The Shepherd’s Candle – 3rd Sunday of Advent December 21, 2010

The third candle is the Shepherd’s Candle – Joy

The lighting of this candle is a reminder that God came for the most unlikely and insignificant people.

The first announcement of the Messiah’s birth was given to shepherds, an unlikely group to receive such an important announcement. The shepherds were the outcasts of Israel; they were from the lowest place in society, they were unclean and therefore unable to worship at the temple, they could not testify in court because they were considered untrustworthy. All of this is evidence that God does not call the rich and mighty but the poor and lowly. It is even rumored that a rabbi once said “Give no help to heathens or shepherds.”

Can you imagine this group of shepherds out in the field when an angel suddenly appears? No wonder they were terrified! The shepherds were told not to be afraid and then given a message of comfort. The angel told the shepherds a baby was born in Bethlehem that was given to them. This baby was the long awaited Messiah. The angel described the child as “the savior for all people, Christ the Lord.” By appearing to the shepherds, the angel revealed the grace of God to all mankind. As if to punctuate the moment, a choir of angels appeared and sang a chorus: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his peace on Earth.”

Glory to God in the highest BECAUSE of the glory of God in the lowest!

He didn’t come to the religious leaders of the day, God came to the ungood!!!

       1 Corinthians 1:26-27

       26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according  to the  flesh, not  many mighty,  not many noble;
                                   27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

 

God uses people from all walks of life to spread the good news of His Son. God chose to use the shepherds to describe the vastness of His love for us. In this week, we discover that God does extraordinary things through ordinary people. God chose the insignificant of the day to reveal His magnificence to. God reminds us “as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to me!”

So my question is this What is your attitude towards the seemingly insignificant of society? Are you willing to get your hands dirty with those who feel unworthy, dirty, guilty, ashamed in order to share the gospel with them?

Scripture reading

            Luke 2:8-9-14

            Isaiah 35

            Psalm 146-5-10

            Matthew 11:2-11

The Bethlehem Candle – 2nd Sunday of Advent December 21, 2010

]The remaining three candles of Advent may deal with the various parts of the Advent story. They may vary from church to church or even from year to year. The sequence for the remaining three Sundays might be Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angels. Or Love, Joy, Peace. No matter what sequence is used, the Scripture reading, prayers, lighting of the candles, the participation of worshippers in the service, all focus on unfolding the story of redemption through God’s grace in the birth of Jesus.

I am have chosen to go the route of Bethlehem, Shepherds and Angels.

The second candle is the Bethlehem candle – Peace

The lighting of this candle symbolizes the preparations being made to receive and cradle the Christ child.  Bethlehem is a story about a humble couple on an unwanted journey, at an inconvenient time, to visit a tiny insignificant town.

Caesar Augustus called for a census to be taken. Even though there was no room for Mary and Joseph God had orchestrated these events. Mary and Joseph had to leave Nazareth so that they could register in Bethlehem and the Scriptures (Micah 5:2-5) be fulfilled.

As we draw nearer to the birth of Jesus, we begin to see just how specific God was about giving His people “directions” to the main event! In Micah 5, we read a prophecy that occurred 735 years before the birth of Christ and yet it’s as specific as if it were spoken right before! When the magi arrive at Herod’s residence, they explain to the king that Jesus is supposed to be born in Bethlehem by quoting these very Scriptures. God did exactly what He said He would do!

Micah tells us several things. He tells us where the Messiah will be born, that He will come from a tribe of Judah, He will rule in Israel, Jesus is eternal and divine but will rule on earth and He will be a shepherd to His people.  This One will be our peace.

Bethlehem was the smallest clan of Judah. It is a very insignificant town just outside of Jerusalem. Yet God did not choose Jerusalem for the birthplace of Messiah. God loved the world so much that He chose, a tiny insignificant town as the location for the birth of the one who literally changed the world. This is the first of many reminders that God loves even the insignificant of the world, and in fact demonstrates this several times in the weeks to come leading up to the Messiah’s birth.

So my question is this What about you? In the busyness of the season will you make room for Christ, or will you miss it? I can’t help but think of the Inn Keeper, would he have given up his room had he known who needed it?

Scripture Reading:

Micah 5:2-5

Luke 2:1-7

Matthew 2:1-2

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy pray to the blessèd Child,
Where misery cries out to Thee, Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

The First Candle: The Prophet’s Candle December 9, 2010

The first candle is the Prophet’s candle

The lighting of this candle draws attention to the anticipation of the coming of Messiah, the Anointed One. His coming is woven like a golden thread all the way through Old Testament history.  God’s people were abused by power hungry kings, led astray by self centered prophets and half hearted religious leaders which resulted in some longing for God to raise up a new king who would teach them to be God’s people and  lead them in righteousness and truth. They yearned for a return of God’s dynamic presence in their midst

And so, God revealed to some of the prophets that indeed He would not leave His people without a true Shepherd. While the people expected a new earthly king, their expectations fell far short of God’s revelation of Himself in Christ. And yet, the world is not yet fully redeemed.  So, we again with expectation, with hope, await God’s new work in history, the Second Advent (Second Coming), in which He will again reveal Himself to the world. And we understand in a profound sense that the best, the highest of our expectations will fall far short of what our Lord’s Second Coming will reveal!

And so we light the first candle of Expectation or Hope. Not the hope that “wishes something will happen” but a Hope that knows it will happen. Because God was right about the First Advent which came 735 years after the prophets said it would, our hope is based on knowing God will do what He said He would do and so we wait expectantly knowing that Jesus is coming back!!!

So my question is this Are you ready for the Second Coming? What must you do to help others get ready for His coming? Remember you are the light to a lost and dying world. May you give an account of the hope that is within you this Christmas season!

The Scriptures for the first week of Advent:

Isaiah 11:1-10
Luke: 1:26-38
Isaiah 7:10-14
Matthew 1:18-24

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