This Advent, we’ll look at the traditional advent themes of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace through the lens of the Book of Revelation. Contrary to popular belief, the Book of Revelation is not intended to be a veiled message about the future. It is an unveiling (this is the meaning of the word translated “revelation” or “apocalypse,” Greek: apokalupsis) about the true nature of reality, and it offers a theological perspective on the complex and powerful spiritual dynamics that shape our everyday lives.

The Book of Revelation offers a helpful lens through which to explore the season of Advent where the church considers how we are to live between the first arrival of Jesus where God’s light broke into the world and Christ’s Second Coming when all of the darkness and death will finally and fully give way to the glory of God’s New Creation.

The culture of our city has the power to shape us in more ways than we might know. When Christians conform to the desires, values, and practices of their city, it creates real problems in the church. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to a messy church experiencing all sorts of city-shaped problems. To confront these problems, Paul reminds the church of who they are in Christ and calls them to live with a Christ-shaped vision for life.