“The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

As we come to the end of the advent season, I’ve always enjoyed the advent season as we look forward to the birth of our Savior, Jesus. This year as the world is in turmoil, it brings forth the other reason for the season – Christ’s return. The advent is so much more than just focusing on the birth of Christ. The advent symbolizes the “last days” in the coming of Christ’s return. The church is looking forward, just as the Israelites look for the Messiah at the end of the Old Testament and when they look for His redemption from Egypt. We now look not for the birth but for the return.

The First Candle is the candle of Hope: We hope for Christ’s return. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5) Since Christ has left the earth after his resurrection, the world, continues to be lost and full of turmoil. We look forward to His second coming, to finish the prophecy. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15) The word Hope as the world defines it is something wishful, something you have no control of whether it happens or not. In the Bible, Hope is defined as a certainty. Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (Titus 2:13) We can hope for His return.

The Second Candle is the candle of Peace: We have the peace of the Lord’s kingdom now and in the future. Christ’s birth gives us a Peace that was not there before. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27) We have Peace because Jesus has come and left us a gift in the Holy Spirit as a helper. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26) He gives us Peace in the knowledge that He is ruling over the Earth. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

The Third Candle is the candle of Joy: We have joy because the Lord has come and given us Salvation. This candle is usually a different color than the previous two candles. It’s usually pink in color, mostly from the history where priests wear pink in the joy of a birth of a child. The advent falls on the same Sunday as Gaudete Sunday, when priests wear pink. This candle can also be called, Rejoice. As we Rejoice in the birth of Christ. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; (Philippians 4:4-5). The candle also represents the Shepherds as they were the first to hear of Jesus’ birth. Joy in the Bible is of extreme happiness, not just momentary, but long lasting. It’s another anticipation of what’s to come. Joy can only come from God. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) Since, Joy comes from God, no one can take our Joy. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (John 16:22) Thus, while we wait for Christ’s return we don’t need to despair, we have the Joy from Salvation through Him. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)

The fourth candle is Love. Its color is the same as the first two candles. This candle represents Christ’s ministry; the greatest commandment. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36–40) Love is the whole of God; God is Love.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (1 John 4:16) God created us in Love. We chose to sin by eating the fruit from the tree of Good and Evil. (Genesis 2-3) To redeem us back to Him (loving us so much), He sent His Son to earth to be crucified for us. Christ rose from death, conquering death, so we can be in fellowship with Him again.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) We have God’s Love even as sinners and His Grace when we receive the gift of His Love, in Christ, Jesus.

The last candle is the Christ candle. It’s lit on Christmas Eve and it’s usually a large white candle. The white represents the purity of Christ. Jesus was sinless as He was crucified. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. (1 Peter 2:22) This candle represents that the Old Testament is gone and Jesus has come with a new covenant. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17) The candle represents that with Christ we have Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. We cannot be Christians without Christ and His salvation. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (1 Timothy 2:5)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

O Come, O Come Emmanuel, was written to in the Old Testament (Isaiah) as looking for the Messiah to come the first time. We can sing it today as we look for His return, the second coming of the Messiah.