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THIS WEEK:
From the Sermon: Angels We Have Heard On High
Preacher: Pastor Rusten Harris
Scripture: Luke 2:8-15
ADVENT CAROL: Angels We Have Heard On High
MAIN POINTS: 1) God Freely Makes Himself Known , 2) The Glory of God is a Threat to Sinners, and 3) The Good News of Jesus Brings Joy and Peace
In our third week of Advent, we learned that Heaven has invaded Earth to save sinners. God makes himself known to us in many ways, but most extraordinarily through his Son Jesus. The fullness of his glory is revealed to us through his Son, and that brings us trembling to our knees. But God, in his mercy, does not give us what our sin deserves, instead giving us joy and peace through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Family Discussion Questions:
- What’s something that surprised or confused you about this Bible passage? (Look back at your Sermon Notes for help remembering!)
- How has God made himself known to you personally?
- Why is the glory of God a threat to us sinners?
- How does the good news of Jesus bring joy and peace?
- How does this scene in the Advent story encourage you to celebrate differently this season?
Parent Tip:
· Read the sermon summary together as a family. Build this into your normal routine, perhaps reading together around the table during a meal.
· There are five questions, each with a different theme. You can choose one night a week to go over all five, do a couple questions a few times a week, or discuss one question per day.
· Each question is meant to be a conversation starter. Model for your children how to answer these questions by sharing your own personal insights.
· Even if your conversations don’t go as planned, don’t be discouraged. ALL time spent talking about and reading God’s word is valuable!
· The more consistent you are in having these discussions, the more fruitful they will be. As this becomes part of your weekly rhythm, your kids will anticipate the questions and listen more attentively at church.
Other Scriptures:
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-29
- Hebrews 1:3
- Isaiah 33:14
- John 3:19-20
- Philippians 2:6-11
- Colossians 1:19-20
Parent Tip:
Use these additional scriptures as daily reading. These are also a great way to help your children learn to locate passages in the Bible.
Attribute of God:
HELPER: God does not leave us to navigate this world or our sin on our own. God gives us wisdom, fellow believers, and mostly his Word to guide and help us.
Parent Tip:
We focus on a new attribute of God each week to discuss as a family. Use this time to discuss who God is, answer questions the kids might have, and talk about what that week’s attribute means to each person in your family.
Prayer Focus:
FAMILY: Spend this week praying for opportunities for your family to be generous during this Advent season.
Parent Tip:
Each week of the month has its own prayer theme: Church, Family, Community and Repentance. Use these themes to show your children how to pray. It can be helpful to add this to an already existing routine like at bedtime or when you’re in the car together.
THIS MONTH:
O Come, O Come Immanuel
O come, O come, Immanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory over the grave
O come, Desire of Nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Parent Tip:
Each month we highlight a different song for you to sing together. Singing is an integral part of worship! Singing as a family helps teach the kids how to worship at church, and as they learn more songs, they will be able to participate more on Sunday mornings. You can practice your songs in the car, at the dinner table, when you wake up, or at bedtime! You can also check out our playlist on Spotify and sing along with your favorite worship songs.
Memory Verse:
John 1:9-10
“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”
Parent Tip:
This is the same memory verse that the whole church is learning and it rotates monthly. Practice reciting it as a family each day at least once. Dinner time is a great opportunity to practice together.
New City Catechism:
Question 11: What does God require in the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments?
Answer: Sixth, that we do not hurt or hate our neighbor. Seventh, that we live purely and faithfully. Eight, that we do not take without permission that which belongs to someone else.
