advent guide

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What is Advent?The story of advent

The word “advent” means “the arrival of something important or awaited.” When Christ was born in Bethlehem, his advent marked the end of 400 years of God’s silence. From the dawn of creation, God spoke. He spoke the world into existence; He continued to speak to Adam and Eve and their descendants. He spoke to Abraham, Hagar, and he spoke to his people through Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and many others until finally, after years of His people’s refusal to listen, God went silent, and his people found themselves captive under one oppressive government after another.

After 400 years, on a starry night, in the tiny town of Bethlehem, God spoke again. This time he spoke through the cry of a baby – the Word made flesh. For hundreds of years, followers of Jesus have celebrated his advent by setting aside time to remember the time when God’s people waited and longed for God’s to speak and fulfill his promise to send them a Savior, the Messiah. Some people set aside time each day to remember, and others remember by lighting a candle each Sunday for the four Sundays before Christmas Eve.

This guide will help you to join in the remembering. Use it with your family or by yourself as you wait for the celebration of the greatest gift ever given – the living Word of God, Jesus Christ our Savior.

The advent wreath

You can create a simple advent wreath by laying a store-bought or home-made grapevine or greenery wreath flat on a table. The Advent wreath contains five candles. The first four are placed around or in the wreath and represent the four Sundays of Advent. They can be red or purple, or any other color you wish.

The last candle should be white and a bit taller than the others and should be placed in the center of the wreath. This candle is the Christ candle which will be lit on Christmas Eve.

On the first Sunday of Advent, the first of the four candles is lit, usually by the youngest child who is able to carry out the task. For the next three Sundays, an additional candle is lit until all four are burning on the last Sunday. On Christmas Eve, all four candles are relit along with the Christ candle in the center of the wreath.

Allow the candles to burn as you have your devotional time. Read the scripture and the stories, sing the carols and dream about what it was like for God’s people as they awaited the Savior and as they witnessed his birth.

Advent devotional times

The following are some suggestions you can use for creating a family Advent experience. You can adjust the suggestions for devotional times to suit your family’s needs.

Each Sunday, beginning on November 28, set aside a time when everyone in your household can be together for 30 minutes to an hour. Late afternoon or evening after the sun has set is ideal, but do whatever works for your family.

Purchase or create a child-friendly manger scene and keep it nearby during your devotional times.

Try to minimize distractions. Ask family members to turn off or put away phones. Turn off the TV and any music and gather around a table with the Advent wreath in the center. Turn the lights down, leaving just enough light to read in the quiet.

Beginning with the youngest child in the family, take turns lighting the appropriate candle each Sunday. As the candle is lit, the lighter recites the “I light this candle to remember…” line for each week.

Then follow the directions in the guide and enjoy the time of anticipation!


First Sunday of Advent

1.Begin by getting quiet for a few seconds, then open with a prayer something like this, “Lord Jesus, help us put aside all the worries and distractions of this day so we can hear what you want us to hear tonight.”

2. The youngest capable member of the family should now light the first candle as he or she says,

“I light this candle to remember that Jesus came into the world as a poor, helpless baby.”

3. Take the baby from the manger scene and let everyone at the table have a turn holding it during the devotional reading.4. Now read the following as the candle burns:

Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah, speaking of the coming Messiah, wrote the following words:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor (Isaiah 61:1a).”

Before Jesus was born, God had stopped speaking to His people. They had ignored him and disobeyed his words over and over, so for 400 years, God had simply gone silent. Toward the end of God’s silence, the Roman Empire was ruling over God’s people, the Israelites. The Roman government was harsh and cruel to the Israelites and they desperately wanted relief. They believed that when God’s promised Messiah came, he would be the kind of rescuer who would set them free from the Romans. They believed he would be a king who ruled over them here on earth.

The birth of an earthly king is usually announced with lots of fanfare, and everyone important knows about it. But when Jesus was born, his birth was only announced to some poor shepherds.

The prophet Isaiah put it like this, “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot – yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.” - Isaiah 11:1-2

A man named Henri Nouwen, who lived just a few years ago, wrote about this unexpected hope that came in the form of a “shoot:”

“Our salvation comes from something small, tender, and vulnerable, something hardly noticeable. God, who is the Creator of the Universe, comes to us in smallness, weakness, and hiddenness.

