Sunday, November 29, 2020

Advent Candle #1: Prepare Him Room


LEFC Family Advent Readings: Let Earth Receive Her King!
Psalm 98 :: November 29, 2020
Week #1: Prepare Him Room


“Advent” means “coming.” Christmas is coming. Jesus has come and is coming again.

During this year’s unique Advent season, our Advent readings will focus on Psalm 98, the psalm the hymnwriter Isaac Watts was contemplating when he wrote the Christmas carol, “Joy to the World.” 

Psalm 98 is a victory song–jubilantly celebrating the marvelous things the Lord has done and will do.

[READ PSALM 98:1-3]

Our first candle is a candle of preparation.

[LIGHT FIRST CANDLE]

Psalm 98 looks back on the Lord’s triumphs in Israel’s history and also looks forward to the Lord’s salvation which is coming to the whole world. This song prophesied the coming of the Messiah, the right hand and holy arm of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, worked our salvation on the Cross, rose from the dead, and will soon return bringing the blessings of salvation to the ends of the earth.

Psalm 98 invites us to receive the Lord with great rejoicing. And it also raises the question, “Are we ready for Him?”

Just as we are all preparing for the coming of Christmas, we should be preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ.

Let this first candle shine to remind us to repent of our sins and receive the King Jesus as our Savior, and ready our hearts to receive King Jesus as Lord. 

“Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev'ry heart prepare him room,
And heav'n and nature sing!”

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