Youth Advent 12/05

Posted on Dec 5, 2024 in Youth Advent 2024 |

Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
 
Day Five: The Light of Hope
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and
forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” — Isaiah 9:2-7
 
Before reading today’s devotional, grab a flashlight and go to a room that can get fairly dark with the lights out. Turn off the lights in your room and get it as dark as possible. Then, carefully walk across the room, holding your flashlight and keeping it off. Once you reach the other side, walk back, but this time, turn your flashlight on to guide you.

What difference did you notice when trying to walk in the dark with a flashlight versus without one?

Now, keep your room dark and read today’s verses again using your flashlight. As you do, notice how crucial the light is to help you see in the darkness.

This passage of verses is an ancient prophecy by Isaiah written about the promised Messiah. This prophecy is of a great light shining in the darkness, fulfilling God’s promise to bring hope to those in darkness. Without Jesus, we live our lives in darkness, but His light can cut through any darkness and fill our lives with light.
 
Today, and as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ arrival into the world at Christmas, we can also celebrate this gift that Jesus gives us: the promise to be with us as our “Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

The Christmas hymn, “Handel’s Messiah: For Unto Us A Child Is Born,” puts these verses in Isaiah to song. Find this song wherever you listen to music. Then, listen to it today as a way to remember who Jesus is to us.
 
Questions:
1. How is Jesus described in this prophecy we read today?
2. Have you ever experienced Jesus in the ways Isaiah described?

Youth Advent 12/04

Posted on Dec 4, 2024 in Youth Advent 2024 |

Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
 
Day Four: A Promise of Hope From the Town of Bethlehem
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2
 
Have you ever felt too young to do something that matters? Maybe you were told you were too little to understand something or participate in something. As humans, we tend to think that people who are older, wiser, or stronger than us are more capable of accomplishing big things.
 
But Christmas is proof that God often picks the young, little, or weak to be part of His plan. Jesus was born in a small town and in total humility. The King of Kings, born as a human baby. His mother, Mary, who was a teenager at the time, wrapped Him in cloths and placed him in a manger (feeding trough). While this might seem a small detail to us, the fact Jesus came to Earth as a baby in this way fulfilled the exact prophecy we read about in these verses!

The hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem” describes the night Jesus was born. The lyrics of this hymn help us imagine Jesus powerfully entering the scene with His everlasting light on a sleepless night as a newborn baby born to accomplish a huge part of God’s plan. When you feel small, young, or insignificant, think about what God has done through Jesus at Christmas. Remember that God is in the business of doing great things through everyone, no matter how young you are!
 
Questions:
1. What’s one area or thing that you feel too young or insignificant to do in your life?
2. Spend two minutes in prayer, asking God to use you in those areas of your life this week.

Youth Advent 12/03

Posted on Dec 3, 2024 in Youth Advent 2024 |

Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
 
Day Three: Hope in the Righteous Reign of the Branch
“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” Isaiah 11:1-5
 
Have you ever watched a competition TV show with judges? Maybe it was singing, or dancing, or a talent show. The judges are there to make sure that those who are talented make it through to the next round of the competition, and sadly, they have to reject those who are not talented enough to continue on. Although it’s hard, that’s what keeps the competition fair for everyone who is participating!
 
Just like these judges, in these verses, the Messiah, which would be Jesus, is referred to as a judge and a King. The author of these verses, Isaiah, describes the Messiah as someone filled with God’s Spirit – full of wisdom, understanding, and strength. He wouldn’t judge based on appearances but with righteousness and fairness, especially for the poor and meek.
 
In the Christmas hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, we sing of this prophecy from Isaiah. Just as Israel longed for their Savior to free them from captivity, we too long for Jesus to come into our world of brokenness. In this hymn, we recognize that Jesus came into the world at Christmas as “Emmanuel”, meaning “God with us.”
 
Thankfully, we have the opportunity to look back in Scripture at the birth of Jesus, His life, and all the prophecies He fulfilled, including this one in Isaiah. We get to celebrate the rescue offered to those who believe in Him and celebrate that Jesus is God with us!
 
Questions:
1. When you think about Jesus as a judge and a King, what qualities about Him come to mind?
2. What is one thing you can do today to celebrate that Jesus is “God with us”?

Youth Advent 12/02

Posted on Dec 2, 2024 in Youth Advent 2024 |

Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
 
Day Two: A Sign of Hope Through a Miraculous Birth
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
 
Find a plant, either outside or in your home, or find a picture online. Bonus points if it’s a rose or a flower that’s already bloomed! What do you notice about it?
 
Here’s the thing: There is a lot that has already happened before a flower has bloomed. It takes time. It takes energy. It takes sunlight and water. And it takes time for the roots to grow deep into the ground. All of these things we likely don’t get to see, but they are crucial in the process of the flower’s creation. The flower wouldn’t bloom without them!
 
Just as a flower emerges from its roots after lots of time, Jesus was born from the “root” of Jesse in their family history after lots of generations, which was promised long before it actually happened. The hymn, “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” helps us to remember that Jesus’ birth fulfilled the promise that God made!
 
It is an absolute miracle that God the Mighty Creator chose to give us hope by sending Jesus to Earth for us. What may seem like a boring genealogy, or family history, to us is actually God working throughout all of time to fulfill His word and rescue us.
 
Isaiah, who was a prophet, gave a prophecy about the Savior hundreds of years before the first Christmas that this Christmas hymn was written about. Isaiah wrote that the one God sent would be called “Immanuel” meaning “God with us”. What a story that God has been writing throughout time, all leading to the hope we find in Jesus. The best part? God invites you to be part of that story, too.
 
Questions:
1. How does it make you feel to know that Jesus came to be with you?
2. What’s one way you can choose to be part of His Kingdom today?

Youth Advent 12/01

Posted on Dec 1, 2024 in Youth Advent 2024 |

Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
 
Day One: A First Promise of a Hope to Come
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” -Genesis 3:15
 
When was the last time you waited a long time for something you really wanted? What was it like hoping for the day or thing to arrive? Since the beginning, humanity has been waiting for something. You see, the very first humans on earth disobeyed God and felt the weight of sin and shame for the very first time. Sin breaks our relationship with God and keeps us from His freedom and joy. Basically, humans started off needing a Savior, needing hope. 
 
Maybe you’ve felt like you’ve needed hope before, too. We can actually look to this verse to find some of that hope!
 
In this verse, God spoke the first promise of hope to come to us. Since Adam and Eve, the first humans created, humanity has had an enemy called Satan. But there is also a promise that an offspring, also known as a descendant of Eve, will bruise the enemy’s head. The singular word is used for offspring here, which tells us one person will come to defeat the enemy. This was fulfilled by God sending Jesus to Earth for us! In the end, Jesus will overcome Satan, even though Jesus was “bruised” by Satan on the Cross as He died for our sins.
 
The hymn, “Come, Though Long-Expected Jesus,” speaks of this victory over our enemy, His gracious kingdom, and His glorious throne. Jesus may have been born a baby on Christmas, but He grew up to hold the final victory for all of eternity! And Jesus invites us to be part of that victory and a part of His Kingdom. What an amazing invitation that has the potential to change everything for us.
 
Questions:
1. How does it feel to know that Jesus brings us hope when we place our faith in Him?
2. Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
3. If you have, how has that changed your life for the better?
4. If you haven’t, what’s holding you back, and who can you talk to about it?

Youth Advent 2024 – WELCOME

Posted on Nov 25, 2024 in Youth Advent 2024 |

From December 1st through Christmas, our RBC Youth will be invited to follow along in the A Song Of Hope advent study! Each day, a new song and devotion will be shared HERE for you to read and study. This is a great way to keep the reason of the season at the forefront as we go throughout the month leading up to Christmas.
 
Be sure to follow along on social media as well! 
 
Instagram: @rbc.students

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