Advent Readings and Scriptures for Each Week of Advent

On the first week of Advent, as we light the Hope Candle on the Advent wreath, also known as the Prophecy Candle, we are reminded to prepare our hearts for the fore-told birth of Jesus. This candle symbolizes the hope and anticipation of the coming Messiah, promised throughout the Old Testament. It reminds us of the prophecies that foretold Jesus’s birth and of the faithful waiting of God’s people for the Savior.

Readings:

• Genesis 3:14-15 - "So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
• Isaiah 7:14 - "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
• Isaiah 9:2 - "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
• Is. 11:1-10 - "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked....In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious."

Why read these verses this week? Many people feel tempted to skip over the Old Testament prophecies (literally, hundreds of them) of Jesus’ birth. But people do so at great peril. God did not include the first 39 books of the Bible for no reason. Throughout the Old Testament, we see the story of a people needing redemption and a Savior. As Israel found themselves falling prey to foreign nation after nation, they realized that not only did they need a physical Savior, but a spiritual one as well.

Throughout the Old Testament, in the Psalms, Isaiah, and even in Genesis, we see the Bible foretelling a Savior who would defeat the greatest enemy of all: sin. Jesus’ birth was not only a miracle in the sense of the virgin birth but also a miracle in terms of prophecies fulfilled centuries later.

It may seem odd to have an Advent reading that comes from the Old Testament, but we also have to keep in mind the Early Church, before they had the canon of the New Testament finished in 70 AD, preached and taught the Old Testament. All of Scripture is God-breathed, after all.

Let's Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we see your evident faithfulness in the entire story of the Bible. Your story of redemption doesn’t start in the Book of Matthew, but rather, we have even seen the first prophecies in Genesis 3. You always intended to save humanity, and you did so at such a great cost. May we remember your promises this Advent season. May the hope we have through the birth of Jesus Christ fill us with all joy and gladness. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Learn from our How-to Guide on Advent Wreaths for celebrating this Christmas season.

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On the second week of Advent, we light the Peace Candle, also known as the Bethlehem Candle. This candle symbolizes the peace that Jesus brings to our hearts and to the world. It reminds us of the preparations made in Bethlehem for the arrival of the Savior, as well as the humble and quiet circumstances of His birth.

Reading:

• Isaiah 9:6-7 - "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this."
• Luke 1:5 - 2:52

Why read these verses this week?

We read Isaiah as we light the Peace Candle, we focus on the fact that Jesus is the Prince of Peace who offers a peace that surpasses all understanding and remains with us regardless of life’s challenges. This second week of Advent invites us to prepare our hearts, just as Bethlehem was prepared for Jesus, making room for God’s peace in our lives and in our relationships.

You cannot have an Advent reading without reading about Jesus’ birth. Although Jesus’ birth appears in two Gospel accounts, Luke has the most extensive version of it. You’ve likely heard the story many times. Either you’ve seen your child perform as an angel in a church pageant, or you’ve seen the Charlie Brown Christmas special where Linus reads from Luke 2.

So it may seem monotonous to dive into the Luke 2 account. But this time, I encourage you to try to catch something in the story you hadn’t before. Maybe ask yourself what it would be like from the perspective of the shepherds or the innkeeper. Write your new insights and share them with your family. If you cannot come up with a new perspective, ask the Spirit to speak to your heart as you read the account in Luke.

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for sending your Son, our Prince of Peace, to us in the Christmas story we find in Luke 2. God, I know I may have heard this story a dozen different ways. Help me to realize the astounding truth of the miracle of Jesus’ birth. And let me pick up on the small details: why you chose shepherds to see Jesus first, why Jesus had to be born in a stable, the importance of the town of Bethlehem … the list can go on. Help me to experience the glimpses of joy everyone present at Jesus’ birth would’ve felt. Fill me with everlasting peace because of the gift of salvation Jesus offers us. Amen. 

Third Sunday (Week 3) of Advent Readings: Joy in Christ as Savior

On the third week of Advent, we light the Joy Candle, also known as the Shepherd’s Candle. This candle is often pink, symbolizing a shift from the somberness of repentance to the joy of the coming Savior. It reminds us of the joy that filled the shepherds’ hearts when the angels announced Jesus’s birth, declaring “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10).

Readings:

• Isaiah 65:18 - "But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy."
• Colossians 1:19-20 - "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
• John 3:16-17 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
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Why read these verses this week?

Easter and Christmas usually are about three to four months apart in the calendar year, but for some reason, we don’t often associate the two with one another. But the birth of Jesus should make us think about Easter. After all, Jesus came to earth not for us to exchange presents but to ultimately save humanity from their sins. Think about the profound nature of Jesus’ birth. Those tiny fingerprints would eventually stretch out on a cross.

God chose to come to earth in the most humble way, lived a humble life, and died a humiliating death. All for us. Oh, the profundity of his love and the joy we have from the Good News of Jesus' birth..

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you could’ve come to earth as a king or a rich man, but instead, you chose a humble birth and life. May we remember the true reason we celebrate this season. Not to exchange gifts or enjoy Christmas light displays but to recognize the solemnity of your death and resurrection that would come 30 years after you entered this earth. Thank you for the Good News of great joy. Thank you for your sacrifice, Jesus. Amen.

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On the fourth week of Advent, we light the Love Candle, also known as the Angel’s Candle. This candle represents the love God demonstrated in sending His Son to the world and reminds us of the angelic message proclaiming Christ’s birth to the shepherds. The angel announced that Jesus came out of God’s great love for humanity, fulfilling His promise to redeem us.

Readings:

• John 13:34-35 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
• 1 John 4:9-16 - "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

Why read these verses this week?

Families, especially children, may be eager to unwrap presents and to get, get, get, but these advent readings can remind us how God did nothing but give when he sent Jesus to earth.

A Prayer:

Jesus, it’s oh so easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas. That you gave. You gave your life so that we could have life abundant. May we not get lost in the consumerism and greed that often accompanies this season. Give us a spirit of compassion and charity so that we may bless others this time of year, and throughout the year. Not just in December. Amen. 

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we light the Christ Candle, which is typically white and sits in the center of the Advent wreath. This candle represents Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, whose birth we celebrate on Christmas. The Christ Candle reminds us that all the hope, peace, joy, and love symbolized by the other Advent candles find their fulfillment in Jesus.

Readings:

• John 1:1-5, 9-14 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it... The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
• Matthew 1:22-23 - "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')."

A Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Tonight, we light the Christ Candle, celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World. We thank You for the gift of Your Son, who came to bring hope, peace, joy, and love to our hearts and to a world in need. As we light this candle, may it remind us of the light that shines in the darkness—a light that the darkness can never overcome.

Lord, fill our hearts with the warmth of Your presence and help us carry Your light into the world. May we be reflections of Your love, bringing hope and peace to those around us. Let this Christmas be a reminder of Your promise to be with us always, through Jesus, our Savior. In His precious name, we pray, Amen.

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