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Adore

Adore

Willamette Christian Church, Beaverton Christian Church, and Hope City Church

Every year at Christmas we prepare our schedules, our homes, and our finances for the holiday season. We buy gifts, attend parties, bake cookies, and make family plans. Advent is our opportunity to prepare our heart, mind, and spirit for the coming of the newborn king, Jesus. Advent gives us space to pause and remember the promises God made through the prophets, and the fulfillment of God’s promise found in the manger.

26 - Introduction
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  • 26 - Introduction

    Every year at Christmas we prepare our schedules, our homes, and our finances for the holiday season. We buy gifts, attend parties, bake cookies, and make family plans. Advent is our opportunity to prepare our heart, mind, and spirit for the coming of the newborn king, Jesus. Advent gives us space to pause and remember the promises God made through the prophets, and the fulfillment of God’s promise found in the manger.

    The Bible is full of verses which urge us to remember what God has done by pausing our full and ever-busy lives to sit before him with grateful hearts. Our hope for you is that, instead of feeling busy and overwhelmed this Christmas, you would be filled with God’s promises and rejoice that He has fulfilled those promises in Jesus.

    A Few Tips

    Select a time of day to do your devotion that works for you.Consider choosing one day each week to do one of the Advent and Christmas Activity Ideas found in the appendix, starting on page 54. Mark it on your calendar now (before things get too busy!).Read through the activities ahead of time to gather any supplies you will need. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! You might even come up with your own ideas of how to live out the Advent weekly theme.

    This advent devotional was produced by:

    Willamette Christian Church - willamette.cc Hope City Church - hopecitypdx.com Beaverton Christian Church - beaverton.cc We encourage you to subscribe to our weekly sermon podcasts, and attend an in-person service if possible.
    Sun, 13 Nov 2022 - 00min
  • 25 - Week One: Day 1, November 27

    I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
    Psalm 130:5

    What comes to mind when you think of Advent? Do you picture chocolates hidden behind numbered doors on a calendar? Maybe you imagine the glow of candles and the scent of evergreen wreaths. Perhaps you have heard the word Advent, but the wreaths, candles, and calendars leave you a bit mystified. Let’s start our Christmas season by growing our understanding of Advent.

    The word “Advent” originates from the Latin word “adventus”, which means “coming.” At the heart of Advent is an invitation to set aside time each day to remember the sacrifice and gifts Jesus gives by coming to earth for us. Advent is also the season of looking forward to Jesus coming to earth again to make all things new.

    For centuries, churches around the world have observed the season of Advent. Traditions vary across churches and cultures, but everyone shares the common goal of spending time intentionally reflecting on Jesus and His arrival.

    Author C. S. Lewis reminds us, “The son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”

    We all know waiting, especially for something special, can be hard. Advent, which begins four Sundays before Christmas Day and ends on Christmas Eve, helps us wait well by keeping our focus on Jesus’ birth. Our hope is that you and your family maintain your focus on Jesus by integrating an Advent tradition with your Christmas celebration.

    Consider

    Do you have a special tradition that helps you focus on Jesus during the Advent season?The Bible repeatedly reminds us of the importance of loving our neighbors. Do you know your neighbors’ traditions? If not, take time this season to learn them and share your own.

    This advent devotional was produced by:

    Willamette Christian Church - willamette.cc Hope City Church - hopecitypdx.com Beaverton Christian Church - beaverton.cc We encourage you to subscribe to our weekly sermon podcasts, and attend an in-person service if possible.
    Sun, 27 Nov 2022 - 02min
  • 24 - Week One: Day 2, November 28

    Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
    John 8:12

    Four Sundays before Christmas, the first Sunday of Advent, people often decorate churches and homes with evergreen wreaths to symbolize the everlasting love and life Jesus brings to us.

    The tradition of Advent wreaths dates back almost 200 years. A German minister, who had grown tired of the daily questions from the children at his school about how many days remained until Christmas, created a wooden wreath with 24 candles to help them count down the days.

    Advent wreaths are now typically made from evergreens intertwined to form a circle as a reminder that God’s love for us has no beginning and no end. Holly leaves, berries, pine cones and other types of greenery are often added. Learn more about the elements of an Advent wreath and how to make your own on the Advent Activities page on our website.

    Advent calendars are another way to mark the season of preparing our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. While Advent calendars today usually have tiny doors to open, revealing a picture, Bible verse, or small treat, the tradition started much more simply.

    During the 1800s, Christians in Germany marked the days of Advent with chalk on their front doors. Each day, children erased one mark as they counted down to Christmas.

    The first commercial printed Advent calendar was introduced in Germany just after the turn of the century, with little doors to be opened each day to reveal a picture or Bible verse added by the 1920s.

    Advent calendars in America grew in popularity after people saw President Dwight D. Eisenhower opening an Advent calendar with his grandchildren in the 1950s.

    Consider

    Go on a nature walk to gather materials to make a wreath, or to enhance a wreath you already have. Consider inviting a neighbor, friend, or family member to go with you.Try setting aside a few hours to invite others to create Advent wreaths together.Mother Teresa encouraged us to, “Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving others with God’s own love and concern.” How will you bring light to the world by serving others this Advent season and beyond? Make a list of ideas, then create a plan to implement at least one of them during this season.
    The symbols of Advent are reminders to prepare room for Jesus, who came to be with us. As you count down the days to Christmas, what would it look like for you to make room? Shuffling your schedule? Eliminating items from your calendar? Something else?

    This advent devotional was produced by:

    Willamette Christian Church - willamette.cc Hope City Church - hopecitypdx.com Beaverton Christian Church - beaverton.cc We encourage you to subscribe to our weekly sermon podcasts, and attend an in-person service if possible.
    Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 03min
  • 23 - Week One: Day 3, November 29

    Over the next three days, read the story of Jesus’ birth straight from the Bible from these passages.

    Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 03min
  • 22 - Week One: Day 4, November 30

    Continue reading about the shepherds and the birth of Jesus in these passages from the Bible.

    Shepherds Hear About Jesus

    Luke 2:8-20

    That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and they became very frightened. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people. Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord. This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.”

    Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel, praising God and saying: “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God.”

    When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.”

    So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a feeding trough. When they had seen him, they told what the angels had said about this child. Everyone was amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured these things and continued to think about them. Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him for everything they had seen and heard. It had been just as the angel had told them.

    Consider

    Can you think of a time when you’ve had to overcome fear to be open to something God has called you to? How can you grow in this area?

    This advent devotional was produced by:

    Willamette Christian Church - willamette.cc Hope City Church - hopecitypdx.com Beaverton Christian Church - beaverton.cc We encourage you to subscribe to our weekly sermon podcasts, and attend an in-person service if possible.
    Wed, 30 Nov 2022 - 02min
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