For the four Sunday’s of Advent this year I’ll be basing the sermons on Advent candle themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. There’s nothing in Scripture that tells us to have an Advent wreath or Advent candles.  But neither is there anything wrong with various customs that help us to focus on God and the blessings God brings us… unless we make a law of them!  By the way, as all the themes are deeply Biblical concepts they all connect strongly with the various readings that have been chosen for the Advent season by the editors of the Revised Common Lectionary (see below).  So this week we look at Hope.  In particular, how hope for Christians is not just a maybe or possible, but the expression of something quite certain.  Hope is certain because of whom it is based on: Jesus Christ, as told by the prophet Jeremiah in todays OT reading… ‘In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land’ (Jer 33:15).