ADVENT: HOME - With Us - Benji Horning

·43 min·4 clips

Matt and Kim Epler kick off Advent by defining hope as the deep awareness of what isn't and what could be.

The episode opens with Matt and Kim Epler defining Advent as the arrival of Jesus 2,000 years ago and the anticipation of his second coming, emphasizing hope as the first candle theme. Benji Horning, the teaching pastor, then takes over, reflecting on how cultural information overload makes Advent's deep truths more necessary than novelty. He introduces the monthly theme of 'home,' prompted by his personal experiences: a flood displaced his family last fall, and multiple trips to Africa for adoption kept them away from home and older children. Horning outlines three movements: Jesus making his home with us (incarnation), making his home in us (abiding), and preparing a new home for us (second Advent). He vividly imagines Jesus's humble entry into humanity, from heaven to a manger in Nazareth, citing Philippians 2 and John 1:14. Horning explains the Greek word for 'tabernacle' and how Jesus fulfills the temple's role, referencing Ezekiel's vision of God's presence moving toward exiles. This leads to three points: a new divine understanding of God as one who moves toward us, deep comfort from a God who empathizes with human weakness (Hebrews 4), and access to defiant joy because the Messiah has come. He shares a video of his adopted children joyfully greeting him upon arrival, using it as a metaphor for our response to Jesus. The sermon closes with quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer and a prayer, encouraging listeners to light the hope candle daily and live marked by joy.

As heard by us

An Advent sermon links waiting, hope, God's nearness, and joy.

Advent is treated here as a season of waiting with real theological weight. Matt and Kim center the episode on Christ's arrival, the salvation, healing, and forgiveness he brings, and the promised return that will make all things new.

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Why you'd press play

You want Advent to hold Christ's first arrival, his return, and the hope in between.

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