Today we complete our season of Advent, which is the season of preparation for Christmas. Our theme this year is “The Rescue.” Although the light of Christ is shining in the world today, the world is still a very dark place and will get darker according to the Bible as we near the end of the age. But, it’s at the height of the darkness, when we the people of God most need rescuing, that Jesus Christ will come again and rescue us.
The Christ Candle, the Candle of Hope, the Candle of Peace, and the Candle of Joy have already been lit. Today we light the Candle of Love and take our Scripture from John 14:1-4, 6:
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”… 6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Reflection
Today we light the CANDLE OF LOVE. As Jesus Christ neared the end of His first visitation, His first advent, He began to prepare his apostles for His departure. Since they had left everything to follow Jesus, loved Jesus, and had all their hopes wrapped up in Jesus, hey didn’t take the news of his going away easily.
But, here in John 14, Jesus spoke these words of great comfort for all generations. Jesus was going away to prepare a place for His people, all of His followers. And since He has prepared a place for us, Jesus will come again to rescue us, to take us to Himself. His love for us motivated Him to die for us, and it’s that same love that compels Him to come a second time to rescue us and to take us to be with Him forever in Heaven.
Do you know the way to where Jesus was going? The way to where Jesus was going is Jesus himself. If you’ve never repented of your sin and trusted in Jesus alone, we beg you to do it today. There is still room for you. God so loved the world that He gave Jesus so that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
And so we light the Candle of Love this morning and say to you, “Merry Christmas!” and “Maranatha!” “Come and take us to yourself quickly, Lord Jesus!”
(Light the 3RD purple candle)
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