How do you celebrate Advent and what does it mean?
Many Christians light candles to celebrate Advent on the four Sundays before Christmas.
Advent is the season in the liturgical church leading up to Christmas.
The word is a shortened form of adventus Domini, meaning “the coming of the Lord.”
Advent anticipates three events.
- The celebration of Christ’s birth this year.
- His resurrection celebration in Easter next year.
- His promise to return–anytime.
Many people prepare an Advent wreath with evergreens and four candles that they light on the four Sundays of Advent, lighting all four candles to celebrate Christmas.
The four candles represent different aspects of Advent.
The first candle celebrates Advent hope.
According to Pastor Dennis Durham of St. Mark Lutheran Church
“Hope is mentioned 50 times in the New Testament–and all those verses are connected to God and the certainty we have in Him.”
In American English, hope is almost like a superstition, “I hope something will happen,” with a wistful expectation.
“But Christian hope does not take its cue from circumstances,” Durham explained, citing Romans 5:5:
“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
The second candle, lit on the second Sunday of Advent, represents peace
“Peace on earth, good will toward men,” the angels sang that wonderful night outside of Bethlehem. “Great news, a Savior is born.”
Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
What did that mean, a prince of peace as found in Isaiah 9:6 and sung about in Handel’s Messiah?
Prince is easy to define: the son of the king, chieftain.
Peace comes from the Hebrew word shalom: completeness, soundness, tranquil, calm, friendship, health, and prosperity.
We celebrate Advent peace: peace with the Creator of the Universe because sin reigns no more.
It’s the peace in our hearts when we recognize that prince.
We light three candles on the third Sunday for Joy
Isaiah 9:2 prophesied about the Messiah God would send into the world someday. Looking forward from a grim time, Isaiah encouraged the Israelites:
The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
The light shone on the world with Jesus’ birth–which is why those angels sang.
from St. Mary Church Gdansk (Wikimedia Commons)
Imagine Mary’s wonder, awe, and joy at the Angel Gabriel’s news in Luke 1:46-47:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”
When she visited her cousin Elizabeth, even the baby in the old woman’s womb leaped for joy!
And once Jesus was born, the skies about Bethlehem exploded with rejoicing angels!
What a splendid way to celebrate Advent!
Four candles represent Christmas love
What does love have to do with the expectation of Christ coming?
Everything.
Jesus coming to earth is all about love, as he explained in John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, He sent his only son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
What better way to express love than to come into the world, walk the road of suffering and free us all from sin and death?
Celebrating Advent
My family lights a candle on the Advent wreath each Sunday night in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
We open a window on an Advent calendar (their favorite was always the one with chocolate behind the window).
We sing Christmas songs with gusto throughout December.
I write a Christmas letter, we decorate a Christmas tree, my daughter hosts a Christmas cookie party.
I remember the Christmas I first understood Jesus’ reason for coming into the world.
Emmanuel. He’s with us.
I wish you hope, peace, joy and love this Advent season.
For more information, check out these posts:
Looking for the Biblical Advent stories? Start here
If you have children, you might appreciate Karen Whiting’s book: Christmas is Coming! But Waiting is Hard!
Tweetables.
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My family lights the appropriate candle/s every night of Advent and has a devotion and carol sing. It’s one of my most special Christmas traditions from my own childhood and now it’s the part of the season my children look forward to most. Enjoy the season!
Thank you. Every night? What a good idea!