every-daygeous ways to wait Communications Creative Sample for teens and young adults

Transcription

1 it s contagious, outrageous, every-daygeous ways to wait ADVENT ageous for teens and young adults

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3 it s contagious, outrageous, every-daygeous ways to wait ADVENT ageous for teens and young adults by David Mead

4 The First Sunday in Advent The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 There is an advantage to walking in the light, and it s rather simple. When walking in the light, we don t bump into things. We are infinitely less likely to stumble and fall. We can see where we re headed. We can avoid the things that block our way. Simply put, light gives us the winning edge over darkness. God knows that. God knows that a world in darkness is just churning, bumbling chaos. God knows that people walking in darkness stumble and fall. They simply don t know where to go. But here s something ADVANTAGEOUS. When it is dark, our God creates light! Light one candle in a very dark room today. Watch how the light grows as it glows. Welcome the Light this season. 4

5 Monday of the First Week of Advent In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 The dictionary defines ADVANTAGEOUS this way: involving or creating favorable circumstances that increase the chances of effectiveness. Say what? It means you ve been given a leg up a push in the right direction. You have an advantage! Need examples? It is advantageous (favorable, beneficial) to be seven feet tall in a basketball game. It is advantageous to have a fishing pole if stranded on a deserted island. It is advantageous to have a decipherable dictionary when writing a devotion. It is advantageous to have light in darkness. So what is ADVENT-ageous? It s more than just a typo. List 10 advantageous examples like the ones above. 5

6 Tuesday of the First Week of Advent The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:9-12 We are those people walking in darkness. But we know that when darkness is overpowering, God creates Light. We wait for the advent the coming of that Light this season. We are waiting for the one and only person who can give us the ultimate advantage over the darkness. We open our eyes and hearts to the Light who gives us the right to become children of God. We celebrate the advantageous arrival of a Savior, Christ the Lord. That s ADVENT-ageous! Make your own Advent wreath out of recycled material. As you light the candles, remember that Christ makes you new! 6

7 Wednesday of the First Week of Advent The serpent said to the woman, God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:4-6 Do you see now why we need a Savior? It s because we re VORACIOUS! Temptation makes us feel starved. We have an insatiable craving for the very things that tear us away from God. Like Eve and Adam, we can t keep ourselves from sinking our teeth into sin. Our deepest desire is to disobey God s commands. Here s an outrageous activity. Make a list of your temptations, right here on this page where anyone might see it. Be honest with yourself. Be repentant. 7

8 Thursday of the First Week of Advent Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. Romans 5:12 One tiny bite from a fruit may seem so insignificant inconsequential even. But disobeying God comes with dire consequence. The wages of sin is death, the Bible tells us. Eve and Adam had been warned of the danger, and they came face to face with the grim diagnosis. But sin isn t just fatal; it s INFECTIOUS as well. It passes from person to person, from generation to generation. Eve and Adam s sin spread like a virus. We re all carriers in desperate need of a cure. It s time to go viral. Make a video this week. Find a fun way to show that you are expecting Christ this Christmas. Post it for the world to see. 8

9 Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing. Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found. He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love by for the Parish, 1564 Fencorp Dr., Fenton, MO Written by David Mead. Images Copyright DIP, used under license from Shutterstock.com. The Holy Bible, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. ADY This book, along with many other for the Parish products, is available on