In Advent we celebrate that Jesus’ kingdom has already come while we acknowledge that it has not yet come in fullness. Between the tension of “already” and “not yet,” our focus in Advent is often on the “not yet” as we look forward to Christ’s return. But for this Advent series, we decided to focus on the implications of the incarnation—the “already” side of the equation—by pairing passages from Romans with the narratives around Jesus’ birth. Those stories were represented by our Advent candles, lit by people in costume to bring the stories to life for our children. We also added a large, wrapped present representing the gifts each week (hope, love, joy, peace, and Jesus himself). On Christmas Eve we heard the surprising news from Romans 8 that the birth of Jesus means that we also are children of God. We ended our series on the Sunday after Christmas by contemplating our change in status: no longer are we slaves to sin; now we are slaves to righteousness.
Our church building has a balcony from which one of the readers for the Advent wreath lighting would speak. This reader described the larger context for the events the other readers narrated. In the readings below, you’ll find this balcony reader designated as the “voice from above.” If your church building does not have a balcony, consider how you might use sound technology to create a similar effect.
Week 1
The Gift of Hope
A voice cries, “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
We are preparing our hearts for the God of hopeto come into the world.
God’s love flows into our lives through the gift of the Christ child.
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with hope.
God calls us out of the exile of sin with the good news of restoration. God has built a highway through the wilderness; Immanuel has come into our lives, and we know that God has the power to keep God’s promises.
God calls us to strengthen our faith and prepare our hearts to glorify God.
We are hopeful people waiting for the return of our God.
—adapted from Isaiah 40:3 and Romans 4:21
Voice from above: God’s Old Testament story looks forward to the coming Messiah. Many times God’s people lost hope, but God was faithful to his promises. Luke records the blossoming of hope through the promised birth of a child to a couple who had long since abandoned all hope of children.
Reader 1: When Zechariah was fulfilling his duties in the temple, an angel appeared to him, and he was very afraid.
Voice from above: The angel promised Zechariah and Elizabeth, who were already very old, that they would have a son, whose job would be to prepare the way for the Messiah. “He will make ready a people for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).
Reader 2: After Zechariah expressed doubt, the angel responded, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news” (Luke 1:19). Just like Abraham and Sarah had to trust in God’s promise for a son, Zechariah, and Elizabeth had to hope against all hope (Romans 4:18). We also are called to put our hope in our promise-fulfilling God.
Reader 1: Lord, fill us with hope as we worship today.
Song: “He Came Down” Cameroon Traditional
Readers 1&2: We light this candle in hope, trusting in God’s promises. We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
[The candle is lit.]
Scripture: Romans 4:16–25
Sermon Notes
Hope can seem fragile, especially when you are in the middle of challenging circumstances. It can be “the thing with feathers – that perches in the soul,” in the words of Emily Dickinson. Yet hope can be durable and a source of strength. This was the case for Abraham. Romans 4:18 says, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be’”(Romans 4:18). Like Abraham and Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth were an older couple beyond hoping for a child. Yet into these hopeless situations God spoke a word of promise and gave them hope. We too are given the gift of hope in this Advent season.
- “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” Wesley
- “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” Mote
- “Hope Has a Name” Stanfill, Sooter, Curran
- “Op U, Mijn Heiland Blijf Ik Hopen / I Continue to Hope in You, My Savior” Sela.nl
Week 2
The Gift of Love
A voice cries, “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
We are preparing our hearts for the God of love to come into the world.
God’s love flows into our lives through the gift of the Christ child.
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with love.
God calls us out of the exile of sin with the good news of restoration. God has built a highway through the wilderness. Immanuel has come into our lives, and we know that God has the power to overcome sin and death.
God has come into our lives, turning our hearts toward God. In Jesus, we have received the ultimate gift of love.
—adapted from Isaiah 40:3 and Romans 5
Voice from above: God’s Old Testament story looks forward to the coming Messiah. Many times God’s people lost hope, but God was faithful to God’s promises.
Reader 1: When Mary received the news from the angel that she was to give birth to the Messiah, she was troubled.
Reader 2: The angel responded, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus”(Luke 1:30–31).
Reader 1: Mary then responded with fearful faith. We too must accept God’s gift of love believing that Jesus was the Messiah who would give up his life to save us.
Reader 2: Lord, fill us with love as we worship today.
Song: “He Came Down” Cameroon Traditional
Readers 1&2: We light this candle in love, trusting in God’s promises. We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
[The candle is lit.]
