ADVENT HAS BEGUN

I used to think calling the Christmas Season “Advent” was kind of a “high church” thing. In fact, in the little rural church I attended as a child, I never heard Christmastime referred to as advent. But advent is a great word to describe Christmas. The word literally means, “coming” and celebrates Emmanuel, God with us! God incarnate, (in the flesh) come to earth to save us from our sin by the gift of His One and Only Son---JESUS! Now that’s an advent to celebrate!

During this Advent season, we light 4 candles to remind us of what has come with the Advent of God’s Son. The First Sunday, we lit the candle of HOPE! Jesus, the light of the world, broke into this dark existence to bring us HOPE! Last Sunday, we lit the candle of LOVE! 

Joy to the world, the Lord has come! The angels declared that the arrival of this baby would be good news of GREAT JOY that would be for ALL PEOPLE! That is great news! So this Sunday, as we light the candle of JOY!

We celebrate that we find joy in the sweetness of His presence. For God so LOVED He sent His Son!

I can hardly wait to proclaim the good news of GREAT JOY! On the fourth Sunday, the PEACE of Christ is our focus.

And then on Christmas Eve, we light the center candle… the CHRIST CANDLE! It is so cool, every flame that is lit that night will find its source from the CHRIST CANDLE… and isn’t that how it should be for all of us!

I am praying that we all will be more in love with Him at the end of this Advent Season and more grateful for WHO HE IS and ALL THAT HE HAS DONE FOR US!

O COME LET US ADORE HIM!   

Pastor Daryl