Advent 1: Wonderful Counselor

LIGHTS DIM

Today we begin the season of Advent which is a time for us to prepare … to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Jesus our Savior.  Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah sought to prepare God’s people for the Messiah’s coming with these words:

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV

[2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this”

While scripture records many names for Jesus, these are the names that have been connected with the Christmas story throughout Christian history. Today we begin with Jesus as Wonderful Counselor. 

The wisdom of this counselor is truly full of wonder because He is God, the all-knowing One, outside of time and space. And yet He is also all human, understanding all of our trials and temptations, our weaknesses and pain. Jesus lived exposed in human flesh to all the frailties and abuses we have known–to the point of ultimate suffering and death. As we approach this table of remembrance, we recognize the need in our life and world for a Messiah with the power to save and the love and wisdom to comfort our hearts.

LIGHT CANDLE — SILENCE

We continue our worship with the Lord’s Supper where we remember the sacrifice of Christ’s body with the bread and with the juice His blood poured out for us.

Come now to this table and draw hope from our Wonderful Counselor

Advent 2: Mighty God

LIGHTS DIM

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV

[2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this”

Today we continue to prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming by reflecting on Isaiah’s prophetic name for Him–Mighty God. The coming Messiah will be the God Almighty, the one who created and continues to control heaven and earth. Jesus demonstrated this power over the wind & waves, over demons & disease, over bread & fish.  What comfort and hope to know His might is greater than the darkness of this world and of our hearts. As we approach the table of communion, we acknowledge that Christ’s death may look like defeat but is indeed the victory of our Mighty God.

LIGHT CANDLE — SILENCE

We continue our worship with the Lord’s Supper where we remember the sacrifice of Christ’s body with the bread and with the juice His blood poured out for us.

Come now to this table and draw hope from our Mighty God

Advent 3: Everlasting Father

LIGHTS DIM

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV

[2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this”

Jesus is coming and to help us get ready we are meditating on Isaiah’s prophetic revelation about HIs character. Today we consider his name Everlasting Father. While we generally describe Jesus as God the Son–he himself says “I and the Father are one.” As Eternal Father, He is the author of all life and of our family of faith, from its beginning through all eternity. He knows how to give good gifts and runs to us when we are far off. As we take communion together, we remember the Father’s love demonstrated in His greatest gift–the sacrificial death of His son. This is the love that allows us to be a family around this table. 

LIGHT CANDLE — SILENCE

We continue our worship with the Lord’s Supper where we remember the sacrifice of Christ’s body with the bread and with the juice His blood poured out for us.

Come now to this table and draw hope from our Eternal Father

Advent 4: Prince of Peace

LIGHTS DIM

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV

[2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this”

The light is getting brighter as each day we draw closer to Jesus’ coming. Are you ready for His arrival? Today we are leaning into our Savior’s name–the Prince of Peace. How we long for true peace in our chaotic world, fractured relationships, and longing hearts! Jesus arrives with the promise to reign, bringing healing hope and complete restoration of this world. Yet here we are reminded that Jesus rules from God’s right hand. As prince, he submits to God’s will. He relinquishes any princely power and submits to death on a cross. Let us remember that our peace comes only through this act of sacrificial love.

LIGHT CANDLE — SILENCE

We continue our worship with the Lord’s Supper where we remember the sacrifice of Christ’s body with the bread and with the juice His blood poured out for us.

Come now to this table and draw hope from our Prince of Peace

Christmas Eve: Immanuel

LIGHTS DIM

Isaiah 7:14 NIV

[14] Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV

[2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this”

Throughout the Advent season, we have been studying the Prophetic promise from Isaiah which describes not only the character of Jesus but also recognizes our human need for a Savior who will provide hope.

Not just transient hope, like “I hope the Broncos make the playoffs.” But a sure and certain hope, one that we can build our lives upon, a foundation in the instability of human life. As one of my favorite Christmas carols declares–“Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.”

Here is our hope–Jesus. He comes to us tonight

• as Wonderful Counselor whose wisdom and comfort soothe the questions of our soul and the burdens of our hearts
• as Mighty God whose authority and power meet any challenge or need and provide security for our fear and uncertainty
• as Everlasting Father whose perfect, sacrificial love runs to us in our wandering in order to restore us to him and to one another as his family
• as Prince of Peace whose kingdom brings Shalom–complete wholeness and order to our chaotic lives when we submit to his will just as Jesus did himself

Finally, Jesus come tonight as Immanuel. This is God, not just by us or for us, but God with us. He arrives not in a cloud of fiery glory, but in the simplicity of a manger’s straw–to love and laugh, to give and grieve, to live and to die. He will know what it means to need hope, and he will fulfill it.

LIGHT CANDLE — SILENCE

We continue our worship with the Lord’s Supper where we remember the cost of his sacrificial love in his broken body, represented by the bread, and his blood shed, represented by the juice, both given for us.

Come now to this table and draw hope from our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace 

Our Lord Immanuel.