Advent is the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

The Christian Advent season is the four Sundays preceding Christmas and either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  The advent wreath has four or five candles.  There are three purple candles, one pink candle on the wreath and some include a white candle in the middle.

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ADVENT                    COLOR           NAME                        REPRESENTS

1st Sunday                  Purple              Prophecy                     Hope

2nd Sunday                 Purple              Bethlehem                   Love

3rd Sunday                  Pink                 Shepherd’s                  Joy

4th Sunday                  Purple              Angel’s                       Peace

Christmas Eve or

  Christmas Day          White              Christ                          Purity

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In a loud voice she exclaimed; “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for you.  Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

Luke 1:41-45

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord….”

JOY:  the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.  One dictionary described JOY as bliss and another used “warm fuzzies” as a synonym. 

I do not think warm fuzzies even comes within 2,198,742,831 miles of this JOY.  A JOY so great John the Baptist leapt while in the womb.  A JOY so great Elizabeth knew Mary was the “mother of my Lord.”  A JOY so great a heavenly host joined the angel proclaiming the birth to the shepherds.

This tiny baby, foretold in the scriptures, is the GOOD NEWS!  This tiny baby, born to a virgin, brought JOY to all.  Brought JOY!

As you celebrate Christmas, do it with JOY!  Do it with GREAT DELIGHT!  And HAPPINESS!  And ELATION!

(Jesus reading in the synagogue in Nazareth) The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.  Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: (For reference: Isaiah 61:1-2)

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom

For the prisoners

And recovery of sight for the blind,

To release the oppressed,

To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened to him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Luke 4:17-21

GOOD NEWS!  FREEDOM!  RECOVERED SIGHT! RELEASE OF THE OPPRESSED!  SCRIPTURE FULFILLED!

If this does not fill you with JOY, then you are Mr. Scrooge and the Grinch all rolled up into one.  But remember – Mr. Scrooge bought the prize turkey and the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes.  That means there is still hope that you will be filled with JOY.