Copyright © 2013 Calvary Church, Grand Rapids All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Introduction What is Advent? During the early centuries of the church, a number of traditions sprung up as ways to teach Christians about the life of Christ and to create opportunities to practice spiritual disciplines. Together, these traditions form the church calendar, which begins its year with Advent: a season of expectation and waiting that stretches from the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming.” That is why we often speak of Christ’s advent, i.e., his coming. The season of Advent is one in which Christians have traditionally set aside time to remember our need for a savior and to focus on God’s gracious promise that He will provide one. In the Christmas celebration of modern Americans, there is a lot going on! Choosing and giving gifts to others, spending extra time with family and friends, creating special holiday goodies to share… all of these are good things. And yet, with so much happening, it is easy to become distracted from the heart of Christmas: the mystery of Christ’s incarnation. The observation of the season of Advent creates a wonderful opportunity to regain that focus. When we observe Advent, we are looking to Christ with great expectation in three ways: 1) We read the promises of Christ’s birth, and wait expectantly with His people for His coming (which we celebrate at Christmas).
2) We read the promises for God’s presence in our lives, and we live in the confidence that this provides.
3) We read the promises of Christ’s second coming, and we live in the hope of His final victory over sin and death.
What is an Advent Wreath? An Advent wreath is commonly used during this season, both in church settings and in private homes. It is a simple wreath with four candles arranged around the perimeter, one for each week, with a central white candle reserved to commemorate Christ’s birth. Each week of Advent, an additional candle is lit until Christmas Eve, when all of the candles are lit, including the central Christ candle. At Calvary, we follow the tradition of focusing on the virtues of hope, peace, joy and love for the four weeks of Advent. Usually the candles for hope, peace and love are purple (a symbol of the royalty of the awaited Christ) and the one for joy is pink or
rose, but if you wish to create your own Advent wreath at home, you can use less traditional colors as needed. (If you are looking for some ideas on creating a simple Advent wreath at home, try a quick web or Pinterest search; there are some creative ideas out there!)
About This Advent Guide Our intention for this Advent guide is not to create “one more thing” for you or your family to add to a long list of things to do this holiday season. Instead, we hope for it to be a time of respite, a time to be mindful of Christ, a time to look expectantly for His presence in our lives and to look forward to His imminent return. On Sundays, there are instructions for the lighting of candles in an Advent wreath which you may choose to follow, or you may choose to light candles every day, or none at all. There is also a reflection, some guidelines for prayer, and some questions and ideas for families with children. You may want to spread these throughout the week as a way to help your family continue to focus on the week’s theme. As you are able throughout the week, there are Scripture readings provided for each day of Advent that follow along the weekly theme. There are also short opportunities for daily reflection, and even a little space for short journaling as you consider Christ’s advent and presence in your own life. If you desire to share the daily readings and reflections with children in your family, you may want to focus on a key verse or two in the Scripture readings and continue using some of the Sunday ideas and questions for children. Our prayer is that the season of Advent will be one that centers our hearts, our families and our congregation on the promise of salvation and the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love that it encompasses.
Additional Ideas for Families: 1. The LUMIN8 Children’s Choir’s Advent song, Hope, Peace, Joy and Love is a great teaching tool! It would be a perfect song to sing when you light your Advent candles as an alternative to O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Visit calvarygr.org/advent2013 to hear the song if your family is unfamiliar with it. 2. Some families enjoy lighting the advent wreath candle(s) each night, not just on Sundays. Spending a few minutes gathered around the candles on the advent wreath, reflecting on scripture, can become sacred time in a busy season. 3. Perhaps your family would like to take the “Suggestions for Children” from each Sunday and stretch these questions out over a couple days.
4. Make an acronym for each word: hope, peace, joy, and love. 5. Illustrate what each word represents; for example, what does “joy” look like? 6. Find a symbol or object that represents each word: hope, peace, joy, and love. Turn this symbol or object into an ornament for your Christmas tree. For example, a seed like an acorn represents “hope,” the hope of a tall and strong tree. 7. Try to use these words each week in your conversation. Be on the lookout for times when children (and adults!) use these words, and compliment them on using the words correctly. 8. Listen for Christmas songs that use the words hope, peace, joy, and love. 9. Complete each of these sentence starters: a. On Christmas, Jesus brought hope by ________________________. b. On Christmas, Jesus brought peace by ________________________. c. On Christmas, Jesus brought joy by ________________________. d. On Christmas, Jesus brought love by ________________________. 10. Complete each of these sentence starters: a. I can show Jesus’ hope by __________________________. b. I can show Jesus’ peace by __________________________. c. I can show Jesus’ joy by ____________________________. d. I can show Jesus’ love by ___________________________.
