Week 1
Narrator 1: Happy New Year’s!
Narrator 2: It’s not New Years. It’s a month away.
Narrator 1: No it’s really New Years Day on the Christian Calendar. The first week of Advent begins the New Christian year.
Narrator 2: What is Advent? I hear it has something to do with Christmas.
Narrator 1: a lot of people think that. But, actually, Advent has been celebrated long before the Church celebrated Christmas day.
Narrator 2: I have always heard it is a time of preparation in our hearts for the coming of the Christ child into the manger.
Narrator 1: Actually, Advent anticipates the return of the Lord Jesus Christ at the end of the age. This is what we really need to prepare for.
Narrator 2: How does the end of time as we know it relate to the end of time?
Narrator 1: When the Lord returns, it will be the first day of eternity in which His people will enjoy eternal life. So it is a new beginning.
Narrator 2: so the real New Year’s is in our future?
Narrator 1: That’s right. the word “advent” can be found in our word “adventure,” This guides us on our Christian journey.
Narrator 2: Tell me more.
Narrator 1: We prepare for the return of the Lord Jesus by reflecting on four Christian themes. These are “hope,” “peace,” “joy,” and “love.” all of these themes point to Christ. This week, we will reflect upon the theme of hope. During this Advent, our Scriptural reading will come from Romans 5:1-8 because all four of these themes can be found there.
Narrator 2: (When the Scripture is read, emphasize the word “hope as it appears in this text) Let us read Romans 5:1-8
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Romans 5:1–8 NKJV
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Narrator 1: Hope is something that hasn’t happened yet, but will. Christian hope is different than worldly hope. Someone might “hope” to win the lottery, but everyone knows how unlikely that would be. the person who starts to plan and spend money in that hope would be foolish indeed.
Narrator 2: So, Christian hope is ordering one’s life in the certainty of Christ’s return.
Narrator 1:That’s right!
Narrator 2: I notice that the word “hope” appears three times in the passage we read.
Narrator 1: Paul tells us that because we have been justified by faith in Christ, we have true hope. We know that we shall see the day that Christ shall appear in glory. This hope sustains us here in our trials and difficulties in this world. We can hope when all seems hopeless because it is not hopeless. We know that Jesus will not disappoint us. He is coming.
Narrator 2: we light the candle of hope this morning in anticipation of the Lord’s return. (Light the first candle (purple).
Narrator 1: Let us pray. Lord, we give you thanks for giving us unquenchable hope. We look forward to the day of your return to earth and the dawn of the eternal kingdom. Help us keep this hope within our hearts, especially when trouble arises all around us. Amen.
Week 2
Narrator 1: We now come to the second Sunday in Advent. we learned last week that Advent is the season in which we prepare for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We also learned that we prepare for the great adventure by reflecting upon the Christian themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.
Narrator 2: This week we will reflect upon the them of peace. (When reading the following text, emphasize the word “peace.) Let us read again from Romans 5:1-8:
Romans 5:1–8 NKJV
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Narrator 1: The text says that because we have been justified by faith, we have peace. But what is peace? We all want peace. there seems to be so little peace in this world. all we have is wars and conflict.
Narrator 2: Christian peace is different than peace in the world. In the world, peace is seen as the absence of conflict. we end wars with peace treaties. But all to soon, war and trouble breaks out again. It is such an unsettled time. It seems that our leaders seems helpless to deal with all the trouble.
Narrator 1: Last week we learned that our hope is not in this world. Peace is for a moment here, but when Christ returns, we shall know nothing but peace. The Scriptural hope for this peace will become reality. Isaiah the prophet saw this day where peace would come. Let us read from Isaiah 2:2-4
Isaiah 2:2–4 NKJV
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.
Narrator 2: I cant wait for the day that there will be no more wars.
