What's Next?

Whether you heard the message from Sunday or are part of one of our “What’s Next” groups at Venture, here’s a way for you to go deeper.

this week's next steps

Plan to be at one of Venture's Christmas Eve services

Give to the
"Writing our Next Chapter"
Campaign here

Participate in this week's
Advent Bible Plan

Beginning a Relationship with Jesus? Click Here!

The Tradition of Advent

Many people participate in lighting Advent candles, but they have no idea of the true meaning behind it. Though the practice of Advent has many years-worth of tradition, several traditions are worth noting. Many attribute the incorporation of wreaths into Christmas decorations as an early form of practicing Advent. The first Advent wreath is credited to a Lutheran minister in Germany (1839) who was working at a mission for children as they were impatiently counting down to Christmas. He created a wreath out of the wheel of a cart and placed twenty small red candles and four large white candles inside the ring. The red candles were lit on weekdays and the four white candles were lit on Sundays as a countdown to Christmas. Eventually, this tradition became the Advent wreath we know today which is created out of evergreens, symbolizing everlasting life in the midst of winter and death. The circle became a symbol to remind us of God’s unending love and the eternal life He makes possible. Additional decorations, like red holly and berries point to Jesus’ sacrifice and death. Pinecones symbolized the new life that Jesus brings through His resurrection.
The candles themselves are also deeply meaningful. John 1:4-5 tells us that Jesus came and “his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” The candles symbolize the light of Christ in a dark world.
As the traditions stretched over years, eventually the smaller weekday candles were left out and just the candle representing each of the four Sundays before Christmas remained, each taking on their own meaning. As those candles representing hope, peace, joy and love were lit, what they symbolized was to be remembered.

THE CANDLE OF JOY
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:8-11, NLT)

In this third week of advent, we focus our attention on the joy found in the coming of Jesus. This joy transcends happiness. The joy we find is a deep, abiding joy found in the Good News of Jesus and his coming. As the angels declared to the shepherds in Luke 2, “I bring you good news that will bring joy to all people.” The Good News of Jesus brings joy to all people.

Living in a world marred by brokenness, despair, and anxiety can easily lead to discouragement. Even in the midst of this darkness, there is joy and hope in the light found in Jesus. Jesus himself declared, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12, NLT) As we follow Him, we find extreme peace even amidst the shadows of darkness because His light lights the way for us to live an abundant life filled with joy.

The Advent Candle of Joy extends an invitation that extends beyond the fleeting nature of happiness. It calls us to cultivate a spirit of gratitude that is deeply rooted in acknowledging the unending goodness of God's love. In the midst of external circumstances that often dictate our emotions, the joy we discover is not contingent upon the events of today but is a direct result of God's unwavering love for us.

As we focus on Jesus and the Candle of Joy, may we reflect on the joy that comes from the truth of God’s love for us and his saving grace that draws us and others to himself. Just as Jesus is the light of the world, each of us carry that light with us as we journey through our everyday lives. As Paul said to the Philippians, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. May each of us carry the light of the Candle of Joy as we rejoice in all that God is doing today!

Questions to Consider:

1.Living in a broken world can lead to discouragement. How does the message of joy in Jesus provide hope and light in the midst of darkness?
2.Reflecting on John 8:12, how does Jesus being the "light of the world" impact the lives of those who choose to follow Him? How does that bring joy to those who follow Jesus?
3.A spirit of gratitude is deeply rooted in the unchanging goodness of God's love. How can one practically cultivate gratitude, especially in challenging circumstances?
4.Discuss the idea that “joy is not contingent upon external circumstances but is a result of God's unwavering love.” How does this perspective differ from the conventional understanding of joy?
5.Drawing from Paul's exhortation to the Philippians, how can believers be "full of joy in the Lord" and let their joy be evident to others in their daily actions? What role does the awareness of the Lord's imminent return play in this perspective?
6.Can we pray for you? Send us your prayer needs at [email protected]