Happy Advent Sunday! It’s Week Two of Advent which begins the Countdown to Christmas Eve and the arrival of our Lord Jesus.
To celebrate, each Advent Sunday we read scripture and Bible verses, bake something to go with it and do our Advent candles.
We made our Advent Wreath and the 3 purple candles last week in Advent Week One – Hope
Here’s a quick overview of Advent:
Sunday 2 — Peace: Bethlehem Candle (purple)
Sunday 3 — Joy: Shepherd’s Candle (pink)
Sunday 4 — Love: Angel’s Candle (purple)
Christmas Eve — Christ’s Candle (white)
Let’s get started!
Sunday 2 — Peace: Bethlehem Candle – purple
The old testament prophets – The Candle of Peace
Peace is like a light shining in a dark place. As we look at this candle we celebrate the peace we find in Jesus Christ.
The Bible Project shares that the word most often translated as “peace” in the Hebrew Bible is shalom but its meaning goes beyond the definition of the absence of conflict — it’s about wholeness, completeness and everything being as it should be. It’s about God reconciling with man – peace on earth and in heaven. It’s about the presence of God.
“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.”
— Isaiah 9:6
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He restores what’s spiritually broken within us. He is the only one who can bring true peace, redemption and spiritual harmony brought about by our reconciliation with God.
My girls and I have been through a lot (that’s a story for another day), but the one constant, the one who gave us strength and helped us through it all is God and Jesus. We wouldn’t be where we are today without our faith. We find peace in knowing Jesus is there for us no matter where we are — He meets us where we need Him most.
Today’s Song is: Away in a Manger
Today’s Food is: Potato Bread – here’s why we will be making bread today:
There’s 2 Hebrew words for Bethlehem: Beth (house of) and lehem (bread). So Bethlehem means House of Bread. Jesus was born in the “House of Bread” — isn’t that neat since He is also the bread of life!?!
John 6:35 says, “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall not thirst.’”
Today’s Prayer: Father, prepare our hearts to celebrate your birth joyfully! We thank you for faithfully doing what you promised long ago when you sent your Son to earth so that we might have the chance to become part of your family. Let the promise of your second coming inspire us to live with hope, peace and purpose.
As we wait for your plan to unfold, give us the patience we need. Remind us of the peace we can access when we take time to still ourselves before you and remember that you are God. We thank you that you are both sovereign and gracious.
Lighting our Candles
We attached the Peace candle using wax that’s meant to attach candles to their holders. It’s pliable and you warm it in your hands before attaching it. It actually works quite well!
Here’s our wreaths with our Hope and Peace candles – I think they all look amazing!
Here are the Advent Wreaths lit:
Today’s Peace Scripture is from Luke 2:8-21:
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord, appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be assigned to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things, and pondered them in her heart. The shepherd returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard, and seen, which were just as they had been told.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
Today’s Bible Verses:
Micah 5:2
Isaiah 40:1-11
Mark 1:1-8
Luke 1:47, 2:4-6 and 3:4
And that’s the 2nd Sunday of Advent. We especially enjoy this time of year. We re-direct our focus to God and the birth of Jesus, reflect on the past year, let go of things that simply do not matter and remember what is truly important.
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours