Advent: Week 1

First Sunday: December 2, 2012 - The "Prophecy Candle" (first purple candle) in remembrance of the prophets, primarily Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ (Isaiah 11:10). This candle represents hope or expectation in anticipation of the coming Messiah.

Have whoever is lighting the candle read:

• "We light this candle in hope, the bright hope of Jesus Christ our Savior."

Ask:

• What does it mean to hope?
• What are some things that you hope for?

Read:

• Romans 15:12-13

Activity:

• Everyone write a "hope" statement on a piece of paper.
  (I hope for ________ because _____________________.)
• Exchange papers and have that person pray for what the other person wrote.

Blow Out the Candle! 

"Let us then continually persevere in our hope, and the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, 'who bore our sins in His own body on the tree,' 'who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,' but endured all things for us, that we might live in Him. Let us then be imitators of His patience; and if we suffer for His name's sake, let us glorify Him. For He has set us this example in Himself, and we have believed that such is the case." —Polycarp (Turkey/69–155)