LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH: The First Candle

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 11:1-2

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

LESSON

God has a plan for everything. Long before Jesus was born lived a man named Jesse. Jesse had seven sons; the youngest was named David. When David grew up, he became a great king of Israel. God had a plan for Jesse and for his son David, even before they were born. Jesus was also part of Jesse and David’s family tree, born many, many years after David. People waited a long time for the birth of the savior. The season of Advent is a season of waiting for us, too. We wait for Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is hard to be patient, especially when we are waiting for something wonderful like Christmas! But it is important to learn to be patient, and to trust that God has a plan for us, too.

THINK OR TALK ABOUT

Why is waiting so hard?

PRAYER

Dear God, thank you that you have a plan for each of us.
Help us to be patient as we wait for Christmas,
when we will celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Amen.

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord Jesus, light of the world,
born in David’s city of Bethlehem,
born like him to be a king:
be born in our hearts at Christmas,
be King of our lives today.
Amen.