Lighting of Advent Candles
Often when celebrating advent, candles are lit as symbols of reminders. It is a centuries-old tradition that provides a chance to reflect and look ahead. The four Advent candles represent the four weeks of Advent. Often these candles are lit the preceding four Sundays before Christmas. The fifth candle, called the Christ candle is often lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas day.
- The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the “Prophet’s Candle.” The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival.
- The second candle represents peace and is called “Bethlehem’s Candle.” Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is also the birthplace of King David.
- The third candle symbolizes joy and is called the “Shepherd’s Candle.” To the shepherd’s great joy, the angels announced that Jesus came for humble, unimportant people like them, too. In liturgy, the color rose signifies joy.
- The fourth candle represents love and is called the “Angel’s Candle.” The angels announced that Jesus came to bring people close to God and to each other. Love is the greatest of all the virtues and encompasses Jesus life and ministry.
- The (optional) fifth candle represents light and purity and is called “Christ’s candle.” It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day.
Candle 1
Hope
People that followed God in the Bible were hoping for the Messiah. A king that would make everything better in the bad world they lived in. In fact, there was a guy that God told way ahead of time about this coming Messiah. His name was Isaiah, and he wrote down all that God told him to write. He explained how wonderful, and mighty this Messiah (King) would be. It is pretty amazing to know now that that kings name is “Jesus” and Isaiah is correct in his description. Light the candle of Hope. Spend a moment praying and thanking God for the Hope we have in this King Jesus!
Read Isaiah 9:6-7
Prayer focus: Heavenly father, help me to correctly understand the scriptures as I study your plan to redeem the world. The story of the birth, life, and death of your son, the long-promised Messiah, truly is the greatest story ever told. This Christmas season give me a fresh appreciation for the hope that the gospel has brought to my life. Give me compassion for friends and family who even today do not realize they need a savior. Help them see that the infinite God, put on skin and came as an infinite infant because he loved them and wanted to redeem them to himself.
Candle 2
The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that she would be Jesus’ mother. This must have come as quite a surprise. After all, Mary was not married yet, and she had a different plan for her life. Gabriel reminded her that nothing is impossible with God. She could have been overwhelmed by this news, but she chose to respond with Peace. We can trust that God has an ultimate plan for our lives. Discover the Peace that comes from believing in Jesus and God’s plan for us. Light the candle of Peace and Hope. Spend a moment praying and thanking God for the Peace that comes when we trust in Jesus!
Read Luke 1:26 –38, 46–47
Prayer focus: Thank you Lord for coming for me. Thank you for coming to a manger in Bethlehem. It hurts me to know you were treated so badly. You lived a difficult life and died a horrible death on a cross. But thanks to you and your sacrifice, I can have a glorious life of peace and have it for eternity. Heavenly father, thank you for the Savior, who came to set me free. I want to hear from you. Help me to never miss anything – your word, your message, your still small voice. And help me to be a doer of your word – not just a hearer. Lord, help me to show kindness and compassion to everyone. Help me to have the courage to live a life that makes Jesus make sense to the people that need him as Savior and Lord and extends your peace to others.
Candle 3
From a human perspective, this whole situation must have seemed crazy to Mary & Joseph. Not only was Mary expecting the baby who would save the world, but now she and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for the census. Basically, going to the place where they were born to be counted. As hectic as this might have seemed, this is exactly how God wanted Jesus to enter the world. What a joyful moment when he was born! It happened and Mary & Joseph got to be a part of it all. None of this was planned the way they wanted it. Experience Joy in all of it. Light the candle of Joy! Spend a moment praying and thanking God for the Joy we can have even when things do not go our way.
Read Luke 2:1–7
Prayer focus: Lord, your promise to King David was faithful and true. Thank you for all the promises to me in your Word. Promises to protect me, provide for me, give me peace and joy, and eventually bring me to live with you. I pray that you will give me daily assurance that all your promises are true and reliable. I pray that my confidence in you is apparent to others and helps make Jesus make sense to everyone I meet. I pray that I recognize the security of my joy and can live in response to what you have done for me.
Candle 4
After Jesus was born, the first people to find out are some unassuming shepherds in a field minding their own business. The angle announced Jesus’ birth to them. They rushed to see the baby for themselves. They were so excited that they spent the rest of the night telling everyone they could about Jesus. Isn’t it amazing that God chose shepherds to be the first ones to hear about Jesus’ birth? God cares deeply about every person. Even the ones that do not seem that important. Everyone is important to God. That is how big God’s love is. Do you ever feel like you are too bad that God cannot love or forgive you? That is when we need God the most. It is when we know we cannot do it ourselves. God’s love is that big. Light the candle of Love and Hope and Peace and Joy. Spend a moment praying and thanking God for the Love he has for us. If you want to, you can also ask God to forgive you for the things that you do wrong. Ask him for help. Tell him you’re sorry and you need him. You can say YES to Jesus and understand God’s Love for you.
Read Luke 2:8–20
Prayer focus: Thank you for loving me enough to give up heaven and come to live among your people. Thank you for coming and dying for me. Thank you for giving me the hope of eternal life. Help me not to just keep this good news to myself. Give me the confidence and power I need to share the gospel with the folks you put in my path each day. Help me to understand the depth of your love which motivates me to extend that love to others.
Candle 5
Christ
The “Word” John is talking about is Jesus. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He has been with God from the beginning, giving life and breath to all things. Christmas is the celebration that Jesus became like us. He lived and died and rose again, so that we could have life that lasts forever with God. Let us celebrate that Jesus came to rescue us and God is always with us.
Light the candle of Christ and Hope and Peace and Love and Joy. Spend a moment praying and thanking God for Jesus! If you have young children, you may also want to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
Read John 1:1–5, 14
Prayer focus: Dear Lord, Immanuel, thank you for coming to earth to redeem those you love. Thank you for submitting to a death on the cross so that I might have forgiveness of sin. It is incredible to me when I think that God sees the righteousness of Christ which has been imputed to me because of your work on the cross. Help me to live each day with the assurance that my sins are gone – remembered no more. Help me to live with the confidence that comes from knowing I have a place in the family of God. I have eternity to praise my Savior who made all the difference for me. Thank you, Immanuel, for coming to us.