The season leading up to Christmas can be a frenzy of work projects, school finals, shopping lists, and family vacation plans. With visions of sugar plums (whatever those are!) and candy canes dancing in our heads, it can be easy to whir through the Advent season straight into the excitement of the New Year.
But we want to take this season to reflect on and rejoice in the coming of Jesus Christ!
So, what are some practical ways you can seize the Advent Season?
We hope the following resources will help you fix your heart on Christ and feast on the joy of the Savior:
History of Advent
Where did all this Advent stuff come from? What’s it all about? Check out this brief video by historian Ryan Reeves
Advent Devotionals
If you’re looking for something devotional that will walk you through the Advent Season, you may enjoy spending time in one of these:
Good News of Great Joy or The Dawning of Indestructible Joy by John Piper. Both of these provide 25 daily devotionals that correspond to the days leading up to Christmas. They are available for FREE as PDFs on the website
Good News of Great Joy Audio Readings by John Piper. If you’re like me and enjoy listening while driving or working around the house, John Piper has also released an audio version of the devotionals available on any podcast platform—additionally, you can sign up for an email prompt that will go to your inbox each day
Songs
At the birth of Jesus, angels broke out in praise to God saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14). Songs are a wonderful way to meditate on Christ and delight in him. We play Christmas songs around the house while doing chores or hanging out. We also love to enjoy a few albums while we drive. Here are some great options if you’re looking for some solid Christmas music that centers your heart on Christ:
Prepare Him Room by Sovereign Grace Music - This is a great album and has an accompanying family devotional based on the songs
Heaven Has Come by Sovereign Grace Music - This was just released in 2020 and provides a wealth of theologically and musically rich songs. As an example, check out the video below (O Come, All You Unfaithful) written by our friend from Cornerstone Church of Knoxville
If you’re looking for some classic carols delivered with new arrangements, the band Page CXVI has a simple album dedicated to the Advent season. Here’s “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
A solid Advent album aimed toward younger kids is called “Waiting Songs” by Rain for Roots.
One of my personal favorites is a song based on a painting of Mary (mother of Jesus) consoling Eve. It plays on the idea of Eve being the mother of sinful humanity, unable to redeem the brokenness unleashed in the world - while Mary is the mother of the long-awaited Christ, Immanuel (God-with us), who has come to redeem sinful man. It’s a wonderful song that bridges the Fall of man to the Redemption found in the coming of Christ!
Family Worship
Hopefully, the above resources will provide some practical help this Advent season. Along with the resources, we would like to urge the men of TGC to take the initiative to help your families set their hearts and minds on Christ. There will be no better gift to your wife and your children than to point their attention to the hope of Jesus Christ. To that end, we highly recommend this article by Doug Wilson called “Prepare Your Hearts to Lead Your Home: Advent Advice for Fathers.”
Conclusion
Before the Christmas season gets away from us, lets employ some of these tools to flood our homes and our hearts with the greatest news in all the world:
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. - Galatians 4:4-7