Fourth Advent Sunday

 

    On the forth advent Sunday all four of the purple candles are lit.  It is where hope, peace, and joy come together with love.  The forth advent Sunday is known as the Angel's Candle Sunday.  It represents God's love for people.  It was made clear with Him giving us His son to live as one of us.  The message of God's love was given by the angels.  This is the last Sunday to prepare for Christmas and the joy it can bring.  It is time to reflect on what God gave to us freely knowing Jesus would be sacrificed to forgive the sins of the world.  

    Some churches have a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service.  If that is the case there is normally a white candle in the middle of the advent candle wreath.  This is the Christ candle.  At the beginning of the service all four of the purple candles are lit and then the big white one in the middle.  It represents Jesus' arrival into the world.  This candle is optional, but it does bring a since of completion to the scene.

    Jesus' birth was a show of God's mighty power.  He put all of Jesus' power into a small baby to live as a human.  He did that so we have the opportunity to salvation.  The other options is to endure God's anger and be lost forever.

    People walk in darkness without hope until Jesus came.  He became the beacon of hope lighting up the world.  We should rejoice instead of being depressed.  He showed us the way to live life in the light and freed us from the power of darkness.  He was born to govern, show us peace, and live out love.

    Bethlehem was only a small village.  It is like going to a small town and not even really realizing you are in a town.  Nothing really made Bethlehem stand out until Jesus was born.  Mary giving birth in that town freed the world from the abandonment to their enemies.  Jesus represented strength and majesty, but like Bethlehem the world didn't recognize how special he really was.  He is the source of peace.  He watches over his people.

    Mary praised God for her son.  Her spirit rejoiced in him.  Her accepting to be the mother of Jesus gave blessings to the world.  He is mighty and did great things.  He is merciful, but should be feared by the haughty and proud.  He is power.  He can do anything, but he exalts the humble.  He fed the hungry and too care of the poor and sick.  He makes it where your hands are never empty.  This Christmas be merciful in remembrance of Jesus.  

    Jesus came into this world to save lives.  He became the final sacrifice, so God's animals would no longer have to be butchered for our selfish desires to sin.  Jesus came to do the will of God as it had been promised since the beginning of time.  He will return one day to finish that promise.  His life and death canceled the blood covenant to be replaced by the faith covenant.  

Psalm 80:1-7, Isaiah 9:2-7, Micah 5:2-5, Luke 1:46-55, & Hebrews 10:5-10