Hope

op H o p e i s t h e f i r s t t o p i c t o

b e g i n o u r s p i r i t u a l j o u r n e y .

L i g h t a p u r p l e A d v e n t

c a n d l e t o g e t h e r a s a f a m i l y .

“ D o n o t l e t y o u r h e a r t s b e t r o u b l e d . Tr u s t i n G o d ; t r u s t a l s o i n m e . I n m y F a t h e r ’ s h o u s e a r e

m a n y r o o m s ; i f i t w e r e n o t s o , I w o u l d h a v e t o l d y o u . I a m g o i n g t h e r e t o p r e p a r e a p l a c e f o r y o u .

A n d i f I g o a n d p r e p a r e a p l a c e f o r y o u , I w i l l c o m e b a c k a n d t a k e y o u t o b e w i t h m e

t h a t y o u a l s o m a y b e w h e r e I a m . ”

J o h n 1 4 : 1 – 3

As Christians we have a great reason to hope! John 1:1 proclaims that,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word

was God.” John 1:14 goes on to say, “The Word became flesh and made his

dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who

came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word is Jesus, the living

God! We know that everything Scripture tells us is true because it is not only

from God, it is God, the Word.

Sunday

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When the prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of Christ, a new hope was born

into the world; a hope that lives in us today. And after Jesus came in the flesh,

He promised to return and take us to be with Him, giving us eternal hope that

surpasses the condition of our life on earth.

Take a moment and talk about the things you want and the things for which

you hope—as individuals and as a family. Many of them may be of temporary

value, but some will have deep eternal longings as well. Now think and talk

about the things you hope for this week, this Christmas season, the new year

to come, your lifetime on earth and your next life in heaven. Now ponder in

your heart what it will be like to see Jesus face-to-face in all His glory and

splendor, and imagine what it will be like to go where He is. Talk about the

hope and comfort we have as believers, and that someday Christ will take us

home where sin and death have no place.

Your spiritual journey begins the moment you believe in this extraordinary

hope, and lasts through all eternity. We invite you to open the Word and open

your heart, and begin this day in a deeper relationship with the One and Only,

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

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Heavenly Father, w e t h a n k Y o u f o r

t h e b l e s s i n g o f Y o u r W o r d a n d Y o u r

S o n i n o u r l i v e s . W e t h a n k Y o u

f o r t h e h o p e o f o u r h e a v e n l y h o m e

w h e r e o u r f a m i l y c a n d w e l l

t o g e t h e r w i t h Y o u f o r e v e r .

I n C h r i s t ’ s n a m e w e p r a y .

Amen.

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“ Yo u k n o w t h e w a y t o t h e p l a c e w h e r e I a m g o i n g . ” T h o m a s s a i d t o h i m , “ L o r d , w e d o n ’ t k n o w w h e r e

y o u a r e g o i n g , s o h o w c a n w e k n o w t h e w a y ? ” J e s u s a n s w e r e d , “ I a m t h e w a y a n d t h e t r u t h a n d

t h e l i f e . N o o n e c o m e s t o t h e F a t h e r e x c e p t t h r o u g h m e . I f y o u r e a l l y k n e w m e , y o u w o u l d k n o w

m y F a t h e r a s w e l l . F r o m n o w o n , y o u d o k n o w h i m a n d h a v e s e e n h i m . ”

J o h n 1 4 : 4 – 7

Our hope for salvation is in Christ Jesus. He and He alone is the way, the truth

and the life. Draw into a closer relationship with Him by reflecting on who He is,

His perfect love, His wonderful grace, His tender mercy, His almighty power and

majesty. Take a moment to talk about all the blessings in your life for which you

are thankful, and praise Jesus for what He has done for you. With Christ living in

you, you can celebrate this Christmas and Advent like you never have before!

Monday

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Dear Jesus, t h a n k Y o u f o r Y o u r

g r e a t s a c r i f i c e o n t h e c r o s s a n d

t h e g i f t o f s a l v a t i o n a n d

e t e r n a l l i f e . C r e a t e

i n m e a p u r e

h e a r t a n d a d e s i r e

t o r e a l l y k n o w Y o u .

I m a k e t h i s p r a y e r

i n J e s u s ’ n a m e .

Amen.

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f a c t

FunYou may have noticed that during the

Advent season, some churches display

the color purple in their sanctuaries, and

some display the color blue. And you may

have even heard that the color purple is

the color of royalty, but do you know why?

Well, it all has to do with expensive snails!

Thousands of years ago, when Christ

was living on the earth, the color purple

was the most expensive dye to produce—

only kings could afford such fashionable

extravagance. In fact, one ounce of dye

(the weight of just five nickels and one

penny) cost much more than an entire

pound of gold. Why was it so expensive?

Believe it or not, the royal dye, called

tekhelet in Hebrew, was squeezed from

snails—a type of mollusk! The extracts

were boiled down and mixed with other

chemicals to make just the right color. It

would take over 10,000 mollusks to make

enough dye for just one toga or robe. The

process was lost somewhere in the eighth

century AD and people throughout history

have spent years trying to recreate the

dye because of the mystery over whether

it was purple or blue.