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December 1-7
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Advent Wreath Light the first purple candle in your wreath, the Hope candle.
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Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire— may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1
Sing a verse of a favorite Christmas carol during the lighting of the candle. One that is especially appropriate for the season of Advent is O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The first verse of that carol beautifully captures the waiting of Israel for the promised Messiah, and by extension the longing of our own hearts for salvation: 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.
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Reflection: Our sermon series this year on 1 Peter has been emphasizing the fact that suffering is a normal part of the Christian life. The idea of suffering does not usually get a lot of airtime during the modern Christmas season, because it is supposed to be a time of great happiness and joy. But there is plenty of suffering around: feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, financial struggles, family friction, broken relationships, hearts or dreams. Many of us come to the Christmas season looking for hope and a reason to celebrate. When Israel was waiting for the promised Messiah, they suffered greatly. Their people were repeatedly conquered, enslaved, and abused by other nations. They also frequently lost sight of their faith in God and became distracted by the gods of their neighbors, by the oppression they suffered, and even by their normal, everyday routines. Throughout the Old Testament, we read passages where their sadness and desolation are evident. They needed hope. Just like us, they needed a savior. And then Jesus came so we can have life. After His first advent (or His first coming), when He literally became a human just like us, Jesus suffered all the things that we suffer and more, and then died, carrying all that with him to the grave. He did this for us so that we will never have to. Through His resurrection, we have been given new birth into living hope. Death is over, even though we may still suffer for a little while. This week, as we read and consider promises of Christ’s first advent, let’s focus on the hope that we receive from His incarnation, that our sufferings and grief are temporal, not permanent. As we read promises of His presence with us, let’s live each day not in despair over circumstances or in doubt of God’s provision, but in the living hope that He can and will sustain us to the end. As we read promises of Christ’s second advent (second coming), let’s cling to all of the promises that He will fulfill when He comes.
Prayer: • Thank God for becoming fully human as Christ, and for suffering with us and for us, to give us the hope of an eternal salvation. • Pray for an increased awareness of God’s presence in your life this week, and for the ability to see life from His perspective. • Pray for Christ’s second coming, when all of His promises will be fulfilled.
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Family Ideas 1) Use the word “hope” in a sentence. 2) Some people use the words “wish” and “hope” in the same way. When do you wish? When do you hope? Are these words different or the same? Make a list of things you wish for; compare it to a list of things you hope for. 3) Read 1 Peter 1:3 again. We see that God has given us birth into a “living hope.” How did God do this? What can we expect from this “living hope?” 4) Our inheritance that will never perish, spoil, or fade is heaven! When we hope in heaven, our problems, whether these problems are little or big, seem smaller. When we hope in heaven, we view the problems in life in a way that pleases and honors God. Think of a problem you might experience this week — at school, home, on the bus, in the neighborhood, during an activity. Ask God to help you “hope in heaven” when you experience this problem.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
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Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge — 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Reflection It is hard to keep waiting for a long time, but God has promised that He has given His church every gift it needs to stand strong until Christ’s second coming. There is nothing lacking! We don’t have to cross our fingers and wish for things to work out for the best, we know that it will. What gifts has God put in your life that give you hope? What gifts do you have that could be used to strengthen others? Is there anyone in your life who needs the hope you have from God?
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 3
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Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Reflection Our hope in Christ is not something meant only for a few people; many people will come to worship and nations will be at peace with one another. This good news of hope is for everyone. Who can you share it with this week? Spend some time praying for them today.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4
Scripture Reading: Romans 13:11-14
Reflection
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
As we look forward to Christ’s second advent, we are reminded that time is short and should not be wasted on sinful pursuits or on dissention within the church body. What types of distractions does Satan use to try to make you less effective?
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Pray for Christ’s presence in your life this week and for his help recognizing these areas before you are distracted by them.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Reflection
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
We are called to use “X-ray vision” to see beyond the world around us, because our hope is not set on the visible world; it is temporary. Rather, our hope is in the eternal work and life of Christ. In this busy season, the difference between God’s vision and the world’s is especially evident. Pray today for God’s vision as you examine your own life and the world around you. When you look through eyes of hope, what can you see?
