Advent

Advent begins with a proclamation that stirs something deep within us. For centuries, humanity had waited in eager expectation for their Savior; now a voice crying in the wilderness sparked hope that He was near. John the Baptist’s message was simple, “Prepare the Way.” As the forerunner of Christ, John didn’t seek platforms or success, he simply lived to make way for the King to come. 

Today, we too wait in eager expectation for our Savior. As we journey through the life of John the Baptist during this 5-week series, we will learn what it means to Prepare the Way for Christ in our own lives as we continue waiting with purpose and walking in promise. “The Kingdom of Heaven is near!” 

This series is based in four prominent Old Testament prophetic texts related to Jesus and how we see them fulfilled in the New Testament. Each text has at least partial application to the key weekly themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, love. When we think of December, words like plan, cook, clean, trim, decorate, hang, shop, wrap, package, create, write, mail, wash, call, and attend come immediately to mind. How do experience more hope, peace, joy, and love? The answer—the promise of Jesus.

The week between Christmas and New Years is often viewed as a “catch up week”- this short in-between time to take a deep breath before life gets busy again. As refreshing as this breath is, it never lasts long enough. But what if this practice became a regular rhythm of our hearts? In this standalone message, A Holy Pause, we will be looking at the Biblical practice of pausing to reflect, worship, and rest.

This series is based in four prominent Old Testament prophetic texts related to Jesus and how we see them fulfilled in the New Testament. Each text has at least partial application to the key weekly themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, love. When we think of December, words like plan, cook, clean, trim, decorate, hang, shop, wrap, package, create, write, mail, wash, call, and attend come immediately to mind. How do experience more hope, peace, joy, and love? The answer—the promise of Jesus.

The season of Advent leading up to Christmas encourages us to focus on what the Bible means when it says the Word became flesh - God’s presence was made manifest among us. As God reached down to enter our lives on earth through His son Jesus, He revealed His Father’s core identity of hope, peace, joy, and love through each personal encounter and word He spoke.