Skip to main content

Advent Sermons || Hope in the Waiting || Micah 5:1-5

Hope in the Waiting | SPB Church Blog

Hope in the Waiting

Advent is a season of anticipation, a time when we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of Jesus. This past Sunday, Rev Andrew Irwin unpacked Micah 5:1-5, a passage filled with promises of hope, peace, and restoration. It reminds us of how God works through the humble and unexpected to accomplish His purposes. In the prophecy of a ruler from Bethlehem, we see a picture of Jesus, the Good Shepherd who stands in the strength of the Lord and brings peace that transforms lives.

In his sermon, Andrew drew comparisons between the longing of God’s people in Micah’s day and our own lives today. For centuries, they waited for God to send a saviour, enduring times of uncertainty and hardship. Similarly, we often find ourselves in seasons of waiting, longing for peace, justice, and restoration in a world that feels broken. Yet, just as God’s promise was fulfilled in Jesus, we can trust in His faithfulness as we wait for His return.

Advent reminds us that waiting isn’t passive—it’s active. Andrew challenged us to live out this hope by reflecting Christ’s peace to the world around us. Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, we are called to share the good news of His coming and embody His peace in our everyday lives. It’s an encouraging and timely reminder of the role we have to play in bringing the message of Christmas to those who need it most.

We would love for you to listen to the full sermon in this week’s podcast episode. Whether you’re reflecting on how to live out the peace of Christ or simply need a word of encouragement, we hope it will inspire and challenge you this Advent season. The podcast is embedded below for easy access—just press play!

We also warmly invite you to join us next Sunday morning at 10:30 for worship as we continue to journey through Advent together. Then, on Sunday evening at 19:00, we’ll gather for our Carols by Candlelight service, a special time to sing, reflect, and celebrate the Christmas story. And don’t forget to mark your calendars for Christmas Day worship at 10:30 as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour together.

We can’t wait to welcome you to St Paul’s & St Barnabas, whether in person or online. Let’s come together to reflect on the hope we have in Jesus and share that hope with our city.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SPB Sermons || Sent Like the Son || JOhn 20:19-23

Sent Like the Son – Family Worship at SPB Belfast (Sunday 27th April 2025) On the evening of Easter Sunday, as fear gripped the disciples behind locked doors, Jesus appeared among them and spoke the words they most needed to hear: "Peace be with you." At St Paul’s & St Barnabas this Sunday, we reflected on John 20:19-31 and the incredible transformation that the resurrection brings — not just to history, but to our hearts and lives today. We joined the disciples in their fear and doubt, seeing how even the testimony of Mary Magdalene couldn’t unlock their fear. Yet no locked door could keep out the risen Christ. Jesus appeared, scars and all, speaking peace into their brokenness. His scars weren't signs of defeat, but emblems of the victory won at the Cross — a reminder that by His wounds, we are healed. Jesus did not come to rebuke His followers, but to comfort them with His presence, speak peace into their hearts, and to co...
Post a Comment
Read more

SPB Sermons || Spiritual Vitality: A Psalm for the Weary || PSalm 63

Spiritual Vitality: A Psalm for the Spiritually Weary We don’t often admit it, but many of us know what it’s like to feel spiritually dry. We’re not hostile to God, just tired. Life keeps moving, we keep showing up, but our souls feel like they’re running on fumes. In this sermon from Psalm 63 , Rev. Andrew Irwin invites us to see spiritual vitality not as a bonus for the super-committed, but as a core part of walking with God — even in the wilderness. Desire in the Dry Places David writes this Psalm not from a mountaintop, but from the desert. Hunted, hiding, and weary, he cries, “O God, you are my God… my soul thirsts for you.” It’s not a cry for rescue, success, or answers — it’s a longing for God himself . David remembers being in the sanctuary, lifting his hands in worship, and he yearns for that nearness again. Spiritual vitality begins not with more effort, but with more honesty . When we admit our weariness and desire, we open ourselves to the God who satisfies. Dryne...
Post a Comment
Read more

SPB Sermons || John 20:24-31 || An Invitation For All To See ||

The Invitation Still Stands John 20:24–31 | Holy Communion | Sunday, 6 May 2025 In this deeply personal and reflective message, Rev. Andrew Irwin explores one of the most well-known and misunderstood figures in the resurrection story — Thomas. Often labelled "doubting," Thomas is shown instead as honest, wounded, and longing for truth. His absence at Jesus' first appearance leaves him reeling in a sea of sorrow, having missed not only the risen Christ but also the peace and power the others received. Still, Jesus returns — not with rebuke, but with compassion. And in that grace-filled encounter, Thomas makes one of the clearest declarations of faith in all Scripture: "My Lord and my God." The sermon challenges the assumptions we carry about doubt, showing us that Jesus is not afraid of our honesty. Like Thomas, we are often shaped by pain, disappointment, and questions, yet we are also invited to bring them to Jesus — whose scar...
Post a Comment
Read more