EVERY HEART PREPARE

We decorate in preparation for Christmas. In November and December people spend hours putting up lights in their living space and ornaments on their evergreens. Poinsettias are placed on the mantel and presents under the tree, and we “deck the halls with boughs of holly.” These Christmas decorations bring enjoyment and anticipation to the holiday.

Advent is the church’s season of preparation for Christmas, for the coming of the Lord. This Advent season, as part of our preparation, we reflect upon three common Christmas decorations and how they help us see Christ and prepare for His coming: evergreens, lights, and the creche. Then on Christmas we will focus on the decorated presents which point us to the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.

Midweek Week One

EVERGREENS

As we decorate in preparation for Christmas, our decoration preparation includes the use of evergreens—from Christmas trees to pine garland. The evergreen decorations also help us prepare for the advent (or coming) of Jesus during Advent—a season of preparation. Today we will consider how evergreens point us to the coming of Christ and the eternal life that He brings.

Midweek Week Two

LIGHTS

Our decoration preparation includes the use of lights—from candles to twinkling LEDs. These luminous decorations also help us prepare for the advent (or coming) of Jesus during Advent, a season of preparation. Today we will consider how lights point us to the coming of Christ and the glory He brings.

Midweek Week Three

CRÈCHE

We decorate in preparation for Christmas. Our decoration preparation includes the use of the crèche—the miniature model of the nativity scene. The crèche is a distinctively Christian decoration in that it depicts the characters involved in the nativity of Christ: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Wise Men, the angels, the stable animals, and—most important of all—the infant Jesus. As we view this manger scene, we recall the timeless story of God coming to earth as a baby to redeem us from our sins.

Christmas Day

WRAPPED PRESENTS

We decorate for Christmas. Our decorations include wrapped presents—gifts in colorful boxes and bags that are placed under the Christmas tree. But these gifts all pale in comparison to the gift that started it all at Christmas—the gift of God’s Son, whose birth brings us regeneration, renewal, and eternal life. On Christmas [Eve], we consider how the gifts under the tree point us to God’s indescribable gift in Jesus Christ.

^“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”