Advent Meditations FIRST EVANGELICAL CHURCH The first carol, “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” offers an overview of the entire life and mission of the Savior: (verses 1 & 2) the Lord's birth; (verse 3) His life as an itinerant preacher; (verse 4) His death on Calvary; and (verse 5) Advent Meditations to proclaim His Second Coming. The repeated lines at the end of each verse are easily learned and sung by young children. These meditations are intended to be used each week the month before Christmas. They are put together to support the theme of each of our “Together for Christmas” Sunday services. Each session may be used for individual worship and/or for a time of family discussions with some suggested children's activities. We encourage you to be creative, get inspired, and add your own elements to these programs.
Features of each week's program are hymns of the church, carols, praise songs, children's choruses, Scripture, poetry, comments and questions. Sing together (with piano or guitar, if available), read the hymns as poetry, listen to the music, and/or watch videos on YouTube links. Many families use an Advent candle wreath as an aid to worship during this season.
INTRODUCTION
The Bible does not contain the word "Advent" nor does it instruct us to celebrate “Christmas.” Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning “coming.” The season of Advent is a traditional time set aside to concentrate our thoughts on the celebration of “Christmas,” the birth of our Redeemer and Savior.
In our world today where Christmas is so commercialized, it is good to have a tool such as Advent meditations to focus our minds on the true meaning of the season and bring about genuine worship and adoration of the Christ child - the Word become flesh - Emmanuel - God with us.
The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness of God's actions—past, present, and future. In Advent we hear the prophecies of the Messiah's coming as addressed to us today - people who wait for the Second Coming. In Advent we heighten our anticipation for the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament promises.
It is a time, not only to celebrate and anticipate the first advent or coming of Jesus to the world, but just as surely, a time to anticipate and remind ourselves that He is coming again at the end of the age to receive His own. Let us teach our children, not only about Jesus's First Coming as a tiny baby, but also teach them about His Second Coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. ADVENT MEDITATION #1 Isaiah 7:14 “Behold: a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son. And shall call His name 'Emmanuel', God With Us.” Hope Matthew 1:21 (ESV) “She will bear a son, and you shall call His name “Jesus,” First Week of Advent for He will save His people from their sins.”
Is hope an attitude of wishful thinking, or is it a presumptuous Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the pursuit of what is to come? A promise of fulfillment. The Christian government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful faith is based on promises regarding the future! Counselor (wonder of a counselor), Mighty God (a hero of a God), Everlasting - Anette Ejsing Denmark, 2006 Theology of Anticipation Father (a Father of eternity), Prince of Peace.” (Italics: meaning in Hebrew)
Hope is the confidence that what we long for will happen. Waiting in hope SONG: “MARY DID YOU KNOW” is one of the hardest things to do. When things all around us seem to be falling YouTube video from “The Nativity Story”: http://bit.ly/2f28H9Y apart, how can we keep on hoping? We know that God keeps His promises! Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, CAROL: “COME, THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS” plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
God has a plan for us including spending eternity with Him. He has provided the way through Jesus Christ, His Son.
SONG: “IN CHRIST ALONE” 1 Peter 1:22-25 (KJV) “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is like grass; and all the glory of man like the flower of grass.The grass withereth, and its flower falleth away, but the Word of the Lord endureth forever, and this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you.”
PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for the hope we have to spend eternity with you through Christ's sacrifice.
ADVENT ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
(Choose the activities that are appropriate for your family.)
ACTIVITY 1: Make cookies with your children and let them roll them and put them on the pan. As you’re working with your children, ask them if they are excited about eating cookies. Tell them that you can hardly wait! Then, as the cookies bake, point out the smell and again tell the kids how excited you are to eat the cookies. Stress how anxiously you are awaiting the cookies and how great you think they are going to taste. When the cookies are done and you’re waiting for them to cool, explain that anticipation is waiting with excitement for something really good to come… like cookies… or the birth of Jesus, and now we anticipate the second coming of Christ.
ACTIVITY 2: Make a paper chain with the number of days left until Christmas. Number each paper chain link and explain to your children that you will remove a link each night until there are no more. When the paper links are all gone, it will be Christmas. This gives small children a better understanding of time through a hands-on, visual tool.
READ: The “Get Ready” story from The Jesus Storybook Bible.
SING: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”—Reinforce the lesson of excitedly waiting for something really good.
