Today is Day 23 of the Advent Calendar Jesse Tree devotions. The symbol, or ornament, for Day 23 is that of a candle or light.
The scriptures are Isaiah 42:6 - "I, the LORD, have called you to do what is right. I will take hold of your hand. I will protect you. I will appoint you as my promise to the people, as my light to the nations," and Isaiah 60:1-3 - “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn;" and
Luke 1:26-38, 2:32 and John 8:12 - "Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have a life filled with light and will never live in the dark."
The Old Testament and New Testament tie the prophecy together to show that it has been fulfilled in Jesus. It tells of a world that had become dark because of sin, but now there is hope. When we open our hearts to believe in Christ, a "light" shines on us. Our eyes are opened to understand the scriptures, and we begin to go about doing good and loving kindnesses for others. We then spread a light of hope to those who are stumbling around in the "darkness" and hurting.
Activity: Turn off the light in your room, then as you proclaim: "Jesus is the Light of the World," turn the light on suddenly and watch how light floods the darkness. The same activity can be done with a candle to illustrate how Christ's light truly shines and overtakes the darkness. Sing "This Little Light of Mine." Or even make some sand candles.
Today's ornament for the Jesse Tree is the symbol of a candle or a light. You could recycle some old light bulbs (make sure they're not the new green, energy-efficient ones since there is a hazard if those break). You can simply string some candles (the kind that have wick still attached and dangle on each side of the Christmas tree branch, or you can find an old fashioned candle holder (just don't truly light these as they are a fire hazard). Use them for your ornament only. Or, make your own lighthouse ornament. Be creative.
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