The Season of Advent is the first Season of the Christian Calendar.
During the four Sundays before Christmas – we remember that Jesus came to our world as a babe, that he is coming into our lives, churches and communities today - and that he will return to our world on the Day of the Lord.
We remember during Advent that Jesus Christ promised to physically come to us again, to create a new heaven and earth in which we will live for all eternity! This expectation inspires us to believe that the coming of the Lord brings hope, peace, joy and love to our lives, our churches and our world!
Central Message of the Season of Advent: God sends his Son to us
During the four Advent Sundays before Christmas day, we will remember that Christ took on our weak, human nature and became one of us. As the Apostle Paul puts it in 2 Cor 5: 21: God made him who had no sin, to be sin for us so that in him, we might become the righteousness of God.
This is what Christ did for us both when he was conceived and he was born on that first Christmas day. In taking on “weak human flesh”, he associated himself with our dilemma which is the result of our mistakes, disobedience and sin. He came to live the life that God requires and we cannot accomplish, and lived it perfectly, holy and without sin, in our place!
The Son of God became our brother and will never leave nor forsake us.
During the Season of Advent, the four weeks before Christmas, we want to celebrate that when God gives the gift of salvation, he does not send new laws and rules through which to figure out how we can be saved. No, he sends his Son to save us, to help us, to strengthen us and sanctify us.
The Advent message is summarised in John 3:16: God so much loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
During this Season we must be reminded that Jesus Christ is in us and with us as his Body on earth – always. We celebrate that Christ is continuously coming to us – into our lives, our homes, our Churches and our communities and nations.
We also learn that God will send Christ to come a second time to us, in his glorified body now in heaven, to rule and reign forever on the new earth and in heaven and that we will be raised in glorious bodies to reign with him, forever.
Let’s trust in the Son. Let’s rejoice because he does everything we cannot do, to save us during every situation we may encounter!
Let’s pray that he will come back soon to dry all our tears and grant us his complete peace and joy.
Let’s wait with the same urgent hope and love of the believers in the New Testament Church for the victorious and conquering return of Christ, our King.
Prayers for the Season of Advent, before we light the 4 Advent candles directly after the greeting and the call to worship.
1st Advent - Hope: Gracious God, in living our busy daily lives, keep us ever ready, ever faithful and ever hopeful for the day of Christ’s return. May this hope be born into our lives anew.
2nd Advent - Peace: Loving God, while we patiently wait for Christ’s return and for your peace to ultimately prevail, enable each of us to work for peaceful solutions to the various conflicts which abound in our lives and our world. May your peace be born into our lives today and during his special time of celebrations.
3rd Advent - Joy: Merciful God, while we patiently wait for Christ’s return, may each one of us rejoice in our salvation; and may that joy infuse all aspects of our lives and be freely shared with others. Grant us your joy. Grant us your eternal joy.
4th Advent - Love: Gracious Creator, while we patiently wait for Christ physically coming to us again, inspire us when we celebrate Christmas and Christmastide, to marvel on the fact that your love for each one of us knows no bounds. May this love be mirrored in all aspects of our lives, as we freely share it with others. When we celebrate Christmas, may we and all our loved ones share in your divine love through sincere love for each other.
PS You are encouraged to follow the Revised Common Lectionary during Advent (the 4 Sundays before Christmas) and during the 12 days of Christmas.
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