The Advent of Hope

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” (Isaiah 9:2)

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." (John 8:12)

We marked the start of our Advent celebration yesterday by celebrating the message of hope through the prophets’ declaration that the Messiah would bring the “Light of life” to the hearts of men. Jesus proclaimed that he was Isaiah’s “great light.” He is our hope. That is a promise we must cling to because there are going to be things happen to you in this life that will make you cling to that eternal hope because there is no other.

Wally and Barbara Rendel know that’s true. Wally was minister at the Southern Acres Christian Church in Lexington for over 20 years. But a few years ago, they got the phone call that every parent dreads. Late one night an Ohio State Trooper told them their 21 year old daughter Jill was killed when the van that she was riding in, with the rest of the girls’ basketball team from her college, had overturned.

Jill was vivacious, on the dean’s list, popular, and was selected by her student body as Homecoming Queen just several days before she was killed. She was a Daddy’s girl. The week before she died, she was home in Lexington and sat on her Dad’s lap for an hour just joking around. When Wally and Barbara received the news that Jill had been killed they were devastated. But within minutes, because of his faith, this Dad through tears said, "The Queen has gone home to be with the King."

There is something markedly different about the way Christians face death. Paul said, "We grieve, but not as those who have no hope." The funeral for Jill was packed. Over 1000 came. It was not a service of sadness, but a celebration of Jill’s ultimate victory in Christ and our promise of life eternal.

Toward the end of the service a young man sang a most moving song. It’s entitled, "I fell on my knees and cried Holy." The song says,

"I dreamed of a city called glory, so bright and so fair. When I entered the gates I cried holy, the angels all met with me there. They carried me from mansion to mansion. Oh, the sights that I saw. Then I said, "I want to see Jesus, for He’s the one who died for all."

Hope is Heaven Offering Peace Eternally to all who will trust Christ!

Dr. Derek