As we continue reading through our L3 together this Advent season, I am continually reminded of the significance of Christ's arrival here on the earth and in the flesh. His coming signaled hope and a coming peace for humanity, but not without cost. It would require the defeat of sin and death. It would require Christ sacrificially giving His life up for us. It would require a war like none other.

A song that was released a few years ago made me more aware of this concept, and I was really encouraged by it. It speaks of Christ's arrival as a declaration of war against sin, death, and darkness. Christ's coming changed everything. He has won the victory over sin and death. He conquered the grave. That is what He came here to do. He is Lord and King.

Below are the lyrics and a video of Dustin singing this song. 

"This Is War"
Words and Music by Dustin Kensrue

This is war like you ain’t seen.
This winter’s long, it’s cold and mean.
With hangdog hearts we stood condemned,
But the tide turns now at Bethlehem.

This is war and born tonight,
The Word as flesh, the Lord of Light,
The Son of God, the low-born king;
Who demons fear, of whom angels sing.

Hallelujah, a Child is born
He is the rescue we've waited for
The throne of David He will restore
The reign of mercy forevermore

This is war on sin and death;
The dark will take it’s final breath.
It shakes the earth, confounds all plans;
The mystery of God as man.

May the true significance of Advent stay at the forefront of our minds as we celebrate it with our friends and family this weekend. We have peace and hope because Jesus Christ declared war on sin and death, and became sin for us, so that we could be reconciled to God. Jesus is our peace.

May God bless you with the awareness of His presence during this Advent.

In the Son,

Bill Horn
FBC Worship Arts Pastor

The distinction between light and darkness begins very early in the history of this world. Like from the beginning. And by the beginning I mean Genesis 1:3-5. At this time however, distinction between light and dark is not sin, but the contrast is stark. Day and night wereseparatedby light or lack thereof; however, the contrast would take a new narrative in chapter 3 when the fall changed everything.

From that time on, sin has come to be described as darkness, or theabsenceof light. This makes sense, because sin makes us want to hide, and there is no easier place to hide than in the dark. It is where our guilt, our shame and our pleasure in badness runs rampant. Every one of us was born in darkness. Born to love evil and war against the light.

God on the other hand is defined as light, and in whom can be nodarknessat all (1 John 1:5). Many of our L3 passages in the last two weeks have gone to greatlengthsto show this comparison and teach us about the much-older-than-we-are struggle between darkness and light. 1 John 1:6-7 lays out the bottom line for us.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

There is no such thing as having a foot in both worlds. You can't be in darkness and light and the same time. They are opposite. Dark either overwhelms the light or the light cuts through the darkness. There are many who want relationship with God (salvation and ongoing) but don't want to give up a lifestyle or habit. The verse is clear. We can say we have fellowship with the Light and walk in darkness, but it is a lie.

If you have been cleansed by the blood of the Son, you are free from darkness; it has no hold on you. It can never reclaim you. But you can choose to let the dark hide your light for a time. Like Paul in Romans, we are no longer slaves to sin, but we can sure act like we are at times. We are not children of darkness, but sometimes our light is very dim.

So what do we do if our walk is clouded bydarkness? Run towards the light. Get in the Word. Let the Spirit convict you of sin. Confess. Make things right. Be in the Light. Let the Light shine through you. Be a child of light, a city on a hill, so that all may see you and glorify your Father in Heaven. Our God is in the restoration business. He is continually at work, sanctifying us and building us into what He has created us to be - sons and daughters of light.

Brian Tryhus
FBC Family Pastor

The Meaning of Advent - "Coming" or "Arrival"

During this Advent season, we are breaking from our usual sequential readings and taking smaller sections from throughout the Bible that point to the coming of the Messiah. These readings can point to Christ's first coming in the flesh, which we celebrate through Christmas; they may also point to the second coming of Christ as the King of kings.

The season of Advent is one of thanksgiving, expectation, longing, and hope. We remember how Christ, the Lord of all the earth, came in the flesh to rescue us from sin and death. We also look forward to the day of His victorious return, when He makes all things new, and when He wipes every tear from our eyes.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. (Revelation 21:1-7).

We have this hope and expectation because He came the first time, and changed everything. He rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into His kingdom (Col. 1:13). Let us look back with thanksgiving on what He has already done for us, and let us look forward with joy at what He is about to do.

In the Son,

Bill Horn
FBC Worship Arts Pastor