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Arrival | Hope

The Advent season invites us to prepare for arrival—the arrival of hope, peace, joy, and love that came with the birth of Jesus Christ, and the deeper hope of His return. In this first sermon of our Advent series, we reflect on the word arrival itself—its meaning in both Latin (adventus) and Greek (parousia)—and how the early church grounded its hope in both the first and second comings of Christ. Through the stories of Joseph, the prophets, and the early disciples, we discover that hope is not wishful thinking—it’s confidence rooted in God’s faithfulness across history. It’s what allows us to resist cynicism, endure hardship, and face the future with courage. Key teachings include: -Hope is the conviction that God has acted, is acting, and will act again. -The prophets spoke hope even in darkness—because they trusted in God's promises. -Jesus’ arrival ignited a new hope that shines in the darkest places. -The early church lived in expectation of the parousia—the second arrival of Jesus. Christian hope is not escapism. It’s a call to live differently because of who Jesus is. Scripture References: Matthew 1:18–25, Matthew 4, Matthew 24, Isaiah 9, 1 Peter 1:3–5, 2 Peter 3, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, James 5:7, 1 John 2:28 Reflection Questions: -What would your life be like if you had this hope? -What if you believed change could happen—because it already has? ______________________________________________ Come join us at Faith United Church of Christ on the Southside of Indianapolis. We are an inclusive church that believes that no matter where you are on life's journey, you are welcome in Jesus' church. So whether you are conservative or liberal, gay or straight, new to church, or have been going to church your entire life, you are welcome at our church! Worship is at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday. 4040 E. Thompson Rd. Indianapolis IN 46237 If you are NEW HERE and would like to connect, volunteer or give, you can do that by visiting our Faith UCC Church Center: https://myfaithucc.churchcenter.com/home Go to NEW HERE or VOLUNTEER FORMS #adventhope #arrival #jesusiscoming #lightinthedarkness #gospelhope #faithinjesus #hopeforall #christianhope #adventseason #biblestudy #faithcommunity #indianapolis #unitedchurchofchrist #hope #advent #christmas #Jesus #JesusChrist #gospel #progressive