The four messages of Advent are Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Each Sunday before Christmas, churches light one candle on the Advent wreath to represent these themes. The first candle symbolizes Hope in Christ's coming, the second represents Peace through the Prince of Peace, the third celebrates Joy in our salvation, and the fourth focuses on Love shown through God's gift of Jesus. These messages prepare believers' hearts to celebrate Christ's birth.
Advent season rolls around every year, and churches start lighting candles on their wreaths. But if you've ever wondered what those candles actually mean or why we focus on specific themes during the four weeks before Christmas, you're not alone.
Many Christians participate in Advent traditions without fully understanding the biblical significance behind them. We light the candles, sing the songs, and count down to Christmas—but the deeper meaning often gets lost in the holiday rush.
The four messages of Advent aren't just church tradition. They're rooted in Scripture and designed to prepare our hearts for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Each theme—Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love—reflects a different aspect of what God accomplished by sending His Son into the world.
Let's look at what each message means and why these themes matter for Christians today.
Understanding the Advent Season
Before we examine each message, we need to understand what Advent is and why it exists.
Advent comes from the Latin word "adventus," which means "coming" or "arrival." For Christians, Advent is the four-week period leading up to Christmas Day. It starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.
The purpose of Advent is simple: to prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ's birth. During this season, believers focus on both Jesus's first coming (His birth in Bethlehem) and His second coming (when He returns in glory).
Most churches use an Advent wreath with four candles arranged in a circle, plus a fifth candle in the center. Each Sunday, they light one additional candle and reflect on its theme. The circle represents God's eternal nature with no beginning or end. The evergreen branches symbolize everlasting life through Christ.
The four outer candles each carry one of the Advent messages. Some traditions use three purple candles and one pink candle, while others use all blue or all white. The colors vary by church tradition, but the messages remain consistent.
First Message: Hope
The first candle of Advent represents Hope, and it's sometimes called the "Prophecy Candle."
This theme takes us back to the Old Testament prophets who promised that God would send a Messiah to save His people. For thousands of years, God's people waited for this promise to be fulfilled. They held onto hope during slavery in Egypt, during exile in Babylon, and during Roman occupation.
Isaiah 9:6 captured this hope: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
The prophets didn't know exactly when or how God would fulfill His promise. But they trusted He would. That's what biblical hope is—confident trust in God's promises, even when you can't see how things will work out.
When Mary gave birth to Jesus in that stable in Bethlehem, God fulfilled centuries of promises. He didn't forget His people. He didn't abandon His plan. The hope they clung to became reality.
For Christians today, this message reminds us that God keeps His promises. If He fulfilled His promise to send Jesus the first time, we can trust He'll fulfill His promise to send Jesus back again. Romans 15:13 says, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Our hope isn't based on circumstances, good feelings, or positive thinking. Our hope is anchored in Christ and the promises of God's Word.
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Second Message: Peace
The second Advent candle represents Peace, often called the "Bethlehem Candle."
This theme points to Jesus as the Prince of Peace. When angels appeared to shepherds on the night Jesus was born, they announced: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14).
But what kind of peace did Jesus bring? Not the absence of conflict or trouble in life. Jesus Himself said in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
The peace Jesus offers is peace with God. Before Christ, humanity was separated from God by sin. We were enemies of God, under His righteous judgment. Romans 5:1 explains: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Through Jesus's death on the cross, God made peace between Himself and sinners who trust in Christ. The war is over. The hostility has ended. Those who believe in Jesus are no longer God's enemies but His children.
This peace also extends to our inner lives. When you have peace with God, you can experience peace in your heart—even during difficult circumstances. Philippians 4:6-7 promises: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
During Advent, this candle reminds us that Jesus came to end the conflict between holy God and sinful humanity. That's the peace the world desperately needs but can't create on its own.
Third Message: Joy
The third Advent candle represents Joy and is sometimes called the "Shepherd's Candle."
This is often the pink or rose-colored candle, if churches use different colors. The lighter color represents the shift from the solemn waiting of early Advent to joyful anticipation as Christmas approaches.
The theme comes from the angel's announcement to the shepherds: "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).
Notice the angel called it "great joy" for "all people." The birth of Jesus wasn't good news just for a select few. This joy is available to everyone who receives Christ.
But what makes this joy different from regular happiness? Happiness depends on circumstances—when things go well, we're happy. When things go badly, happiness disappears. Biblical joy is different. It's rooted in who God is and what He's done for us, not in our current situation.
James 1:2 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." That sounds strange until you understand that Christian joy isn't based on comfort or ease. It's based on knowing God and trusting His purposes, even when life is hard.
