Family advent idea: Make a Jesse Tree by Fellowship Community Church fellowshipsj.org
Advent means coming. During the month leading up to Christmas we can anticipate the birth of Jesus by returning to the Old Testament to follow the progress of God s promise of a Redeemer, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We celebrate the birth of our Savior and eagerly await his return. The branch of Jesse (King David s father) and its picture ornaments remind us of God s faithfulness to all generations and of the promise of the Savior who was to come. What follows is one way to anticipate as a family this advent of our Savior, Jesus. Each day is a short passage from the Bible to read aloud together. Along with the reading is a craft item that goes on an Advent tree. There are many ways a family can do this project. You could purchase a small tree and make or buy ornaments from a craft store to hang on the tree each day. Or, you could use poster board and draw a tree, then cut out these symbols and glue them to the paper tree. Kids or adults could draw the symbols. We have provided a link to the FCC Pintrest account where you can get more creative ideas! https://www.pinterest.com/fellowshipcommunitychurch/advent-family-craft-ideas/ In November: prepare for the Jesse Tree activity by purchasing or making a tree. On December 1: begin your daily readings and ornaments (symbols) for each day Let s celebrate together! Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah, our Redeemer and Savior. Praise be to God!
Day 1 Isaiah 11:1 A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Day 2 Genesis 1:1-31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. (v. 31) Symbol: Branch Jesus was the promised branch from the family tree of King David. Jesus was born a thousand years after David was king, but he was from the same family tree. Discussion: Families are important. How far back can you trace your family tree? This family starts at creation! Symbol: picture of earth God made everything perfectly. People are very special to God, and when they were first created, he gave them responsibilities to care for the earth. Discussion: Do you have a pet to care for? Do you have a garden to tend? God has made a beautiful world for man to live in. Let s thank him as we care for the things or people God has given us! Isaiah 11:1 A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Genesis 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Day 3 Genesis 3: 1-7 Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden? (v. 1) Symbol: Snake Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and listened to Satan instead. We call that sin. Sin is anything we think, do or say that separates us from God. Even from that very moment, man needed someone to come and save all people from punishment for that sin. Discussion: Take a minute to talk through the sins we commit as people- adults and children. God sent Jesus to free us from our sins! Day 4 Genesis 6:5-8 Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every thought of his heart is evil from childhood. (Genesis 8:21) Symbol: Noah s Ark God destroyed all that was evil in the world with a great flood. Noah and his family were not perfect, but they trusted God and He saved them. God told Noah to build a boat to save his family and animals from being destroyed in the floodwaters. Discussion: Have you ever seen a rainbow in the sky? Talk about its beauty and what it means to God. The rainbow reminds us of God s love and faithfulness. Genesis 3:1 Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden? Genesis 8:21 Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every thought of his heart is evil from childhood.
Day 5 Genesis 12:1-7, Hebrews 11:8 Look up at the heavens and count the stars so shall your offspring be. (Genesis 15:5) Day 6 Genesis 22:1-8, 13-14 God himself will provide a lamb. (v. 8) Symbol: Starry Sky God made an amazing promise to Abraham. He said he would make him the father of many nations and many people! God promised this to Abraham even when he was an OLD man! Abraham believed God and God was pleased. He blessed Abraham and gave him a son: Isaac. Discussion: What promises has God made to you and me? We can find them in His word, the Bible. God promises to guide us and to be with us always. Symbol: Ram Abraham was ready to obey God in everything, even to give up his only son Isaac. This must have been hard for Abraham to do, but he trusted God with his most precious loved one. At the last moment, God provided a ram, so Isaac was saved. Discussion: Think about how hard it would be to give up what you love most! God truly must love us, if he was willing to give up HIS own son (Jesus) to die on the cross for us. Pray a prayer of thanks to God for Jesus. Genesis 15:5 Look up at the heavens and count the stars so shall your offspring be. Genesis 22:8 God himself will provide a lamb.
Day 7 Genesis 28:10-15 I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. (v. 15) Day 8 Genesis 37:1-36 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. (Genesis 50:20) Symbol: ladder Jacob was Isaac s son. God promised Jacob that all the promises He had made to Abraham and Isaac would be for him too! Jacob had a dream in which he saw a ladder stretching from earth to heaven. In his dream Jacob saw angels going up and down the ladder. God wants to communicate with us. Discussion: How does God speak to us today? Let s pray to God and tell Him how much we love him as our Father in heaven. Symbol: coat of many colors Joseph was one of Jacob s sons. In fact, he was Jacob s favorite. Joseph s brothers were jealous and wanted to harm Joseph. So they sent him far away to Egypt. But God used Joseph in Egypt to prepare a place for his whole family during a time when there was no food for the people. The plans of the wicked are evil, but they never stopped God from achieving His good purposes. Discussion: Can you think of something in your life that seemed bad but turned out to be good? Can you praise God for that? Genesis 28:15 I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.
