Book: The Final Advent: 25 Advent Devotions from the Book of Revelation

25 Advent Devotions from the Book of Revelation

He came once in a manger. He will come again in glory.

Revelation, the final book of the Bible, may not be the first place we think to look during Advent. But from beginning to end, it points us to Jesus: the Lamb who was slain, the King who reigns, and the One who is coming again.

This Advent, journey through twenty-five passages from Revelation and discover what this often-misunderstood book has to say about Christ, His promises, and the hope we have while we wait for His return.

At Christmas, we remember that Jesus came just as He promised. But Advent also looks ahead. The story didn't end at the manger, and neither does our waiting.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 

Available from Amazon

2026 Advent and Christmas resources

Advent and Christmas is an ideal opportunity to engage with the wider community and refresh the Christian Faith in people who are part of your local Christian Community.  

Advent

On the four Sundays before Christmas the Christian church for centuries has participated in the season of Advent.  The beginnings of Advent can be traced back to 380AD and the four Sundays of Advent became a regular occurrence in the late 6th Century.   

Advent from its original Latin adventus means coming or arrival, and this is the posture we are encouraged to take during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.   We are waiting for the arrival to celebrate Christmas (the nativity) and we are waiting for the arrival for Jesus' second coming.   

One common tradition that many Christians utilise are four Advent Candles and a Christ Candle.   Each Sunday the congregation lights another candle with the Christ Candle lit on Christmas Eve or Day, as  reminder that the light of Christ is coming into our dark and sin affected world.    The most common name for the Advent Candles are hope, peace, joy and love.   

As the posture of Advent is one of waiting for the arrival of Christmas, the focus and mood of the readings and the worship services are a combination of repentance, waiting and a little joy(as we know Christ will come).   

Christmas Season

The Christmas season celebrates the arrival of Jesus and all the good He gives us.  The Christmas season is from 25 December through to 6 January (Epiphany), the twelve days of Christmas.   Congregations are encouraged to keep their Christmas symbols and decorations up until 7 January to remind people that there is much  praise God and be thankful for because of the arrival of Jesus.  

Advent and Christmas Worship resources

Lutheran Church of Australia - Advent Worship 

Lutheran Church of Australia - Christmas Worship 

Center for Worship Leadership - Advent and Christmas Resources

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada - Worship Resources 

Living Lutheran 

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Advent resources

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 2026 resources 

Eastern Synod Lutheran Church in Canada - Advent and Christmas Worship Resources 

Contemporary and Traditional songs - Advent

Contemporary and Traditional songs - Christmas

Traditional Hymns - Advent 

Traditional Hymns - Christmas 

Advent Candle Lighting Liturgies

Characters of Christmas 

God's unending love

Before the Manger 

Moravian Church 

Candle Lighting Song - tune Be still and know that i am God 

Other songs • "We Light the Candle" (Mary Nelson Keithahn & John D. Horman),  "Like a Candle Flame" (Graham Kendrick), "Light the Advent Candle" (The Faith We Sing #2090), "Go Light Your World" (Chris Rice), "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" – A classic traditional hymn frequently sung during candlelight or Advent services.

Christmas/Nativity Plays

Instant Christmas Pagaent

Disorganised Sunday School resources 

Salvation Army resources 

Religion Teacher script

Previous Years on Lutheran Mission Blog

Family and Children resources

Grow Ministries 

South Eastern Synod ELCA 

Advent Christmas Devotions/Studies/Resources 

Lutheran Tract Mission - currently offers 9 different devotion books free of charge 

North American Lutheran Church devotional

Lutheran Hour Ministries - offers pdf and online devotions

Lutheran Church in Mission for Christ devotional

ELCA - Filled with Good things - devotional, bulletin insert, calendar and action guide 

