Christmas Eve Services 5:30 and 7:00 pm. Family Advent Guide

Transcription

1 Christmas Eve Services 5:30 and 7:00 pm Family Advent Guide 1

2 A Note for Families Advent is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the birth of Jesus. But, for some families, this time of year can be filled to the brim with activities and obligations. Before the calendar begins to overflow, set aside a few minutes to consider what you want this season to be for your family. Then make a plan so that the time intended to remember & celebrate doesn t get swallowed up by lesser things. To help toward that end, we have provided this advent book that will help you create intentional time to talk about Jesus throughout this season. If you choose to use the Advent wreath, put it in a special, visible place in the house to serve as a reminder of Jesus coming. We hope this tool is a blessing to your family as we remember how Jesus birth changed the world. Merry Christmas from HCBC Pflugerville Children s Ministry. Contact Info Phone #: HCBC Pflugerville Kids HCBC Pflugerville Kids 15

3 Advent...what is it? The King is coming. Jesus Christ has come and will come again. This is the hope of the Church whom He purchased with His blood. His coming is the eager expectation and desire of His people. It is our joy because He is our treasure and greatest good. This is the theme of Advent, formed from a Latin word meaning coming or arrival. It s the traditional celebration of the first advent of Jesus in humility and the anxious awaiting of His second return. The season is a time for remembering and rejoicing, watching and waiting. During the season it is easy to get lost in busyness and the consumer-driven promises of our culture, focusing on the shadow rather than the substance Christ. God promised to send the Savior, and He faithfully fulfilled that promise. Amid the fleeting things that fail to save us and fill us, God comes through on His promises. 3

4 History & Traditions The Advent season officially begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and continues until Christmas Eve or Day. There are a variety of ways to celebrate the Advent season, depending on tradition and background. Many people use an Advent calendar, typically made up of 24 windows containing Scriptures, stories, poems or gifts, to count down the days until Christmas. As each window is opened and the final day draws closer, expectation increases. This reminds us of the hopeful yet anxious waiting God s people experienced as they longed for the promised Savior to come. Another popular tradition is marking the progression of the season through an Advent wreath made up of five candles. This symbol is borrowed from the emphasis throughout Scripture of Jesus Christ being the Light of the World (Matt. 4:16; John 1:4-9, 8:12). Each week a new candle is lit in anticipation of Christmas Eve. The last candle, called the Christ Candle, is lit on Christmas Eve to represent Jesus first advent. Through this theme of ever-increasing light penetrating the darkness, we see a picture of the gospel. 13

5 Sunday, December 2 Lighting of the Advent Candle (Hope) Have one member of the family light the first candle. Read Luke 1:26-38, Birth of Jesus foretold Family Discussion What are you most excited about for Christmas this year? Who told Mary that she was going to have a baby? What was so special about this baby? Hope How do the sights and sounds of the Christmas season bells, Christmas music, children s laughter, Christmas lights help increase the excitement for the holidays. There is so much anticipation and hope during the Christmas season, especially for children as they eagerly await their Christmas gifts. The Israelites also were hopeful as they waited for hundreds of years for their Messiah to be born. What is a Messiah? It is the expected king and deliverer who that God had promised. God sent his Son, Jesus, to be born as a baby. Why did Jesus come to earth? God created the world perfect, but then man rebelled. This rebeliion was called sin. Sin is anything you say, do or think that displeases God. Worst of all is that sin separates humans from God...FOREVER! When Jesus came into this world, it brought hope to the every man, woman and child. Family Activity (Read before doing this with your family) Make edible Christmas trees out of upside-down ice cream cones, green frosting and sprinkles. Discuss as a family: Which Christmas decorations do you enjoy the most? Why do you think we put up decorations at Christmas time? Isaiah 9:1: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light God of compassion, be with us in these long and dark days as we await the birth of your son, Jesus. 5

