LEFC Family Advent Readings
Advent Week #1 - "Joy To the World: The Lord Has Come"
“Humility and Majesty” - 2 Corinthians 8:9
December 2, 2007
“Advent” means “coming.” Christmas is coming. Jesus has come and is coming again.
This Advent season, we are preparing our hearts for Christmas by contemplating the differences between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming.
In His first advent, Jesus came in surprising humility. In His second advent, He will come with full majesty.
[READ 2 Corinthians 8:9.]
Jesus went from riches to rags!
He was the Lord of glory, but He allowed Himself to become a little baby born to a peasant woman and placed in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn.
He went from riches to rags for us!
But when Jesus returns, He will no longer be a baby wrapped in cloths. He will be a glorious God-man coming in full majesty.
We are waiting for the blessed hope “the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
[LIGHT FIRST CANDLE (ONE OF THE PINK ONES)]
This first Sunday of Advent, we light a candle to remind us that Jesus became poor for us so that we could become rich in Him and to long for His glorious appearing.
Advent Bible Study for Families
1. As a family, read Luke 2:1-24. What details in this passage point to Jesus’ humility and his family’s poverty? Why might it be surprising that Jesus came in this way?
2. Re-read 2 Corinthians 8:9. How is it “grace” that Jesus became poor for our sake? Why is this good news? In the context, Paul is teaching on generosity. How should Jesus’ humility affect our giving?
3. Read Titus 2:11-15. Jesus’ second coming will be glorious and majestic. What difference does this make for your family? How does this passage say we should live while we wait for our “blessed hope?” Make a list and have each family member pray for one of those things to be true of your family.
4. As a family, sing Joy to the World, the Christmas Carol by Isaac Watts. Joy to the World is actually more about Jesus’ second advent than His first:
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Advent Week #1 - "Joy To the World: The Lord Has Come"
“Humility and Majesty” - 2 Corinthians 8:9
December 2, 2007
“Advent” means “coming.” Christmas is coming. Jesus has come and is coming again.
This Advent season, we are preparing our hearts for Christmas by contemplating the differences between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming.
In His first advent, Jesus came in surprising humility. In His second advent, He will come with full majesty.
[READ 2 Corinthians 8:9.]
Jesus went from riches to rags!
He was the Lord of glory, but He allowed Himself to become a little baby born to a peasant woman and placed in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn.
He went from riches to rags for us!
But when Jesus returns, He will no longer be a baby wrapped in cloths. He will be a glorious God-man coming in full majesty.
We are waiting for the blessed hope “the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
[LIGHT FIRST CANDLE (ONE OF THE PINK ONES)]
This first Sunday of Advent, we light a candle to remind us that Jesus became poor for us so that we could become rich in Him and to long for His glorious appearing.
Advent Bible Study for Families
1. As a family, read Luke 2:1-24. What details in this passage point to Jesus’ humility and his family’s poverty? Why might it be surprising that Jesus came in this way?
2. Re-read 2 Corinthians 8:9. How is it “grace” that Jesus became poor for our sake? Why is this good news? In the context, Paul is teaching on generosity. How should Jesus’ humility affect our giving?
3. Read Titus 2:11-15. Jesus’ second coming will be glorious and majestic. What difference does this make for your family? How does this passage say we should live while we wait for our “blessed hope?” Make a list and have each family member pray for one of those things to be true of your family.
4. As a family, sing Joy to the World, the Christmas Carol by Isaac Watts. Joy to the World is actually more about Jesus’ second advent than His first:
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
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