Advent - Already, Not Yet

Welcome to our Christmas Eve Service. Today we consider the Hope that we have in Christ. As we light the candle of hope, we celebrate the hope found in the first Advent. The hope that is grounded in the work and promises of God to His people. This hope points us forward to Jesus' second Advent.

This time of year our minds are filled with giving just the right gift to our loved ones. Sometimes we may give them something they need while other times we may give them something they want. Often when we choose to give them something they want, we are under the impression that giving what they want shows more love than if we gave them what they actually need. But how does giving work in God's economy? How does He give to us and how does He expect us to give to those around us? As we light the Advent candle of love this week, we learn from God's Word how the Lord gives to us out of love and why He gives the way He does. He sees a need in us that we don't even see ourselves. Listen to this week's sermon to learn more about how we are to show love to others by meeting their needs using Christ as our example.

Joy. It is what we as believers are to have in our lives. But if we are honest, when we look around our world, there is so much pain that it can make it difficult to hold onto that joy. However, the joy that God calls us to is not only for us. So what is the purpose of our joy in this world? And what did that joy look like when Jesus was born in a manger so many years ago?

In the hustle and bustle of the season, it is vital to take the time to observe this time of waiting in Advent. This week we take a look at what the first candle of Advent represents -- peace. Often we think peace should look a certain way in this world. But what if the peace we think we should see around us comes to us in pieces? And what is our role when it comes to peace? What does the Bible teach us during this season about peace in our lives when there is so lack of it around us?