Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 9:1-7 - Hope Since the Beginning
Introduction: Celebrating Advent at The Well
Welcome to The Well Community Church. If we have not met yet, my name is Brad. I get the privilege of hanging out with you here this week as we begin a unique series here at The Well for Advent.
Some of you grew up in faith traditions where Advent was a regular part of the church calendar. For others, this might be a little bit new. Over the next several weeks, we are going to explore the anticipation of the coming of Christ and celebrate Advent—both the first and the second coming of Jesus in preparation for this holiday season. To those joining us in person, to those joining us via video at our Fig Garden campus, and to those joining tonight at our PM gathering, I am just so grateful that you are here with us.
We are going to talk about the most instrumental and world-changing figure in human history. That is not an exaggeration. We are talking about Jesus, God incarnate. We are talking about Him in whom all the fullness of deity dwelt in bodily form. We are talking about Him who did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but who humbled Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant. He emptied Himself, becoming nothing, being made in the likeness of men, and ultimately ending up on the cross for our sins.
We are going to spend the next several weeks talking about the beauty and the glory of our Christ. As we do, we want to talk a little bit about the movement of the gospel—how this message of grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone has not only changed a region in biblical times, but changed the entire world.
From Jerusalem to the World: The Early Church and Christian Feasts
In the book of Acts, Jesus tells His followers that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they will be His witnesses. That word witness comes from the root we translate as martyr. They would be witnesses for Christ in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the remotest parts of the earth.
Acts 1:8 (NASB)
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’
As you read through the book of Acts, that is exactly what takes place. The gospel begins to infuse the culture in Jerusalem, heads south to Judea, north to Samaria, and ends up traveling to the remotest parts of the earth. The gospel takes root in Turkey—known as Asia Minor in that day—hops the pond over to Macedonia, ends up in Greece, reaches Athens and Corinth, and ultimately arrives in Rome. This gospel truly changed the world.
Early on, Judaism and Christianity were like brothers sharing a common ancestry and history. Our Old Testament is the Hebrew Scripture. The Jewish people were looking for a Messiah, and we recognized that Messiah to be Jesus. Jesus, who was Jewish, and His disciples naturally celebrated the feasts and festivals recorded throughout the Old Testament. Jesus enjoyed Shabbat on a weekly basis. He celebrated Passover, Yom Kippur, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). All of these Jewish feasts were part of the early Christian experience.
Over time, Christianity, which was originally considered a sect of Judaism, began to show itself as distinct. In the first, second, and third centuries, the early church began to ask an important question: If Jesus really is the key figure of all our Old Testament scriptures—which He is—and if every feast and festival in the Jewish faith is a foreshadowing of the person and work of Jesus Christ, what should Christians celebrate?
Consider Passover: Jesus is the ultimate Deliverer who saves us not simply from physical slavery in Egypt, but from slavery to sin. Consider Yom Kippur: where an animal sacrifice was given year after year for the sin of the people, Jesus died for sin once for all and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. If all those Old Testament celebrations pointed forward to Jesus, what are our holidays? What are our feasts and festivals?
The early church settled on two primary celebrations centered on the life of Christ. The first was the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. They established Easter, but they did not want to just stumble into it casually. They created a season of preparation leading up to Easter, which became known as Lent.
Then they established a celebration around the birth of Jesus. They wanted a season of preparation for the arrival of our Savior, and that became Advent. The concept of Advent was part of a church calendar with two key moments: Easter in the spring and Advent in the winter—two intentional opportunities each year to slow down, reflect, and consider the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The Shift of History and the Protestant Reformation
Jesus was clear in Matthew 16 that He would build a movement called the church. The word church comes from two Greek words: ek (out from) and kaleo (to call). It is a gathering of people called out and assembled together on a common mission. It is not the building; it is the people being the church.
Matthew 16:18 (NASB)
’I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
That message spread with incredible power. By the end of the third century, historians estimate that roughly ten percent of the Roman Empire was Christian. That is an astonishing movement when you consider it started with Jesus born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, and preaching in Capernaum.
Then history took a dramatic turn. An emperor named Constantine came to power and enacted the Edict of Milan. This did not just end the persecution of Christians; it established Christianity as an affirmed, favored religion in the Roman Empire.
During the first three centuries, claiming the name of Jesus in the Roman world could get you killed. You had to think long and hard before raising your hand to say, “I follow Jesus of Nazareth,” because doing so might mean you and your family would face martyrdom. The people who raised their hands were completely all in. But after Constantine, Christianity became socially advantageous and even good for business. By the middle of the fourth century, an estimated fifty percent of the Roman Empire identified as Christian.
