An introduction to Advent
- Today marks the first of four Advent Sundays. Advent traditions are kept by many Christians. We use it as a period of preparation for Christmas. This is the preparation of receiving the Lord into the world. It is a time when we celebrate the light in the darkness and we look forward to the second coming of Christ. This year the time of preparation starts today, 28 November and ends on Christmas Eve, Friday, 24 December.
The meaning and symbolism of Advent
- Advent literally means “coming” in Latin. The 4 Sundays preceding Christmas are used to recognize 4 virtues. These vary between denominations, but the most common seems to be; hope, love, joy, and peace. We’re reflecting on one of these principles each week. We invite you to consider them with us.
A Message of Hope
The wise men or magi were sent by King Herod to find Jesus. They were overjoyed to see the star that rose and would go before them and lead them to Christ. This is what hope looks like. To not know where you are going, but to have faith and trust that your path is directed. Through that trust in a path that is ordained for you can find excitement.
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Matthew 2:9-10 NIV
Hope is the result of experiencing the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost is bestowed on those that believe, and act according to that belief. To put it another way, faith leads to hope. If we believe in Christ, then we should obey His commandments. That obedience is an exercise of our faith. A common result of faithful obedience is a witness from the Holy Ghost that what we’ve done is right, it also verifies our faith, confirming that we really can hope for the fulfillment of the promises made to the faithful. Our hope for eternal life is only awakened after we have faith in Christ!
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13 KJV
