ADVENT 1 To journey in hope
We light the first Advent candle
Opening prayer
Blessed are you, sovereign
Lord, God of our ancestors:
to you be praise and glory
for ever.
You called the patriarchs
to live by the light of faith
and to journey in the hope
of your promised fulfilment.
May we be obedient to your
call
and be ready and watchful
to receive your Christ,
a lamp to our feet and a
light to our path;
for you are our light and
our salvation.
Blessed be God for ever.
Conversation starter
Optional props: a
pop-up tent and string of ‘star’ (or white Christmas) lights.
Have you any
memorable (or, disastrous) stories of sleeping in a tent or going on a journey?
Bible passage
Now faith is the
assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by
faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds
were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things
that are not visible.
By faith Abraham
obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an
inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed
for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in
tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For
he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder
is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too
old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had
promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants
were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of
sand by the seashore.’
All
of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a
distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and
foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that
they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they
had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they
desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-16
Explore
What is your story, the journey of faith you
have walked to this point?
Who has journeyed
with you?
What renews our
hope when we feel lost or weary?
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment