Welcome to Advent
American Christians have the unique advantage of ending the Trinity Season with a four-day feast. Thanksgiving, the official feast day, requires a table so loaded with food that the leftovers last, conveniently, until the following Sunday—the first day of Advent.
The season of Advent, the four weeks before Christmas Day, has long been observed in the Church as a time of personal examination, repentance, and preparation for the first Great Feast Day of Christmas. For this reason, Advent has often been called Little Pascha, or Small Lent, to signify the fasting, prayer, confession, and reconciliation that are to mark this season in the lives of Christians.
Photo Credit: Markus Grossalber via Compfight cc
Advent is also the beginning of the much longer season of Yuletide, the “long sequence of holy days, festal revelries, and liturgical rites stretching from the end of November through the beginning of January” (The Christian Almanac, 722). Yuletide begins with Advent, progresses through the feasting and gift-giving of Christmas, and concludes with Epiphany, a time of remembrance and thanksgiving.
It is very difficult for modern Christians who do not belong to traditionally liturgical churches to follow the Church calendar. This year, to assist my faithful readers in better observance of Advent (and to give myself better accountability in my observance), I want to share with you some devotional readings I wrote for my family for each day of the Advent season.
In addition to Scripture meditations and prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, I also will include advent lessons I wrote to instruct my young children about Advent. Since Advent is preparation for Christmas, these advent lessons focus on the various ways that Jesus has been revealed as the Savior of the world since the very beginning.
Each lesson develops a particular metaphor for Jesus, which children can then draw and cut out to hang on our Advent Tree, a branch from a shrub that we “potted” in a small pot with marbles. (The idea of the Advent Tree, its ornaments, and the accompanying Scripture references come from Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent and Barbara Hughes.) The lessons also include an Advent Catechism to help review all the lessons from the season.
I’ll post a week’s worth of lessons each Sunday of Advent, so you can review them before sharing them with your loved ones.
First Sunday in Advent
Meditation and Prayer
For Meditation:
- Isaiah 1:1-10; 2:1-5
- John 3:1-21
Prayer for the First Week of Advent:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Advent Tree: Jesus is the Light of the World
Scripture: Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-5
Meditation:
God created the world as a sheer act of love. Before anything was made, the Triune God loved it; He created all things so that they could enter into the perfect love and peace of their Triune Creator. Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. The Gospel of John gives special attention to the Word, the Son of God, as Creator.
John says that not only did the Word give life to all Creation, but He is also the ‘light of men,’ the light that entered into our dark and fallen world to bring new hope through new creation. Jesus is the Light of the World, who gave life to all of us and who brings new life to all who believe in Him.
The lights we hang on our Christmas trees remind us throughout Advent that the Light of the World ‘shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (John 1:5).
Jesus is the Light of the World, because He brings us out of the dark and into the Light of His Kingdom.
Advent Tree Ornament: a rising sun
Inscription: “Light of the World”
First Monday of Advent
Meditation and Prayer
For Meditation:
- Isaiah 3:1-15; 4:2-6
- Mark 1:1-20
- James 1 (optional)
Prayer for the First Week of Advent:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Advent Tree: Jesus is the Serpent-Crusher
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-23; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 5:8
Meditation:
Yesterday, we hung a sun on the Advent Tree because Jesus is the Light of the World. He is the Creator of all things, and made everything good. But shortly after He made Adam and Eve, a serpent crept into the Garden to un-make everything good. This serpent was Satan, whose name means ‘adversary.’ Satan told lies to Adam and Eve about what God had commanded them to do. Adam and Eve listened to these lies and disobeyed God by eating the fruit that He told them not to eat. Because of their sin of disobedience, God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden and away from His presence.
Adam and Eve’s sin broke the goodness of the world. Because of their sin, all of us sin constantly against God and neighbor. We all have ‘turned…to his own way’ and daily add to the pain and suffering in the world.
Thankfully, before God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden, He gave them a promise. This promise said that one day a special person would appear, a man who would destroy Satan, the adversary of God’s people (Gen 3:23). Later, Isaiah foretold that this Serpent-Crusher would not only crush the head of Satan, but would also take on himself the punishment of all of our sins (Is 53:6).
