The promise of redemption followed immediately upon man’s rebellion against God and rejection from the Garden of Eden. From the heart of a loving God came the promise of one of Eve’s sons who would arise to crush the head of the serpent. And so from the earliest days of creation we see a desperate yearning in the heart of man; a yearning for a restored creation, restored relationships and restored fellowship with a holy God.

Their firstborn, Cain, perhaps he was the redeemer?...but no. With each passing generation Adam’s family looked in vain for the promised Victor, but each new hero was himself stained with the sin of his father, Adam. Each one struggled, failed and fell into obscurity. And the people yearned. Moses? No. Joshua? No. Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah? No. And the people yearned, “O come, O come Immanuel!”

But when the fulness of God’s time had come the promise was fulfilled, not through a man, a son of Adam, but through Mary, a daughter of Eve to whom the original promise was made. Jesus himself came with a yearning, the yearning of Yahweh for restoration to his chosen people. Jesus lived with a passionate yearning to do the will of the Father. By his resurrection, the Victor has made a way home for us. Soon our yearning will become eternal rejoicing.

Join us for this year's Christmas Concerts at IBC, "The Yearning."

Thursday, December 11 at 7:00pm

Friday, December 12 at 7:00pm

Saturday, December 13 at 2:00pm

Saturday, December 13 at 6:00pm

Sunday, December 14 at 5:00pm

*Note: Childcare is provided for the Saturday and Sunday concerts only ($5 fee, ages 0-3). Please use the link below to register and purchase your tickets.