As you prepare for Christmas weekend, this is the last of the four Advent Wreath celebrations, the Peace candle. If ever the world needed peace, it is this time in our history. Welcome the Prince of Peace with this collection of scriptures and the reminder yet again of God’s salvation message and His reason for our joy. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift through the Christmas presentation of His gift to the world.
WEEK 4
PRAYER: [1] “Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”
THE PEACE CANDLE
According to God’s plan, one day there will be a Peaceable Kingdom when Jesus reigns on earth and men from all tribes, all nations, all peoples will live together in harmony. Before that time, there will be a separation of people: those who believe that Jesus is Lord will reign with him eternally. Those who do not will find eternal torment, away from God, and will suffer greatly. Jesus is called The Prince of Peace. In a world filled with troubles, He is a welcome Presence.
ISAIAH 52: 7-10[2]
How beautiful is the person
who comes over the mountains
to bring good news.
How beautifulis the one who announces peace.
He brings good news and announces salvation.
How beautiful are the feet
of the one who says to Jerusalem,
Your God is king.”
Listen! Your guards are shouting.
They are all shouting for joy!
They all will see with their own eyes
when the Lord returns to Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, your buildings
are destroyed now.
But shout and rejoice together.
You can rejoice
because the Lord has comforted his people.
He has saved Jerusalem.
The Lord will show his holy power
to all the nations.
Then everyone on earth
will see the salvation of our God.
REVELATION 21: 1-4[3]
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth
had disappeared.
Now there was no sea.
And I saw the holy city
coming down out of heaven from God.
This holy city is the new Jerusalem.
It was prepared like a bride
dressed for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne.
The voice said,
“Now God’s home is with men. He will live with them,
and they will be his people.
God himself will be with them and will be their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain.
All the old ways are gone.”
LUKE 2: 13-14[4]
Then a very large group of angels
from heaven joined the first angel
. All the angels were praising God, saying:
“Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth
let there be peace to the people who please God.”
ISAIAH 65: 17-25
THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM[5]
“Look, I will make new heavens
and a new earth.
And people will not remember the past.
They will not think about those things.
My people will be happy forever
because of the things I will make
I will make a Jerusalem that is full of joy.
And I will make her people a delight.
Then I will rejoice over Jerusalem.
I will be delighted with my people.
There will never again be
crying and sadness in that city.
There will never be a baby from that city
who lives only a few days.
And there will never be an older person
who doesn’t have a long life.
A person who lives 100 years will be called young.
And the person who dies before he is 100
will be thought of as a sinner.
In that city the person who builds a house will live there.
The person who plants vineyards
will get to eat grapes.
No more will one person build a house
and someone else live there.
One person will not plant a garden
and someone else eat its fruit.
My people will live a long time
as trees live long.
My chosen people will live there
and enjoy the things they make.
People will never again work for nothing.
They will never again give birth to children who die young.
All my people will be blessed by the Lord.
My people and their children will be blessed.
I will provide for their needs before they ask.
I will help them
while they are still asking for help.
Wolves and lambs will eat together in peace.
Lions will eat hay like oxen.
A snake on the ground will not hurt anyone.
They will not hurt or destroy each other
on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
ADVENT HYMN[6]
Thou didst leave Thy throne
and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home
was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus
There is room in my heart for Thee.
The foxes found rest,
and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus
There is room in my heart for Thee.
Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.
O Come to my heart, Lord Jesus
There is room in my heart for Thee.
When the heavens shall ring and the angels sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.”
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.
CLOSING SCRIPTURE: [7]
A branch will grow
from a stump of a tree
that was cut down.
So a new king will come
from the family of Jesse.
The Spirit of the Lord
will rest upon that king.
The Spirit gives him wisdom,
understanding, guidance and power.
And the Spirit teaches him
to know and respect the Lord.
This king will be glad to obey the Lord.
He will not judge by the way things look.
He will not judge by what people say.
He will judge the poor honestly.
He will be fair in his decisions
for the poor people of the land.
At his command
evil people will be punished.
By his words
the wicked will be put to death.
Goodness and fairness will give him strength.
They will be like a belt around his waist.
Then wolves will live in peace with lambs.
And leopards will lie down
to rest with goats.
Calves, lions and young bulls
will eat together.
And a little child will lead them.
Cows and bears will eat together in peace.
Their young will lie down together.
Lions will eat hay as oxen do.
A baby will be able to play near a cobra’s hole.
A child will be able to put his hand
into the nest of a poisonous snake.
They will not hurt or destroy each other
on all my holy mountain.
The earth will be full of the knowledge
of the Lord as the sea is full of water.
CLOSING PRAYER.
Almighty Father, we claim these promises, that one day Jesus will reign in a peaceable kingdom. Until that day, let us live as followers of Jesus. We thank You for sending Him from heaven, where He sat as royalty in Your Presence, and sharing Him with us. We are so thankful for Christmas, for the best Gift we could ever receive. In His Precious Name. Amen.
[1] http://www.bcponline.org/Collects/seasonsc.html
Book of Common Prayer
[2] International Children’s Bible
[3]. Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5]. Ibid.
[6] www.hymnary.org/text/ Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliot (1864) Tune: MARGARET (Matthews)
[7] Isaiah 11: 1-11. International Children’s Bible
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