Day 9 Exodus 3:1-10 I am concerned about their suffering, so I have come down to rescue them. (v. 7-8) Day 10 Exodus 12:21-23 He will see the blood and pass over. (v. 23) Symbol: burning bush After Joseph died, the people were slaves in Egypt. But God had not forgotten them. God chose a man named Moses to rescue his people from slavery. He spoke to Moses from a bush that burned with fire, but did not burn up. He called Moses to serve him with a whole heart and to do the job he had prepared for him to do. Discussion: Have you ever been rescued by someone stronger than you? Have you yourself ever rescued someone or some creature? God is our rescuer. Symbol: lamb As God s people, the Israelites prepared to leave Egypt with Moses leading them. God asked the people to sacrifice a lamb and put the blood of the lamb on the door frames of their houses. God said if he saw the blood of the lamb, he would pass over that house and all the people inside would be safe. In the New Testament, Jesus is often called the lamb of God, because his blood saves us from punishment for our sins. Discussion: How is the first Passover a picture of what Jesus did on the cross? How is Jesus like a lamb? Exodus 3:7-8 I am concerned about their suffering, so I have come down to rescue them. Exodus 12:23 He will see the blood and pass over.
Day 11 Deuteronomy 5:6-21 Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19:5) Symbol: 10 Commandments stone or scroll After God had led his people out of Egypt, while in the desert wilderness, he gave Moses the 10 commandments, the perfect and holy law of God. The law was given not to save people from sin, but to show them God s holy ways. God wanted His people to live their lives wisely and in connection with him. Discussion: Do some Bible discovery today. Read through the 10 commandments in Exodus 20. Which do you think is the most important? (Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 22:36-38!) Day 12 Joshua 2 I know that the Lord has given this land to you. (v. 9) Symbol: rope or cord When the Israelites finally entered the promised land with Joshua as their leader, they faced a dangerous situation in Jericho. Joshua had sent two men as spies to see if the land was safe for them to enter. Rahab, a brave woman, placed her faith in God as she saved the spies from danger in that city. Discussion: God can use each one of us to serve him and help others. In what ways this month can you personally or as a family be a helper to someone else? Exodus 19:5 Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Joshua 2:9 I know that the Lord has given this land to you.
Day 13 Ruth 1:15-2:3 Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice mea foreigner? (Ruth 2:10) Day 14 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Symbol: wheat or grain stalks This is a unique story about a woman who married into the family of the Israelites. She was a foreigner, but turned to God and loved Him. He accepted her and provided for her every day. She was included in the long family line which leads to Jesus! Isn t God good! Discussion: Can anyone be excluded from God s love? (NO!) Is there anyone in your circle of family or friends who needs to be reminded that God loves them and you love them too? Write a card, send a text or make a phone call to them today. Symbol: crown When David was called by God to be king, he ruled for 33 years. He was great king and he was called a man after God s own heart. While David wasn t perfect, he did love God and continued to turn to Him for guidance. When the Israelites looked for someone to save them, they looked for a king like David. God did provide a king later in David s family: King Jesus! Discussion: The outward physical appearance of a person is not all there is to that person. What character qualities does God see in a person? What is the fruit of the spirit of someone who believes in Jesus as Savior? (Read Galatians 5:22-23) Ruth 2:10 Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me- a foreigner? 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
Day 15 1 Kings 18:20-39 The Lord, He is God. We live in wicked times, but God says there will be a day when, before me every knee will bow. (Isaiah 45:23) Symbol: bricks with fire Like us, the Israelites often disobeyed God. They even turned to false gods and worshiped them. Elijah was a prophet called by God to proclaim God s great name to the people. With fire from heaven, Elijah showed the power of the ONE TRUE GOD. The Israelites fell down to the ground and worshiped Him. Discussion: Sometimes we neglect God and his word. What kinds of things replace God in our lives? Do we spend too much energy and time on those things and forget God s way? What can we do this season to put God first? Day 16 Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7 Your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for. (Isaiah 6:7) Symbol: coal Isaiah was one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. He lived about 700 years before Christ was born, but he told of Jesus birth ahead of time. He wrote that a king would be born called Immanuel which means God with us. That child would be a new branch on Jesse s family tree. He would be the Messiah, Savior, the one who would take away our sins. It is Jesus birth that we celebrate on Christmas day. Discussion: Why was Jesus birth so important? What kind of life did he live and what did His death accomplish for you? Are you preparing to celebrate His birth? Discuss ways you can keep Jesus at the center of your celebration. Isaiah 45:23 The Lord, He is God. We live in wicked times, but God says there will be a day when, before me every knee will bow. Isaiah 6:7 Your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for.
