Prophecy Candle
Read: Isaiah 40:1-5
The first candle we light is called the Prophecy Candle. To prophesy means to tell about something that is going to happen in the future. Long before Jesus was born, God promised he would send a Savior. We will hear how Jesus' coming was promised long ago.
Angel Candle
Read: Luke 1:26-35
The second candle we light is called the Angel Candle. The angel Gabriel visited Mary to announce that she would give birth to Jesus just as the prophets foretold. There were also angels who appeared to the shepherds telling them where to find the child who would save the world from their sins.
The Angel Candle reminds us that Jesus' birth was not like any other.
Bethlehem Candle
Read: Micah 5:2, 4-5a
The third candle we light is the Bethlehem candle. It reminds us that Jesus was born to be the Savior of all people. Long before Jesus was born God promised Abraham that the Savior was to come for all people because all people need to have their sins taken away by him.
When Jesus was born God sent special messengers to tell the people that the Savior had come to earth. These special messengers were the angels who appeared to the shepherds.
The Bethlehem candle not only represents the birthplace of Jesus, but the announcement of his birth to all people.
Shepherd Candle
Read: Luke 2:8-20
The fourth candle we light is the Shepherd candle. It tells us that Jesus has come into our hearts and into our lives. We light the Shepherd candle to remind us that our faith should be like the shepherds' faith. We should love the Lord more than anything else and believe him always.
Our faith does not stop in our hearts. It must proceed to our lips. We must tell others about our faith in Jesus. We are saved because we believe Jesus was born to save us from our sins. We will want to tell others that he was born and died to save them too. This is faith in our lives.
Christ Candle
The time of waiting is over; our Lord is born. Now we light the Christ candle to remind us that all of God's gifts - Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love - are to be found in God's greatest gift, His Son, Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Almighty God, we thank You for the gift of Your Son, born of the Holy Spirit and of Mary.
Upon Him rests all Your grace, through Him comes all Your mercy.
As the light shines from these candles, so may the light of Jesus shine within our hearts.
Help us to make Your church the light of the world.
We ask in the name of the One born in Bethlehem.
Amen