RECOMMENDED READING: Advent Storybook: 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas (Begin reading on December 1). ADVENT MEDITATION #2 Many people take the idea of gift giving at Christmas back to the Scripture in Matthew 2:10-11 which talks about the Magi (wise men) giving gifts to Jesus Gift of Gifts at His home: “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and Second Week of Advent worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” CAROL: “ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH" Gal. 4:4-5 (ESV) “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
God gave the world the most precious gift in the person of Jesus Christ who laid aside His glory, humbled Himself to become a human baby, to be born of a woman into poverty, to live the life of a peasant, to be rejected by the very people He came to save, to die an agonizing death on a cross, and to rise again in triumph over sin and death.
When we give gifts out of love, we are emulating God. As we give gifts, we should remember the greatest gift of all—the gift that God gave us by sending His Son into the world. Like any other gift, however, it must be received. If you have not ever accepted this gift, receive the gift of Jesus Christ into your life today. Then say with all believers: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
THINK ABOUT IT: What things would be different if Jesus had not come? What things would be different if Jesus had come, but had not died on the cross? What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man I would do my part; Yet what can I give Him? Give Him my heart.
HYMN: “WORTHY, YOU ARE WORTHY" PRAYER: What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man I would do my part; yet what can I give Him? Give Him my heart. Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for You.
ADVENT ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS (Choose the activities that are appropriate for your family.)
ACTIVITY 1: Make a thank you card for God and hang it up with your Christmas cards. If your children are too young to write, let them draw pictures of things they are thankful for.
ACTIVITY 2: Make Christmas cards and bring a special treat to someone in a retirement home. (Be careful about sweet treats if the person has diabetes.) HYMN: “I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE" Contact [email protected] if you need information on someone who would enjoy your visit.
ACTIVITY 3: If you have older children, let them each choose their favorite food and make dinner with you. Explain how time spent with someone (devotional time) and how service to someone can be some of the most valuable gifts.
READ: “He’s Here” story from The Jesus Storybook Bible.
RECOMMENDED CHILDREN’S BOOK: The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving by Jan & Mike Berenstain.
ASK: How do you feel when you give a gift to someone? How do you feel when someone gives you a gift? What is the greatest gift that you have ever received? What made it great? Why is it important to give to others? What are some ways our family can bless others this Christmas and throughout the year? ADVENT MEDITATION #3 Read or memorize the Christmas story from Luke 2:2-21. Children will enjoy dressing up in costumes depicting the characters (even the animals) of the story. Wonder Or ask them to draw pictures illustrating the story. Third Week of Advent Christmas is about warmth, joy and family, and more importantly, what God did for us. Pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken a wonder in all of us for the incredible gift of Emmanuel—God with us. Luke 1:26-38 (ESV) The announcement to Mary Have you noticed how the Christmas season seems to arrive earlier every year? CAROL: “HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING" It's easy to be cynical that this is all driven by the hyper-commercialization of Christmas. But maybe there's something deeper here. Perhaps we all yearn for something special at Christmas.
Of course, deep down, what humanity really longs for is a Savior. Our culture obscures this point, yet the universal desire for Jesus remains. We ache for His redemption!
“O inexpressible mystery and unheard paradox: the Invisible is seen, the Intangible is touched, the eternal Word becomes accessible to our speech, the Timeless steps into time, the Son of God becomes the Son of Man!” - Gregory of Nyssa
John 1 (ESV) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us lies in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man. . . determining human destiny. . . and that He took humanity without loss of deity, so that Jesus of Nazareth was as truly and fully divine as He was human. It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas that the profoundest and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie.
“God became man; the divine Son became a Jew; the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, unable to do more than lie and stare and wriggle and make noises, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation.” - J. I. Packer, Knowing God.
ADVENT MEDITATION #4 GOSPEL SONG: “THE WONDER OF IT ALL” Youtube video: http://bit.ly/2fwuSsP Joy PRAYER: Meditate on the wonder of God's announcement to Mary that she would bear His Son; on the wonder of the shepherds on the hillside as they heard Fourth Week of Advent the first announcement of Jesus's birth from the angelic host; on the wonder of God's plan of redemption through His Son's death on the cross; on the wonder of God's love for each of us. CAROLS OF JOY: “JOY TO THE WORLD"
ADVENT ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS (Choose the activities that are appropriate for your family.)
ACTIVITY 1: Pop some popcorn and, as a family, watch A Charlie Brown Christmas (or the clip “The Meaning of Christmas” on YouTube: http://bit. ly/1tsaIKM).
