Advent & Christmas

JESUS 

 is the Reason 

for the Season

In dictionary "advent" means the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. For Christians it is the first season of the Christian church year, leading to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Christmas season for Christians actually begins on Christmas Eve and lasts for twelve days, ending on 6 January. Therefore Advent is a Christian season of preparation for Christmas the Nativity of Jesus. Advent is also a time of repentance as we�re reminded of how much we ourselves also need a Saviour, and we look forward to our Saviour�s second coming even as we prepare to celebrate his first coming at Christmas.

Also is a time in Christian theology about the coming of Christ the first and the second, where the scripture reading for Advent will reflect and emphasise on the Second Advent, including themes of accountability for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life. We focus on Christ past and future, as we affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. Purple is the colour of Advent, it is colour of penitence and fasting, and also the colour of royalty as we await the coming of the Messiah. Jesus our King, Lord and Saviour, the Word made flesh who will dwell among us to reveal God and His grace to the world through His life and teachings, and through his suffering, death, and resurrection which save us for our sins and gave us salvation.

The circle of the Advent wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. Candles (3 purple + 1 pink form the outer circle and 1 white candle in center) symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son. The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. The fifth candle, located in the center of the wreath is known as the Christ Candle which reminds us that the incarnation is the heart of the season, giving light to the world.

The candle are lighted beginning with the first new purple candle (symbolise Hope) on the first Sunday of Advent, the next new purple candle (symbolise Peace) is lighted on the Second Sunday of Advent together with the First Sunday of Advent purple candle. On the Third Sunday of Advent the pink candle (symbolise Joy) is lighted together with the purple candles of the First and Second Sunday of Advent. On the fourth or last Sunday of Advent, the last new purple candle (symbolise Love) is lighted together with rest of the purple and pink candles. The white candle "the Christ candle" is lighted on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

John 3:17-21

17 �Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.