Each Sunday, our church makes available a Family Devotion to be picked up and completed during the coming week. I am on the team that creates these. I have pasted the Family Devotion Guide for last Sunday below:
Family Devotion Guide
December 11th
We are very excited about the Hometown Nazareth sermon and Sunday School series. The weekly sermons, Sunday School lessons, together with these weekly devotion guides, are intended to help you to draw closer to your family while deepening your personal understanding of the Christmas story. These guides have been purposely designed so that every type of family may benefit from them. We recommend that parents become familiar with this guide before leading the discussion with their children.
Theme: The Wise Men’s Visit
Family Memory Verse: 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.
Discussion Starter:
Cut out star shapes from yellow construction paper and secretly tape one to the wall in each room of your home. Give each child a flashlight and turn off all the lights. Have them go from room to room in search of the star in each room.
Discussion:
Read Matthew 2:1-12
The Wise Men or Magi were distinguished men from the East who came to honor Jesus with gifts. The Bible says in Matthew 2:9, that the star stood over where the young child was. Scholars believe that Jesus was a child of possibly the age of two when the Wise Men visited.
The Wise Men presented Jesus with three gifts. For this reason, some people believe there were only three Wise Men; however, there may have been more than that. The Bible doesn’t say how many were there.
Ask, What were the gifts that the Wise Men gave to Jesus? (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) What gift would you give to Jesus?
Activity:
Younger Children – We know the wise men were wealthy because of the gifts they brought, but the Bible doesn’t say they were kings. Perhaps they wore crowns, but we can’t be sure. One thing we do know for sure is that they brought gifts fit for a king and that Jesus is the King of Kings. Visit Burger King and ask for crowns. Turn the crowns inside out and provide items to decorate.
Older Children – Design homemade wrapping paper to use when you give gifts this Christmas. Use a roll of brown postal paper and decorate with stamps, paint pens, etc.
Prayer:
Ask God to help you seek Him and point others to His gift of Salvation.
Advent Activity:
Week 3: Light the 1st , 2nd , and 3rd (representing Joy) candles during your Family Devotional Time.