6 Sunday, December 9 Lighting of the Advent Candle (Love) Have one member of the family light last week s candle and a second candle. Read Luke 2:22-35 Family Discussion 1) What is the hardest part of Christmas? (Waiting for presents, school to get out, shopping, being nice to people, etc ) 2) What did the Holy Spirit say would happen to Simeon before he died? 3) What did Simeon do when he met baby Jesus? Love Love. What a powerful, but overused word? We say we love our family, but also say we love French fries! I think most of us would agree that our families are 100x better than French fries. Simeon loved God and obeyed him. He had been waiting for the Messiah to come for many, many years. How would you feel if you had to wait years to open your Christmas presents? When Simeon saw Jesus, he praised God and said how Jesus would be a light to the entire world. Think about how amazing the season of Christmas is. God came down to earth as a baby to save the world. What an amazing display of love. Have you ever thought about how much God loves you and your entire family? Family Activity Decorate or print off and color Christmas cards for your Sunday School volunteers at church. Take them to church the next Sunday or mail them to your child s Sunday School teachers. John 3:16: 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 of love. Thank you God for sending your Son to save the world. Help us to love you with all we are and selflessly love others. 11

7 Holiday Stuff to do in Austin area Main Street Bethlehem: December 7-9 & December Mozart s Coffee Christmas Light Show: November 16 to January 2 (6-11 pm) Zilker Christmas Tree: November 25 to December 23 Zilker Trail of Lights: December 10 to 23 Ice Skating at Whole foods downtown Stroll through Downtown Round Rock Christmas lights Winter Wonderland at Circuit of the Americas *Check their website for times & days they are open* Chinati Court Christmas Lights (Cedar Park, TX) Sunday, December 16 Lighting of the Advent Candle (Joy) Have one member of the family light the candles from the last two weeks and a third candle. Read Luke 1:46-55 Family Discussion 1) What is your favorite Christmas song or carol? Why do you like it so much? 2) Why does Jesus coming to earth make people joyful? Joy Christmas music brings back many memories of presents from childhood, holiday meals eaten with family and friends, watching holiday movies and television specials. When I hear certain Christmas songs, it brings a smile and excitement. How do you react when you hear one of your favorite songs? (laugh, dance, smile, sing as loud as you can, etc...) When Mary found out she was going to give birth to baby Jesus, she visited Elizabeth, who was also expecting a child. During this time Mary thought about what God had called her to do and how her life would now change forever. That is when Mary wrote her own song to honor God and probably remember her own feelings during this time.. If you have not done so, read Mary s song in Luke 1: How do you think Mary is feeling as she writes this song? Family Activity At some point this week, either take Christmas cookies, treats or a candy canes and deliver them to neighbors and other good friends. If you are feeling brave, sing a Christmas carol to your friends. Galatians 4:4-5: But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Thank you God for joy! Help us to remember the joy that we celebrate at Christmas time because of Jesus birth. 7

8 Sunday, December 23 Lighting of the Advent Candle (Peace) Have one member of the family light the candles from the last three weeks and a fourth candle. Isaiah 9:6 Family Discussion 1) What is your favorite gift that you have given someone? 2) Why were so you excited to give that person their present? Peace As you read Isiah 9:6, know that this passage was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. During the time when Jesus was born, the Israelites were being ruled by the Romans. The Israelites were not treated very well during this time and they wanted to be rescued from the difficult circumstances. The last name the coming Messiah is called in this passage is Prince of Peace. When Jesus came to earth, it started a plan that would bring peace to God and mankind. Jesus came to restore mankind with God. Jesus would eventually grow up and live a perfect life. Then he would die on the cross and pay the punishment for all the bad things that every man, woman and child had ever done. Then three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and providing a way for people to restore peace with God. Family Activity Get in your pajamas and pick up some hot chocolate and go out and look at all the Christmas lights and decorations. Parents, this is a great time to discuss how Jesus was the light that came into the world to save mankind from their sin. Isaiah 9:6: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.. God, thank you for sending your son to provide peace between God and people. Help us to be peaceful people who share the good news of Jesus. Christmas Eve Lighting of the Advent Candle (Christ Candle) Have one person light the candles from the first four weeks, remembering together what you ve learned about God s faithfulness during Advent. After reading Luke 2:1-20, have another person light the fifth candle the Christ candle. Family Activity As your family reads the story together, have them act out the Christmas story in a fun creative way. You could have costumes or use the figurines from a nativity set at home. Luke 2:1-20 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Have one person pray, thanking God for His incredible faithfulness in sending Jesus to save His people from their sins. 9