A Light Has Dawned: Hope
LISTEN:
A Light Has Dawned: Hope
Luke 1:5-25
Advent 2025
December 8th, 2025
“A Light Has Dawned”
Isaiah 9:1-2 (NIV) Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
The revelation of verb tenses
“Who were in distress” – Past continuous tense. Their distress is behind them and stays behind them.
“In the past… but in the future”- Prepositional phrases communicating forward movement.
“Have seen” – Perfect present tense
“Has dawned – Perfect present tense
Perfect present tense indicates an action completed in the past but with results still relevant in the present.
Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
The light of Christ dispels and dismisses the lies of darkness.
Lies like: “It’s over.” “Things will never change.” “All hope is gone.”
The Truth? Jesus changes everything. The Baby did it!
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Faith is inextricably connected to hope.
It’s not possible to be a person of faith and not be a person of hope.
Luke 1:25 (NIV)
25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
In Luke 1:1-24, we learn…
Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were in the lineage of the Aaronic Priesthood
They had no children due to Elizabeth’s barrenness.
At the time of this angelic encounter, both Zechariah and Elizabeth are “well along in years.”
God’s Last Words for 400 Years
Malachi 4 (NIV) Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty. 4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
God’s First Words After 400 Years.
Luke 1:13 (NIV)
13 “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
Not Just Any Baby
Luke 1:14-17 (NIV) 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
That was some birth announcement!
He will be a joy and delight not just to you two, but to many.
He will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
He will bring back the people of Israel to the Lord.
He will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.
He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
“The Lord has done this for me”
What God did for this couple illustrates that “expiring” time doesn’t expire hope. Keep the hope alive in prayer!
“He has shown me favor.”
The word favor carries the connotation of being seen (perfect present tense).
He has seen me, He sees me now. God understands me, knows my situation, knows my desires, knows my pain, knows my disappointments.
But not just from a “recognition” standpoint but from a “resource” stand point.
Your Word Today!
You are really special to God. He isn’t withholding favor from you, He is timing His favor.
God has not abandoned you and He will never abandon you, He is present.
When His favor comes, don’t take credit for it – point people to Jesus because they need a dawning of Hope. The Baby did it!
“taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Salvation always carries 2 parts; a giving part and a taking away part. This the Great Exchange. We just don’t receive Salvation, we get rid of all the things that has kept us in the dark!
Slide
The hard things about Biblical hope are…
Hope is always connected to waiting.
Hope always exists outside of your own power and circumstances.
Hope is activated by faith.