Christmas celebrates the coming of Jesus, the Great Serpent-Crusher. So strong was Jesus’ love for us and His creation, that He died for us even when we were sinners and enemies of God (Rom 5:8). Christmas is the story of a long-awaited baby, the One who would destroy the power of sin and death and set His people free.
Jesus is the Serpent-Crusher, because He crushed the head of Satan by dying on the Cross.
Advent Tree Ornament: a fruit-bearing tree and a snake
Inscription: “Serpent-Crusher”
Advent Catechism:
- Why is Jesus the Light of the World? Because He brings us out of the dark and into the Light of His Kingdom.
- Why is Jesus the Serpent-Crusher? Because He crushed the head of Satan by dying on the Cross.
First Tuesday in Advent
Meditation and Prayer
For Meditation:
- Isaiah 5
- Mark 1:21-end
- James 2:1-13 (optional)
Prayer for the First Week of Advent:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Advent Tree: Jesus is the Ark of Salvation
Scripture: Genesis 6:5-8; 7:17-23; Romans 6:23
Meditation:
Yesterday, we heard the story of how Adam and Eve sinned against God and had to leave the Garden. But before they left, God gave them the amazing promise of the Serpent-Crusher, Jesus.
Adam and Eve’s sons and daughters filled the earth, but they also sinned against God. Their sin made them so broken and disobedient that God decided to ‘blot out’ (Gen. 6:7) all that he had made. We learn from the Bible that death is the consequence of sin; when we sin against God, we sin against the One who gave us life. And so, our sin ends in our death.
So it was with all of Adam and Eve’s sons and daughters. They had all sinned, and God was going to un-make them by sending lots of rain to cover the earth with water. All of them would receive the punishment for their sins, except one family: Noah alone ‘found favor in God’s eyes’ (Gen. 6:8). Noah was also a sinner. Noah also would one day die, but God chose to save Him from the flood, and so He told Noah to build an ark, a giant boat. On this boat, Noah placed his family and at least one set of each of the animals that God had made.
God saved Noah and His creation from the flood through a boat made of wood. Noah received a gift of salvation from God; Noah hadn’t done anything to earn this gift, but had done plenty to not deserve it. God saved Noah even though Noah was a sinner.
We are also sinners, like Noah. And just as God saved Noah in a boat made of wood, so Jesus saved us on a cross made of wood. Noah didn’t deserve to be saved, and neither do we.
Christmas is the celebration of God sending His Ark of Salvation into the world. Jesus saves us from the punishment of our sins by dying in our place, and by making us His people through baptism (1 Pe. 3:18-22).
Jesus is the Ark of Salvation, because He saves us from the flood of punishment our sins deserve.
Advent Tree Ornament: Noah’s Ark
Inscription: “Ark of Salvation”
Advent Catechism:
- Why is Jesus the Light of the World? Because He brings us out of the dark and into the Light of His Kingdom.
- Why is Jesus the Serpent-Crusher? Because He crushed the head of Satan by dying on the Cross.
- Why is Jesus the Ark of Salvation? Because He saves us from the flood of punishment our sins deserve.
First Wednesday in Advent
Meditation and Prayer
For Meditation:
- Isaiah 6; 8:16-9:7
- Mark 2:1-22
- James 2:14-end (optional)
Prayer for the First Week of Advent:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Advent Tree: Jesus is the Promise of Abram
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-8
Meditation:
After the flood, Noah’s sons had many children, who began to fill the earth again. Some of these children turned again to the sins of their forefathers. But some were faithful to God and obeyed Him.
One day God spoke to one of these children, a man named Abram. God told Abram to go to a new land, a land that He would show him. God promised Abram that He was going to give him so many children and grandchildren that no one could count them. And through all these children and grandchildren, God was going to bless every single family on earth (Gen. 12:3).
Abram listened to God and believed His promise. He moved his family to the land that God showed him and pitched his tent there. Years later a baby boy was born, Isaac, who was just the beginning of God’s promise to Abram and all the earth.
