Light in the Darkness - Advent Study

As we journey through Advent this year, every day will get darker. The sun will rise later in the morning and set earlier in the evening. Until the winter solstice, we experience more literal darkness every day.
 
I think a similar experience happens as we age. Every year, we see, hear, and feel more of the darkness of living in sin-sick bodies in a sin-stained world. More wars, more shootings, more cancer, more death, more broken families and homes. Lord willing, every year older we get, we see and feel the darkness of our own sin and its effects. We feel the darkness of sin committed against us. We see how children pay for the sin of their fathers and mothers, and how entire nations pay the price of the sin of their leaders. Sin is pervasive, it makes promises it won’t keep, it brings pain, despair, disorder, and chaos.
 
But we “who walked in darkness, have seen a great light.”
 
Through four themes of Light in the Darkness, this advent, we will lament, hope, and rejoice together in the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, entering the world he made to save us from our sins.
 
And we will look forward to when “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever,” (Rev 22:5, NIV.)
 
 
This study focuses on four themes of “Light in the Darkness” through Old Testament passages and their perfect embodiment in Jesus.
 
1. Light as Order and Peace
2. Light as Wisdom & Truth
3. Light as Holiness & Freedom
4. Light as sustaining Life.
 
It’s either Jesus or darkness.
There is no third option.
 
This is a thematic biblical study, with a reading guide organized by each week’s advent theme. It includes short introductions, questions to consider, prayer prompts, and specific applications for each week. I have included my reflection poetry and a link to beautiful original music by Sarah Sparks.
 
The goal of this Advent study is to move our hearts through Scripture to confess and lament the darkness and rejoice and hope in the light.