Week 1: "A Thrill of Hope"

Bridge Community Fellowship Sunday 11-30-25 Worship Service The Thrill of Hope (Isaiah 9:1-7)

Big Idea for This Week: Christmas is worth celebrating because Jesus is the personification of Hope. Jesus is the Light who shatters our darkness, the King who multiplies our joy, and the God who has come to save us.

Sermon Outline 1. The Hope of Illumination (Isaiah 9:1–2) Jesus is the great Light who enters our darkness. He moves us from gloom to glory, from ignorance to revelation, from speculation to truth. 2. The Hope of Increase (Isaiah 9:3–5) Where the Light shines, life multiplies. God expands His people and increases their joy. He breaks the yoke of sin, guilt, and oppression just as He did in the days of Midian. 3. The Hope of Incarnation (Isaiah 9:6–7) God does not send a theory, He sends Himself. A Child is born; a Son is given; and the government rests on His shoulders. He is: Wonderful Counselor with the wisdom we need, Mighty God with the power we lack, Everlasting Father with the care we long for, Prince of Peace with the wholeness our souls crave. Study Questions for Reflection 1. Where are you currently experiencing “gloom” or “darkness,” and how does the light of Christ speak into those places this Advent season? 2. What false hopes (self, others, circumstances) have you been relying on? How can you shift to anchoring your hope in Jesus alone? 3. How have you experienced Jesus multiplying joy in your life? Where do you long for Him to do that again? 4. Which part of Jesus’ fourfold name (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace) do you most need this week and why? 5. What would it look like for you to enter Christmas with a renewed sense of awe, worship, and hope?