Hope of a new season and celebration of Jesus’ birth lead us to Isaiah 9. Isaiah is expressing THE TRUE HOPE that will come to a gloomy, dark land.
The true hope of this passage points to Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ. True hope is not placed in a New Year or season. True hope is not placed in relief from famine, or freedom from a tyrannical government. True hope is not placed in more food, a better economy, a protective vaccine, or a change in leadership. TRUE HOPE is placed firmly in the coming Jesus Christ! Like everyone I am hopeful that 2021 brings a better season than 2020. However, if it doesn’t, we must remember that we place our true hope in the person of Jesus Christ. It is this TRUE HOPE that we are called to share with the world around us. It is the true HOPE we place in Christ that our family, friends, and surrounding community so desperately need. It is hope in Christ that causes us to move our eyes from ourselves and place our eyes on a surrounding world that is unknowingly desperate for the true hope Christ offers.
The song writer Hellen Lemmel clearly stated it this way:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
We are all looking forward to a great 2021 at SFC. Let us all place our HOPE in Jesus Christ. He alone is our TRUE HOPE!
Happy New Year!!!
Eric Bowman
Eric is our associate pastor, working with outreach and youth ministry as well as adult discipleship and growth. Eric retired from a 28-year career in public education as a high school band director in 2019 and is now living his lifelong dream as a pastor. Eric and his wife, Diana, continue to live in Henry County where they have been lifetime residents. They "raised" three children and are now making their best attempt at "raising" themselves.