Advent Readings Week 4: Peace
Soon it will all be memories. The decorations will return to boxes. The pace of life will slow down. And life will return to normal. What will happen to the longing for Christ’s return that Advent renewed in our hearts? Will our trust in the faithfulness of God grow stronger or wane as time marches on? Will this be the year that we will find contentment and express it as real joy?
This week is the final week of our Advent celebration. We turn our attention to the peace that comes from full submission to God. When we believe by faith in the substitutionary atonement for our sins through the death of Jesus and that he rose from the grave, we move from enemies to friends of God. When he is ruler of our lives, strivings cease. The hope of his return, the testimony of his faithfulness, and the joy of knowing our sins are forgiven result in peace that not only is impossible for the world to give, but to even understand.
Let these passages stir you to reflect on God’s work to bring peace to your life.
This week is the final week of our Advent celebration. We turn our attention to the peace that comes from full submission to God. When we believe by faith in the substitutionary atonement for our sins through the death of Jesus and that he rose from the grave, we move from enemies to friends of God. When he is ruler of our lives, strivings cease. The hope of his return, the testimony of his faithfulness, and the joy of knowing our sins are forgiven result in peace that not only is impossible for the world to give, but to even understand.
Let these passages stir you to reflect on God’s work to bring peace to your life.
- Micah 5:2-5a
- Psalm 46
- Romans 5:1-11
- John 16:25-33
Advent Readings Week 3: Joy
What brings you joy? Many of us may find ourselves fighting the holiday frenzy and its attempt to rob us of the joy the season is supposed to bring. Even though we know that joy is not determined by our circumstances, that’s true for many of us who claim Christ as our savior. Advent helps us by connecting the hope of Christ’s return with the guarantee of his faithfulness so that we will not forget the inexpressible joy that is filled with his glory (1 Peter 1:3-9).
Advent also prompts us to reflect on our spiritual growth. Have we continually sought to glorify God in all things, daily submitting our desires to his will? Honest reflection will show us where we have fallen short, i.e. sinned. Praise God because the death of Jesus on the cross made atonement for that sin. Even as we see our sin, we can rejoice in his continued work in our lives to conform us to his image.
This week, daily rejoice as you read and reflect on the promises of his salvation. Join us on Sunday to praise him together for these great promises.
Advent also prompts us to reflect on our spiritual growth. Have we continually sought to glorify God in all things, daily submitting our desires to his will? Honest reflection will show us where we have fallen short, i.e. sinned. Praise God because the death of Jesus on the cross made atonement for that sin. Even as we see our sin, we can rejoice in his continued work in our lives to conform us to his image.
This week, daily rejoice as you read and reflect on the promises of his salvation. Join us on Sunday to praise him together for these great promises.
- Isaiah 62
- Psalm 100
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
- Luke 1:46b-55
Advent Readings Week 2: Faithfulness
The events of the world around us are certainly enough to create despair in our hearts. Thankfully, Christians have a guaranteed hope of an eternity in the presence of God that will be revealed when Christ returns. As we began celebrating Advent last week, we were reminded of this very great and precious promise.
Promises, however, are only as good as the person making them. Our hope in the return of Christ is secure because of the faithfulness of the triune God to keep all his promises. His faithfulness has been demonstrated and recorded in his Word. What an incredible good and gracious gift the Father has given us! Whenever we doubt or feel the despair of the unbelieving world, the Holy Spirit calls us to his Word, where we can be reminded of how faithful he has been throughout history.
On Sunday December 10, the psalmist will call us to worship. We will praise the steadfast love of the Lord Yahweh, who has no equal. Use these scriptures below to help you praise the faithfulness of the Lord while we anxiously await his promised return.
Promises, however, are only as good as the person making them. Our hope in the return of Christ is secure because of the faithfulness of the triune God to keep all his promises. His faithfulness has been demonstrated and recorded in his Word. What an incredible good and gracious gift the Father has given us! Whenever we doubt or feel the despair of the unbelieving world, the Holy Spirit calls us to his Word, where we can be reminded of how faithful he has been throughout history.
On Sunday December 10, the psalmist will call us to worship. We will praise the steadfast love of the Lord Yahweh, who has no equal. Use these scriptures below to help you praise the faithfulness of the Lord while we anxiously await his promised return.
- Jeremiah 32:36-44
- Psalm 89
- Hebrew 10:19-23
- Luke 11:1-13
Advent Readings Week 1
If you join us in person this Sunday, you will see the holiday spirit in full effect at Southside Church. Our Christmas trees will be decorated. The garland and wreaths will be hung. And the Advent candles will be on stage, ready to be lit, one by one, week by week.
Liturgically speaking, Advent creates a time of transition from one year to the next. It is a season of anxious longing and joyful anticipation. Advent reminds us that Christ is coming again. No matter how difficult our current circumstances may be, our Savior will fulfill his promise to come again and take us to the place he has prepared for us. Advent also prepares us to joyfully celebrate his first coming, the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a savior.
Traditions, some centuries old and others relatively new, fill the Christmas season. While Advent itself may date back to the fourth century, a Lutheran minister created the first Advent wreath for a German mission in 1839. In the almost two hundred years since that first wreath, multiple versions of the themes and colors for the candles have arisen. Here at Southside, we celebrate Advent by focusing on this particular combination of those various elements. We light purple, pink and white candles in an evergreen wreath. The purple candles point us to repentance, pink reminds us to be joyful, and white in the center represents the purity of the Christ child. We even accent everything with a shade of blue, representing hope. Each week, we read Scripture together and find the themes of Hope, Faithfulness, Joy, and Peace as they relate to this special season.
Sunday, December 3, is the first Sunday of Advent. We will hear from the Lord Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of Mark, reminding us to be ever ready for his return. We will light the first candle, representing Hope. Let’s prepare ourselves this week by reading and meditating on these Scriptures in anticipation of celebrating the promise of his return.
Liturgically speaking, Advent creates a time of transition from one year to the next. It is a season of anxious longing and joyful anticipation. Advent reminds us that Christ is coming again. No matter how difficult our current circumstances may be, our Savior will fulfill his promise to come again and take us to the place he has prepared for us. Advent also prepares us to joyfully celebrate his first coming, the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a savior.
Traditions, some centuries old and others relatively new, fill the Christmas season. While Advent itself may date back to the fourth century, a Lutheran minister created the first Advent wreath for a German mission in 1839. In the almost two hundred years since that first wreath, multiple versions of the themes and colors for the candles have arisen. Here at Southside, we celebrate Advent by focusing on this particular combination of those various elements. We light purple, pink and white candles in an evergreen wreath. The purple candles point us to repentance, pink reminds us to be joyful, and white in the center represents the purity of the Christ child. We even accent everything with a shade of blue, representing hope. Each week, we read Scripture together and find the themes of Hope, Faithfulness, Joy, and Peace as they relate to this special season.
Sunday, December 3, is the first Sunday of Advent. We will hear from the Lord Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of Mark, reminding us to be ever ready for his return. We will light the first candle, representing Hope. Let’s prepare ourselves this week by reading and meditating on these Scriptures in anticipation of celebrating the promise of his return.
- Isaiah 64:1-9
- Psalm 80
- 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
- Mark 13:24-37