Hope

Pastor Akin began by defining biblical hope as "certainty that God will keep his promises," contrasting this with common usage where hope means uncertainty. Using the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, he argued that we can have hope because God has not forgotten us. The main point was that God gives us His presence - first through the angel Gabriel visiting Zechariah in the temple, then ultimately through Jesus Christ as Emmanuel (God with us), and finally through the Holy Spirit who indwells believers. Akin emphasized that true biblical hope involves waiting expectantly for God to fulfill His promises, and that the ultimate goal of Christian life is not heaven itself but being with Jesus.

In this message:

Biblical hope is certainty that God will keep His promises, not wishful thinking about uncertain outcomes.God gives us His presence through angels, through Jesus Christ as Emmanuel, and through the Holy Spirit.The end game of Christian life is not heaven but getting to be with Jesus both now and eternally.True biblical hope and waiting go hand in hand together during the Advent season.Children are always seen as a gift and direct blessing from the Lord throughout the Bible.