I keep expecting loud and impressive events to convince me and others of God’s saving power; but over and over again I am reminded that spectacles, power plays, and big events are the ways of the world. Our temptation is to be distracted by them and made blind to the “shoot that shall sprout from the stump.”When I have no eyes for the small signs of God’s presence - the smile of a baby, the carefree play of children, the words of encouragement and gestures of love offered by friends - I will always remain tempted to despair.

The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown young man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher, the naked man on the cross, he asks for my full attention. The work of our salvation takes place in the midst of a world that continues to shout, scream, and overwhelm us with its claims and promises. But the promise is hidden in the shoot that sprouts from the stump, a shoot that hardly anyone notices - Henri J. M. Nouwen, Gracias! A Latin American Journal

5. This week, take time to notice small things around you, and let the small things remind you that everyone is really

small and poor and in need of God. All of us need the good news and “hope unexpected” that Jesus brings, and every follower of Jesus Christ should be offering that hope to others.Jesus put it this way, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 5:3

6. Close your devotional time by praying something like this, “Dear Jesus, help us to see you in small things this week. Help us to remember that without you we are poor and needy, but with you we have all the riches of God. Help us to bring your hope to the poor and needy around us. Amen.”

7. Blow out the first candle.

Activities for the young (and young at heart) during the week:Find a way to bring a small message of hope to someone who is poor or needy. Collect a grocery bag of food for the local food bank, or purchase a $5 (or more) grocery store gift card and hand it to someone who looks as though they could use it. If you go downtown to see the lights, bring an extra coat with a note about the hope Jesus brings tucked into the pocket. Hand it to someone who appears cold or homeless. Brainstorm with your family to come up with more ideas.

Maybe you made a list of things you’d like to have for Christmas, but this week try to notice small things like snowflakes, babies or even small acts of kindness. Keep a list of these small things all week long, and tell Jesus about them in your prayers each evening. Then thank Him for reminding us that we need Him each day.

HOPE ARRIVES IN POVERTY


Second Sunday of Advent HOPE ARRIVES IN PAIN

1. Begin by getting quiet for a few seconds, then open with a prayer something like this, “Lord Jesus, help us put aside all the worries and distractions of this day so we can hear what you want us to hear tonight.”

2. The second youngest member of the family should now light the first and second candles as he or she says,

“I light this candle to remember that Jesus came to help those who are afraid or sad.”

3. Take the angel from the manger scene and let everyone at the table have a turn holding it during the devotional reading.

4. Now read the following as the candles burn:

When angels began announcing the events surrounding the coming birth of Jesus, the people receiving these angelic messages were understandably afraid. After all, God had not sent any messengers or messages for a long, long time. So among the first things the angels had to say was, “Fear not!”

“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid…” - Matthew 1:20.…the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, for the Lord has heard your prayer”… - Luke 1:13.“Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to bless you!” - Luke 1:30.

Life is often full of scary or sad things, but with the coming of Jesus, God is with us in every situation. Jesus came to free the downtrodden and comfort the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18). In all of our troubles, Jesus stands ready to take our hand and lead us if we will listen to his words and surrender our fears and pain to him.

Johann Christoph Arnold, a Christ-follower who lives near the World Trade Center, wrote about this:

“I live in New York, and after September 11, 2001, the words “fear not” seemed out of place, even cruel. Surely we had every reason to be afraid. But somehow I couldn’t get those words out of my head…If the thought of finding God in such horrendous circumstances seems strange, perhaps it is because we are out of practice looking for him. In good times it is easy for us to call God “Father” and acknowledge him as the source of our blessings. But when tragedy strikes we too often (to borrow from George MacDonald) “look upon God as our last and feeblest resort. We go to him because we have nowhere else to go.”

We forget that God is right there,

waiting for us to turn to him, no matter how dire our situation. And we forget the reassuring words of his messengers: “Fear not.” If we really trusted in God, these words would never seem empty. Instead, they would remind us that God always seeks to draw close to us – even, as the Psalmist writes, in the depths of hell. And they might also remind us that (to quote MacDonald again) once we do turn to God we will find that the storms of life have “driven us not upon the rocks but unto our desired haven.”- Johann Christoph Arnold

On the night of Jesus’ birth, angels brought a message of hope to some unsuspecting shepherds:“That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!” - Luke 2:8-11.

