The following are some worship notes for the December 9, 2007 service. These are the reading materials on which the sermon will be based, and some questions we hope to explore together during Sunday's sermon. Join us at 8:45am and explore with us! If you plan on attending only the 10:15am service and enjoying the Cherub Choir's presentation, you can still hear the 8:45am sermon by coming back to the website Sunday afternoon and listening to it online.

Read: Isaiah 11:1-10

The opening lines of this scripture point to Jesus' family tree. Too often we forget Jesus was a Jew rooted in the faith and life of Judaism. Isaiah's words helped Christians see and claim this connection. In the history of the church, there was an artistic expression of this (verse 1) called a Jesse Tree. "As early as the 11th Century, Jesse trees began to appear in Christian art and writings and can be found in many manuscripts, wood carvings, stone etchings, stained glass windows, and Orthodox iconography." (Baker, Hail the Heaven Born)

Isaiah also describes that this branch of Jesse will be a Spirit-led King who leads a totally different kind of kingdom. It is a peaceable kingdom where wolves and lambs live safely together, where the poor and meek are treated with justice.

1. Why is Jesus' lineage important?
2. What kind of peaceable world do you hope for?
3. What will you do to be part of God's bringing God's kingdom nearer?

Read: Romans 15:4-13

In the midst of a call for hope, author Paul calls the Roman Church to be welcoming.

• What is the relationship of being welcoming and being hopeful?

Read what Joyce Rupp has to say about hope:

"To hope is more than just to wish for something. It is to yearn for and to dream something so much that we really believe it can be, that it will happen even though the odds may be against it. To hope is to have a strong, clear, positive vision of the future. To hope is to know the God of hope, the God of promise, the one who has already taken us out of darkness into wonderful light." (Fresh Bread, p. 81)

Each day before you retire for the night, reflect and name a sign of hope you encountered in your day.

Prayer: God of hope, by your steadfastness and encouragement, draw us into your vision for the future. Help us to live as hopeful people.