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Many of the decorations we use at this time of year, especially the greenery, reflect European traditions. But one colorful plant very prevalent and popular for this season is a native to the American continent, and has now found its way to Europe as well. I’m referring to the Poinsettia. It was named after Dr. Joel Robert Poinset, an ambassador to Mexico who first introduced it to the United States in 1828. The people of Mexico and Central America call the brilliant tropical plant the “Flower of the Holy Night.” The Poinsettia is a many-pointed star that has become for some a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. Dr. Poinset admired the beauty of the bright red plant that grew rooftop high and bloomed profusely at Christmas. He discovered that Mexican Christians used these plants as part of their celebration of the birth and life of Christ.

In Mexico, the story goes like this: The Bethlehem star shone over the manger where Jesus was born. Its light was so bright that the earth responded, reflecting that star light, receiving that star light, mirroring that star light with a beautiful flower. Star shaped, radiant shaped, pure white petals, golden star centers. In Mexican lore, it was always the Flower of the Holy Night. It grew on earth as a creation to glorify and commemorate that Holy Night. Then came the tragic day when Jesus died on the cross and the blossoms changed. Now, instead of the pure white petals as a reflection of the star on that Holy Night, the star shaped petals would be blood red to remember the sacrifice of the Christ. So this plant, the poinsettia with its bright red leaves and tiny yellow gold flowers, is to be a reminder to us of both Christmas and Good Friday.

As you remember that connection during this Advent season of waiting and preparation, reflect on this hymn:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded, For with blessing in His hand
Christ our God to earth descending Comes our homage to demand.

King of kings yet born of Mary, As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords in human vesture, In the body and the blood,
He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavn’ly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven, Spreads its vanguard on the way
As the Light of Light, descending From the realms of endless day,
Comes the pow’rs of hell to vanquish As the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph, Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence As with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord Most High!”
(Lutheran Service Book #621)

Yesterday I wrote about the Advent Wreath. I mentioned the four candles in the circle of greenery for the four Sundays of this season. I neglected to mention that big white candle that sits in the middle of the wreath unlit until the season of Advent comes to an end. That candle is known as “The Christ Candle.” It points to Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Light of the World.

John 1: 1–5, 14, 16-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. … The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth … From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

In the Nicene Creed we confess to believe Jesus is “Very God of very God, begotten, not made.” Yet he took on human form. He became one of us and, as Paul tells us:

Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Jesus, whose name means “The Lord Saves,” came for that very reason. His light shone among us, and it is still shining in the world today. We wait until the celebration of His birth to light the Christ candle, a reminder of His light shining in the darkness and overcoming it. The Christ candle also reminds us of Immanuel, the God who is with us, who’s Spirit lights our daily path.

The King shall come when morning dawns And light triumphant breaks,
When beauty gilds the eastern hills And life to joy awakes.

Not as of old a little child,  To bear and fight and die,
But crowned with glory like the sun That lights the morning sky.

Oh, brighter than the rising morn When Christ, victorious, rose
And left the lonesome place of death Despite the rage of foes.

Oh, brighter than that glorious morn Shall dawn upon our race
The day when Christ in splendor comes And we shall see His face.

The King shall come when morning dawns And light and beauty brings
Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray: Come quickly, King of kings.
The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns  Lutheran Service Book #348

Micah 5:2-4 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” ³ Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. ⁴ He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.

 The prophet Micah announces the place where the Messiah would be born, the city of David. This was the place from where God raised up an unlikely candidate – in the eyes of the world – the be the king under which Israel became the leading world power. And now God says He will do something similar in this little town.

Note the details and specifics that God shared through this spokesman:

• He would be from “of old”
• He would be the rightful ruler
• He will shepherd His flock
• He will have the strength of the Lord
• His greatness will reach the ends of the earth

From humble beginnings, His traveling parents unable to find overnight lodging, born in a stable, God entered this world in human form to be our Savior and earn our salvation.

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.

 How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming, Yet in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him, still The dear Christ enters in.

 O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell
O Come to us, abide in us, Our Lord Immanuel!

Lutheran Service Book #361  stanzas 1,3,4

Wreaths placed on walls and doors are made of evergreens and are circular to remind us of the eternity of God. These can be seen all over town and in homes. But there is a special kind of wreath that is a prominent fixture during Advent. Ir is appropriately called “The Advent Wreath.”

