Video: The Real Meaning of Christmas

A video from the Village Church, featuring Isaac Wimberely, entitled “Advent: God with Us.” It’s also on the new Folk Angel album. Maybe it’d be worth sending this to a friend today, with a short note that this is a good summary of the real meaning behind Christmas? Toward the End of this article is also an advent devotional guide from the people who made the video.

Christ is coming. He has come, and He will come again. This is the message of Advent.

Though Advent is often neglected in many contemporary churches, it has a long history of remembrance. It is a season of waiting, a time of anxious and eager anticipation for the coming (advent) of Christ to His bride.

Though it overlaps with modern Christmas celebrations, it is quite different. Whereas Christmas tends to be a season of noise and commotion, Advent is a time to slow down and reflect. It is a season to consider the first coming of Christ and patiently ponder His second.

This year, The Village will celebrate Advent together. Starting the last weekend in November, we will corporately begin to walk through the Old Testament anticipation of a Messiah, the incarnation of the Christ and the Church’s eager expectation of His soon return.

As part of the celebration of this tradition, we have produced a guide to walk you and your family through the season.

Our hope is that this guide and the weekly sermons will help drive you and your family more deeply into the meaning and message of Advent as we fix our eyes on Christ, glory in His incarnation and eagerly await His return.

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

Available Resources

Advent Guide (PDF)