ADVENT of Christ / Christmas / 1st Sunday of Advent

Today is the first Sunday of Advent.  Here is a review from last year of the ABC's of Advent to do with your children, Sunday School class and/or friends.

Our Worship of Jesus Christ in Advent

...Churches coming out of the Reformation have historically recognized the value of the Church Year, without feeling obliged to following it in their services slavishly. Many in the Reformed churches have singled out Advent and Christmas, Easter and Pentecost as major movements in the life of our Lord and His Church that are helpful in the devotional life of our churches...The lighting of these candles reminds us of the promise that a Light would come to the World:

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9.2 KJV)

Each candle brings us closer to the time when we recall His birth as well as His Second Coming. Remembering Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25.1-13, the Parable of the Ten Virgins, we also seek to be wise and have our lamps ready for the Bridegroom who is coming again. As Jesus said:

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (25:13 KJV).

As we worship our Lord Jesus and recall His first coming, look forward to His Second Coming, let us also be attentive to His present coming. As Max Lucado has written:

“The One who came still comes. The One who spoke still speaks.”

May the Lord use this season to draw you and your family closer to Him, that you may know His presence and hear His voice in a fresh way.

First Sunday of Advent

Today we light the first candle of the Advent wreath. This is the candle of HOPE. With Christians around the world, we use this light to help us prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of God’s Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we receive God’s light as we hear the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.”—Isaiah 9:2

Let us pray:

Lord as we look to the birth of Jesus, grant that the light of your love for us will help us to become lights in the lives of those around us. Prepare our hearts for the joy and gladness of your coming, for Jesus is our hope. Amen.

SOURCE

Our church:
Carols that we sang this morning:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
Our pastor's Advent blog and this morning's sermon.