Advent wreaths are also made of greenery, but they are placed on a table or stand so that candles can be inserted, one for each Sunday of the season. The candles match the color of the season. The three blue [purple] candles symbolize the coming of Christ from the royal line of David. He is coming as the King of Kings as well as the Prince of Peace. There is traditionally one pink candle that is to be lighted on the THIRD Sunday of the Advent season. Historically, the third Sunday was known as GAUDETE, which in Latin means “rejoice.” That is why that candle is usually called the Joy candle, reminding us of the joy that was coming to the world with the birth of our Savior.

The candles fit well with the waiting aspect of the season. As the first Sunday in Advent arrives, we light the first candle, and light it all during that week as we gather around the wreath for worship or family devotions. Each Sunday after that we light an additional candle. When the fourth Sunday in Advent arrives, all four candles are lit. By lighting the candles in the Advent Wreath in this way, the flame of each new candle reminds us of a progression. We see how the first, second and third candle are all shorter that the fourth, reminding us of the passage of time and that we are closer to our goal. The candles on the Advent Wreath tell us  that something is happening, that we are getting closer to the thing for which we have been waiting.

Different traditions have attached names to the each candle, but there is not universal acceptance of any of these traditions. One tradition calls them Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds and Angels candles. Another calls them Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Whatever the tradition, each candle symbolizes various aspects of our waiting experience.

Light one candle for hope, one bright candle for hope,
He brings hope to ev’ry heart, He comes! He comes!

Light one candle for peace, one bright candle for peace,
He brings peace to ev’ry heart, He comes! He comes!

Light one candle for joy, one bright candle for joy,
Ev’ry nation will find salvation in Bethl’em’s baby boy

Light one candle for love, one bright candle for love,
He brings love to ev’ry heart, He comes! He comes!
(Text by Natalie Sleeth)

Art has always been an important way to communicate the Christian faith. The use of music helps believers understand their hope and confidence in God. Other works of art have been used from the beginning to help express various aspects of Christian doctrine and life. Colors, altar paraments or coverings, and banners are some of the most important visual objects Christians have used to express their faith in worship. The objective in covering the Altar and other furnishings with cloths of various colors was to focus the attention of worshippers on the special nature of Christ as the Perfect Sacrifice.

For a long time in the history of the Church, the traditional color of Advent was violet, the same color used during Lent, because both seasons had a theme of preparation. This color also made a connection to royalty, since Jesus is the King. Many churches still use violet during Advent.

A relatively recent development – about 60 years ago – was the usage of blue in the Advent season. Blue has long been used to represent hope, love and faithfulness throughout the history of the church, so it was introduced as an alternate color for the Advent Season. Blue paraments represent our joyful hope and anticipation as we wait for our Lord to return.

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates! Behold the King of Glory waits;
The King of Kings is drawing near, The Savior of the world is here
Life and salvation He doth bring; Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.
To God the Father raise Your joyful songs of praise.

A righteous Helper comes to thee, His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness, His scepter, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe He brings, Therefore the earth is glad and sings:
To Christ, the Savior raise Your grateful hymns of praise.
(Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates  Lutheran Service Book LSB#341 v. 1-2)

When you see blue today, remember the hope we have because of Jesus.

“The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They break forth into shouts of joy.
“Even the cypress trees rejoice over you,
and the cedars of Lebanon (Isaiah 14:7-8)
“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I shall make the place of My feet glorious. (Isaiah 60:13)

In many churches, Advent begins with a service known as “The Hanging of the Greens.” I think this tradition comes from England. They will include a responsive reading like the words above. While many will decorate their sanctuary before the first Sunday in Advent, some churches actually do the decorating as part of a worship service. In those services, they talk about the symbolism and meaning of many of the decorations.

Something you see almost everywhere at this time of year is greenery, especially evergreens. Among ancient Greeks and Romans, evergreens were an emblem of peace, joy, and victory. They would make laurel wreaths to put on the heads of winners, like they still do in the Olympics. Holly and ivy, along with pine, and fir are called evergreens because they never change color. They are ever – green, ever – alive, even in the midst of winter. These have come to symbolize the unchanging nature of our God, and they remind us of the everlasting life that is ours through Christ Jesus. Early Christians placed evergreens in their windows to indicate that Christ had entered their home.

Holly is an evergreen that has both thorns and berries. The thorns can serve as a reminder of the crown of thorns Jesus wore in His passion, and the red berries remind us of the blood He shed for us.

As you look at the greenery around you today, remember that it is a reminder of Jesus is alive and that you have everlasting life because of your faith in Him.

A star in the sky, carols in the evening air, a candle in the window, a wreath on the door, mistletoe hung high, poinsettias aflame with brilliant color, gifts beneath a lighted tree, friends around the holiday table, families reunited in love, church bells ringing. All these things are part of Christmas in America! And as far as most of America is concerned, we are now in the Christmas season. But you and I know better. It is not yet Christmas. This is Advent, the Intro, the prep time, the waiting period. Today marks the beginning of Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas. Advent is designed to help you prepare for the coming of your Savior, the Messiah.

