Advent means waiting. We wait for the day when we will celebrate our Savior, coming among us as one of us to pay for our sins and give us power over sin and death through the Holy Spirit.  

May you know Immanuel, God with us, the Son of God, this Christmas season.

Week 1: Christ, the Anointed One

At the beginning of his earthly ministry, Jesus stood in the temple and read from the scroll of Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus, God’s chosen Son, the anointed one, came filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, announcing good news to the poor, freedom for those trapped in slavery, sight to those who were blind, relief for those carrying heavy burdens. God’s favor rested on Him.

Through one man, Adam, sin entered the world, and death through sin which spread to all men. Through another man, Christ, came an abundance of grace, the undeserved gift of having our sins forgiven, of being made right with God.

As we prepare to light the first Advent candle and prepare our hearts to receive our king, let’s take a moment to remember Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, who came as flesh and blood to live among us. He not only paid the price for our sins on the cross, he gave us the power to overcome sin and death.

Let’s pray:

Father, thank you for sending Christ, the anointed one, chosen and set apart to live among us and become the payment for our sins, to set us free from slavery, to open our eyes when we were blind, to provide relief from our heavy burdens. Prepare our hearts to receive our coming king as we wait for his arrival.

(These are scripts read at church during the lighting of the Advent wreath).