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7
Scripture Reading: Psalm 25:1-9 1
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:4-6, 13
In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
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I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. 2
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. … 5
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Reflection God gave us the entire Bible, every verse, every prophecy, to teach us endurance, and to give us encouragement and hope. What biblical examples of endurance stand out in your mind today? What can you learn from them?
Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 8
Pray these verses today for yourself, your family and for our church: that “the God of hope would fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in Him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Reflection In times of trouble, it is easy to put our hope in things that are not God. (e.g., If only you had a better job, your problems would end. If only this person would be elected or this law would be passed, our community would be better off.) What things/people are you tempted to put your hope in other than God? As you pray today, repent in those areas and put your hope in God, alone, knowing that He is able to do even more than you are imagining right now. Page 9
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December 8-14
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Advent Wreath Light the first purple candle in your wreath, the Hope candle.
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Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 5:7-11 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 7
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
Light the second purple candle in your wreath, the Peace candle.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 8
Sing a verse of a favorite Christmas carol during the lighting of the candle. The penultimate verse of the Advent carol O Come, O come Emmanuel especially speaks to our longing for the peace that Christ will bring:
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 10
O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind; Bid thou our sad divisions cease, And be thyself our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
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Reflection: Christ’s kingdom is going to be a place of peace where everyone will be free from anxiety, free from conflict with others, and free from sin and guilt. It sounds so wonderful! But we don’t live there yet. We still live here, on a fallen earth where there is war, where people suffer, where others sometimes annoy us, where problems and challenges become opportunities to worry, where we still sometimes sin and then feel far away from God and His blessings. The world in which we live is not a particularly peaceful place. The Old Testament prophets longed like us for the peace that Christ will bring. Reading their words about what His kingdom will be like can sometimes feel like reading our own hopes and dreams. Even though we don’t yet get to live in the place where there is no war and no storms, Jesus came to bring us peace in our hearts right now. Because of His sacrifice, we don’t have to feel far away from God, we can be at peace with Him now and always. Because of His presence in our lives, we don’t have to live in worry and fear about tomorrow (or today!); we can experience God’s peace even when the world around us is chaotic. Because of the promise of His second coming, we can face storms knowing that they will not last forever; our future and eternal home is in God’s kindgom of peace. This week, as we focus on peace, let’s not only long for the final establishment of eternal peace in Christ’s kingdom, but also allow His peace to permeate our own lives and relationships today.
Prayer: • Thank God for making a way through Christ for us to be at peace with Him, completely and permanently free from the guilt and separation of sin. • Cast all your anxiety on Him. Ask God for His peace in every area of your life. • Pray for Christ’s second coming, when true peace will finally be established everywhere.
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Family Ideas For these questions, please give each child two pieces of paper. 1) Schedules can get busy at Christmastime with many different activities. During busy times we may feel anxious or worried. Is there something that has caused or is causing you to be worried or anxious? Write or draw a picture of this on a small piece of paper. 2) One name for Jesus is “Prince of Peace.” On a small piece of paper, draw a simple crown and write “Jesus” on the front of the crown. Put everyone’s crown in the middle of the group. 3) Read 1 Peter 5:7. What are we supposed to do with activities or situations that cause us anxiety? 4) We are supposed to cast things that worry us on Jesus. This means throw them at Jesus, or “load” them on Jesus. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, offers you His peace instead of worry. Look at your paper, and share the situation that causes you to worry or experience anxiety. Trade this piece of paper for a crown, representing trading anxiety for Jesus’ peace. Thank Jesus for His peace, and ask Him to help you experience more of it.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 12:2-6
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
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He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
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In that day you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Reflection When we know that God is our salvation, when our hope is in Him alone, we can trust and not be afraid. When we are praising Him for who He is and for His work in our lives, our hearts stop being anxious. Praise God today for all He has done and all that He will do in your life and in His kingdom.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11
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The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 8
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. 10
Reflection What are some areas of your life where it feels like peace could never come? What about the world around you? Pray for Christ’s peace today. Pray that the world would be “filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:22-28 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 22
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
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28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Reflection Waiting for God’s peace to come can feel like agony. We see so much need in the lives of people we love and in the world around us. What can we do? Sometimes we don’t even know how to pray. But God’s Spirit is here to strengthen us in our weakness and to intercede — even when we don’t know what to say. We can be at peace in these times because God is there, working for our good. Rest in the Holy Spirit’s presence today. Page 12
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14
Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:68-79
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
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Reflection It is all too easy to succumb to worry and anxiety, but God’s peace will actually guard your mind and heart — it will keep anxiety out — when you trust your requests to Him in thanksgiving. Do this today and ask for His peace to overflow out of your life into the world around you.
