Emily Hardie

Our Advent Series comes from a plan provided by Church of the Valley on The YouVersion Bible App. For more information, please visit: https://ccv.church.

Day Eight: The Outdoor Christmas Lights

Edward Johnson, a friend of Thomas Edison, was the first to add electric Christmas lights to a Christmas tree. His tree had delicately painted glass bulbs that alternated colors every few seconds. Years later, families started using these lights to decorate the roofs of their homes at Christmastime. Decorating our homes with lights is symbolic because as Christians we are called to be the light of Jesus.

Read Matthew 5:14-16.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Read John 8:12.

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Takeaway: Spend some time looking at Christmas lights and think about how you can show the light of Jesus to your neighbors this Christmas.

Our Advent Series comes from a plan provided by Church of the Valley on The YouVersion Bible App. For more information, please visit: https://ccv.church.

Day Seven: The Christmas Greeting

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays are a couple of the most popular greetings during the Christmas season. But did you know that each phrase carries its own meaning? Happy Holidays derived from the phrase “Happy Holy Days” which was a greeting used toward those who worshiped God. Eventually, the phrase shifted to “holiday” which means “enjoy this time of year no matter what you’re celebrating.” On the other hand, “Merry Christmas” means “pleasant, happy, or joy” and “the feast or mass of Christ”. Why would we use a word like “Christmas” that reminds us of Jesus’ death to celebrate Jesus’ birthday?

Read Romans 15:13.

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When you greet someone by saying, “Merry Christmas!”, what you’re actually saying is, “I have joy because Jesus is alive in me.”

Read 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”
⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Takeaway: Think of the places that you can share a “Merry Christmas” greeting with others and share the joy and love of Jesus this Christmas season. 

Our Advent Series comes from a plan provided by Church of the Valley on The YouVersion Bible App. For more information, please visit: https://ccv.church.

Day Six: The Star

One of the most iconic symbols of Christmas is the star. We use them to decorate our Christmas trees, our homes, and we even cut cookies into the shapes of stars. The most significant star is in the story of Christmas; it was the light that guided the Magi to Bethlehem on the night of Jesus’ birth. God created this moment in history to place a spotlight on the humble beginnings of a child who would become our King. 

Read Matthew 2:10.

¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

Astronomers today have used science and computers to replicate what the sky could have looked like 2,000 years ago. Some suggest the Star of Bethlehem was a rare conjunction of planets that came together in brilliant synchronization. 

Read Psalm 25:4-5.

⁴ Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.

Takeaway: Go on an adventure tonight, either around your house or your neighborhood. Grab a flashlight and let it guide you through the darkness. Think about how Jesus is the light of your life and guides you each day.  

Our Advent Series comes from a plan provided by Church of the Valley on The YouVersion Bible App. For more information, please visit: https://ccv.church.

Day Five: The Candy Cane

In the 1900s a candy maker took a sugary candy stick and added color and flavor to it which can be used to illustrate the meaning of Christmas. The hook was added to it so that it would look like a shepherd’s crook or if turned upside down it makes a ‘J’. The large red stripe represents the blood that was shed and the white represents the purity of Jesus. The candy is hard which reminds us that Jesus is our rock.

Read Psalm 34:8.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Read John 10:11.

¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Read 1 John 1:7.

⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Read 1 Peter 2:4-5.

⁴ As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by Godand precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

When we take a first step toward following Jesus we discover that He is good and kind and we begin to see His goodness all around us. 

Takeaway: Which symbol of the candy cane is your favorite?