2022

Advent 2022: Christ

This is the final reflection on Advent for this season. Our theme is Christ. 

We are looking at Hebrews 10. At first glance, this does not seem like a Christmas passage. However, as we look at it, we will see that it is. The Book of Hebrews is written to Jewish believers. They professed faith in Jesus but were thinking about leaving the faith. They were enduring suffering. They were thinking of returning to the Old Testament sacrificial system. The author of the book assures the audience that the good old days are not the good old days. 

Let us look at Hebrews 10:1-4:

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

From this passage we learn a few things. We learn the Old Testament sacrifices are a shadow. They are not reality but point to reality. Why are sacrifices merely a shadow? The sacrifices are insufficient to permanently deal with sin. If the sacrifices were truly sufficient to pay for sin, then one sacrifice would be enough. But that was not the case. The sacrifices had to be repeated. They had to be repeated often. They were repeated at least of each of the three great feasts that were held each year. Furthermore, with each occasion of sin a new sacrifice was required. There is an important lesson: an animal sacrifice can atone for past sins but not for future sins. Thus the sacrifices were offered continually. The repeating nature of the sacrifices serves as a reminder that sin had not been fully paid. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. The sacrificial system tells us that sacrifices are not enough. Something better, is required. Something or Someone better, is coming. That Someone is Jesus. Jesus is better than the Old Testament sacrificial system. How do we know this? 

Recorded in verses 5-7 is a conversation that took place in heaven. It is a conversation between God the Father and God the Son. Jesus is doing the talking. This conversation takes place just before Jesus leaves the glories of heaven, willingly and joyfully, submitting to the will of His Father, and being conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. 

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body have you prepared for me;

in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” Hebrews 10:5-7

Versos 5-7 are a quote from Psalm 40:6-8. David wrote this Psalm. He understands that animal sacrifices cannot atone for sin. They do not make us right with God. God does not take delight in sacrifices. God delights in obedience. David knows God does not like when we play games by living in sin all throughout the week only to straighten up on Sunday or the holidays. Giving money does not make up for a sinful lifestyle. God desires obedience over sacrifice. 

Therefore, David promises to obey God. He will do better. While his desire is admirable, he didn’t do so well. We know about David. While he is called the man after God’s heart, he committed some of the most heinous sins ever recorded in Scripture. Unfortunately, we are like him. We make promises to do better. We promise to obey more. Although we may mean well, although we are sincere, we fail miserably. We sin over and over! 

But now we see Jesus. As He leaves the glories of heaven and enters the world, He quotes Psalm 40. He takes the words and makes them His own. “I have come to do Your will, O God.” Jesus does what David never did. Jesus does what we have never done. Jesus obeys the law. He obeys it perfectly. He never sins. Jesus alone has done God’s will. 

But to do God’s will, Jesus takes upon Himself a human body. This was the body He took upon Himself when He was conceived in Mary’s womb. The Word becomes flesh. God becomes man. This body is fashioned so that Jesus will do God’s will. What is God’s will for Jesus? God’s will for Jesus is to do what animal sacrifices cannot do: atone for sins. Jesus will sacrifice Himself. Skipping down to verse 10:

And by that will (Jesus’ successful determination to obey God) we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10 

What the sacrifices of animals could not do, the sacrifice of Jesus accomplishes: full and complete atonement for our sin. Jesus deals with our sins — past, present and future. We are made holy and blameless with God through Jesus. Jesus doesn’t have to die over and over to atone for our sins. He died once and that was enough.   

Jesus was born and took on humanity that He might live a perfect and sinless life and die a sacrificial death, and be raised to life three days later. We are called, not to work for the sacrifice of Jesus, but to believe in Him, have faith in Him, trust Him for what He has done for us. This Christmas, let us worship the One who left the glories of heaven to become a human baby and give HIs life to save us from our sins. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord. 

Mark Cymbalak

holds an BA from Bob Jones University with additional class work from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He served as a part time paid elder at Black Earth Congregational Church/Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship. In 2006, Mark became a full time paid elder and pastor at Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship until his retirement in 2020.



Advent 2022: Love

This is the fourth week of Advent. Our theme for this week is Love. Perhaps the most well known verse in all the Bible is John 3:16. 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NASB)

God so loved. What is love? Today, many define love as a feeling. This is why people say they have fallen in love. There is something lovely and desirable about the one who is loved. This is also why they say they fall out of love. The feelings for this person are gone. When we love someone we have feelings, but love is not limited to feelings. Love is more of a decision than we like to think. Love is being devoted to someone, whether we feel like it or not.

