Welcome to the THIRD week of Advent!
As we continue to approach the day that marks the advent of Christ, we want to press into that sense of longing, of expectation, together as a church family. Each week, leading up to the sermon, we'll be publishing a simple reading plan for Sunday-Friday to build anticipation and understanding together, and we would love for you to join us.
We also encourage you to press in deeper to the themes found in the passages below by checking out the Bible Project videos to go along with the books mentioned below. You can find those HERE.
Sunday, December 13th
Luke 1:5-25
Monday, December 14th
1 Samuel 1:1–2:11
Tuesday, December 15th
1 Chronicles 17:1–27
Wednesday, December 16th
Isaiah 40:1-11; 41:8-16; 42:1-9
Thursday, December 17th
Isaiah 49:1-26
Friday, December 18th
Isaiah 50:1-11; 51:1-16; 51:17-23
JOY Advent reading from Sunday, December 13th:
This week, we continue our celebration of Advent with the theme JOY.
Advent is a word that means “coming”, and in the Christian season of Advent, we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. We remember God’s promise to Israel of a Messiah who will judge evil, make all sorrow and sadness cease, and bring his everlasting joy forever. And we find our true joy in Christ, the image of the invisible God made visible.
We remember our need for a Savior who will save us from our sins, and as we press forward in our world of sorrow and sadness, we do so with confidence knowing that we have a source of incomparable joy in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:13) “I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.” (Habakkuk 3:18-19) “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12) “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
Holy God, who announced your news of great joy for all people to lowly shepherds, we fix our hearts and our minds on those things you have done and will do, and we ask you to fill us always with your joy as we hope in our savior who has come, and will come again! Amen.
You can also check out The Bible Project's video on the theme of JOY in Advent HERE.