| Leader: |
Advent is the time of joyful anticipation of that celebration. We are happy as a family to gather around our Advent Wreath and retell the story of that glorious event, the birth of Jesus.
Our wreath is round, telling us the God’s love has no beginning and no end. It always has been and always will be. There are four candles. We will discover the part of the story that each candle represents.
The white candle in the center will be saved for Christmas morning.
And now our circle of light begins. We will light our first candle, the Promise Candle.
LIGHT THE FIRST CANDLE
If you had lived 700 years before Jesus was born, like everyone else, you would have been frightened. Wars and hatred were everywhere. There seemed to be no hope. Then God gave the world a promise. God’s messenger Isaiah said: |
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| Reader: |
Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:2, 6,7
Announcements about the birth of babies are sent after the baby is born. The announcement about Jesus was sent to the world hundreds of before His birth. It was a promise that God made the world.
Then the people wait… and waited… and waited.
Then years later, the promise came again. This time the promise was given by an angel to a young carpenter named Joseph. |
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| Leader: |
God kept His promise. This one did come. His name was Jesus. Another beautiful name given to Jesus was “Emmanuel” which means “God with us”. |
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| Sing Together: |
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captives Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice, Rejoice
Shall come to Thee O Israel! |
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| Family Activity: |
Join hands around the candle so that each member of the family experiences its warmth and light. |
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Other Scriptures to Read This Week
John 1:1-5, 14 | John 3:16-17 | John 8:12 |
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