The Fourth Week of Advent “Love”
Referenced ‘in part’ from christian.net and its narrative on the 4th Sunday of Advent.
The fourth Sunday of Advent holds immense significance as it marks the culmination of anticipation and preparation for the arrival of Christmas. It serves as a testament to the enduring message of God’s Love for His Creation. This Advent encapsulates the essence of the Christmas season and the transformative impact of Christ’s birth on the hearts and minds of Believers worldwide.
The observance of the fourth Sunday of Advent is a time for Believers to reflect upon the profound significance of God’s Love. This Love encompasses the birth, life, sacrifice, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Christmas cannot be celebrated without acknowledging Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins, demonstrating His love for us.
As we reflect on the transformative power of God’s Love for His Creation and Christ’s Love and sacrifice for us, we must also consider the power of God’s Love to bring about Healing, Reconciliation, and Renewal in our minds and hearts. This serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring message of Hope, Peace, and Joy that we observed during the previous Advent Sundays.
Finally, this Advent Sunday serves as a call to action, urging each of us to embody the spirit of Love, Grace, and Forgiveness in our interactions with others. We should be encouraged to follow the example set by Jesus, who exemplified love through his teachings, compassion, and sacrifice.
in closing, may the essence of this fourth Advent Sunday (God’s Love for you) bring you closer to Jesus Christ. May your heart seek Him more personally and your Spirit rest in His Grace.
With respect,
Soli Deo Gloria
LEO BT Chaplain B
The Third Week of Advent “Joy”
This third week of the Advent Season, Christian tradition focuses upon ‘Joy’. To be clear….not manufactured joy, not happiness (which is different), not the joy of others (to, by, for, or with ) you, but rather, God’s ‘Joy’ for you.
Let me write that again. God’s Joy for YOU!!
In the letter by Nehemiah (Chapter 8, verse 10b), he writes in part “…For the Joy of the Lord is your strength…”.
What is this ‘Joy of the Lord’?
Rev. Samuel Dickey Gordon (1859 – 1936), a lay minister, wrote “…Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that Joy…”
C.S. Lewis writes, “…Joy is the serious business of heaven…”
So, these writers believe Joy is distinctly a Christian word. It is the business of heaven and is different from earthly, emotional, or human happiness.
How do we see God’s Joy as our Strength?
- By understanding and accepting by Faith God’s desire to reclaim His Creation, His animated ‘likeness in His image’ (Genesis 1:26).
- By believing God’s desire was significant enough to send His only begotten Son to be born of the Virgin Mary and die on a cross for you and me.
- By believing that the price for our sins, our mistakes, and our genetic and spiritual depravity is evidenced from the foundation of the Creation of the world (the sin of Adam).
- With Faith in our Lord and Belief in His Word….Believers are strengthened.
Where then can we find the Lord’s Joy?
- His Joy may be found in Scripture,
- In Prayer,
- By singing His praises,
- By observing His Work in our natural Creation,
- And yes, even in daily circumstances around us.
There are indeed times when each of us is temporarily robbed of our Joy. We are left in grief, sorrow, or even loneliness.
Yet….I must tell you from personal experience: there is only One Joy that can truly lift a person from moments of sorrow and grief. I speak of the Joy of the Lord. The Joy which is mighty to Save. A Joy which is supernatural and yet can be physically felt (emotionally).
Our Joy begins with the birth of Jesus Christ (the Messiah), foretold in history and proven by His life, His Miracles, and His Resurrection. In this writer’s opinion, this is where true Eternal and present Joy begins….for each of us.
The Lord’s Joy for us was born in the past. With the miraculous Birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Joy for us is alive in the present. In those moments when we cry out to Him for His relief, His counsel, His Joy to be our comfort in our time of need.
The Lord’s Joy for us lives in the future. Where Jesus Christ exists, standing in eternity at the right hand of the Father to intercede on our behalf and welcome us home when our time comes.
I would ask you to consider: “…The Joy of the Lord is your strength….” in dealing with your past, in living in your present, and in securing your future.
The Christian tradition of Advent is about “coming to” Christ. Meeting the ‘One’ whose name is ‘Word’ (John 1:1ff), born of the Virgin Mary, who came to the world for a singular purpose: To reconcile God’s Creation to Himself and to provide a way for the fallen nature of His created beings to return to Him, a Holy and Righteous God. He who is the Author of our Joy and our Strength.
