Advent Day 5 – Hope – Youth Ministry

A Horn of Salvation for the Next Generation
 Luke 1:68-69 
 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for God has looked favorably on God’s people and redeemed them. God has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of the servant David." (Luke 1:68-69)

In these verses from Luke, Zechariah’s prophetic song bursts forth with praise and hope. After months of silence, his first words glorify God for sending a Savior, a “horn of salvation” to redeem and rescue his people. For the Jewish community at the time, this promise represented deliverance from oppression and restoration of their identity as God’s people. For us, it reminds us of the ways God intervenes in history to bring hope, healing, and salvation—not only for individuals but for whole communities.
 
In youth ministry, we see glimpses of this "horn of salvation" in the lives of the young people we serve. Their passion, creativity, and resilience often point to the ways God is raising up a new generation to carry forward the work of redemption. Advent invites us to prepare their hearts and ours to receive Christ anew, to recognize how God’s promises are being fulfilled even now in their lives.

Reid Weathersbee (7th grade) said that hope is not just that something we have in Jesus Christ but it’s driving force behind our willingness and courage that something will happen. It’s the willingness and courage that we will work with the Holy Spirit to make something happen. Brooks Weathersbee (10th grade) pointed out that our hope in Christ is sometimes unbelievable. When everything is going against us, it’s easy to believe that the outcome is unlikely, but our hope pushes us to believe in the extraordinary.
 
Sometimes, the challenges faced by youth—peer pressure, academic stress, family struggles, or questions about identity and belonging—can feel overwhelming. Yet the story of Advent reminds us that God meets us amid our struggles. Just as God raised up a Savior in Jesus, God is still at work raising up hope in the lives of young people today. Riley Peltz (10th grade) said that what gives her hope is her friends and family. The connections that we have in our church family guide our path. Through youth ministry, we have the privilege of walking alongside them, pointing to the ways God is redeeming their stories and calling them into a greater purpose.

Zechariah’s song is not just a reminder of what God has done; it’s an invitation to believe in what God is still doing. As we light the candles of Advent, may we also light the spark of hope in the next generation, equipping them to carry the message of salvation to a world in need.
 
Prayer: Redeeming God, you have raised up a mighty Savior, a horn of salvation to redeem and restore us. Thank you for the young people in our community, for the ways they reflect your image and carry your hope. Bless our youth ministry this Advent season. Equip us as leaders, mentors, and friends to guide them well, to listen to their struggles, and to nurture their faith. Help us to remind them of your promises, to point them to Jesus, and to walk with them toward your light. May this Advent be a time of renewal for all of us, as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ and to carry his light into the world. Amen.
 
Action: Youth ministry is not a subset of our congregation but a foundation for the church as a whole. Consider how you can support the youth by your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Do you want to give your time and financial gifts in the coming year? Contact Pastor Caroline!