The fourth Sunday before Christmas, signaling the beginning of the Advent season. "Advent" is from the Latin word for "coming" — translated from the Greek word parousia. It's a stretch of four weeks where we reenact and remember how the Old Testament saints longed for Messiah to come.
On this side of the nativity and the cross, knowing about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Advent shows us that we're still waiting. The redemption that Jesus accomplished for us is not yet consummated (Romans 8:19–25). Noel Piper writes,
So here we stand in the middle. Advent is the season of looking back, thinking how it must have been, waiting for the promised salvation of God, not knowing what to expect. And at the same time, Advent is a season of looking ahead, preparing ourselves to meet Jesus at his Second Coming. (Treasuring God in Our Traditions, 77).
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One free resource to recommend is the new Advent Guide (PDF) from the Village Church, Texas. This is an excellent guide made up of two sections each week: one for personal reflection and one for family devotionals. It includes three appendices with helpful practicals and is put together in a nice design. Check out the contents:
Week 1: Promises and Patience
Theme: Our God makes and keeps promises, and his people are called to wait with patient longing.Week 2: Awaiting and Advent
Theme: God made a particular promise of a Messiah, and Israel longed for his coming.Week 3: Incarnation and Implications
Theme: God fulfilled the promise of a Messiah in the first advent of Jesus Christ.Week 4: Resurrection and Return
Theme: After dying to redeem his people from slavery, Christ rose from the dead and promised to come again to redeem us fully.Week 5: Watching and Waiting
Theme: As we await the second advent of Christ, we are called to a life of prayerful and prepared patience.Appendices
A: Passages for Contemplating and Considering Christ
B: Recommended Resources for the Season
C: Recommended Activities for Family Devotion
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