The joy of Advent celebrates salvation. Jesus came to rescue us from sin, death, and hell. He came to give us eternal life and relationship with God. That's something worth celebrating, regardless of what's happening in our daily lives.
First Peter 1:8 describes this joy: "Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you love Him and rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory."
During this third week of Advent, Christians focus on the joy that comes from knowing Jesus and being saved by His grace.
Fourth Message: Love
The fourth and final Advent candle represents Love, often called the "Angel's Candle."
This theme brings us to the heart of why God sent Jesus in the first place. John 3:16 gives us the answer: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Christmas is God's love story. The birth of Jesus proves that God loves us beyond measure. First John 4:9-10 explains: "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Think about what this means. God didn't wait for us to get our act together before He showed His love. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Jesus came into a broken world filled with people who would reject Him, mock Him, and eventually kill Him. He came anyway because God's love for us is that strong.
The incarnation—God becoming man—is the greatest demonstration of love in human history. Jesus left heaven's glory, took on human flesh, lived among sinful people, experienced our pain and struggles, and ultimately died a brutal death to save us.
This fourth candle reminds us that love isn't just a feeling or sentiment. Real love requires sacrifice. Jesus modeled this when He gave His life for us. First John 3:16 says, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us."
During the final week of Advent, Christians reflect on God's incredible love and prepare to celebrate the birth of the Savior who loved us enough to die for us.
The Fifth Candle: Christ the Center
Many Advent wreaths include a fifth candle in the center, usually white. This is the Christ Candle, lit on Christmas Day.
After four weeks of preparing our hearts through Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, we finally light the center candle to celebrate Christ's birth. This candle represents Jesus Himself—the reason for everything we've been anticipating.
Jesus is the fulfillment of hope, the source of peace, the reason for joy, and the ultimate expression of love. All four Advent themes point to Him.
Colossians 1:18 says that in all things, Christ must have the "preeminence"—first place. The Christ Candle in the center of the wreath symbolizes this truth. Jesus is the center of Christmas, the center of our faith, and the center of our lives.
Why These Four Messages Matter
Some people dismiss Advent traditions as optional church practices that don't really matter. But these four messages serve an important purpose.
Christmas can easily become about shopping, decorating, parties, and stress. We get so busy with holiday preparations that we forget what we're actually preparing for. Advent slows us down and refocuses our attention on Christ.
Each theme—Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love—addresses a deep human need that only Jesus can meet. We need hope in a world full of disappointment. We need peace in a world full of conflict. We need joy in a world full of sorrow. We need love in a world full of hatred and selfishness.
The four messages of Advent remind us that Jesus came to meet those exact needs. He is our hope, our peace, our joy, and the proof of God's love.
How to Celebrate Advent in Your Own Life
You don't need fancy candles or elaborate wreaths to benefit from the Advent season. Here are simple ways to focus on these four messages in your own life:
Week One (Hope): Read through the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Notice how God fulfilled each promise in Jesus. Write down specific promises from Scripture that give you hope for your current situation.
Week Two (Peace): Thank God for the peace you have with Him through Christ. If you're carrying anxiety or worry, spend time in prayer bringing those concerns to God. Read Philippians 4:6-7 and claim the promise of God's peace.
Week Three (Joy): Make a list of reasons you have joy in Christ—forgiveness, eternal life, God's presence, answered prayers, spiritual growth. Share your joy with someone who needs encouragement.
Week Four (Love): Reflect on how much God loves you. Read John 3:16, Romans 5:8, and 1 John 4:9-10. Ask God to help you love others the way He has loved you.
During each week, read the Christmas story in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2. Let the reality of God becoming man sink in deeply.
Preparing Your Heart for Christmas
The four messages of Advent aren't just themes to think about. They're truths that should change how we live.
If you have hope in Christ, you can face uncertainty without fear. If you have peace with God, you can release bitterness and conflict. If you have joy in salvation, you can endure trials without losing heart. If you know God's love, you can love others sacrificially.
This Christmas season, don't let the busyness and commercialism rob you of the real celebration. Use these four weeks to prepare your heart for what matters most—worshiping the Savior who came to rescue us.
The candles will burn out. The decorations will come down. The presents will be opened and forgotten. But the hope, peace, joy, and love we have in Christ will last forever.
As you light each Advent candle this year, let it remind you of what Jesus came to do. He came to bring hope to the hopeless, peace to the conflicted, joy to the sorrowful, and love to the unlovable.
That's worth celebrating—not just at Christmas, but every single day.
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