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And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” 76
Reflection FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13
Zechariah had lived his life waiting for the Messiah and waiting to have his own child as well. His song at John’s birth joyfully looks forward to all that Christ will do and the Kingdom of peace He will establish. Join in Zechariah’s joy today and recall the promises of everlasting peace that we know Christ will fulfill.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.
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Reflection God has given us the blessing of peace in Christ. How can we show that peace to others? How can we share that peace with others? Today, ask God to show you a way to bring His peace into someone else’s life, or into a relationship that you struggle with.
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December 15-21
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Advent Wreath Light the first purple candle in your wreath, the Hope candle.
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Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15
Light the second purple candle in your wreath, the Peace candle. Light the pink candle in your wreath, the Joy candle. Sing a verse of a favorite Christmas carol during the lighting of the candle. In the traditional advent carol O Come, O Come Emmanuel, one verse particularly evokes the image of living in the shadow of death, waiting for the joy of salvation to shine forth: O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer Our spirits by thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
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Reflection: Though the prophets of Israel had long foretold Christ’s coming, when He finally came few recognized Him. Some were waiting for a different kind of savior (like one with military might) and many were not expecting much at all. But those who were faithfully waiting received Him with great joy. The joy that they experienced, after lifetimes of waiting, is also ours. In Christ’s first advent, God’s salvation has come! He has begun to gather His people to Himself, calling them out of darkness and joining them together into a holy nation, a family of God. Though we are still waiting for all the promises of God’s kingdom to be fulfilled, salvation has begun. God has chosen us to be His people; we are His special possession that has been called out of darkness. In this, we can rejoice! This week, we can take joy in Christ’s first advent, knowing that it is through His incarnation that our salvation was accomplished; we can take joy in Christ’s presence and in the mercy of God we have received; and we can take joy in the future, knowing that all of God’s promises will one day be fulfilled.
Prayer: • Praise God for the light of salvation in your life. • Pray for the joy of God’s presence to fill your heart and mind this week. • Pray for Christ’s second coming, when our joy will finally be made complete.
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Family Ideas 1) Describe a time when you were chosen for something — a team, a part in a play or musical, to be the special helper at school, etc. How did you feel when you were chosen? 2) Being chosen makes us feel special and gives us great happiness and joy. Being chosen for a team or part in a play is cool, but we have been chosen to be part of something even larger and more amazing. Read 1 Peter 2:9 and tell what we have been chosen to be. 3) As God’s chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, and special possession, we’ve been given a job, according to 1 Peter 2:9. What is that job? 4) Take some time with your family to sing and “declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light.” The song “Joy to the World” would be a good choice!
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18
Scripture Reading: Psalm 126
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 35:3-10
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
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Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
Reflection
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
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When God works on our behalf, our overwhelming joy is obvious to everyone! When He fulfills the promise of His kingdom, every tear we have ever shed will be replaced with songs of joy. You may be in a time of grief or trouble right now, but cling to the faithfulness of God. He is present in your grief and will bring you to the time when you will reap songs of joy. Look to Him today and take heart.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
Scripture Reading: Psalm 16:1, 7-11 1
Reflection
Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
Isaiah’s description of the coming Kingdom rings with joy. The blind can see! The mute can shout! The redeemed of God, the people that God has rescued, will sing with everlasting joy! Please note: this might be tomorrow, or even later tonight. Pray today for Christ’s second coming. And while we wait, pray for strength and be strong. “Do not fear; your God will come!”
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 7
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. 9
Reflection When we take refuge in God, when we keep our eyes on Him, we are able to rest in His presence and our hearts are filled with joy. The storms and fears of life, even death, are not a match for the joy of God’s presence. Take refuge in Him today! Page 16
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:46-55 46
Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
And Mary said:
Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. 16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. 17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” 14
“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
“I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. 19 At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. 20 At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord. 18
Reflection Mary’s expression of joy in response to the angel’s announcement that she would bear the Savior reveals that she had been waiting expectantly for God to fulfill His promises. When the good news came, she was ready to spring into praise to God. Are we that ready and expectant? Think about God’s promises, both for His coming Kingdom and for His presence in your life, and look expectantly to Him to fulfill them.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20
Reflection
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.
