1. Return!
… but not in the way they were really hoping for

2. Zephaniah 3 ‘Wait for me, declares the Lord’ ‘The Lord is mighty to save’ Promises for a (distant?) future…

3. Waiting… ‘Where is your God now. ’ (Micah 7) ‘Rouse yourself, O God
Waiting… ‘Where is your God now?’ (Micah 7) ‘Rouse yourself, O God!’ (Ps 44) ‘How long, O Lord?’ (Ps 35) How do you cope?

4. Imprisoned for your faith…
In pain…
Imprisoned for your faith…
Hopes dashed:
For family
For retirement
For financial stability
For health
In love or relationships
For justice

5. ‘I appeal to you, dear friends, as aliens and strangers in the world…’
‘You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God’
Hope
‘I appeal to you, dear friends, as aliens and strangers in the world…’

6. Look back and remember – something God did do for you
Meeting someone who changed your life?
Giving you a job?
Healing you or someone you love?
The times you did have together?
Family?
God reminds us of his acts in the past…

7. … to help us when times are tough Watch for God at work
‘Anointed ones’ for us
Immanuel, God with us
Know your place in God’s plan – we are in phase two…
NEW CREATION
Church growing… US!
Early church
God’s people (remnant)
…in the thick of the battle!
God’s created people
CREATION

8. Qualities God may be developing
Endurance
Patience
Faith
Humility
Self control
Love (of self too)
Joy
Peace
Kindness
Goodness

9. ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning’ (Ps 30:5) God’s rescue ‘will come and not delay’… He is not ‘delaying’ but will intervene at the time only he can see is right. We can’t see, especially when we are suffering.

10. Listen to God’s promises: ‘The days are coming when I will make a new covenant not like the old... which they broke they will all know me... I will remember their sins no more’ (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

11. ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light
‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light for to us a child is born, to us a son is given and he will be called Mighty God...’ (Isaiah 9)

12. Person of God’s choice (Is 41:25 ‘I have called one from the north…’)
Given dominion over nations (Is 45:1-3)
Appointed to accomplish God’s purposes (Is 45:11-13 ‘He will set my exiles free…)
Come with judgement on God’s enemies (Is 47)
Agent of God himself (Is 45:1-7 ‘I, the LORD, do all these things’)

13. ‘Be prepared’ – message of Advent Take hope, take courage, wait expectantly