What the World Needs Now, Part 1

In the midst of our crazy culture, God has given us an opportunity to slow down, realign the categories and affections of our hearts, and ultimately to find our hope and rest in God. This is what Advent is about: a season of hopeful expectation and anticipation of Jesus’ second coming. Listen as Pastor Josh unpacks the beauty of the hope found in Jesus alone.

Great Things
Phil Wickham

Jesus Over Everything
The Belonging Co.

Hope Has a Name
Passion

Goodness of God
Bethel Music

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Advent

Coming; a hopeful expectation and preparation for the coming of King Jesus.

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St. Augustine

“Lord our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.”

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Courtney Beard, Psychology Today

“Unsurprisingly, rates of depression and anxiety have also risen significantly over the course of the pandemic. In the early spring of 2020, U.S. adults were three times as likely to screen positive for depression and/or anxiety as they were in 2019, with more than one in three U.S. adults screening positive for one or both in a national study conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.”

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An atmosphere of hopelessness was actually the cultural backdrop into which Jesus was born.

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Matthew 4:12-17

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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Your darkest tragedy is Hope’s greatest opportunity.

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Matthew 4:16

“the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light,”

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John 1:4-5

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

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Matthew 4:16

“for those dwelling in the region of the shadow of death.”

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Psalm 23:4

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”

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Matthew 4:17

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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C.S. Lewis

“Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

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Advent Resources

 
1. “The Advent Project” by Biola University (free) 
https://ccca.biola.edu/events/2021/nov/28/advent-project-2021/

2. “Good News of Great Joy” by John Piper (about $11)
https://store.thegospelcoalition.org/tgc/products/10671/good-news-of-great-joy 

3. “At Home With God” ($9 on kindle)
https://www.amazon.com/At-Home-God-Liturgical-Christian-ebook/dp/B0089YNNLC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1637684406&sr=8-3

4. “Gospel in Life Advent Devotional” by Tim Keller (free)
https://mailchi.mp/gospelinlife/advent