Advent Sermon and Sermon Series Ideas
A Four-Week Year B Series for Advent Planning
The Advent Lectionary Readings (Year B)
This page began as a 2023 Year B Advent series and is being preserved as part of the growing Preaching for Change sermon resource archive. As of May 2026, the current Revised Common Lectionary cycle is Year A, and Year B returns with Advent 2026. Use these themes, Scripture notes, and sermon outlines as a starting point whenever they fit your planning.
Current lectionary index | Year B lectionary resources | Start Here guide
First Sunday
December 3, 2023
First Reading and Psalm
Isaiah 64:1-9
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Gospel Reading
Mark 13:24-37
Second Sunday
December 10, 2023
First Reading and Psalm
Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
Second Reading
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Gospel Reading
Mark 1:1-8
Third Sunday
December 17, 2023
First Reading and Psalm
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46b-55
Second Reading
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Gospel Reading
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Fourth Sunday
December 24, 2023
First Reading and Psalm
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Second Reading
Romans 16:25-27
Gospel Reading
Luke 1:26-38
The Weekly Advent Themes
First Sunday
HOPE
We Have HOPE That God Will Fix All the World’s Brokenness
Based on Mark 13:24-37
Jesus finishes foretelling the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and then declares that “after” that, the Son of Man will come in clouds. How long after? No one knows. So every generation of believers must remain awake and alert.
Second Sunday
PEACE
We Have PEACE When We Prepare the Way for God to Work
Based on Mark 1:1-8
John the Baptist prepares the way for the first appearance of Christ by preaching a message of repentance for forgiveness to clear the way for the Messiah. John also announces the baptism with the Holy Spirit that is coming.
Third Sunday
JOY
We Have JOY As We Share the Good News with Others
Based on John 1:6-8, 19-28
John the Baptist’s message was simply, “I am not the Messiah. I am the Voice of the Messiah.” And that’s what we get to be as well. We get to be God’s voice to a culture desperately in need of hope and change.
Fourth Sunday
LOVE
We Get to Give LOVE Away Because We’ve Received Love First
Based on Luke 1:26-38
The way in which Mary received the message of the angel Gabriel teaches us to embrace, with both humility and confidence, God’s love and our assignment in the expansion of God’s kingdom on earth.
Other Christmas, Advent, and Holiday Sermon Ideas
A Three-Week Series: The Gift Exchange
Cover Photo by Mario Losereit on Unsplash.
Weekly preaching resources
Get useful sermon notes and ministry communication help.
Receive weekly Preaching for Change resources, plus occasional notes from Brandon about communication, church websites, and tools for ministry. You can unsubscribe anytime.