Many, many, many years after Isaac was born, another baby was born in the same land. Like Isaac, this baby had also been long awaited and eagerly anticipated. This baby, Jesus, was the complete fulfillment of God’s promise to Abram. Through this baby, God poured out His greatest blessings on the entire earth: the grace and peace of Jesus the Promised Messiah.
Christmas is a time of giving gifts to show our love for each other. We do this because we remember the great gift God gave us in Jesus, the long-promised One who blesses all those who obey Him, just as Abram obeyed God.
Jesus is the Promise of Abram, because He blesses all the families of the earth.
Advent Tree Ornament: Abram’s tent
Inscription: “Promise of Abram”
Advent Catechism:
- Why is Jesus the Light of the World? Because He brings us out of the dark and into the Light of His Kingdom.
- Why is Jesus the Serpent-Crusher? Because He crushed the head of Satan by dying on the Cross.
- Why is Jesus the Ark of Salvation? Because He saves us from the flood of punishment our sins deserve.
- Why is Jesus the Promise of Abram? Because He blesses all the families of the earth.
First Thursday in Advent
Meditation and Prayer
For Meditation:
- Isaiah 9:8-10:23
- Mark 2:23-3:12
- James 3 (optional)
Prayer for the First Week of Advent:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Advent Tree: Jesus is the Lamb of Isaac
Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14; John 1:29
Meditation:
One day, when Isaac was young, God came to Abraham and told him to take his son and sacrifice him on a mountain. This was a very hard command, for Abraham loved his son greatly. But he also trusted in God, knowing that He was faithful and would keep His promises.
So Abraham and Isaac started climbing the mountain. Isaac carried the wood, and Abraham carried the fire and the knife. As they climbed, Isaac asked his father where the animal was for the sacrifice, not knowing what God had commanded. Abraham responded with deep faith, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son’ (Gen. 22:8).
When they reached the top of the mountain, Abraham built an altar and laid the wood on it. Then he bound his son Isaac onto the wood. When he reached for the knife to slaughter his son, God spoke to him and said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me’ (Gen. 22:12).
Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram whose horns were caught in the thicket. He released his son, and together they offered the ram as a burnt offering, grateful for God’s mercy and faithful provision.
Many, many years later, when Jesus came to see John the Baptist, John cried out, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ (John 1:29). God provided the lamb to take the place of Isaac, and He provided the Lamb of Jesus to die in the place of all His people.
Christmas celebrates the coming of the Lamb of God. As we count down the days to the Feast of Christmas, we are reminded of how often we fail to obey God’s simple commands. We are reminded of Abraham’s obedience of the hardest of commands, and of our disobedience in the easiest commands. But we also remember the Lamb of God, who suffered the punishment for sin that we deserve. And we pray to the Lamb to strengthen our faith and obedience.
Jesus is the Lamb of God, because He died in our place.
Advent Tree Ornament: a lamb
Inscription: “The Lamb of Isaac”
Advent Catechism:
- Why is Jesus the Light of the World? Because He brings us out of the dark and into the Light of His Kingdom.
- Why is Jesus the Serpent-Crusher? Because He crushed the head of Satan by dying on the Cross.
- Why is Jesus the Ark of Salvation? Because He saves us from the flood of punishment our sins deserve.
- Why is Jesus the Promise of Abram? Because He blesses all the families of the earth.
- Why is Jesus the Lamb of Isaac? Because He died in our place.
First Friday in Advent
Meditation and Prayer
For Meditation:
- Isaiah 10:24-12:6
- Mark 3:13-end
- James 4 (optional)
Prayer for the First Week of Advent:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Advent Tree: Jesus is the Ladder of Jacob
Scripture: Genesis 28:10-17; John 1:51
Meditation:
When Isaac grew up, he had two sons—one named Esau and one named Jacob. When Jacob grew up, he left his father and mother and set out for his uncle’s house. One night on his journey, Jacob dreamed of ‘a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!’ (Gen. 28:12).
