Hope - Season of Advent

Traditionally, the four big themes of Advent are Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, many churches light a new candle on the Advent wreath each Sunday, with every candle pointing to one of these ideas. The first candle reminds us of the Hope we have in Christ’s coming, the second points to the Peace Jesus brings as the Prince of Peace, the third calls us to celebrate the Joy of our salvation, and the fourth centers on the incredible Love God has shown us by sending Jesus.

But Advent isn’t just an old church tradition—these themes come straight from Scripture and are meant to help us slow down and prepare our hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Each one—Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love—highlights a different part of God’s amazing plan in sending His Son into the world.

So let’s take a closer look at each message and why it still matters so much for us today.

Hope - the Prophecy Candle

The first candle of Advent stands for Hope, and you might hear it called the “Prophecy Candle.” This theme takes us all the way back to the Old Testament, where the prophets kept reminding God’s people that a Messiah was coming—someone who would save them. For generations, they held onto that promise. They clung to hope through slavery in Egypt, through exile in Babylon, and even under Roman rule.

Isaiah captured this longing so beautifully when he wrote,

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given… and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

They didn’t know when or how God would fulfill that promise—they just trusted that He would. That’s what real, biblical hope is all about: trusting God’s promises even when you can’t see the outcome.

And then, in a quiet little stable in Bethlehem, it happened. Jesus was born. After centuries of waiting, God kept His promise. He hadn’t forgotten His people, and He hadn’t abandoned His plan. The hope they had been holding onto finally became reality.

For us today, that same message still speaks loud and clear: God keeps His promises.

If He kept His promise to send Jesus the first time, we can trust that He’ll keep His promise to send Him again. Romans 15:13 puts it beautifully:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Our hope doesn’t depend on circumstances or emotions—it’s rooted in Christ and anchored in the unchanging promises of God’s Word.