Advent means coming. It is to remind us that the celebration of Christmas is coming and that our Lord Jesus is coming back again. These are to be days of anticipation and expectation and preparation for Christ’s arrival.

It is hard to observe Advent in our world today. People want to jump forward to Christmas. People talk about the holiday season. It begins with Thanksgiving, which is immediately followed by “the Christmas season” in the minds of most people. But some don’t wait that long. People start putting up Christmas lights in October these days! We want to jump ahead.

Yet Advent has a purpose. There is a reason for this season as well. Through the centuries, Christians have observed a time of waiting and expectation before celebrating the birth of the Savior at Christmas. The Advent season is to be a time for reflection and preparation, but the mood is not meant to be sorrowful. This is a time of joyful anticipation. We know that Christ is coming again, but He has not yet come. Advent is a representation of that: it is not that we don’t know about Christ’s birth! It is just not yet the celebration of it! That will come eventually, just as our Lord will return eventually.

Advent is something we should embrace and value in the church. It proclaims the revelation of God’s love expressed in Christ’s birth in a humble stable, His sacrificial death on the cross, and His victorious resurrection! It points to the hope of Christ’s coming again as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Advent makes innkeepers out of all of us, asking each of us to make room for the arrival of Christ the King.

In the days ahead, I will share some thoughts about traditions and some of decorations we see during this season of preparation. I hope this will help you anticipate and prepare room for Jesus in your hearts, your lives, and your homes!

Today has been known as “Black Friday” for as long as I can remember. It even has that designation on my Facebook calendar, and I did not put it there. Traditionally, it marked the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers would have sales with huge discounts to get people into their stores the day after Thanksgiving and jump start their yearend profits.

I learned a long time ago not to shop on that day. The Thanksgiving before our middle daughter was getting married, my wife saw that one store had the mixer she wanted to give her marked down 60% on Friday only. The store opened at 5 a.m. and she told me I was to go and get one for her. I did as I was told, found the mixer, and waited in line an hour and a half to pay for it. I’m not sure it was worth the savings.

Today, Black Friday sales start long before the day after Thanksgiving, and even are available online. But there will still be a lot of folks observing this event today.

When I hear the term “Black Friday,” it reminds me of something else, the day we usually call Good Friday. It was a dark, black day when Jesus willingly put Himself in the position of being the sacrifice for the sins of the world. And that day marked the biggest savings ever: God was saving the world. Jesus was the substitute, taking our sins and giving us His righteousness. From God’s perspective, it was totally worth it. It was not a small price, no minor inconvenience that earned our salvation. Yet Jesus endured it willingly for our sake.

What better way is there to start what the world calls “the Christmas season” than to remember why Jesus was born? And we should take a hint from the retailers and expand this remembrance to much more than just one day. In fact, it should be everyday that we remember the Friday that brought about the Good of our forgiveness and life and salvation.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

May this be the message we share with the world as we prepare to remember Christ’s birth.

“O, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever” is the way many of us learned to return thanks after a good meal. Based on a common refrain in the book of Psalms (106, 107, 118, 136), that was the after meal prayer used in my home as I was growing up.

Giving thanks is something that we are encouraged to do on this National Day of Thanksgiving in our country. It is good that we join with millions of others on this day to give thanks to our God for all His blessing on us and our nation.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. (Psalm 92:1 NASB)

While a national holiday can be a good reminder to give thanks, Jesus instructs us that this should be our attitude every day. That is why He included a petition in the prayer He taught us saying, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Writing about this petition in his Small Catechism, Dr. Martin Luther explained it this way: “God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer, also to all the wicked,  but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.”

 Luther went on to explain what is meant by “daily bread” with these words:  “Daily bread includes everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.”

 It is good for us to pause more than occasionally in our busy lives and reflect on what we are really saying when we pray those simple words, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

God is the giver of all our blessings, more than we can enumerate. And we are all God’s stewards or managers who daily receive these blessings from His gracious hand.  The greatest blessing we have received is the gift of salvation through faith in His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. But God does not stop there.  He knows that we also have physical needs and so He provides for them, and He provides lavishly.

What is our appropriate response?  Simply put it is to receive God’s gifts with thanksgiving and use them as He intends. We do well to remember that Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of anaging all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.

May this National Day of Thanksgiving be a reminder to be thankful for all the blessings God gives and to use them all in a way that honors Him and blesses those around us.