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Reflection The Macedonian churches give us an example of what joy can do. These Christians were poorer than we, as Americans, can imagine. And yet their joy in God caused them to plead for the opportunity to give. Their circumstances had no ability to restrict them because they looked beyond them to God. Are you letting your joy be bound by circumstances? Look beyond them today and be filled with God’s overflowing joy. Page 17
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Zephaniah was looking forward to Christ’s first advent in prophecy; we can look back at it. The Lord has already taken away our punishment. It’s gone! This is a reason to rejoice! But not every promise has yet been fulfilled. We look forward to the day when God will bring us home. “Even so, Lord Jesus come!”
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December 22-24
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Advent Wreath Light the first purple candle in your wreath, the Hope candle.
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Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:18-23 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22
Light the second purple candle in your wreath, the Peace candle. Light the pink candle in your wreath, the Joy candle. Light the last purple candle in your wreath, the Love candle. Sing a verse of a favorite Christmas carol during the lighting of the candle. In the traditional advent carol, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, a verse that reminds us of our loving home with God says: O come, thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
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Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
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Family Ideas
Reflection: Sometimes, especially when we are experiencing suffering, we might begin to wonder if God still loves us. Our circumstances feel overwhelming and we begin to think we have no one to turn to but ourselves. In times like that, Old Testament prophets often rehearsed a list of all the things God had done in the past, because remembering God’s work brings comfort. We have even more to remember than they did, because Christ has been revealed! In God’s infinite love, Christ was chosen to become human and to die for us before we were even born. There is no greater love than that. But evidence for God’s love for us is not limited to the past; we can also look at the present where His spirit is everpresent with us. Even when we doubt or are unfaithful, God always remains faithful to us and to His promises. Those promises tell us about a future where we will never suffer or wander or perish; we will live permanently in God’s peace, joy and love. God’s love is the same yesterday, today and forever. This week as our Christmas celebration arrives, remember the depth of God’s unending love for you.
Prayer: • Thank God for showing His love through Christ’s birth, life and death on the cross. • Pray for His love to overflow in your heart this week as you are filled with it and share that love with others in your life. • Pray for Christ’s second coming, when all of God’s promises will be fulfilled.
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1) What’s the most expensive thing you can think of? How much does it cost? Pretend you would like to purchase a very expensive item. How would you pay for it? How long would you have to save to have enough money? 2) Read 1 Peter 1:18 and see that God redeemed (or purchased) us back from the life of sin and death that was handed down to us by our ancestors. But God did not buy us back with money (silver or gold). Read 1 Peter 1:19 to see how God purchased us. 3) God used the blood of his son Jesus to redeem us from the way of sin and death and reward us with eternal life, a life of hope, peace, joy and love that begins now! Why did God do this? 4) God loves us! And because God loves us with this type of costly love, read 1 Peter 1:22 to see how we are supposed to love one another. 5) At Christmas, how can you love others deeply and from the heart? What is something you can do to show love?
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:31-39 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all— how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: 31
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 37
as Eve m t s i r h C December 24
Advent Wreath Light the first purple candle in your wreath, the Hope candle. Light the second purple candle in your wreath, the Peace candle. Light the pink candle in your wreath, the Joy candle. Light the last purple candle in your wreath, the Love candle. Light the central white candle, the Christ candle. Sing a verse of a favorite Christmas carol during the lighting of the candle. Tonight the waiting is over; we celebrate Jesus’ birth! An appropriate carol may be Joy to the World!
Reflection
Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her king! Let every heart, prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and heaven and nature sing. Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found. He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.
God’s love for us is not limited by anything; it will not end or change. Once He chose to redeem us with the price of His son, He paid the ultimate price. What else is left? He will not change his mind now, no matter what happens. Nothing can separate us from His unfailing love. As you prepare to celebrate Christmas this week, do so knowing that God loves you — and He always, always will.
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Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-20
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 1
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 4
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
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When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 15
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 16
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Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
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Prayer: • Join the shepherds tonight in praising God for fulfilling His promise to send a savior! • Thank God for His presence in your own life. • Pray for Christ’s second coming, when we will be able to joyfully live in His Kingdom forever.
Tuesday, December 24 Three Services: 5:00, 7:30 & 10:00pm As a fitting end to our observation of Advent, please join us for one of our three Christmas Eve services on the evening of Tuesday, December 24. We will celebrate with joy the end of our waiting and the birth of our Savior in a family service that will be a blessing to all ages. Please note that there are three services to choose from this year. Nursery is not available, but babies and children are welcome!
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