Hope on Comforter

liturgy

God of grace–Father who loves us from

Author

Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Matthew 11:28-30

God of grace–Father who loves us from forever and into forever; Word made Flesh–Jesus, God the Son ... Lord, Savior, Messiah; And Spirit ... Counselor and Comforter: You are our delight and our hope. ...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:1-11, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations 1:21, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2-3, Luke 3:4-6, John 1:23

Advent 2020: Tear Down the Heavens Comfort My People Updated & expanded for 2023 AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Longing created by exile While crise...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Isaiah 40:1-11

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:1-11, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations 1:21, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2-3, Luke 3:4-6, John 1:23, Lamentations 1:2, Isaiah 40:null, Isaiah 40:3, Mark 1:14, Isaiah 40:1-11

Ancient lens What's the historical context? Longing created by exile While crises seem innumerable in the OT, none could compare to the crisis of exile. Babylon, in 587 BC, destroys the city ...

liturgy

In You alone we put our hope

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:28-31, Lamentations 3:21-24 , Joel 2:28-29, Romans 5:1-5 , Acts 2:1-4, 17-21, Psalm 62:5-8

Pastor: In You alone we put our hope, God the Father, Creator and Sustainer, People: who gives all good things, seen and unseen. Pastor: In You alone we put our hope, God the Son, Savi...

Quote

Author

Emily Dickinson

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 39:7, Romans 5:3-5, Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 71:14, 1 Peter 1:3, Romans 15:13

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.

liturgy

Heavenly Father, You provide shelter

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 46:, Isaiah 25:4, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 89:1-4, Ephesians 3:17-19, Hebrews 11:

Heavenly Father, You provide shelter, comfort, and hope to us. We lift our praises to You this morning, for Your faithfulness inspires belief in us. Your limitless love reveals more of You to us day b...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Advent

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 126:, Psalm 126:1, Ezra 3:12, Luke 19:41-44, Isaiah 40:1-5, Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 53:3, John 1:11, Isaiah 53:4, Psalm 22:null, 1 Corinthians 15:20

Advent 2023: Make some noise! Echoes of a Dream AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? A Song Celebrating the Return from Babylonian Exile The book of Ezra recount...

liturgy

A Prayer for the Future

Author

Francis Drake

Keywords

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too pleased with ourselves; when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little; when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lo...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Advent

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Zephaniah 3:14-20, 2 Kings 22:, Isaiah 7:null

Check out our video discussion of the text with the author, Austin D. Hill. Click here to view! AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Zephaniah’s Context...

lectionary

First Sunday of Advent

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 33:14-16, Jeremiah 32:1-2, Jeremiah 30:3, Jeremiah 30:16, Jeremiah 31:1, Jeremiah 31:31, Jeremiah 33:17-18, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Matthew 4:17, Revelation 21:null, Philippians 1:6

AIM Commentary Check out our video discussion of the text with the author, Austin D. Hill. Click here to view! Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Exile and Catastrop...

liturgy

Benediction of Discontent

Author

Drew Edward Jackson

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:4, Psalm 126:5, Romans 12:9, Isaiah 57:15, 2 Corinthians 7:10

May God bless you with tears of lament that mourn over the injustice of our world. May you be blessed with a holy discontent over the way the world is. May the Spirit of Jesus shake you out of com...

Quote

Author

John Greenleaf Whittier

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 37:39–50 , Lamentations 3:22–23 , Ruth 1:4, Luke 7:36–50, 2 Corinthians 4:16–18, Psalm 126:5–6

“God pity them both! and pity us all, Who vainly the dreams of youth recall; For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’ Ah, well! for us all some...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 5:2-5a, John 3:30

Check out our video discussion of the text with Austin D. Hill & Stu Strachan. Click here to view! AIM Commentary The small size of Bethlehem reminds one of a common biblical theme: When God...

liturgy

Blessed be the tie that binds

Author

John Fawcett

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 3:14, 1 John 4:7-21, Psalm 133:1-3, Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 5:13-15, Galatians 6:2