Praise be to God! Lean upon the Joy of the Lord and not on your own ‘works’; and may the Eternal and Present Joy of Jesus Christ be your Strength this Christmas season and the years to come.
With the Greatest Respect,
Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone be the Glory)
LEO BT Chaplain B
The Second Week of Advent “Peace”
Advent is a season of celebration and repentance. A time when we acknowledge our part in broken relationships and the fractured world in which we live. During this time, we also recognize we are powerless to save ourselves or anyone else. After all, we are Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve (as C.S. Lewis writes), and we all have a role to play, though we cannot do it on our own.
Thankfully, we are not abandoned or alone. Though it may feel like that sometimes. There is Hope greater than ourselves as we have noted last week when lighting the First Candle of Advent. The Hope of Christ.
This second week of Advent, we acknowledge the Power and Presence of the Peace of God. The coming of the Prince of Peace.
This Advent theme of Peace reminds us that Jesus Christ’s arrival is meant to reconcile all human beings: to, by, for, and with God and one another. This God-centered peace is more than just a victory over emotional or physical conflict. It is a harmony rooted in God’s presence, while honestly addressing and working to heal sources of division, fear, pride, and whatever compels us to sin. Indeed, Jesus reconciles all things to himself, offering healing and restoration through Hope, Peace, Love, and Forgiveness. And His Peace is life-changing, real, and everlasting.
The Prophet Isaiah foretells Jesus as the “Prince of Peace,” whose kingdom will bring justice and peace to all who follow him.
Isaiah 7:14: “…Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el…”
Isaiah 9:2: “…The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the deep darkness, on them has light shone…”.
Isaiah 9:6: “…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…”
As you light the second Advent candle this week, reflect on the ways Jesus calls you to be a peacemaker in your life, showing kindness, understanding, and forgiveness to others. Advent Peace encourages you and me to let go of our personal anxieties, fears, and pain. We are encouraged to trust in God’s Forgiveness, Love, and Promise of eternal Hope, for today, tomorrow, and for the future.
A section from C.S. Lewis’ book ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.
“…Someone is coming to our rescue: Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again…”
Advent promises that our hope will not be disappointed and that the winter moments of our lives will not be forever. God’s Son has brought us victory over sin and death (Romans 8:1ff). Soon we will celebrate our Messiah’s birth (Christmas), and soon after, we will celebrate His glorious Resurrection (Easter), proving all He said was True.
The power of Advent is yours for the taking.
Respectfully offered,
Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone be the Glory)
LEO BT Chaplain B
The first week of Advent is “Hope”
Believers in Jesus Christ have celebrated Advent since the 7th century A.D. As you recall, “Advent” from the Latin means “coming to”. Therefore, the Advent Season is understood as Jesus Christ (the Messiah) “coming to” the world.
During the first Sunday of Advent, Believers celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ into the world and focus on the eternal “Hope” He brought. “Hope”, in Scripture, has two meanings:
1) a sense of eager anticipation or waiting; and
2) a sense of confident expectation based on certainty.
When Christian’s celebrate Advent, we remember, celebrate, and offer our thanksgiving for what God has done in history for all of humanity. That God sent His only Son, through whom we might have the certainty of Hope…. for today, tomorrow, and eternity.
C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia series and other works, writes “…The birth of Christ is the central event in the history of the earth — the very thing the whole story (creation) has been about…”.
Hope is not just wishful thinking. It is God entering the darkest places with quiet, eternal strength. Indeed, the first week of Advent is more than a church tradition-it can be a true encounter with Jesus Christ, the Light of the World (John 8:12).
Let this Advent week serve as a spiritual “wake-up call”: a time to acknowledge your deep need for Christ and to renew trust in God’s promises.
If you allow me, I will offer a prayer for you.
Heavenly Father, during this Advent season, help us reflect on Your act in time and space that gifted us with Your Son. Teach us to anchor our Hope in all aspects of life and family in Jesus Christ. We are grateful that You hear our prayers and petitions, and thankful for the eternal and everlasting Hope You offer us as we eagerly await Your return. Amen
