An Introduction to Advent
The season of Advent (which begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day) is the Christian’s New Year Celebration! Advent means coming or arrival. This first season of the Christian year is a time to focus our attention on Jesus Christ’s birth and as well as on his Second Coming when he will return to redeem all of creation and rule with all power and authority. Since we can’t anticipate the day or the hour of Christ’s return, we are filled with both a sense of joyful expectation and humble reverence, with prayer and reflection.
Historically, the primary sanctuary color of Advent is blue, the color of royalty, to welcome the coming of the King. This points to the important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The nativity and the Incarnation cannot be separated from the crucifixion and the atonement.
One way that Trinity marks the time of this season is an Advent devotional guide at home and the Advent wreath at worship. Recommended Advent resources are available below. The Advent wreath symbolize the new and everlasting life brought through Jesus Christ. The wreath consists of five candles, four candles around the wreath and one white candle in the center. One candle is lit the first Sunday of Advent, two are lit the second Sunday, and so on. The light progressively reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life, and hope (Isa 42:6). Each of the candles usually have a special theme and color. The first candle is the prophecy candle; the second is the Bethlehem candle; the third is the Angels candle; the fourth is the Shepherd candle; and the center white candle is the Christ candle, lit at our Christmas Eve Service.
Resources
For individuals:
Sinclair Ferguson, Love Came Down at Christmas: Daily Readings for Advent
A phrase-by-phrase meditation on 1 Corinthians 13 that shows you how love is the Lord Jesus himself.
Nancy Guthrie, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas
Twenty-two readings from Reformed pastors and theologians, past and present.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas
Daily scripture and reflections focused on Advent.
Various, Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas
A compendium of longer devotionals written by various authors from church history to the present.
For families:
Marty Machowski, Prepare Him Room: Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Family Devotional
A four-week, family-friendly devotional guide that looks at the prophecies in scripture and how God fulfills them in Jesus.
Dean Lambert Smith, The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for the Coming of the Christ Child at Christmas
A fun, daily devotional combined with ornament-making that tells gospel stories for families with young children.
Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible
* There are 21 Old Testament stories in The Jesus Storybook Bible. If you begin on December 3 reading one story every night you will end with the story of Jesus’ birth on Christmas Eve. This is a great way to include younger children in Daily Worship and to tie together the Old Testament stories with Jesus’ birth.
December 3 “The Story and The Song”
December 4 “The Beginning: A Perfect Home”
December 5 “The Terrible Lie”
December 6 “A New Beginning”
December 7 “A Giant Staircase to Heaven”
December 8 “Son of Laughter”
December 9 “The Present”
December 10 “The Girl No One Wanted”
December 11 “The Forgiving Prince”
December 12 “God To The Rescue!”
December 13 “God Makes A Way”
December 14 “Ten Ways To Be Perfect”
December 15 “The Warrior Leader”
December 16 “The Teeny, Weenie...True King”
December 17 “The Young Hero and The Horrible Giant”
December 18 “The Good Shepherd”
December 19 “A Little Servant Girl and the Proud General”
December 20 “Operation: No More Tears”
December 21 “Daniel and the Scary Sleepover”
December 22 “God’s Messenger”
December 23 “Get Ready!”
December 24 “He’s Here!”
December 25 “The Light Of The Whole World”