This helps us to understand God’s love. God loved us even though we are unlovely. God loved us even while we were sinners. God loved us even when we rebelled against Him. God loved the world so much He gave His Son. How does God giving His Son show us what love really is?

Let’s discuss the context of the passage. Jesus is meeting with a religious ruler named Nicodemus. Jesus wants Nicodemus to understand that his religious background and performance cannot save him. To help Nicodemus, Jesus recounts an Old Testament incident.

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” John 3:14-15

Jesus is referring to a historical event that took place in the Old Testament book of Numbers. God has delivered Israel from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. God rescued Israel with a strong and mighty hand. Israel is now wandering in the wilderness. They are on their way to the Promised Land, Canaan. But the people are constantly complaining. They complain about the journey, the food, and the water. The Lord responds to their complaining:

The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. Numbers 21:6

God sent fiery serpents to bite them. The people felt a burning pain at the spot where they were bit and a burning pain as the venom spread throughout their bodies. Many of the people died as a result. The people confess their sin. Then the Lord has Moses do something he has never done before.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.” Numbers 21:8

Moses made a bronze serpent. The only thing the people had to do to be saved from God’s wrath is look at His provision for their sin hanging on a standard. It was lifted up. It was lifted up that everyone might see the curse for sin had been satisfied. “Look and live!” Not, “Work and Live.” Not, “Be worthy and live.” Just, “Look and live.” Jesus uses this historical event as an example of the work He is going to do.

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3:14

As the serpent was lifted up so that all who sinned could see and be healed, so too Jesus would be lifted up on the cross so that all who have sinned can plainly see Him. Jesus was lifted up, like the serpent was lifted up so….

“So that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.”  John 3:15

Jesus is going to be cursed for sinners so that sinners like you and me would not be cursed. Jesus crucified is the source of rescue from the poison of sin. Jesus crucified is the source of rescue from the wrath of God. Jesus crucified is the source of eternal life. All sinners have to do is believe in the One lifted up on the cross and they will live. Why would God do this?

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

How much does God love the world? He loves the world enough to send His Son to become a curse so all who believe in Him will be saved from God’s wrath because of their sin. That is how much God loves us. God does not love the lovely. He does not love the beautiful. He loves sinners. He loves people who do not love Him. However, God loves us so much He will not just simply leave us in our sins. He sent His Son to leave the glories of heaven to be born on earth in Bethlehem. Jesus lived among us as one of us. Jesus lived the perfect life we have never lived. He always obeyed. He never sinned. Then He gave Himself to be lifted up on the cross for all to see Him. To those who believe in Him, recognize their sin, and their need to be forgiven, Jesus offers Himself to all who look to Him. While we celebrate Jesus in the manger at Advent, the manger always leads to the cross. Look to Him and live.

Mark Cymbalak Pivot Point Blog

Mark Cymbalak

holds an BA from Bob Jones University with additional class work from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He served as a part time paid elder at Black Earth Congregational Church/Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship. In 2006, Mark became a full time paid elder and pastor at Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship until his retirement in 2020.



Advent 2022: Joy

The theme for the fourth week of Advent is joy. Admittedly, Christmas is a mixed bag — a mix of joy and sorrow. We rejoice as we gather with family and friends. But we are sorrowful when things are not right with family and friends. If family members have passed away, Christmas is just not the same without them.

Christmas is a time of fun activities with programs and parties and shopping. It is also a time of insane activity filled with noise and confusion such as programs and parties and shopping. We have mixed feelings at Advent. Allow me to use a familiar Christmas hymn as an example.

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

If you listen to the lyrics and sense the mood from the tune of the song, this is kind of a sad song. It is a song of longing and desperation. Israel prays, “O come Emmanuel! Your people are captive in a foreign land. Emmanuel, set us free!” Other stanzas of the song call for Emmanuel to give us life, to give us victory over the grave! The refrain always interjects that Israel should rejoice in spite of her trials. Why? One day, Emmanuel is coming.

We sing this song every Advent season. It points us to the birth of Jesus. We should feel the sadness of this song and share with Israel in their longings. We long for Jesus to free us from the trials and injustices of this life. We long to be set free from our battle against our sin. We yearn for the new heavens and new earth. We also feel sadness, knowing that the vast majority of Israel has not recognized that Jesus is Emmanuel. We should pray for the Jewish people to believe in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who has already come once.

