbers 24:17—He would be from the line of Jacob Isaiah 11:1—He would be born from the family of Jesse Jeremiah 23:5–6—He would be David’s kingly heir Micah 5:2—He would be born in Bethlehem Isaiah 7:14—He would be immaculately conceived (born of a virgin) Psalm 72:10—He would be worshiped and given gifts at His birth Jeremiah 31:15—A king would murder children in an attempt to kill Jesus[1] Savor Moment: In the same way this family tradition is inspired, as you make these cookies, which prophesy of Christ fulfilled has brought you the most hope in this current holiday season? Springerle Story/Recipe: EK will talk about family tradition of these cookies…Kay’s great, great grandfather carved a Springerle board for his wife, Anna in about 1860 (lived in Cincinnati which was a predominantly German city–these cookies originated in Germany)....board and recipe were passed down through the generations…(See pictures) 3 eggs ¾ Cup sugar 2 t grated lemon peel ½ t vanilla 3 Cups flour ¾ t baking powder ¼ t salt 3T anise seeds Beat eggs until light. Add in sugar and beat until pale yellow. Add lemon peel and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to wet ones to make a smooth but not sticky dough. Chill overnight. Roll out and imprint. Spray baking sheet with PAM and sprinkle with anise seeds. Cut cookies and place on baking sheet. Let dry 24-36 hours.Bake for 15-20 minutes at 325. Springerle rollers or cookie cutter molds can be purchased on Amazon for about $20.