The last candle of advent is the Christ candle.
The Christ candle represents Christ and His role in the Christmas story. He became the light of the world as just a small baby, lying in a manger.
Christ connects all the advent candles. It is through Him that we have hope, peace, joy, and love.
Christ stepped down into darkness to light the whole world – John 8:12.
We cannot be Christians without Christ. Without Him, our works and our purpose on earth mean nothing.
Christ is the Good News of salvation and we must share it across the entire world.
Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation for the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
The word “advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means coming or arrival.
In 4th and 5th century Spain and Gaul, advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians during the January feast of Epiphany.
In the 6th century, Roman Christians had tied advent to the coming of Christ – but not His birth in Bethlehem. Instead, their anticipation and preparation was for His second coming as the judge of the world.
It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that advent was linked to Christ’s first coming at Christmas.
During advent, we look back on Christ’s coming as a babe in celebration, while at the same time looking forward in anticipation to His second coming.
Israel looked for the coming Messiah. We look forward to His return. Yet we both have the same cry of our hearts:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
May we look towards His second coming with hope. May we have peace in knowing that He WILL come again. Let our joy be magnified in the waiting, encouraging others to seek Him. Last, but certainly not least, may we love with the very same love that first loved us.
We eagerly await the Savior – Philippians 3:20-21.
