Advent - Week 4 - Love

By -
This Advent take time to slow down and embrace the season.

Week 4
This week we light the fourth candle of Advent Wreath. 

"We light this candle to symbolize the gift of God’s love in Jesus Christ."

SLOW DOWN, EMBRACE LOVE.



Questions:
What do you think of when you hear the word "love"?
Who do you think of?

Scripture:
Psalm 89:1-4; 20-26 
"I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David:
'I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.'" Selah
Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: "I have set the crown on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people.
I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him;
my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him.
I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.
My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.
He shall cry to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!' 

Discussion:
What does steadfast love mean?
What do love and covenant have to do with one another?
What might it mean that God's steadfast love is "established forever"?
What does this have to do with the Advent Season?
Who in your life is an example of this kind of love?

Activity:
Sometime before Christmas, write a note or card to someone who has shown you what it means to be a person of love or who you think is an example of God's love.  
This would be an incredible Christmas gift to give to someone.


May the power of Christ’s love transform our lives.

SLOW DOWN, EMBRACE LOVE.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Persistence is her name (a poem)

By -
Persistence "firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition." Persistence is her name. She stands when it would be more convenient to sit. She sits when others wish she would move. She moves when action is demanded. She speaks because her voice shall not be silenced nor stolen yet again. Persistence is her name. She has birthed nations. She has ended wars. She has toppled empires. She has nursed change. Persistence is her name. Mercy is found in the milk of her breast. Empathy is seen in the tears on her cheek. Justice is felt in the sweat of her brow. Righteousness is coursing in the blood in her veins. Persistence is her name. Difficulty will not stop her. Obstacles will not stand. Opposition will not cause delay. Trouble will not linger. Persistence is her name. Nevertheless, she persisted; for Persistence IS her name. — bshivers
Read more

Sermon - Signs and Symbols: Names

By -
Image
Signs and Symbols: Names This is the second sermon in a Lenten Sermon series titled "Signs and Symbols of Faith" at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. This one focuses on Names. It was preached on Sunday, February 25, 2024. The text of the sermon can also be found below. Third Lesson: Genesis 17:1-8, 15-20 (p. 13) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God of the mountains; God of the high places; God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I wi
Read more

Sermons - Signs and Symbols: Faith

By -
Image
Signs and Symbols: Faith/Anchor This is the fourth sermon in a Lenten Sermon series titled "Signs and Symbols of Faith" at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. This one focuses on Faith as an Anchor. It was preached on Sunday, March 10, 2024. The text of the sermon can also be found below. Second Lesson : Ephesians 2:1-10 You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which (God) loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with (Christ) and seated us with him in the heavenly p
Read more