We feel joy in this song, knowing Messiah has come. Jesus has come and dealt with our sins on the cross. He has adopted us as sons and daughters. We have a secure home in heaven. Jesus is coming again! While the song has elements of sadness, it also has elements of joy. 

What is Joy?

Joy and happiness are similar. Happiness is an emotion of pleasure and contentment. We think of happiness as a good and desirable emotion. However, happiness is based on happenings, on circumstances. It is based on our current earthly realities. If circumstances are in our favor, we are happy. However, if circumstances are not in our favor, if we experience tragedy, illness, or loss, our happiness goes away. 

Joy is like happiness in that it is an emotion. It is an intense emotion of pleasure. However, for the believer joy is not vulnerable to the ups and downs of our circumstances on earth. How can that be? Joy is based on spiritual realities, realities that never change. For example, Jesus says:

I am with you always (Matthew 28:20)

I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Whoever comes to me I will never cast out (John 6:37)

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28).

These precious realities are true regardless of our earthly circumstances. Circumstances on earth change. Our health declines. Our wealth disappears. Relationships go up and down. Stuff breaks. However, our salvation in Jesus is secure. He loves us no matter what. While circumstances make us sad, we have unchanging joy in our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

On that first Christmas night we are told in Luke 2:8-11:

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Although the shepherds were terribly afraid, the angel told them not to fear. Why? He has news. Good news. Good news of great joy. What is this good news of great joy? 

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” 

We have true joy, true contentment, true satisfaction in our Lord Jesus Christ. The things of this earth may fail, but Jesus gives us joy because His promises are not conditional or temporary. They are everlasting and true. Let us rejoice in our Savior today. 

Mark Cymbalak

holds an BA from Bob Jones University with additional class work from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He served as a part time paid elder at Black Earth Congregational Church/Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship. In 2006, Mark became a full time paid elder and pastor at Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship until his retirement in 2020.



Advent 2022: Peace

This is the second week of Advent. Our theme for this week is peace. 

On that first Christmas night, the angel proclaimed in Luke 2:14:

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

What is peace? Peace is a lack of conflict. For example, when nations are not at war, when hostilities have ceased, when they become friends, we say they are at peace. When individuals or families stop fighting and arguing and start getting along, when they live in harmony, they are at peace. Peace is a state of tranquility. Peace is a state of calm, quiet, and rest. With the realities of so much conflict in our world, how can there peace on earth? God sent His Son into the world to make peace with men. 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 

We are justified, made right with God, through faith in Jesus Christ. Since we are made right with God through faith in Jesus, we have peace. Formerly, God and man were not at peace. We rebelled against God, refused to submit to Him, refused to worship, honor, and obey Him. Because of our sins, we were at war with God. But Jesus Christ is the Great Mediator to bring God and man together. How can Jesus make us right with God? 

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:19-20

Jesus is the fulness of God, very God of very God. This child is God. This child is man. The One born in the manger has brought us to God and reconciled us through the cross. Jesus brought peace between God and man.

For Jesus, the manger leads to the cross. At the cross, Jesus shed His blood and gave His life. Jesus paid for our sins. Because our sins have been paid, we are at peace, and the war with God is over. Our consciences, once filled with fear and guilt, are now at rest. We have peace with God through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).  

The nations of the earth still search for that elusive peace that will make utopia a reality. However, true peace is found only in God though Jesus Christ. We can enjoy true peace even in the midst of a world without peace. Jesus gives us peace in the midst of unrest because, through Him, we are right with God. 

The peace we are talking about is not primarily a feeling. Peace primarily refers to our status before God. We are at peace with God whether we feel like or not. This should cause us to feel at peace with God. Because of what Jesus has done we no longer fear the condemnation of the law. Because of Christ we are accepted in the presence of God and we enjoy with peace with God. 

Did you notice what kind of people God chose to announce the birth of His Son? He chose shepherds. Why shepherds? Shepherds were outcasts. While Shepards are sweet in Christmas plays, they had a very bad reputation in their day. Because they lived out in the fields, they were unable to keep the ceremonial law. Therefore, they were considered unclean. They were also regarded as liars and thieves. Their testimony was inadmissible in a court of law. Shepherds were despised. With the exception of lepers, they were the lowest class of people in Israel.

Nevertheless, God revealed His Son to these shepherds. Why? God wants the most despised and downcast to hear the gospel. If we were not so familiar with the Advent story, I think it would upset all our expectations. We tend to think that God came for the good people, the righteous. However, God saves sinners who are in desperate need for grace. If God is gracious to shepherds, He is gracious to any sinner who will come to Jesus in faith.