At the top of the ladder was God, who spoke to Jacob and promised him the same things He promised Abraham. He promised that He would give Jacob a special land, and that Jacob would have more children and grandchildren than anyone could count. But God also promised that He would be with Jacob and protect him wherever he went. In this dream God showed His great love and blessing once again to someone who did not deserve it.
Many years later, when Jesus called his first disciples, He told them that they would see amazing things. One of these things would be ‘heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man’ (John 1:51). This means that Jesus’ disciples will enjoy the same blessings that Jacob did. Jesus’ followers will also inherit a land (the entire world) and become part of an innumerable family (the Church). And most importantly, no matter where His people went, Jesus would always be with them, both when they were awake and when they slept.
God watched over Jacob when he slept in the open. He watched over the baby Jesus when he slept in the manger. And Jesus watches over us when we sleep in our beds.
Jesus is the Ladder of Jacob, because He takes care of us always, even when we sleep.
Advent Tree Ornament: a ladder
Inscription: “The Ladder of Jacob”
Advent Catechism:
- Why is Jesus the Light of the World? Because He brings us out of the dark and into the Light of His Kingdom.
- Why is Jesus the Serpent-Crusher? Because He crushed the head of Satan by dying on the Cross.
- Why is Jesus the Ark of Salvation? Because He saves us from the flood of punishment our sins deserve.
- Why is Jesus the Promise of Abram? Because He blesses all the families of the earth.
- Why is Jesus the Lamb of Isaac? Because He died in our place.
- Why is Jesus the Ladder of Jacob? Because He takes care of us always, even when we sleep.
First Saturday in Advent
Meditation and Prayer
For Meditation:
- Isaiah 13-14:27
- Mark 4:1-20
- James 5 (optional)
Prayer for the First Week of Advent:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Advent Tree: Jesus is the Coat of Joseph
Scripture: Genesis 37:3-36; 50:18-21; John 19:34
Meditation:
When Jacob grew older, he had twelve sons. His favorite son was Joseph. To show how much he loved Joseph, he gave him a coat of many colors and put him in charge of his brothers, who were all older than he was.
This made his brothers very jealous and angry at Joseph. One day, they grabbed Joseph, stripped off his coat, and threw him into a pit. Then they sold him as a slave to some people who were passing by. They tore Joseph’s coat, covered it with blood, and told Jacob that a wild animal had eaten his favorite son.
Joseph became first a slave in Egypt and then a prisoner in a dungeon. But God was faithful to Joseph and was always with him. Eventually, God brought him out of the dungeon and made him an advisor to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. From this position of authority, Joseph was able to save his brothers and father and all the world from certain death when a famine came. What Joseph’s brothers intended for evil, God used to bring salvation to the whole world.
Jacob’s much-loved son had his coat torn and bloodied. He suffered greatly but rose from the dungeon to save the world from death. God’s much-loved son, Jesus, did the same. Only, Jesus Himself was torn and bloodied. He suffered greatly on the cross, and died for our sins. He rose from the dungeon of death and saved the world from the sting of death. What the wicked meant for evil, God used to bring salvation to the whole world.
At Christmas we remember Jesus’ birth. But we also remember the reason for His birth—to rescue us from death through His cross and resurrection.
Jesus is the Coat of Joseph, because He was torn and bloodied in our place.
Advent Tree Ornament: a many-colored coat
Inscription: “The Coat of Joseph”
Advent Catechism:
- Why is Jesus the Light of the World? Because He brings us out of the dark and into the Light of His Kingdom.
- Why is Jesus the Serpent-Crusher? Because He crushed the head of Satan by dying on the Cross.
- Why is Jesus the Ark of Salvation? Because He saves us from the flood of punishment our sins deserve.
- Why is Jesus the Promise of Abram? Because He blesses all the families of the earth.
- Why is Jesus the Lamb of Isaac? Because He died in our place.
- Why is Jesus the Ladder of Jacob? Because He takes care of us always, even when we sleep.
- Why is Jesus the Coat of Joseph? Because He was torn and bloodied in our place.