Blessed be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above. Before the throne of God We pour our impassioned prayers; Our fears, our hopes, ...

liturgy

Call to Worship for Mother’s Day

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Come children God is calling us Gathering us Covering us with hope-filled wings Come children Rest against our Beloved’s breast Nurtured and nourished On the milk of love and kindness

lectionary

Third Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Isaiah 40:null, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations 1:21, Luke 4:18-19

Advent 2020: Tear Down the Heavens Dressed in Righteousness Updated & expanded for 2023 AIM Commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Living as Captives Our text t...

liturgy

May those without hope take heart in

Author

Pamela C. Hawkins

Keywords

May those without hope take heart in you, O Christ. May those with no home find shade at your right hand. May those near the end see beginnings; may those at the last become first. At the foot of y...

illustration

A Light in the Darkness

Author

Caroline Cobb

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:1-13

“They will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.” (Isa. 8:22) In The Two Towers , the second novel in Tolki...

liturgy

The Child of Glory, the Child of Mary

Author

Calvin Miller

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:7, Philippians 2:7, Hebrews 2:9, Genesis 15:

The Child of glory, The Child of Mary, Born in the stable; The King of all, Who came to the wilderness And in our stead suffered; Happy they are counted Who to Him are near. When He Himself sa...

Quote

Author

Jennie Allen

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 11:1, Romans 15:13, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 5:3-5, Lamentations 3:21-23

Doubt steals hope. And with no hope, everything that matters doesn’t feel as important anymore.

illustration

Awakening into the House and Gate of Heaven

Author

John Polkinghorne

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 21:1-4, Revelation 22:3-5, John 14:2-3, Isaiah 65:17-19, 2 Peter 3:13

This prayer, written by the great British pastor and poet John Donne, anticipates the new heaven and new earth that we will one day experience with our Lord: Bring us, O Lord, at our last awakening ...

series

Psalm 130 | Waiting upon God

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 130:, 1 John 4:8, Exodus 34:6-7, Psalm 107:

ANCIENT LENS What’s the historical context? Historical Background The Songs of Ascents celebrate the journey from Babylonian captivity to freedom in the homeland of Judah, and ultimately celebrat...

illustration

Cat and Mouse Games

Author

Max Lucado

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 3:14-15, Job 1:6-12, Isaiah 14:12-15, Colossians 2:13-15, Luke 10:18-19, Psalm 91:13

My friend Carter Conlon has ministered in New York City for more than two decades. Yet he spent many of his early years on a farm. He recalls a barnyard scene that illustrates the status of Satan. A f...

liturgy

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us"

Keywords

Scripture

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

Quote

Author

R. C. Sproul

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 6:19

Hope is called the anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19), because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a ‘wish’ (I wish that such-and-such would take place); rather, it is that...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:11-22, Romans 6:6, Psalm 23:null, Lamentations 3:22-24, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Romans 6:6, Psalm 89:null

Preaching Commentary Paul’s Prize Fight Paul pulls no punches in this letter to the church of Ephesus. It is an onslaught of theological intensity from the first ring of the bell. Like a prize figh...

Quote

Author

Tertullian

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:14-16, Romans 8:24-25, Hebrews 10:23, Psalm 27:13-14, Lamentations 3:25-26

Hope is patience with the lamp lit.

Quote

Author

Robert Ingersoll

Keywords

Hope

Scripture

Psalm 33:18, Jeremiah 17:7-8, 1 Peter 1:3, Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:22-23

Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers.

lectionary

Second Sunday after Christmas

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 31:7-14, Psalm 23:null

Preaching Commentary In Israel’s tribal society, redemption was the act of a patriarch who put his own resources on the line to ransom a family member who had been driven to the margins of society b...

Quote

Author

Irish Proverb

Keywords

Hope

Scripture

1 Peter 5:10, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 5:3-5, Psalm 147:3

Hope is the physician of each misery.

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