ACTIVITY 2: As you drive in the evenings, have children compete to see who can count the most houses with Christmas lights. Find the most decorated house in the neighborhood and use it as an example of wonder. Explain that Christmas lights are a simple, earthly wonder, that dim in comparison to the wonder at the birth of Jesus Christ.
READ: “The Light of the Whole World” story from The Jesus Storybook Bible.
RECOMMENDED CHILDREN’S BOOK: Little Star by Anthony Destefano
PLAY: (Point to a stable and the nativity figures in it as you say the rhyme.)
Here is the stable on Christmas day. Here is the manger where Jesus lay. Here are the angels dressed in white. Here are the shepherds they told that night. Here are the Wise Men, following the star. Here are the camels they rode so far. Here are the gifts the Wise Men bring. Here is little Jesus, our Savior & King.
ACTIVITY 3: Have children draw a picture to illustrate part of the poem above.
SING: "Silent Night" “HOW GREAT OUR JOY" (echo sing the repeated phrases) and glorious joy: (1 Peter 1:8). The joy of the Lord is our strength! (Nehemiah 8:10) If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, Let Jesus come into your heart. Your sins He'll wash away; your night He'll turn to day Your life, He'll make it over anew. If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, Let Jesus come into your heart.
HYMN OF JOY: “JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE"
What is the joy of the Lord? It is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.When Jesus was born, the angels announced “good tidings of great joy.” All who find Jesus know, with the shepherds of the nativity, the joy He brings. Jesus set a good example of joy throughout His ministry. His enemies even accused Him of being too joyful on occasion! (Luke 7:34). He “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” (Luke 10:21). He spoke of “my joy” (John 15:11) and promised to give His disciples (us) a lifetime supply of it (John 16:24).
Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control.” In fact, it is our Christian duty to rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 3:1; 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:15). In Christ, the believer is “filled with an inexpressible CHORUSES OF JOY: SING: “The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength,” “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy” and “I Have the Joy Joy Joy Down in My Heart” “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas.” YouTube video Praise in Motion Music: for preschool ages - http://bitly/2fdJ1HK or for elementary ages - http://bit.ly/2fdOnmg EXPLAIN: At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus. The celebration itself does not bring joy (although it may bring happiness). Instead, joy comes from the reason “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength” for the gifts – Jesus. Following Jesus brings joy. The gifts at Christmas are just a YouTube video Praise in Motion Music: http://bit.ly/2eoOwo6 part of the celebration of the joy that we have in knowing and following Jesus.
Romans 15:13a “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you TALK: Have mom share how when she was pregnant with each child, it was trust in Him.” painful and difficult, yet knowing the baby would come brought joy. Express to children this is how Mary may have felt while she was pregnant with Jesus and SONG OF FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE: how joyful and happy she must have been when He was born. Joy is not a result “Because He Lives” of happy circumstances – it is a gift from God. YouTube video Bill Gaither VEVO: http://bit.ly/2fiO48t READ: “The King of All Kings” story from The Jesus Storybook Bible. PRAYER: Thank you, Father for the joy that is ours because your Holy Spirit is within us, producing the fruit that makes us more like the Lord Jesus. ASK: What do you think is the difference between joy and happiness? What exceeding joy will be ours when we spend eternity. What is a time that you did something that made you content and at peace in your heart? Who gives joy? Who do all good gifts come from (directly and indirectly)? Who can you always turn to in circumstances that are not happy? Who is always with you?
ADVENT ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS RECOMMENDED CHILDREN’S BOOK: The Legend of the Christmas (Choose the activities that are appropriate for your family.) Stocking by Rick Osborne.
ACTIVITY 1: Joy Spotlight Game – Have each family member sit on a special chair. Go around the room and have each person in the family share something that they appreciate about the person. Explain: When God sent His Son, Jesus, to Earth, His plan was for Jesus to bring joy to all people. As followers of Jesus, it’s our job to bring joy to others through kindness and compassion. When we obey God’s commands to love others, it brings us joy.
ACTIVITY 2: The Joy of Giving – Bring happiness to others and get joy by obeying God. Let the kids make a card, bake some cookies, or do a craft for someone. It might be the mail person, the person who picks up trash, a homeless person, a lonely neighbor, or someone who is grieving. Let the gift come from the kids’ labor and not just from the store. Help them to look forward to and get excited about sharing with others.
ACTIVITY 3: Encourage siblings to prepare and wrap presents for each other. Explain: There is joy in doing kind things for others. Ask: How did it feel to prepare a gift and give it to someone else? Created for “Together for Christmas,” 2016.