4. Close your devotional time by praying something like this,

“Dear Jesus, help us to turn to you first when we face hard times. Help us to remember that without you we are tossed around by all the hard things in our lives, but with you we are secure no matter what life brings.”

4. Blow out the first and second candles.

Activities for the young (or young at heart) during the week:

Take a few note cards and write something like the following on each of them: “I just said a prayer for you. Jesus loves you and wants to bring you comfort.” You could add a Bible verse if you wish. Keep these notes with you all week and be on the lookout for anyone who seems to be feeling scared or sad. Say a quick prayer for the person, whether you know him or not, and then slip him one of the notes.

Most of us know a few people who have had hard or scary things happen to them this year. Make a list of two or three of these people and pray for God’s comfort for them each morning or evening this week. If you see any of the people, tell them you’ve been praying for them.


Third Sunday of Advent HOPE ARRIVES IN DEATH

1. Begin by getting quiet for a few seconds, then open with a prayer something like this,

“Lord Jesus, help us put aside all the worries and distractions of this day so we can hear what you want us to hear tonight.”

2. The third youngest member of the family should now light the first, second and third candles as he or she says,

“I light this candle to remember that Jesus was born to die.”

3. Make a small, simple cross out of a couple of sticks and let everyone at the table have a turn holding it during the devotional reading.


At Christmas time, we love to think about “pretty” images - the sweet baby in a manger, the stars and the songs of angels - but in the Apostle John’s vision from God, he saw a much different picture. John saw the Christmas story from the viewpoint of the angels. (You can now read the complete story from Revelation 12 or read this excerpted version).

I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out in the pain of labor as she awaited her delivery. Suddenly, I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his head… [The woman] gave birth to a boy who was to rule all nations with an iron rod…Then there was war in heaven. Michael and all the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven. - Revelation 12:1-8

That’s a pretty amazing scene! But the truth is that before Jesus was born on earth as a baby, he was with God from the very beginning of time. John tells us, “He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is.” - John 1:2. Jesus, who created the world, left heaven and laid aside his right to be God (Philippians 2:6) in order to come to the earth and ultimately take the punishment for all the things we have

ever done wrong or thought wrong. The sweet baby in the manger was and is the Savior of the world.

If we have trusted Jesus to be our Savior, we can know that we are part of a much bigger story than just that of our own lives. We are part of what God is doing to conquer evil and bring freedom and salvation to anyone who trusts Jesus. When he stood in the temple to announce that Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messiah had come to pass, Jesus said, “[God] has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released…” When we follow Jesus in truth, we are able to be free from any evil that might hold us captive. Because Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin, we are free to live for him, and that’s the best kind of life possible.

J. Heinrich Arnold was a Christ follower who lived through many hard times. He wrote about what it means to follow the Savior who was born to die.

“Jesus’ life began in a stable and ended on the cross between two criminals. The Apostle Paul said he wanted to proclaim nothing but this crucified Christ. We must ask ourselves again and again: Are we willing to go his way, from the stable to the cross? As disciples we are not promised comfortable and good times. Jesus says we must deny ourselves and suffer with him and for him. That is the only way to follow him, but behind it lies the glory of life – the glowing love of God, which is so much greater than our hearts and our lives.” - J. Heinrich Arnold

Jesus put it this way: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give your life for me, you will find life.” - Matthew 16:24-25


“Dear Jesus, Thank you for coming to earth to die and set us free. Help us to follow you wherever you lead, and give us the courage to be your followers every day. Amen.”

5. Blow out the first, second and third candles.

Activities for the young (or young at heart) during the week:

Attach a thin ribbon loop to the cross you made for your Advent remembrance. Place it on your Christmas tree so that you will see it each day during the rest of the Christmas season. Every time you see the cross, say a quick prayer thanking Jesus for being born to die and set us free.

Read Paul’s words to the church at Ephesus about spiritual battle and the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). Each morning or evening, draw a picture or write a few words about one of the pieces of God’s armor. Ask God to help you understand how to “put on” each piece of armor in your everyday life. Share this “battle journal” with a friend sometime this week.


Fourth Sunday of Advent HOPE ARRIVES IN TRIUMPH


“Lord Jesus, help us put aside all the worries and distractions of this day so we can hear what you want us to hear tonight.”

2. The fourth youngest member of the family should now light the first, second, third and fourth candles as he or she says,

“I light this candle to remember that Jesus is the King of kings.”