Narrator 1: This is because Jesus Christ will rule over all. Isaiah says about Him Isaiah 9:6-7
Isaiah 9:6–7 NKJV
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Narrator 2: We look forward to this everlasting peace by lighting the second candle of Advent. (Light the candle of hope first and then the candle of peace. (purple)
Narrator 1: Let us pray. Lord, we long for your peace, We already have this peace in our hearts because you have saved us. Help us bring to the world the true word of peace. We know that true peace can only be found when we are forgiven of our sins because we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who bore our conflicts upon the cross. Help us to be bold to proclaim this offer of true peace to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Week 3
Narrator 1: In the first Sunday of Advent, we reflected upon the Christian theme of hope. Last Sunday, we reflected upon the theme of peace which we know will be fulfilled at His return. Because Christ died for us, we can have this peace in our hearts now in these troubled times, even as we hope for the day that He returns.
Narrator 2: This week we reflect upon the theme of joy. (Emphasize the word “rejoice” when the text is read.) Let us read our text again from Romans 5:1-8
Romans 5:1–8 NKJV
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Narrator 1: The hope we have in Jesus Christ give us cause to rejoice. That joy will be fully expressed when He returns. Because our hope is certain, we already possess this joy. The world rejoices when good things happen. they rejoice when their sports team wins the championship. they rejoice when they graduate or get a new job. in other words, they rejoice when good things happen.
Narrator 2: But Christian joy is different. The Christian can rejoice even when bad things happen to them. This is because they have hope that trouble cannot prevent them from the true heavenly joy at the end of time. We see this demonstrated in Acts 5:40-41
Acts 5:40–41 NKJV
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Narrator 1: No one in this world would think that being beaten is a joyous thing. But yet the apostles rejoiced. How could they do this ?This is because they knew how everything would turn out, This is the joy of Jesus which we read in Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Narrator 2: Nehemiah reminds us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). So even in bad times we rejoice in the coming of the Kingdom and can even glory in our tribulations. God will work it out.
Narrator 1: We light the candle of joy (pink) this morning. Let us rejoice! (light the candle of hope, then peace, and nor love)
Narrator 1: Let us pray: Lord help us to be joyful in these times, not because these times are joyful, but because we know and hope that all of our sorrows will be turned into joy. Let the light of our joy in Christ shine out into this sad world that they might believe that you died for their sin. Amen.
Week 4
Narrator 1: In the first three Sundays of Advent, we reflected upon the themes of Christian hope, peace, and joy. This Sunday, we will reflect upon the theme of love: (Emphasize the word, love) Let us read again from Romans 5:1-8
Romans 5:1–8 NKJV
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Narrator 2: What is love?
Narrator 1: The world desperately seeks love. Everyone wants to be loved. We think of the Beatles singing “All you need is love. Love is all you need.” Someone else has said people are “looking for love in all the wrong places.” Love is so desired but so elusive.
Narrator 2: Someone has said “Love is a verb.” It is described by loving actions. when a young man buys flowers for his girlfriend, this is love in action. Love is more than an emotion.
Narrator 1: How does Jesus then show His love for us?
Narrator 2: Jesus showed his love by dying for those who hated Him. His love on the cross was unconditional. He died not for the good but the ungodly. We think of the movie Patton where George C, Scott who played Patton describes in colorful words that the purpose of war was not to die for one’s own country but to make the other soldier die for his. Yet, many have died in defense of their country. We remember tis as an act of love. We rightly remember Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day in our country.
Narrator 1: But Christ’s love goes far beyond this. No one in this world says that one should lay down his life for the enemy combatant. But this is exactly what Christ did for us. This is truly amazing love! We were once His enemies. Even so, Jesus died for us that by believing on Him, we might be justified. Because of what He did, we have hope, peace, and joy. We know love. We are now freed to love even our enemies.
Narrator 2: )Light the first three candles of hope, joy, peace, and joy.) We now light the candle of love. (light candle)
Narrator 1: Let us pray: Lord, we are in awe how you could love us. We give thanks that you have loved us, the unlovely. We give thanks that you have prepared us an eternal kingdom characterized by peace and joy. We thank you for this hope which carries us through the deep waters. We are thankful that your life did not end at the cross. We rejoice that neither our own lives end at our cross either. Help us to be unconditional in our love for others, even those who do not love us. In Jesus name, Amen.
Narrator 2: Now that we have prepared for our future, we can now truly celebrate Christmas when our Lord first came.
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