WEEK 3 Advent Wreath The Joy Candle
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You this day for the joy of knowing You through Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. When man was buried in sin, with no hope and no joy, You gave us the Gift of Jesus, to help us know Your mercy and love, and to become a perfect sacrifice for our sins. We are eternally thankful and now know the joy of Your redemption. In His Precious Name. Amen.
THE JOY CANDLE
When Jesus took on mortal flesh to live among us, it meant he left the heavenly throne room, and suffered among us as a man, suffering the same limitations as we have, and ultimately dying a cruel death for the sins of mankind. He willingly fulfilled God’s mission for us, and for those who accept Him as Lord, He brings utter joy in knowing that He is Savior, Lord, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, and we will one day be with Him in Paradise.
ISAIAH 9: 6-7[1]
A child will be born to us.
God will give a son to us.
He will be responsible
for leading the people.
His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God,
Father Who Lives Forever,
Prince of Peace.
Power and peace will be in his kingdom.
It will continue to grow.
He will rule as king on David’s throne
and over David’s kingdom.
He will make it strong,
by ruling with goodness
and fair judgment.
He will rule it forever and ever.
The Lord of heaven’s armies will do this
because of his strong love for his people.
ECCLESIASTES 3: 1-8[2]
There is a right time for everything.
Everything on earth has its special season.
There is a time to be born
and a time to die.
There is a time to plant
and a time to pull up plants.
There is a time to kill
and a time to heal.
There is a time to destroy
and a time to build.
There is a time to cry
and a time to laugh.
There is a time to be sad
and a time to dance.
There is a time to throw away stones
and a time to gather them.
There is a time to hug
and a time not to hug.
There is a time to look for something
and a time to stop looking for it.
There is a time to keep things
and a time to throw things away.
There is a time to tear apart
and a time to sew together.
There is a time to be silent
and a time to speak.
There is a time to love
and a time to hate.
There is a time for war
and a time for peace.
PHILIPPIANS 2: 6-11[3]
In your lives
you must think and act like Christ Jesus.
Christ himself was like God in everything.
He was equal with God.
But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be held on to.
He gave up his place with God
and made himself nothing.
He was born as a man and became like a servant.
And when he was living as a man,
he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God.
He obeyed even when that caused his death—
death on a cross.
So God raised Christ to the highest place.
God made the name of Christ
greater than every other name.
God wants every knee to bow to Jesus—
everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
Everyone will say, “Jesus Christ is Lord”
and bring glory to God the Father.
ADVENT HYMN[4]
Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly-minded,
for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.
. King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood;
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
At his feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim, with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, Lord Most High!
CLOSING SCRIPTURE:
THE MAGNIFICAT[5]
Then Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord;
my heart is happy
because God is my Savior.
I am not important,
but God has shown his care for me,
his servant girl.
From now on,
all people will say that I am blessed,
because the Powerful One
has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
God will always give mercy
to those who worship him.
God’s arm is strong.
He scatters the people who are proud
and think great things about themselves.
God brings down rulers from their thrones,
and he raises up the humble.
God fills the hungry with good things,
but he sends the rich away with nothing.
God has helped his people Israel
who serve him.
He gave them his mercy.
God has done
what he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his children forever.”
CLOSING PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Jesus. We thank You for sending Him to earth fully God and fully man, so that He could live among us, show us how to live, and to die so that we may live with You forever. He is the very best Gift we could ever receive, and He fills our lives with joy. We praise You and thank You. Amen.
[1] Ibid.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4]http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh626.sht Liturgy of St. James; trans. by Gerard Moultrie French carol melody
[5] Luke 1: 46-55. International Children’s Bible
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