Advent Candle #2: O Come, Thou Dayspring

LEFC Family Advent Readings: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Luke 1:76-79 :: December 5, 2021

Week #2: O Come, Thou Dayspring 

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

Our Advent readings this season center upon the lyrics of the classic Advent song, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

[LIGHT FIRST CANDLE AGAIN.]

Our first candle reflected on the title “Emmanuel” itself. “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” The Messiah would be called “Emmanuel” because God has never abandoned His people. Instead, Jesus came to ransom us from our sins.

[LIGHT SECOND CANDLE.]

The second verse names the Coming One as the “Dayspring:”

“O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight.”

The idea of the Messiah as “Dayspring” is found in Zechariah’s Song from the Gospel of Luke. The father of John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied of John’s future ministry as the forerunner of the Christ.

[READ LUKE 1:76-79.]

The Messiah will be the “Dayspring,” the Sunrise come to us from heaven.

May this second candle shine like the rising sun in our hearts, reminding us that though our world has been darkened by sin and death, our Lord Jesus has come to dispel the shadowy gloom and spread the joy of His daylight in our souls.

“Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!”