"Hope for the Future"

Key Understanding:

We can find hope for our future in loving, serving, caring and giving to others.

Key Scripture:

  Luke 1:26-38, I Peter 4:8-11, II Corinthians 8:7, Matthew 5:13-16

1.  We can find Hope for the Future through  Loving and Serving others.               

               (I Peter 4:8-11)

• We should see others as Christ sees them.  It will help us to accept others as they are.              
• We should imitate the compassionate spirit of Christ.  (Ephesians 5:1-2)

2.  We can find hope for the Future through Caring and Giving to others.

              (II Corinthians 8:7)

• God has given us the greatest gift of all and desires for us to share the gift with others.
• It is not always the things you give others that matters. They want you to be there for them. They simply want to know you care.

 3.  We need to show others the hope of Christ for the right reason.               (Matthew 5:13-16)

• We’ve got to keep our motives in check.  (Matthew 6:1-4) 

 Challenging Thought: 

Howard Thurman wrote, "When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, then the real work of Christmas begins."