In ancient documents, the color

tekhelet is often described as violet, but

other sources refer to it as the same color

as the sky or sea, which would mean

it was blue. Even today, scientists are

analyzing biological, chemical and archae-

ological data to try and figure it out, but

no one has been able to find an answer.

Regardless of whether your church chooses

to use purple or royal blue in the weeks

leading up to Christmas, the meaning is

the same. During Advent we prepare the

way and honor Christ the Lord, the one

true King, with the most royal color we

can find.

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P h i l i p s a i d , “ L o r d , s h o w u s t h e F a t h e r a n d t h a t w i l l b e e n o u g h f o r u s . ” J e s u s a n s w e r e d :

“ D o n ’ t y o u k n o w m e , P h i l i p , e v e n a f t e r I h a v e b e e n a m o n g y o u s u c h a l o n g t i m e ? A n y o n e w h o

h a s s e e n m e h a s s e e n t h e F a t h e r . H o w c a n y o u s a y , ‘ S h o w u s t h e F a t h e r ’ ? D o n ’ t y o u b e l i e v e t h a t I a m i n t h e F a t h e r , a n d t h a t t h e F a t h e r i s i n m e ? T h e w o r d s I s a y t o y o u a r e n o t j u s t m y o w n . R a t h e r , i t i s t h e

F a t h e r , l i v i n g i n m e , w h o i s d o i n g h i s w o r k . B e l i e v e m e w h e n I s a y t h a t I a m i n t h e F a t h e r a n d t h e

F a t h e r i s i n m e ; o r a t l e a s t b e l i e v e o n t h e e v i d e n c e o f t h e m i r a c l e s t h e m s e l v e s . I t e l l y o u t h e t r u t h ,

a n y o n e w h o h a s f a i t h i n m e w i l l d o w h a t I h a v e b e e n d o i n g . H e w i l l d o e v e n g r e a t e r t h i n g s t h a n t h e s e , b e c a u s e I a m g o i n g t o t h e F a t h e r . A n d I w i l l d o

w h a t e v e r y o u a s k i n m y n a m e , s o t h a t t h e S o n m a y b r i n g g l o r y t o t h e F a t h e r . Yo u m a y a s k m e f o r

a n y t h i n g i n m y n a m e , a n d I w i l l d o i t . ”

J o h n 1 4 : 8 – 1 4

Tuesday

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The New Testament has many examples of Christ’s wondrous miracles.

He healed the sick, raised the dead, and fed thousands, yet He tells us that we

can go on to do even greater deeds through His Spirit. Ask God how He wants

to use you this Christmas. Maybe you will feed the homeless in your

community, clothe the poor, or bring comfort to the sick and lonely. If you

ask for His guidance, He will work through you and direct your path. Even the

smallest act of grace can change a life, a community, and even the world.

The hope we have as Christians is not only that we have Christ living in us,

but also that we have Him working through us. Hope teaches us to have faith

in Christ and to do the things He leads us to do. Acting under the power of

Christ will produce amazing results.

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Dear Lord, p l e a s e s h o w u s h o w Y o u

w o u l d h a v e u s s e r v e o t h e r s

t h i s C h r i s t m a s s e a s o n ,

a n d e m p o w e r u s a s

Y o u r v e s s e l s t h a t , b y

s e r v i n g o t h e r s , w e

m a y b r i n g Y o u g l o r y .

W e t h a n k Y o u a n d p r a i s e

Y o u a n d a s k t h e s e t h i n g s

i n Y o u r S o n ’ s n a m e .

Amen.

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One of the most beautiful creations God left

for us here on earth is the night sky. So for

today’s family activity, we’re going to take a very

close look at it by stargazing! (If it’s a cloudy eve-

ning, make sure you plan for the next clear night.)

For centuries, stars have been used as a

compass to guide people in their travels. In the

United States, African American slaves used to

look to the Big Dipper to point them north toward

freedom. Can you think of a group of people we

talk about during Advent who used the stars too?

If you said the Magi or Wise Men you are right on

the mark, and we’ll learn some more about them

a little later in this book.

You can look at the stars by just going out

into your backyard or a safe park. Wherever you

go, it’s best to be away from lights so, if you live

in the city, it’s a good idea to find a more rural

location in order to have the best view. It takes

a half an hour for your eyes to fully adjust to the

dark and see the most stars, so make sure you

bring plenty of blankets and clothing for bundling

up. But before you set out on your stargazing

adventure, be sure to study your star map so you

can be prepared to find specific groups of stars

called constellations.

Some constellations are circumpolar, which

means that they never rise or set and the only

reason we can’t see them during the day is be-

cause of the sun, but they’re there all the time.

