Before participating in our Advent content, consider reading Isaiah 60:1-3 to prepare your heart for Todd’s message.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
In a dark world, Christ arrives to shine a light in the darkness.
As technical artists in the local church, we know the effect lighting can have in a dark place. It directs our attention. It highlights something. It makes it more difficult to focus on the darkness.
Thinking about Christ’s coming in terms of lighting, what does it mean that he was a light in the darkness? Did he show up with a bunch of Syncrolite XLs focused on the manger? Or are we just talking about the star that the wise men followed?
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
As a fulfillment of the prophecy mentioned in the book of Isaiah, we fast forward to Paul in the New Testament, where he talks about what made Christ different from what the world knows. In Philippians 2:6-8 it says:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Jesus’ version of light in the darkness comes from how He lived His life. He came to earth, lived and died, and rose again to show us how to live—the way to shine a light in the darkness.
As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s coming to earth, may we be a light in the darkness to those around us. Our neighbors, our co-workers, and our team. May we shine a light to draw people’s attention, not to us, but to Christ.
Need some community and prayer during this time? Reach out to us and let us know how we can pray for you, your family, your team, and your church this holiday season!