That rapid shift brought deep challenges. When everyone raised their hand simply because it was culturally beneficial, many had no real understanding of who Jesus was or what the gospel meant. Corruption entered the church, and unbiblical mandates began to develop.
Over the centuries, church tradition began to be placed on equal authority with Scripture. Mary was elevated to unbiblical roles. Communion was redefined through transubstantiation as the literal body and blood of Christ, controlled exclusively by institutional authority. The doctrine of purgatory was created alongside indulgences, where people were told they could give money to secure a loved one’s release. It made for an effective fundraising campaign, but it was wildly unbiblical.
Eventually, believers began to protest. They said, “That is not what the Bible says. We must go back to the Scriptures.” They rallied around the five Solas: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Gratia (grace alone), Sola Fide (faith alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone).
In 1517, Martin Luther wrote ninety-five points of contention against these corrupt practices and nailed them to the church door at Wittenberg. Now, that door was essentially the community bulletin board—right next to notices for finding a roommate or a dog sitter—but what mattered was the message. Luther called the church back to the authority of God’s Word. Those who followed became known as Protestant Reformers, and we are part of that Protestant heritage.
The Reformers rightly discarded unbiblical doctrines like purgatory, indulgences, and the exaltation of human traditions above Scripture. However, in cleaning house, they also set aside some healthy rhythms and traditions that the early church had practiced. Not everything pre-Reformation was bad, and not everything post-Reformation was perfect. As faithful Protestants, we can ask: Are there good historical traditions we ought to reclaim? I believe Advent is one of them.
Reclaiming Advent: A Season of Preparation
Advent was originally designed to be a time of slowing down, preparation, and purposeful reflection on the person and work of Jesus. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “arrival” or “coming.” By the Middle Ages, it was solidified as a four-week season of preparation leading up to Christmas.
Advent carries a rich double meaning. It celebrates Christ’s first coming—the wonder of the Incarnation, God taking on human flesh. At the same time, it looks ahead to His second Advent—the recognition that the story is not over, that Jesus will return to establish His kingdom fully, making on earth what is in heaven.
Historically, the four weeks of Advent take us on a spiritual journey centered on four themes: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
Today, like almost everything in modern culture, Advent has been heavily commercialized. You can fill an online shopping cart with endless Advent products. While some resources are great—including the free Advent reading guide available on our church website—the point is not buying merchandise. The point is cultivating an intentional posture of heart.
When December arrives, most of us naturally begin evaluating our lives. We look back at the past year—what went well, what was hard—and we look ahead to the new year, wondering what we need to adjust. Advent steps into that natural rhythm and asks: Where is Christ in the middle of it? How do we slow down during the holiday rush to truly interact with and reflect upon Jesus? If we do not make a deliberate choice, December will fly by just like November and October did.
One simple, time-tested tool is an Advent wreath. I was thinking about this yesterday when I went to pick out our Christmas tree. As the guy was strapping it to the roof of my car, I noticed the evergreen trimmings on the ground and was reminded of how evergreen wreaths have long been used to symbolize eternal life in Christ.
An Advent wreath typically holds four candles around the circle and one in the center. The first candle represents Hope, the second Peace, the third Joy, and the fourth Love, with the center candle being the Christ candle.
You can do this simply in your own home. You do not need anything fancy. When you sit down for dinner, you can light a candle and take two or three minutes to talk about it with your family or roommates. If you are a parent, you do not need to deliver a polished sermon. Just speak from your heart about the hope you have in Christ. Light the candle, share together, reflect, and blow it out when dinner is done.
Why candles? The Gospel of John tells us that in Jesus was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
John 1:4-5 (NASB)
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There is nothing mystical about the candle itself. It is simply a tangible reminder that Jesus is the Light of the World, and darkness flees before Him. It points us to His first coming in humility and His second coming in glory.
Hope Since the Beginning: Whispers of the Messiah
As we light this first candle of Hope, we have to ask: Why do we need hope in the first place?
If you read the opening pages of Genesis, you quickly discover that the Bible is not an ordinary self-help book. By chapter three, the wheels come off. Everything is good in chapter one and chapter two, and then sin enters the world. Because of the bad news of our sin and brokenness, we desperately need the good news of the gospel. The word gospel literally means “good news”—the announcement of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
From Genesis 3 onward, the rest of the Old Testament is filled with snapshots, flashes, and whispers pointing to Him.
Right after the Fall, God promises that the seed of the woman will crush the serpent’s head.
