Advent is a season of waiting, expectation, and hope. In a small and symbolic way, the weeks before Christmas re-enact the centuries of anticipation experienced by our Old Testament forebears. These courageous men and women eagerly looked for the Messiah in times of heartbreak, war, and exile. Their hopes were finally realized when Jesus, the Savior of the World, was born in Bethlehem’s stable.

But what if there’s more to the story than that?
What if the Incarnation in the manger wasn’t the first time that the Son of God came?
What if he had been here before?

Christians throughout the generations have wondered about a handful of mysterious Old Testament encounters of the divine. Could these visitations have been Christophanies – experiences of the Son of God hundreds of years before Bethlehem? That’s a tantalizing notion, isn’t it?

This holiday season, we’ll take up the question, exploring five significant moments in Biblical history where Jesus himself may have stepped onto the stage. Along the way, we’ll learn a whole lot about his love, protection, and power, and we’ll learn how Christmas joy draws us into the greatest kind of hope there is – the hope of seeing God face to face.

Join us this Christmas season for He’s Been Here Before: 8:30 and 10:30 in the Orange City sanctuary (please wear a mask) and online at: Facebook, YouTube, FRC App, frcoc.org/live-stream, Premier Ch 77, Long Lines Ch 22, or KSOU 93.9FM (at 9:45am).

November 29: John 1 – Christ at Creation
December 6: Genesis 14 – Christ in the Capital
December 13: Genesis 18 – Christ the Comedian
December 20: Joshua 5 – Christ the Commander
December 24: Special Candlelight Services (4:30, 6:00, and 7:30 PM)
December 27: Daniel 3 – Christ in the Crucible