Scripture: Romans 5:12–21
Sermon Notes
A perfect gift reflects both the giver and the person receiving the gift, solidifying the intimacy of their relationship. In the birth of Jesus, God gave us an extravagant gift that reflects God’s boundless grace as well as our desperate need for him. This “abundant provision of grace” (Romans 5:17) is a gift of love, as Jesus says: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Through his death and resurrection, Jesus ushered us from the age of sin and death into the age of grace and his kingdom. Mary, the mother of Jesus, recognized the upheaval inherent in his birth: “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:52–53). This gift of love turns things over in our hearts and in our world, pointing us toward the age when God’s kingdom, where God rules the world with love, truth, and grace, will be fully realized.
- “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” Neale
- “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” Faber
- “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” Neale
- “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” Wesley
- “Love Came Down” Bentley, Smith
- “Magnificat” Sela, see songs for the season
Week 3
The Gift of Joy
A voice cries, “ In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
We are preparing our hearts for the God of joy to come into the world.
God’s joy flows into our lives through the gift of the Christ child.
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
God calls us out of the exile of sin with the good news of restoration. God has built a highway through the wilderness. Immanuel has come into our lives, and we know that God has the power to keep God’s promises.
God calls us to strengthen our faith and prepare our hearts to glorify God.
We are joyful people waiting for the return of our God.
—adapted from Isaiah 40:3 and Romans 4:21
[For this reading, the readers voice the thoughts of the shepherds. Consider having them dress as shepherds or carry a staff or stuffed lamb]
Voice from above: The coming of the Messiah not only turned death into life, but shattered all of the world’s expectations. How could it possibly make sense for the news of the birth of the Savior of the world to come to lowly and inconsequential shepherds?
Shepherd 1: We were terrified by the arrival of the angel, by the blazing light, and by the unexpected interruption of our quiet night watching sheep.
Shepherd 2: Then one angel turned into a whole company of heavenly beings bringing good news of great joy.
Shepherd 1: We were still terrified, but also excited and full of questions!
Shepherd 2: We did the only thing we could do: we ran to Bethlehem to see if this good news was true.
Congregation: Like the shepherds, we have been startled by the great joy of new life in Christ.
Song: “He Came Down” Cameroon Traditional
Voice from above: We, too, have come to see this great gift.
Congregation: We will be forever changed by Christ’s coming and will leave this place to tell the world that the Savior of the world has come to set us free from the power of sin.
Shepherds 1&2: We light this candle of joy to remind us of the joyful news we are called to share: God is with us.
[The candle is lit.]
Scripture: Romans 6:1–14
Sermon Notes
So many popular Christmas songs are about being with someone. Classics such as “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and more recent hits such as “All I Want for Christmas Is You” describe how we experience joy in the presence of those we love. Christmas should also remind us of another significant source of joy: being with Jesus. Romans 6:8 tells us that those who have died with Christ also will live with him. Throughout Romans 6, the key word is “with”—buried with, crucified with, risen with, live with. Because we are with Jesus, we are “set free for joyful obedience,” as the contemporary testimony “Our World Belongs to God” states in paragraph 6. We reflect the attitude of the shepherds who were given good news of great joy in Luke 2 and couldn’t help telling people about it. In this season when there is so much emphasis on whom you are with, we recognize Immanuel, God with us.
- “He Has Made Me Glad” Brethorst
- “O Come, All Ye Faithful” Wade and Oakeley
- “How Great Our Joy” Baker
- “Joy to the World” Watts
- “Gaudete / We Rejoice” Sela, see songs for the season
Week 4
The Gift of Peace
A voice cries, “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
We are preparing our hearts for the God of peace to come into the world.
God’s peace flows into our lives through the gift of the Christ child. With the singing angels, let us praise God’s name and tell the world God’s story.
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with peace.
We join our voices with the heavenly beings and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Immanuel has the power to overcome sin and death.
God has come into our lives, turning our hearts toward him. We have received the ultimate gift of peace in Jesus.
—adapted from Isaiah 40:3 and Psalm 126:3
Reader 1: We light this candle of peace to remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
[The candle is lit.]
Reader 2: In Jesus we shall live securely as Christ’s peace extends to the ends of the earth.
Congregation: God of Peace, you send us the Prince of Peace.
We long for his peace to rule our lives and our relationships.
We yearn for every corner of your world to be subject to your peace.
We eagerly await the day when your whole flock
will live in the security of your peace.
May we, through the power of your Spirit,
shine the peace of Christ in the darkness.