Genesis 3:15 (NASB)
And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.’
Adam and Eve did not yet know His name. But thousands of years later, we look back at that promise and recognize Jesus. When God promises Abraham in Genesis 12 that through his offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed, that is Jesus.
Genesis 12:3 (NASB)
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
When Jacob blesses his sons in Genesis 49 and declares that the scepter will not depart from Judah until the rightful ruler comes, that is Jesus.
Genesis 49:10 (NASB)
’The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him [shall be] the obedience of the peoples.
When Moses leads Israel out of slavery in Exodus, that deliverance foreshadows Jesus rescuing us from our slavery to sin. When the high priest enters the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, that points directly to Jesus, our great High Priest who offered Himself once for all. When God promises King David in 2 Samuel 7 that a descendant from his line will sit on an eternal throne, Matthew 1 shows us that Jesus is the fulfillment of that Davidic line.
2 Samuel 7:12-16 (NASB)
’When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. ’He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ’I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took [it] away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ‘Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.’‘’
Sally Lloyd-Jones wrote a wonderful children’s book called The Jesus Storybook Bible, and the subtitle captures this truth perfectly: Every story whispers His name. All throughout the Old Testament, the Scriptures give us glimpses of who Jesus is.
Micah prophesied that the Ruler of Israel would come from the humble town of Bethlehem.
Micah 5:2 (NASB)
‘But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, [Too] little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.’
Hosea declared that God would call His son out of Egypt, which was fulfilled when Mary and Joseph fled with baby Jesus to escape Herod’s violence.
Hosea 11:1 (NASB)
When Israel [was] a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.
Isaiah spoke of the miraculous sign of the virgin birth:
Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)
’Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
And Isaiah gave us one of the clearest portraits of the coming King:
Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB)
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of [His] government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
Sure enough, Jesus arrived—our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
Advent is an opportunity to slow down and remember these truths. In the middle of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all the frantic holiday shopping, we need space to remember that there is something more—or better said, Someone more. If we get through this season without road rage, find the right gifts for the family exchange, and cross the threshold into the new year without actually reflecting on Jesus, we have missed the entire point.
Slowing Down in the Presence of God
How do we actually slow down? I want to invite us to practice something together right now. Jesus gave this gentle invitation in Matthew 11:
Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)
’Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ’Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. ‘For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’
We want to take a moment to step into that easy yoke and rest in Christ. This first week of Advent reminds us that we needed a Savior, and we still need Him today.
We are going to take one minute of quiet right where you are. For some of you, sitting in silence with God is familiar and comfortable. For others, sixty seconds of silence might feel like a thousand years, with your thoughts bouncing around like crazy. That is okay.
Use this minute to interact honestly with God. You can thank Him for what He has done. You can tell Him, “Lord, I do not know You very well, but I am here.” If the Holy Spirit brings something to mind that is not honoring to Him, use this space for simple repentance. You do not need to confess to me; you have a High Priest in heaven. You can simply say, “Lord, there is brokenness here. Thank You that You love me even in the mess.”
Let’s take sixty seconds together in silence to reflect on the hope we have in Jesus.
(One minute of silence)
There is real power in silence. We live in a noisy world, and Advent invites us to turn the volume down and simply enjoy God’s presence. It might feel unfamiliar at first, just like learning to ride a bike felt awkward before it became a joy. Spending quiet time with the Lord grows on you in the very same way.
Looking Ahead: The Hope of His Return
Now, let’s turn our attention to the second meaning of Advent: the hope of Christ’s return. Paul writes about this endurance and hope in the Scriptures:
Romans 15:4 (NASB)
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
If you find yourself discouraged by what you see in the news, what is happening in our culture, or what you are walking through personally, remember that this world is not the end of the story. Jesus will return. He will establish His kingdom fully, wiping away every tear, ending sin, shame, cancer, and death, and making all things new.
Let’s take one more minute in silence to anchor our hearts in the hope of His return.
(One minute of silence)
Father, we thank You for the incredible inheritance we share in Christ. We thank You that in Jesus, we are fully forgiven, accepted, known, and loved. We thank You that we stand in a long line of believers throughout centuries and across the globe who have surrendered their lives to follow King Jesus.
Thank You that this world is not our final home. We are strangers and pilgrims here. Lord Jesus, come quickly. And while we wait, make us faithful witnesses who carry the aroma of Christ into our neighborhoods and cities.
Thank You for the gift of Advent, for the opportunity to slow down and enjoy Your presence together. Your Word reminds us that in Your presence is fullness of joy, and at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. We love You, and we pray all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.