Advent: Hopeful Waiting | Episode 2 | Romans 15:4–13
In the second week of Advent, we turned to Romans 15:4–13 and to Paul’s prayer-filled vision of hope for a weary and divided church. Written to a community under pressure, this passage reminds us that Christian hope is not rooted in circumstances, sentiment, or seasonal cheer. It is formed by Scripture, strengthened through endurance, and sustained by the encouragement God gives to his people.
Paul begins by grounding hope in the written word of God. Scripture, he says, was written not simply to inform us, but to shape us. Through the long story of God’s faithfulness, his people learn patience, perseverance, and confidence that God keeps his promises. In Advent, this matters deeply. Waiting is not wasted time. Waiting is where hope is formed as we learn again to trust the God who has acted decisively in history and will act again.
From there, Paul lifts his eyes to the life of the church. He prays that God would grant unity, not by flattening difference, but by shaping his people after the pattern of Christ. The hope of the gospel draws believers together, teaching us to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. In a fractured world, the church becomes a living sign of hope when it learns to live, worship, and glorify God with one voice.
At the heart of this passage stands Jesus himself. Paul shows that Christ came as the fulfilment of God’s promises to Israel, and as the means by which the nations are drawn into the mercy of God. Hope is not abstract. It has a name, a face, and a story. The hope of Advent rests in the coming of Christ, for the sake of the whole world.
Paul closes with a prayer that feels especially fitting in this season: that the God of hope would fill his people with all joy and peace in believing, so that hope would overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is not fragile hope. It is a hope that carries God’s people through waiting, suffering, and uncertainty, as we look towards the coming of Christ.
You can listen to the full Bible reading and sermon above as part of our Advent series, Hopeful Waiting.
You are very welcome to join us in person at St Paul’s & St Barnabas,
North Belfast, as we continue our Advent journey together.
Sunday Worship: 10:30am
Midweek Gathering: Wednesdays at 7:30pm
Learn more about church life and upcoming services at https://spbbelfast.church
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