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 this week below:
Family Devotion Guide
December 4th
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: Angels and Shepherds
Scripture:
Read Luke 2:8-20.
Family Memory Verse:
Luke 2:13-14
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, good will toward men.
Discussion Starter:
Provide a flashlight for everyone in the family. Cut out the shape of an angel (5 inches high) from dark construction paper. Cut one for each family member. Turn off the lights and explain that the story we will hear happened at night.
Discussion:
Read Luke 2:8-14, by flashlight.
When you get to verse 9, shine the flashlight beam across your angel to create a large shadow on the wall.
When you read verse 13, have everyone project their angels on the wall.
Read Luke 2:15-20.
Why do you think the shepherds “came with haste?” (vs. 16)
What did the shepherds do after they had visited with baby Jesus? (Re-read vs. 17, 18, & 20…they told everyone about what they had seen and heard; they praised glorified and praised God)
Ask, Are we excited to share the news about Jesus birth with others? Have we stopped to praise and glorify Him this season?
Prayer:
Pray a prayer of praise to God. Ask Him to help you share the news of Jesus’ birth and the reason for His coming with others.
Advent Activity:
Week 2: light the 1st and 2nd purple candles during your Family Devotional Time. Light one additional candle each week as well as the first one. The colors will be lit in this order: 1st purple (hope), 2nd purple (peace), 3rd rose (joy), 4th purple (love).
The angel/flashlight ideas came from the Focus on the Family, Thriving Family, 2011 Advent Calendar.