Song: “He Came Down” Cameroon Traditional
Scripture: Romans 5:1–11
Sermon Notes
Another theme around Christmas is the longing for peace. Our Christmas cards often have words about peace written over a tranquil scene. The peace announced by the angels in Luke 2, however, is not just the absence of conflict. This peace is closer to the Old Testament word shalom, which denotes wholeness—the way things are supposed to be. Romans 5:1 says that because we have been justified through faith we have peace with God. We were once opposed to God because of our sin, but now we are at peace. In the coming kingdom of Christ there is flourishing and wholeness, peace and reconciliation. The angels’ chorus of praise reminds us that the birth of Christ brought both glory to God and this peace to earth, “to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). As recipients of that peace. we seek to live into it.
- “Toda la tierra / All Earth Is Waiting” Vaquero
- “Hark, the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes” Doddridge
- “Angels We Have Heard on High” Traditional French
- “Joy to the World” Watts
- “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” Wesley
- “Peace Has Come” Hastings, Simmons
Christmas Eve
The Gift of Jesus
A voice cries, “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
We wait at the manger with awe, preparing our hearts for Jesus to come into the world.
God’s love flows into our lives through the gift of the Christ child.
The Holy Spirit brings us new life and gives us peace.
The Lord has done great things for us.
Our hearts rejoice because the sins and sorrow of this world
crumble under the wonders of God’s love.
There is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ.
We are no longer living in the exile of sin.
We have been brought near to God as dearly loved children.
God calls us to accept our new life and prepare our hearts to glorify God.
Today we celebrate God’s gift of Jesus.
—adapted from Isaiah 40:3 and Romans 8
Voice from above: God’s Old Testament story looked forward to the coming Messiah.
All of the characters are now in place. Like the shepherds and the angels, we have come to Bethlehem to see the baby and adore him. God has fulfilled his promise to send the Messiah.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
Joseph: So I also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because I belonged to the house and line of David.
Mary: Joseph took me along when he went there to register, because I was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While we were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and I gave birth to our firstborn, a son. I wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for us.
Voice from above: 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,
Angel: “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 a sign to you: You will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Voice from above: Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying,
Angel: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
—Luke 2:1–14, adapt.
Joseph and Mary: Like the shepherds, our response to Jesus’ birth is to stand amazed, to lift our voices in praise, and to share the good news.
Angel: We light this candle as a sign that the light of the world has come.
[The candle is lit.]
Song: “He Came Down” Cameroon Traditional
Scripture: Romans 8:14–17
Sermon Notes
Sometimes we give gifts to fulfill an obligation or expectation. Maybe we’re part of a Secret Santa exchange or a baby shower for a coworker. Even with gifts for our children or grandchildren, we try to make sure to include all the batteries or accessories so when the gift is opened our obligation is done. The gift of Jesus is different because through him God has taken on further obligations by adding more dependents. Romans 8 says the Spirit we received brought about our adoption as God’s children so that we too can cry “Abba, Father.” In Galatians 4, the apostle Paul directly ties Jesus’ birth with our rebirth as children of God, saying: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children” (Galatians 4:4–5, NRSV). On this Christmas Eve, we celebrate that Jesus’ birth didn’t only fulfill God’s obligation, but made us adopted children of our heavenly Father.
- “Angels We Have Heard on High” Traditional French
- “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Brooke
- “Silent Night! Holy Night!” Mohr
- “Christmas Night Over Bethlehem” Sela, see songs for the season
Week 5
The Results of the Gifts
Scripture: Romans 6:15–23
Sermon Notes
As we noted on Christmas Eve, the birth of Jesus means that we have been freed from slavery to sin, but also that we have been freed for a relationship with God. More specifically, our freedom from slavery to sin gives us the freedom to obey God. We obey God as beloved children, not as slaves, and we are willing to do what God asks us to do. Mary, the mother of Jesus, exemplifies this kind of obedience when she says, “I am the Lord’s servant. . . . May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38). The word for “servant” in Luke 1 is the same as that for “slave” in Romans 6. Some call Mary the first Christian because to be a Christian is to daily declare: “I am the Lord’s servant; may your word to me be fulfilled.” As we end this season of Advent, as we remember the gifts Jesus has given to us, let us also offer ourselves to God as servants.
- “Let Us Be Known by Our Love” Armstrong, Flannigan, Massey, Moore
(Lyrics available in Spanish from The Porter’s Gate) - “Christ Has No Body Now but Yours” Ogden, Porter’s Gate
- “Your Praise Goes On” Crowder, Pardo, Glover, Sojka
- “Jesus, the Light of the World” Elderkin, Wesley
- “God Reigns! Earth Rejoices!” Morgan