“A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes – and is completely dependent on the face that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Genesis 3:15 

• The first Prophecy Considered the first Messianic prophecy found in scripture
  • Describes the fight between good and evil; God’s people and satanic forces that want to steal, kill and destroy not only the works of God but His image bearers; between Jesus and Satan.
  • Satan will fight and injure the people of God, in fact even Christ himself (the cross) Strike His heal…satan thought it a death blow but it was not…striking the heel is not fatal.
  • Jesus, the Messiah though will strike the Serpent’s head…a death blow.
• Sin separates us from God.
  • Romans 3: 23
  • Romans 6: 23
  • Rom 5: 12
  • John 8: 34
• But…we have hope because of the triumph of the Messiah, Jesus
  • Isaiah 7: 14
  • Gal 4: 4
  • Romans 5: 16 -19
  • John 8: 36
• We now have hope!
  • Right standing before God
  • Power over sin
  • Eternal life
  • The enemy has been conquered
    • Rom 16: 20
    • Revelation 20: 10

This is the Hope of Advent…the coming of Christ. This is what we celebrate. Not just a small baby in a manger but we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of that small infant.