Dec. 18, 2024
What Does the Fourth Advent Candle Stand for?
In contemporary Western Christianity, the typical Advent wreath has four candles inside an evergreen wreath. Each one is lit during a new week of Advent and has a particular meaning attached to it. Candle 1 is purple, known as “the Prophet’s Candle,” and it stands for hope. Candle 2 is purple, known as “the Bethlehem Candle,” and stands for peace. Candle 3 is pink or rose-colored, known as “the Shepherd’s Candle,” and stands for joy. Candle 4 is purple, known as “the Angel’s Candle,” and stands for love.
The fifth candle, a white one known as “Christ’s Candle,” which stands for baby Jesus. This candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, the culmination of Advent.
How Does the Bible Describe Love?
More so than perhaps any of the other advent candle themes, love is easily misunderstood. We often think of love in purely sentimental terms, thinking it means being happy or being nice.
The Bible affirms that and that his sending Jesus into the world was an act of perfect love (1 John 4:8-12).
Jesus loved people, and yet he didn’t try to always be nice to people. Sometimes, he pushed people to consider what they really believed if they really wanted to follow him (Mark 10:17-27). Sometimes, he got them to admit their mistakes to see how much they needed God (John 4:1-42). Throughout his ministry, he
maintained that the key to finding God was not to “follow your heart” but to follow him and obey his teachings.
Why Is Love So Important to Christmas?
As noted above, the Bible states that God sent Jesus into the world as an act of love. Jesus came into a world that desperately needed help because it was in the grips of sin. King Herod’s slaughter of the innocents captured this truth in a graphic way: Jesus had entered a world where greed and ruthless self-protection reigned.
Jewish prophets had said centuries earlier that someone would come that would bring an end to this strife.
This Messiah, from the family line of King David (Ezekiel 37:24), would be born to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) and be a great ruler (Isaiah 11:12). Gabriel affirmed these prophecies when he told Mary that her son would sit on David’s throne, reigning forever (Luke 1:32-33). The Messiah would bring an end to strife not by being a
conventional ruler but by dying for people’s transgressions (Isaiah 53:5). People would be healed by the Messiah’s sacrifice, bringing freedom at last.
Thus, Jesus’ birth was proof that God had not abandoned or forgotten the world. His gift of love had come, to bring freedom for captives and heal the hurting (Luke 4:18). Jesus was the perfect gift.
A Prayer for Advent Week 4
Lord Jesus, thank you for your gift of love. We know that we were dead in our sins, and did not deserve anything but death. Thank you that despite our many sins, you still loved us and came to save us. You came and showed us how to love. Teach us what it is to love, and how to practice it each day. Remind us that love is
paradoxical, sacrificial, and only found in you. Give us the wisdom we need to love well, the mercy to forgive ourselves when we neglect to love well, and the hunger to always learn more about love. We ask for all these things in your name, Amen.
Love in action never gives up.
Love in action cares more for others than for self.
Love in action doesn’t want more than what is theirs.
Love in action doesn’t show off,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the telling of truth,
Puts up with a lot,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
And keeps going to the end.
(adapted from Pauls letters to the Corinthians, The Message)
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
GoFundMe for Shannon Jarvis
Shannon Jarvis has been dealing with serious health issues for all of her life and has endured major hardships and setbacks in her health in the last three years, especially. She recently came home from more than a two year stay in the hospital in 2022-2024, that has left her with the inability to walk, indefinitely, at the age of 34.
Now that she is home in her parents’ house, she is confined to her bedroom as the house and bathroom are not wheelchair accessible. Another friend and I have started a GoFundMe for Shannon to raise money for a bathroom renovation, to make her bathroom wheelchair accessible so she can live more comfortably in her home.
The link for the GoFundMe for Shannon is here:
https://gofund.me/9ef554f3
Donations are greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time.
Jennifer Lunardo
Prayer Roster
We are looking for additional congregants to help with the Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession. If you feel that you would like to volunteer to read this prayer occasionally on a Sunday morning, please speak to Bob
Twynam. This is not a difficult task, as this prayer can be found on the Presbyterian Church in Canada’s website. All you have to do is print it off and you are set. OR if you feel that you would like to make up your own prayer, you are most welcome to do so.
A Fall Devotional Update
A new edition of Our Daily Bread (December/January/February), as well as the current edition of These Days (October/November/December) are available on the table in the church vestibule and in the devotional box on the church porch.