Day 17 Jeremiah 23:5-6; 31:31-34 Is there no balm in Gilead? IS there no physician there? (Jeremiah 8:22) Day 18 Jonah 1-3 In my distress I called to the Lord and he answered me. Symbol: tears Jeremiah was often called the weeping prophet. He mourned over the fact that the Israelites had disobeyed God and it seemed there was no hope or help. But God looked after his people. God promised again that Messiah would come and he would be the great healer of the nations. He would bring a kingdom of love rather than of laws. Discussion: When you are sick, what kind of help do you want most? How is God able to help you in times of suffering, pain or trouble? Praise God together that He is the best healer for us all. Symbol: whale Jonah is one of the most well-known stories of the Bible. We know that God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, a great city, to tell the people to turn away from evil and to turn to God. But Jonah was afraid and didn t want to obey God. He ended up inside the belly of a great fish for three days. Then the fish spit Jonah out onto dry land. Jonah went to Nineveh and obeyed God and the people turned to Him. Jonah s three days inside the fish is a reminder of Jesus three days in the tomb after His death. Out of what appeared to be evil, God made good. Discussion: God is merciful. He does not always give people the punishment they deserve. He is also full of grace- He gives more than we deserve in blessing. How has God blessed you this year? Have you thanked Him for who he has been in your life and what good He has done? Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Jonah 1-3 In my distress I called to the Lord and he answered me.
Day 19 Habakkuk 2:1-5 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts. Symbol: castle or fortress wall Israel had been told by its prophets over and over again that a new king, a Savior, would soon be born. They were told he would rescue the people of Israel and that He would be in the family of King David. The prophet Habakkuk reminds us that sometimes waiting can be very hard. We think God is sometimes slow to act. Yet, we are reminded to wait for God and that God is faithful. Discussion: Christmas is close now. What makes it hard to wait? What else are you waiting for? Give those things to God in prayer today. Day 20 Luke 1:26-38 Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have pleased God. And he will cause you to have a baby son, and you shall call his name Jesus. Symbol: baby Finally! The time for Jesus to come was very near. God used an angel to speak to a young woman named Mary. He told her she would have a son and she was to call him Jesus. He would be God s Son, the son of David (in David s family). It was surprising to Mary, but she believed God! She didn t question his ways. All throughout Jesus life Mary wondered and thought about all the things Jesus did and said and she trusted God for his life. Discussion: What joy do new babies bring? Have you had a baby in your family? List all the things babies do that are cute or sweet. Then imagine what it would have been like to live in a family with Jesus! Habakkuk 2:1-5 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts. Luke 1:26-38 Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have pleased God. And he will cause you to have a baby son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
Day 21 Luke 1:8-25 Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. (Luke 3:4) Day 22 Luke 1:11, 19, 26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee. (v. 26) Symbol: seashell God had arranged for a cousin of Jesus to be born 6 months ahead of Jesus. His name was John. He was sometimes called John the Baptist, because he baptized people when they repented of their sin. The shell is a symbol of baptism. For believers in Jesus Christ, baptism is a way to show others that they belong to Jesus. John told the people Jesus was coming and they should get ready! Discussion: What is your favorite way to prepare for Jesus birth? Can you do something today to get ready? Can you tell someone about Jesus who may not know what the meaning of Christmas is? Symbol: angel God used angels throughout the Bible as messengers to speak to His people at very special times. The angel Gabriel was sent by God to declare the birth of Jesus. As humans, we don t understand the world of angels, but we know they exist. At Jesus birth many angels sang together these words: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests. (Luke 2:14) Discussion: Can you find some of your favorite Christmas songs which include angels? Sing them or listen to them together. Let our voices be lifted in praise to God the Father for sending His son Jesus as a baby, born in the little town of Bethlehem! Luke 3:4 Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Luke 1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee.
Day 23 Matthew 1:18-25 An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. (v. 20) Symbol: hammer and nails Although God was Jesus father, God gave Jesus an earthly father as well. His name was Joseph. Matthew chapter 1 tells us that Joseph was in the family of King David! Isn t God amazing? He chose a very special man to raise Jesus as a boy. Jesus learned from his father Joseph and possibly worked alongside him in the carpentry shop. We know very little about Jesus as a boy, but we can imagine what joy he must have brought to his parents, Mary and Joseph. Discussion: Aren t families great? God has placed each one of us in a family with people who love and care for us. Yes, sometimes we argue or disagree, but family is something God put together. Remember to say I love you to your family tonight! Day 24 Matthew 2:1-12 Out of you (Bethlehem) will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. (v. 6) Symbol: the star Jesus was born in a quiet stable in the little town of Bethlehem. It wasn t a fancy hospital and there weren t balloons or new baby clothes. But it didn t matter. God s angels were rejoicing and Mary and Joseph were delighted with the birth of their son Jesus. Something amazing was happening far away in the East. Three wise men (sometimes called kings) knew about this birth and came to worship Jesus. They followed a new star in the sky, traveling for days and days to get to Judea where Jesus was. They brought the most valuable gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. (look those up they are precious perfumes and oils). God s baby had not been forgotten. Very important people remembered him too! Discussion: What treasures and gifts did you buy for your friends and family? It makes us so happy to be able to share what we have with others we love. Give a gift tonight. And thank God for Jesus - the greatest gift of all! Matthew 1:20 An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. Matthew 2:6 Out of you (Bethlehem) will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.
Day 25 Luke 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Symbol: cross We worship Jesus not because he was born a beautiful baby, but because HE IS God s gift to us. JOY to the world. The Lord has come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare room for Him. And let ALL Heaven and nature SING! Merry Christmas. Praise to GOD above for sending His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Joy to the World Luke 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. p x