Peace comes only to those on whom His favor rests. This means peace comes to those who stop their own war against God, put down their arms of self-righteousness or indifference or rebellion and embrace the Baby born in Bethlehem as their Lord and Savior. Jesus was born to rescue us from our sins. The time to repent of our sins is now. The time to believe in Jesus is now. The time to come to Jesus is now. 

We give God glory, just like the angels did when Christ was born. We rejoice in what God has done. We rejoice that we are at peace with God through Jesus Christ.  Jesus has come. Let us worship and adore Christ the Lord!

Mark Cymbalak Pivot Point Blog

Mark Cymbalak

holds an BA from Bob Jones University with additional class work from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He served as a part time paid elder at Black Earth Congregational Church/Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship. In 2006, Mark became a full time paid elder and pastor at Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship until his retirement in 2020.

Advent 2022: Hope

The theme for the first week of Advent is hope. What is Hope? We use the word hope in an interesting way. We might say, “I hope we have lots of snow this winter.” “I hope my family arrives safely for Christmas.” “I hope researchers find a cure for cancer soon.” When we use hope in this way, we want something, but we convey a hint of uncertainty and doubt. We want something, maybe even something good; we are just not sure if we are going to get it. 

Biblical hope is not like that. Hope is certainly a desire, but it is a confident expectation.Hope is expecting great things from God. However, there is an issue: hope involves waiting. We do not have what we hope for. Romans 8:24 says:

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

The apostle Paul is talking about the redemption of our bodies. Right now we have physical bodies that are subject to corruption. Ever since sin entered the world through Adam’s sin, we are subject to sickness, decay, and death. God, through Christ, has saved us. He has paid for our sins. He has adopted us as sons of God. Because Christ is raised from the dead, we too will be raised from the dead. We look forward to the time when God will redeem our physical bodies, make them whole, new, and free from the corruption we currently experience. While we hope, we have not seen what we hope for. So we wait. We wait with anticipation. We wait with expectation. We wait in confidence. 

We have hope for the future. We have hope right now. Romans 5:1-5:

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

We rejoice in our sufferings, not because we enjoy pain, but because they are the way that God shapes us here on earth and prepares us for eternity. Suffering produces endurance, which in turn produces character, which in turn produces hope. Each builds on the other. Endurance is the ability to continue to be faithful, to grow in the midst of suffering. Endurance does not bypass suffering. Growth takes place in the midst of suffering. Endurance leads to character. We do not grow through comfort; we grow through adversity. Character leads to hope. Hope looks to the future. Hope is looking to the future, but it waits with great anticipation. This hope never disappoints. The hope of the believer in Jesus is to be free from the shackles of this sinful nature we carry with us. We struggle now with indwelling sin; we grow, and stumble, falter, repent, and grow some more. In the future we will be freed from the sinful nature that follows us and hounds us. Because of the work of Christ, this hope is not a fragile wish, but is an absolute certainty.  

Why is our hope so confident? In the past, God has been faithful to His promises. He has always kept His word. For example, ever since Adam sinned, God’s people have longed for the coming of the promise of God – the Deliverer, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. God promised to send a Deliverer to defeat Satan and sin and death. Immediately after Adam’s sin, the Lord said to Satan:

Genesis 3:15 says,

“And I will put enmity 

Between you and the woman, 

And between your seed and her seed; 

He shall bruise you on the head, 

And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

This is such good news for sinners. God did not promise a special weapon or tactic. God promised a Person. The Promised One would defeat Satan. The Promised One will undo the sin and death that inhabit our world because of the sin of Adam. He will bruise the head of Satan. Satan will be defeated. However, this rescue will come at great cost. The Promised One will die as a sacrifice, will substitute Himself for the sins of others. God kept His promise and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem. 

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5

When the time was just right, God sent His Son. God became man. He would be born of a virgin, live a sinless life, die a sacrificial death on a cross, and be raised to life three days later. Christmas is about God becoming man to be our Savior. Because of what Jesus has done, we have hope. Therefore, our hope at Advent is not an uncertain wish, but a confident expectation. God is faithful. Jesus has come. Let us worship and adore Christ the Lord! 

Mark Cymbalak

holds an BA from Bob Jones University with additional class work from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He served as a part time paid elder at Black Earth Congregational Church/Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship. In 2006, Mark became a full time paid elder and pastor at Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship until his retirement in 2020.