ADVENT SUNDAYS

 

There are only 4 Sundays until Christmas. Tuesday is December 1, the time to start your advent calendar. This year, Advent Sundays begin on November 29.

Early Christians had a special advent calendar.  It involved lighting a candle on every Sunday before Christmas and talking about Jesus Christ and the example He set for us. It was taken from ancient pagan rituals of Europe and, like many other of our Christmas traditions, were borrowed and used to teach Christian principles.  

I have borrowed the candle idea to teach my family about Jesus, beginning even before He was born.  Many critics argue that there is "too much Jesus before Jesus" in the Book of Mormon, but as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I understand that Jesus has lived from everlasting to everlasting (see Moroni 7:22) He was the foreordained Savior in the very beginning, before the world was even created.

We all lived as spirit children with our Heavenly Father.  Father had a plan for us; He would create a world where we could come to get bodies.  He would give us our agency, which meant we could choose right or wrong.  He wouldn’t force us.  He knew that we would sometimes make wrong choices.  We would need someone to Save us.  He called us all together in a great council and explained His plan.  He asked for volunteers to take the important role of Savior.  His son, Jehovah, said He would go down and follow the Father’s plan. Another son, Lucifer, said he would go down and do things his own way.  He would take away our agency and use force.  He said he would save us all, but that he wanted all the glory and power of the Father.  Heavenly Father chose the first.  The second son became so angry, that he rebelled and caused a war in Heaven.  He and all of the spirits who followed him were cast out.

Jehovah used Heavenly Father’s plan and created the world in which we live.  He created Adam and Eve, our first parents.  Satan (for that is who Lucifer became) tried to ruin Father’s plan by tempting Eve.  What he didn’t realize (because he didn’t know the mind of God) was to move the plan forward. God told Satan that he might be able to bruise mankind’s heels, but that one day, a man would crush his head.  That was the first recorded prophecy about the coming of a Savior.

Each of the four candles in the outside of the ring, represents one of the four Sundays before Christmas. The lighting of the candles is, therefore, a form of countdown to Christmas. It helps focus our attention (particularly children's attention) on the Savior at Christmas.

The first candle is for hope.  We all have hope for the future because of Jesus Christ.  All of the ancient prophets knew that He would keep His promise and come atone for our sins, die, and be resurrected.  Here are just three of those prophecies from the Old Testament and examples from Jesus’ life in the New Testament that to show how He fulfills the prophecy. There are many other examples.

Isaiah 7:14 -Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us.)

Luke 1: 26, 27, 31 – And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a many whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. . . And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Matthew 1: 23 – Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Micah 5: 2 – But thou, Bethlehem, . . . though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Luke 2: 1, 4-5 – And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. . . And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judah, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. . .

Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Luke 2: 6-7 – And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

The Book of Mormon prophets also foretold the coming of Jesus. 

1 Nephi 11: 14, 15 - And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what [do you see?]

And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

Alma 7:10 -. . . he shall be born of Mary, . . . she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring for a son, yea, even the Son of God.

Hope of Israel

You can search for others at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints