Begin by singing “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”

Light the first Advent candle and ask, “What was our theme from last week?” The answer is faith.

Light the second Advent candle and ask, “What is our theme last week?” The answer is joy.

Light the third Advent candle and ask, “What is our theme this week?” The answer is love.

(Notice that the third Advent candle is pink instead of purple. The symbolism of the change in color is that we’re getting closer to Christmas. It’s right around the corner now. In the same way, the Bible says that Jesus is coming soon. When he comes, all of our hopes and dreams will be realized. Everything sad will come untrue. But not until he comes!

• Q. What is one thing about the world that makes you sad?
• Q. When Jesus comes how will he make the sadness come untrue?
• Q. Until he comes, is there something you can do about whatever it is that makes you sad? How can YOU make the sadness come untrue (even if just a little bit)?

Read Luke 13:18-21 together.

[18] He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? [19] It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” [20] And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? [21] It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

(Luke 13:18-21, ESV)

• Q. What images does Jesus use to describe the kingdom? (You could make a loaf of bread together to show how leaven/yeast works in “activating” the dough.)
• Q. What do these two parables teach us about the kingdom?

The kingdom of God is invisible but inevitable. God often works very slowly and his work is hidden from our eyes. We have to work hard to pay attention or we will miss a lot of what God is doing in our lives and around us in the lives of others. Even when it feels like nothing is happening, God is always at work, even when we don’t have eyes to see.

This teaching about the kingdom means that, on the one hand, we have to be incredibly patient and humble, because there is much God must still do in us and in our world. There is much that is still wrong. At the same time, we should be incredibly hopeful and confident, because the yeast WILL make its way through the whole dough. God WILL make all things new.

• Q. Are you more reserved/patient/realistic or more hopeful/confident/optimistic about God’s work in you and in the world?

Stop and pray, “Your kingdom come and your will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”

Finish by singing “Let Your Kingdom Come”