Others are seasonal constellations that change

throughout the year meaning you can see some

during the fall, but not in the spring, and others

during the spring, but not in the fall. All stars fall

into either of these categories except for one very

special star that the Magi saw. The Gospel of

Matthew tells us the Wise Men observed a new

star rising for the very first time in the East, which

marked the birth of the Messiah and led them

to Bethlehem (2:2). While you’re out stargazing,

imagine you are one of the Wise Men and see if

you can find a star bright enough to guide you

hundreds of miles to seek out a King!

What You’ll Need: a star map

(you can buy one or print one off the Web; SkyandTelescope.com is a good place to start)

a clear night skyT h e N i g h T S k y

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“ I f y o u l o v e m e , y o u w i l l o b e y w h a t I c o m m a n d . A n d I w i l l a s k t h e F a t h e r , a n d h e w i l l g i v e y o u a n o t h e r C o u n s e l o r t o b e w i t h y o u f o r e v e r — t h e S p i r i t o f t r u t h . T h e w o r l d c a n n o t a c c e p t h i m ,

b e c a u s e i t n e i t h e r s e e s h i m n o r k n o w s h i m . B u t y o u k n o w h i m , f o r h e l i v e s w i t h y o u a n d

w i l l b e i n y o u . I w i l l n o t l e a v e y o u a s o r p h a n s ; I w i l l c o m e t o y o u . B e f o r e l o n g , t h e w o r l d w i l l

n o t s e e m e a n y m o r e , b u t y o u w i l l s e e m e . B e c a u s e I l i v e , y o u a l s o w i l l l i v e . O n t h a t d a y

y o u w i l l r e a l i z e t h a t I a m i n m y F a t h e r , a n d y o u a r e i n m e , a n d I a m i n y o u . ”

J o h n 1 4 : 1 5 – 2 0

Wednesday

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Take time to really think about these words: Jesus is in the Father and we

are in Jesus and He is in us. How incredible it is that we have the Lord God in

us and we are in Him! Acts 17:28 describes this mystery in this way: “For in

Him we live and move and have our being.”

How often do we really live moment-by-moment in Christ? Imagine how

much better our busy days would be if we practiced the presence of Jesus.

Each year at Christmastime we say that we are going to slow down, cut back

on activities, and enjoy the season, but somehow it never seems to happen.

Instead, we need to make a commitment to live daily in Christ. Then, whatever

the task, the event, or the circumstance, He will enrich our lives in ways that

are beyond imagination. This ultimate relationship with Christ is above all oth-

ers; it will guide us on our spiritual journey and last through all eternity.

Dear Christ Jesus, h e l p u s t o d a i l y a b i d e i n Y o u .

W e w a n t t o e x p e r i e n c e

t h i s m y s t e r y — l i v i n g i n Y o u ,

a n d Y o u i n u s . H e l p u s t o

p a u s e a n d p r a c t i c e t h e

p r e s e n c e o f t h e L o r d t h i s

C h r i s t m a s . W e m a k e t h i s

p r a y e r i n Y o u r h o l y n a m e .

Amen.

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The season of Advent has always been connected to the promise of hope,

but it hasn’t always been a celebration. It used to be that every year at the Feast of

the Epiphany, the day we now know as Three Kings Day on the 6th of January, all of

the people who converted to Christianity within the previous year were then baptized.

The weeks leading up to this day were spent as a time of fasting and penitence, each

person asking God to forgive their sins. The church realized that the Old Testament

emphasized a different sentiment. It does not anticipate the coming of the Messiah

with remembering personal sins, but it celebrates His arrival as relief from the darkness,

delivering us into the light. The Bible tells us to be joyful as we wait for Christ to arrive,

and so today that is just what we do. To make it even more of a celebration, the Church

decided in the ninth century that the first Sunday of Advent would mark the beginning

of the entire Church calendar. This means that every first Sunday of Advent begins our

spiritual journey for the whole year to come.

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Did you know?

“ W h o e v e r h a s m y c o m m a n d s a n d o b e y s t h e m , h e i s t h e o n e w h o l o v e s m e . H e w h o l o v e s m e w i l l

b e l o v e d b y m y F a t h e r , a n d I t o o w i l l l o v e h i m a n d s h o w m y s e l f t o h i m . ” T h e n J u d a s ( n o t J u d a s

I s c a r i o t ) s a i d , “ B u t , L o r d , w h y d o y o u i n t e n d t o s h o w y o u r s e l f t o u s a n d n o t t o t h e w o r l d ? ” J e s u s

r e p l i e d , “ I f a n y o n e l o v e s m e , h e w i l l o b e y m y t e a c h i n g . M y F a t h e r w i l l l o v e h i m , a n d w e w i l l c o m e

t o h i m a n d m a k e o u r h o m e w i t h h i m . H e w h o d o e s n o t l o v e m e w i l l n o t o b e y m y t e a c h i n g .

T h e s e w o r d s y o u h e a r a r e n o t m y o w n ; t h e y b e l o n g t o t h e F a t h e r w h o s e n t m e . ”

J o h n 1 4 : 2 1 – 2 4

Thursday

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