The Lord God’s spirit is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me
    to bring good news to the poor,
    to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim release for captives,
        and liberation for prisoners,
²     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
        and a day of vindication for our God,
    to comfort all who mourn,
³     to provide for Zion’s mourners,
    to give them a crown in place of ashes,
    oil of joy in place of mourning,
    a mantle of praise in place of discouragement.
They will be called Oaks of Righteousness,
    planted by the Lord to glorify himself.
⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins;
    they will restore formerly deserted places;
    they will renew ruined cities,
    places deserted in generations past.

 

-Isaiah 61: 1-4

Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol is a timeless tale of holiday redemption.  Ebeneezer Scrooge is forced to confront his past.  The journey is painful but also reignites a spark of compassion in his heart.  If it is possible for hope to reach Scrooge, then we are not beyond its power.   [hear sermon audio]

This week, take some time to go deeper.  Use these scriptures and questions to reflect on the meaning of Advent for your own life.

Texts to read:

• Isaiah 25:6-10
• Ephesians 2:1-10

Questions to ponder:

• Do you keep a journal?  Do you reflect on your past? What about reflection is difficult?
• When you consider the places you’ve fallen short, who was there to help restore you to faith or relationship?
• How would you describe the hope of Christmas to someone who does not attend church?

Do and share:

• Be a part of Christ offering hope to the world by finding a place to serve others this week.  Take a picture and share it on our Facebook or Twitter (@dpumc) with #AdventHope
• Get a copy of The Redemption of Scrooge (available in paperback and kindle) and learn along with us.