Below: Sister and Brother team Alainna and Wyatt Davis speak on the fourth week of Advent during the December 22, 2024 morning worship service. The text of their message is as follows:
As we light the fourth candle we recall our journey thus far. Our hopeful longing
led to our faith in the Light of the World: our savior, Jesus. In the birth of this
baby, we find the joy of new life. Now, we celebrate the peace and rest we find in
Jesus. Our peace remains throughout each trial because our hope rests in a love
that lasts forever. We know what love is because God has loved us, sending his
son to live among us. God’s love is our peace. This love compels a response. We
have seen the promise of peace in the child of Bethlehem. We have seen our
God reward the humble and exalt the weak.
Last Sunday we lit the candle of Hope, remembering the hope which comes in
Christ, the candle of Peace, remembering God’s dream of a peaceful world, and
the candle of Joy, remembering the Spirit within us who brings joy. Today we
light the fourth candle of Advent, the candle of Love.
John 3:16-19, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did
not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name
of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but
people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
Scripture tells us “There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John
4:18). God created this world in love and this world will end in the love of God.
God’s love pervades all aspects of this life. From birth to death, pain to delight,
strangers to lovers, God’s love is there.
On this day, we remember God is Love.
