Yesterday would have been the first Sunday of Advent. Lighting the advent candle and reading the advent readings at church are some of my favorite ways to remember why we celebrate Christmas. Traditionally the advent wreath has 4 outer candles with one center candle. Each candle represents something about the Christmas season. Our pastor started preaching a series of sermons about what the advent candles represent. You can listen to them here.
The first candle is the Joy candle.
Luke 2:8-15
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afriad!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven-praising God:
"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to all whom God favors."
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds siad to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
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