Lutheran World Federation Advent and Christmas Hymns and Carols 

Lutheran World Federation Advent Calendar

Bible Project - Advent 

Red Letter studies - Advent 

Advent Conspiracy 

Social Media and Promoting Christmas resources

The Church of England - 6 ideas for using Social Media

Methodist Church - Don't be afraid resources

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod - media kit

10 Social media ideas for your church 

Free or by donation resources

Bible Society New Zealand 

Bible Society of Australia - resource for 2026 has not been advertised as of yet

Lutheran Tract Mission - Advent

Lutheran Tract Mission - Christmas

Lutheran Mission Blogspot previous Advent postings 

Lutheran Mission Blogspot previous Christmas postings

Book - Confessing Jesus Mission

Confessing Jesus Mission is available through Amazon here

Mission and confession are not competitive. They are complementary and collaborative. Two sides of the same coin. Balancing, catalyzing, proclaiming and sending. This is the way it’s always supposed to be. The Gospel must be preached. Eternities are at stake. We need more proclaimers. Pastors and marketplace leaders united in a common confession to let the world know, “Jesus is LORD!”

Somewhere along our way the LCMS started to pit these two words against each other.

Tribes such as “missional” and “confessional” began to form. “Confessional” pastors virtue signal through collars and chanting, smells and bells. “Missional” pastors virtue signal through casual dress and drums. Maybe tribalism is the way it’s always been in the LCMS. Maybe so, but that does not mean it is the way it should be. I certainly don’t have to like it. I know Jesus doesn’t.

“Mission” is why the church exists. God wants all of His rebellious kids back. God is radically, and even ridiculously, in love with us. Jesus is proof.

“Confession” is what we preach. Pastors preach. The royal priesthood also boldly proclaims. Christ crucified. Christ risen. Christ ascended and reigning. The Holy Spirit descending. For you. For me. For the world.

Priorities matter. Values matter. Unfortunately, the values in the LCMS have shifted. We’ve prioritized protecting the faith over advancing the mission of making Jesus known. When “what and how” gets in the way of “why” any organization exists, trouble and petty power plays will be the end result.

Book: And so to bed a biblical view of sleep

And so to be - a biblical view of sleep

Sleep is part of our created humanity, a good gift from God to be treasured and enjoyed; an earthly picture of a spiritual reality. In this reflection on sleep, Reynolds reflects on what the Bible has to say about sleep and rest, and how that can impact not only your night but your life. He includes his suggestions for turning off and enjoying rest.

Chapter 1: Night Night!

Examines how widespread sleeplessness and anxiety are, and how lack of sleep harms daily life, relationships, and mood.

Chapter 2: Good Night!

Explores the biblical view of sleep, showing that sleep is part of God's design and that lying down to sleep is an act of trust and dependence on a sovereign God.

Chapter 3: Sleep Tight!

Focuses on the unchanging, all-powerful God who never slumbers or sleeps, and invites believers to rest in His care.

Chapter 4: See you in the morning!

Looks at sleep as an earthly picture of a spiritual reality, connecting physical rest and waking to the Christian hope of resurrection and eternal life.

Chapter 5: Hope the bed bugs don't bite!

Offers practical, real-world suggestions and wisdom for turning off, winding down, and getting a good night's rest.

Chapter 6: Feeling sleepy now?

Concludes with reflections on sleep as a gracious, daily gift from God to be received with thankfulness.

Available from Amazon 

Lutheran Fellowship Gatherings - November 2026

 

Click on the weekly links below  to access the weekly resources

November week 1:  1 John 3:1-3 All Saints 

November week 2:  Matthew 25:1–13  Proper 27

November week 3:  Matthew 25:14-30 Proper 28

November week 4:  Matthew 25:31–46  Christ the King

November week 5:  Mark 13:24–37 Advent 1 

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The Lutheran Fellowship Gathering weekly resource is for small groups or small worshipping communities to help them connect with God and each other focussing on the Gospel reading of the Revised Common Lectionary  

I have made this resource available is to support people who wish to gather around God’s Word, focus on Jesus and to grow as part of God’s church.  

You may want to use it to help you start a small group in your church community, or to gather people in a community where a Lutheran church currently is not present.  

This resource is offered free of charge to non-commercial situations, on the understanding that you will not charge for copies or its use.   

This resource has been developed by Pastor Richard Schwedes, richardschwedes@gmail.com 

If you have feedback, suggestions or improvements feel free to email me