These advent readings are for the four Sunday’s of advent and then for Christmas Eve. The instructions we give each family is: first the scripture is read, then as the interpretation is read light the candle, or candles, and then they close with the prayer. We number the candles with a print out from a p-touch and place the numbers so only the family can see them.
The readings are based upon both the Scripture given and the theology of the hymn.
May the Lord Jesus bless your ministry this advent season.
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First Sunday Of Advent - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
READ SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 7:13-14
Is. 7:13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David!
Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also?
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Light Candle while the interpretation is read
Light candle #1, only.
INTERPRETATION
What if God lived among us?
What if God was one of us?
The person of Jesus Christ came and lived among us. Jesus is fully God and fully human. He came, He lived among us, He was one of us, and yet - He was more than just another human being: Jesus was, and Jesus is, ‘Immanuel’ which means, God is with us.
This morning we light the first candle, the candle of the hope that Jesus brings.
We may wonder, does God understand me? Does God understand what I face in life? Can God know my struggles from a human perspective?
The answer is a resounding yes!
The love of God is so powerful that He became like us in order to save us, and even more powerful, God remains with us with God the Holy Spirit.
All praise be to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is God with us, Immanuel.
PRAYER
Lord God,
You are not distant. You are not held at arms length. You are our Immanuel, You are God with us. Instill in our hearts the knowledge that you are with us always, even tot he end of the age. Amen.
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Second Sunday Of Advent - O Little Town Of Bethlehem
READ SCRIPTURE
Micah . 5:2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, (Ef-ra-tha)
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.’”
Light Candle while the interpretation is read
Light candles #1, #2 only.
INTERPRETATION
The village of Bethlehem was a small and insignificant town, yet here in this small village is where the most significant event in the history of humanity began.
This morning we light the second candle, Jesus coming as a servant.
Jesus, “whose origins are from of old, from ancient times “, had always existed. Jesus Christ is God incarnate. Jesus Christ holds complete power, authority, and dominion – yet He chose to come to us as a servant. Jesus comes to us as an insignificant person in an insignificant town, an infant in the little town of Bethlehem. Jesus comes to bring healing and wholeness, Jesus comes to defeat what we cannot, Jesus has come to defeat the sin that destroys our lives. Jesus comes as a servant, all glory be to Jesus Christ our Lord.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
We praise you for your abundant grace and mercy. You who had all the power, authority and dominion, you gave it all up because of your love for us. This morning we ask that you, “cast out our sin, and enter in; be born in us today”…”O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.”
Amen.
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Third Sunday Of Advent – O Come All Ye Faithful
READ SCRIPTURE
Luke 2:13-20
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
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.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Light Candles while the interpretation is read
Light candles #1, #2 & 3 only.
INTERPRETATION
This morning we light the third candle, the candle of the true divinity of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is “Light from Light eternal”, He is the “Son of the Father, begotten, not created” The shepherds run into the town of Bethlehem, not out of curiosity, but out of great eagerness to see the Messiah, to see the one who had been hoped for, for ages – they ran to see the Promise of God, Jesus Christ our Lord.
After their visit to the manger, the shepherds cannot hold back, they spread the word, they tell everyone they can about what they saw - come all ye faithful, come to Bethlehem, come and behold him born the king of angels, come and adore him, Christ the Lord.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
you are the one and only God - Father Son and Holy Spirit. We come this morning to worship you, to give you praise and then to go and tell all we know – You are the Messiah, the Promised One, the One who will change our lives for the better.
Amen.
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Fourth Sunday Of Advent - Angels From The Realms of Glory
READ SCRIPTURE
Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
Light Candles while the interpretation is read
Light candles #1, #2, #3 and #4 only
INTERPRETATION:
The Magi traveled from afar to see not just an earthly king, the Magi traveled to worship the heavenly king.
This morning we light the fourth candle, the candle of Christ the King.
Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, this is the truth that the Magi recognized. Upon their visit to the child Jesus, they knew the truth that, “though an infant now we view him he will share his Father’s throne”.
Jesus may have come as a child, He may have hidden His power in flesh, but that was only for a time. For in the future a time will come where “every knee shall then bow…and worship, worship” Christ the Lord. All people of all time will recognize him for who he is, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We proclaim, like the angels, the shepherds and the Magi that you are the king of our lives. To you be all the glory, all the praise and all our worship.
Amen.
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Christmas Eve Advent Candle Lighting – Silent Night Holy Night
READ SCRIPTURE
John 1:1-9
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.
He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
Light ALL the candles while the interpretation is read
INTERPRETATION
This evening we light the fifth candle. This is the candle of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the “Son of God, love’s pure light”. Jesus is the light of truth that shows us the way to eternal life and the way to a close relationship with God.
The night Jesus Christ was born was a holy night, for on this night the savior was born. Jesus came not to be a good example for us to follow nor to be a great teacher of wisdom; Jesus came to stop the thing that destroys our lives, our sin.
Our sin ruins relationships, our sin destroys our dreams, our sin causes harmful habits, our sin hurts not only us, but it hurts those around us as well. Jesus is the “dawn of redeeming grace”. He can take away the sin that ruins us and give us a new birth in Him. Jesus can give us the peace we all seek.
PRAYER
Gracious Lord,
by the power of the Holy Spirit we ask that your mighty blessings fall upon all of us this Christmas eve. May your light guide us as we seek to serve you. We ask this all in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