3. Take an ornament from your Christmas tree that reflects something you might find in a throne room: a trumpet, a crown, a jewel-toned ornament, etc. and let everyone at the table have a turn holding it during the devotional reading.


We’ve seen that when Jesus stood in the temple and read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah (Luke 4:18), he was really reading about himself. Isaiah was speaking words that God gave him, words that belonged to the coming Messiah. But Jesus did a strange thing when he read the 700-year-old words of Isaiah in the temple that day – he stopped mid-sentence! Isaiah had said, “He [God] has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies” - Isaiah 61:2, but Jesus stopped at the words “the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus knew that his first coming was not his last. Some day, after he died, rose from death and returned to heaven, he would come again in great power and might to judge the world. The time between Jesus’ first and second comings is a window of grace – a time when anyone can turn to him and find forgiveness and abundant life.J. B. Phillips, a Bible translator, spoke about this window of time and how it will come to an end one day:

“The New Testament is indeed a book full of hope, but we may search it in vain for any vague humanist optimism. The second coming of Christ, the second irruption of eternity to time, will be immediate, violent and conclusive. The human experiment is to end, illusion will

give way to reality, the temporary will disappear before the permanent, and the king will be seen for who he is. The thief in the night, the lightning flash, the sound of the last trumpet, the voice of God’s archangel – these may all be picture-language, but they are pictures of something sudden, catastrophic, and decisive…When God decides the human experiment has gone on long enough, yes, even in the midst of what appears to us confusion and incompleteness, Christ will come again. This is what the New Testament teaches. This is the message of Advent. It is for us to be vigilant and industrious, so that his coming will not be a terror but an overwhelming joy.”- J. B. Phillips

The baby in the manger is the King of kings. He is coming again one day, and everyone who trusts and follows him now in this window of grace, will live in triumph with him forever! Jesus put it this way,

“Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When

everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” - John 14:1-4


“Dear Jesus, help people everywhere turn away from sin and turn to you for salvation and life. Thank you that you are coming again! Help us to watch for your return every day of our lives. Amen.”

6. Blow out the first, second, third and fourth candles.

Activities for the young (or young at heart) during the week: Take time each evening this week to think about your day. Try to remember the times during the day when you thought about God the most. Then try to remember the times you forgot about God’s presence. End by asking Jesus to help you be more alert and aware of his presence during the next day.Think of the names of a couple of people who don’t know Jesus. Begin praying for an opportunity to show the love of Jesus to them and perhaps to tell them about your own love for Jesus.

“I AM GOINGTO PREPAREa place for you” WHERE I AM.”

“so that youWILL ALWAYS BE WITH ME


Christmas Eve HOPE ARRIVES IN LIGHT


“Lord Jesus, help us to quiet ourselves so we can hear what you want us to hear on this most special night – the night we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

2. The oldest member of the family should now light the first four candles and the Christ candle as he or she says,

“I light this candle to remember that Jesus is the light of the world.”

3. Sing either Silent Night or Away in a Manger (or both!).


Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Isaiah spoke many times of the night the Messiah would come to earth:

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light – a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow” -Isaiah 9:2

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty will guarantee this!” - Isaiah 9:6-7

The first coming of Jesus was filled with contrasts: The King of kings born as a baby, the Light of the world sleeping in a dark cattle barn, the Creator of all things held in the arms of one of his creations, the Hope of all mankind crying in the straw. When we trust Jesus to be our Savior and our Lord, our poverty is made into riches, our pain is changed into peace and even our death becomes a passage to eternal life. Jesus is the Light that extinguishes all the darkness around us at Christmas and all through our lives.

5. Read the Christmas story as Luke told it:

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria). All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,

but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

6. Close your devotional time by praying something like this, “Dear Jesus, help us to worship you, follow you, and love you well tonight and for the rest of our lives. Amen.”Let the candles burn until you are ready to go to bed.

Activities for Christmas Day:Write the words “Jesus is born! Hope has come!” (or any other message you can think of relating to Jesus’ birth) on note cards or Christmas cards and address them to everyone who will be opening presents with you in the morning. Sneak them under the Christmas tree before you go to bed tonight, so that everyone can remember the greatest gift of all.

HOPE UNEXPECTED 1413 HOPE UNEXPECTED

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