On Christmas morning children all over the world will wake up and head for the Christmas tree. They’ll eagerly open their presents and then burst into expressions of happiness. Most will remember to thank their parents and others who gave them their gifts. Then they’ll turn their focus back to their new toys, games, clothes, candy, books, and whatever else they received.
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Sharing the Joy
Have you ever been so excited about something that you just had to tell someone? You didn’t have to force yourself to share your joy; the words just tumbled out spontaneously. That’s what the shepherds experienced when they saw Jesus in the manger.
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Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
That opening line from one of our best-known Christmas carols announces the good news that Jesus has invaded our broken world and has brought us joy.
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Today is the third Sunday of Advent. It’s the day we light the only pink candle on the Advent wreath—the Shepherds Candle. The Shepherds Candle emphasizes the joy of finding the Christ Child and sharing this joy with others. The color pink points us to the joy of the Advent season—pink in the midst of purple, joy in the midst of seriousness and repentance. As we’ve considered before, the joy of Christmas is set against a backdrop of sorrow and longing. Our joy at receiving God’s gift grows as we long for Jesus’ arrival.
[Read more…] about The Shepherds CandlePreparations
This past Sunday we lit the Bethlehem Candle to remind ourselves of the preparations Mary and Joseph made for Jesus’ birth. As we close this week, let’s review the four main New Testament passages that tell us how Joseph and Mary prepared for Jesus’ birth. Try to imagine what they thought and felt as they were getting ready for Jesus’ arrival. If you don’t have a Bible handy, click on the link for each passage so you can read the text. If you’re pressed for time, choose one or two sections to work through now, and save the rest for later.
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