Advent 4: With Love from God
21 December 2025
Bible readings
Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19
Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Matthew 1:18–25
...she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
Songs and hymns
Advent candles tell their story (StF 165)
Christmas is coming (StF 166)
Come, Lord Jesus, come (StF 168)
Light a candle in a darkened place (StF 174)
Light of the world (StF 175)
Like a candle flame (StF 176)
Long ago, prophets knew (StF 178)
Of the Father’s love begotten (StF 181)
Tell out my soul (StF 186)
The Angel Gabriel from heaven came (StF 187)
Opening liturgy
Gift-giving God, may Advent be for us a time of giving and receiving.
Holy God, as Advent draws to a close, your gospel shines all the more brightly with messages of hope and promise, of love and care, of gifts already given and gifts for the present and for the future.
Gift-giving God, may Advent be for us a time of giving and receiving.
Holy God, remind us afresh of the Angel’s appearances, of the sparkle and shine that their words and their messages add to our everyday lives.
May we be able to offer their messages and gifts with love, compassion and care.
Gift-giving God, may Advent be for us a time of giving and receiving.
Holy God, sharing your love is work that is often hard. But when we sit back and look at what a difference we’ve made we rejoice that we are made with love and live to love in your name.
Gift-giving God, may Advent be for us a time of giving and receiving.
Symbol: Gift tag
Background notes
Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19
Today’s psalm is a sorrowful lament over the devastation caused by the destruction of Jerusalem. Throughout the psalm, God is addressed as Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts: a title that evokes divine power and military authority.
In verses 4–6, the writer holds God responsible for the suffering, describing it as the result of divine anger.
Yet verse 7 marks a turning point. The psalmist pleads, “let your face shine, that we may be saved.” Because the pain came from God, God must also desire to heal and save. This plea is repeated at the end of the psalm, forming a refrain of hope and restoration.(1)
Matthew 1:18–25
Matthew’s account focuses more on the conception and naming of Jesus than on the birth itself. Joseph is portrayed as an honourable man – discreet, compassionate, and faithful. His response to a bewildering situation shows a quiet courage rooted in love.(2)
The conception, Matthew tells us, is the work of God.(3) In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God is understood as God’s creative force – hovering over the waters, breathing life into dust. From this flows a deep conviction in Jewish tradition that every child is ultimately a gift from God. Perhaps that’s why Matthew recounts the miraculous conception with such restraint.(4) For him, every life is sacred. Every life is a gift from God.
Jesus was born into a loving relationship, and named with love. Two names are given: Jesus, which means “God saves”– pointing to forgiveness, healing,(5) and God’s love is not distant or abstract. It draws near.
At the very end of Matthew’s Gospel, the risen Jesus says, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”(6) The gift given then remains with us still. Jesus is the true gift to us all, divine favour manifested.(7)
(1) Brueggemann and Bellinger, Psalms, pp. 348–350.
(2) Brueggemann, Cousar, Gaventa, Newsome, Texts for Preaching Year A pp. 34–35.
(3) ibid. p. 35.
(4) Schweizer, The Good News according to Matthew, p. 30.
(5) Brueggemann, Cousar, Gaventa, Newsome, Texts for Preaching Year A pp. 35–36.
(6) ibid. p. 36.
(7) Davies and Allison, Matthew, p. 18.
Questions for discussion
Let your face shine
Verse 7 marks a shift: “Let your face shine, that we may be saved.”
- What kind of gift is God’s presence in a dark or painful time?
- Where do you long to see God’s face shine – what gift of restoration are you waiting or hoping for?
Joseph’s example
Joseph responds with compassion and integrity in a bewildering situation.
- What kind of gift does Joseph offer in his quiet courage and obedience?
- Have you ever received the gift of someone else’s calm, faithful presence in a difficult time?
Creative force
Matthew tells us that Jesus’ conception is the work of the Holy Spirit – the creative force of God.
- How might we learn to see every life – including our own – as a gift from God?
Jesus, Emmanuel
Jesus is given two names: Jesus (“God saves”) and Emmanuel (“God with us”).
- What do these names reveal about the kind of gift Jesus is to the world?
- When have you experienced God’s presence as a gift – unexpected, personal or sustaining?
Hands-on activities
“Let your face shine” sun catchers
Materials: Transparent plastic sheets or laminating pouches, tissue paper, glue sticks, scissors, string.
Activity: Cut sun shapes or circles from the plastic sheets. Tear or cut colourful tissue paper pieces to glue onto the plastic, creating a stained-glass effect. Display these in your church or home windows.
Reflection: As children or participants create their sun catchers, talk about the psalm’s plea for God’s face to shine on us, bringing light and hope even in hard times. Hang them where sunlight can shine through as a reminder of God’s presence and healing.
‘Names of Jesus’ banner or mobile
Materials: Paper or card, markers, string, beads, sticks or a hanger.
Activity: Write or decorate the names “Jesus” and “Emmanuel” on cards. Add definitions or pictures illustrating what these names mean (“God saves,” “God with us”). Assemble them on a banner or mobile.
Reflection: Discuss how Jesus’ names tell us about God’s gift to the world – presence, salvation and love.
Folded hearts of love
Materials: Origami paper or any paper squares.
Activity: Fold the paper into a heart shape (instruction video here: youtu.be/PZcu5kf7Jj0) Write inside one of the names of Jesus and the names of one or two people who are yet to recognise God’s love for them.
Reflection: consider ways you can demonstrate God’s love to those you’ve named.
Prayer ideas
Light a light
Set up a table with tealights (real or LED), sand tray or safe holders. Invite people to light a candle as a prayer for someone who needs to know that God is with them. You might play soft instrumental music or offer quiet phrases like: “Jesus, be near” or “God with us – come close.”
‘You are loved’ prayer walk
Invite the congregation to walk slowly around the space (or outside if possible), praying silently with this phrase for themselves or others: “Made with love. Love to give." Encourage them to notice who or what stirs their compassion – a reminder of who they are called to love.
Folded heart prayers
Using the origami hearts made previously, spend time praying for each person that has been named.
Global Prayers
In the middle of the slums of Nairobi, one Methodist Church posts a sign saying: “A place where everybody is somebody.” This sums up the ministry of service and the message of God’s love for all, to which Methodists throughout Africa are committed.
Lord, we give you thanks that you love every person and for all who witness to your love in every place and especially today in Africa.
We give thanks for Methodist Church transforming the lives of people with disabilities in Tanzania; for the presence of the Methodist Church amongst the tribal peoples of northern Kenya, enhancing water conservation and social justice; for Church health and educational institutions throughout the continent; and for all who serve the poor and marginalised in countless ways.
May we your Church always be a gift to the world, a beacon of light, of hope and of healing and life. Amen.
The good news to get across
The conception of Jesus is described as the work of God’s Spirit, the creative force that brings life. This reminds us that every child, every life, is a sacred gift from God, made with deep love. Your life itself is a precious gift.
Jesus is the ultimate gift: given to us so we may know God’s presence, grace and favour every day of our lives.
Ways people can respond
Display a picture of Mary cradling the baby Jesus. Invite people to imagine themselves in the position of the child, being cradled by God.