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THIS WEEK:
From the Sermon: Luke 1:39-56
Preacher: Pastor Rusten Harris
Scripture: Luke 1:39-56
MAIN POINTS: 1) God’s Miracle for the Barren , 2) God’s Salvation and Joy for the Humble , and 3) God’s Triumph over the Mighty
In our third week of Advent, we get a glimpse into the joy of Mary and Elizabeth as they come together, both bearing miracle children from the Lord. They both rejoice
and glorify God not only for their personal blessings, but for his promise of a Savior coming to fruition.
Family Discussion Questions:
1. What’s something that surprised or confused you about this Bible passage?
2. What is the significance of barrenness in the bible?
3. How does God creating life from the barren give you hope for circumstances in
your life right now?
4. What should our response be to God’s blessings? What are some reasons you
don’t respond this way to God’s blessings?
5. In what ways is the Gospel a story of battle? How does this change the
way you relate to Christmas?
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:
- John 3:7-8; 16:38b
- Ephesians 2:4-9
- Matthew 28:18b
- Hebrews 2:14-15
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 doesn’t leave us to figure life out alone. He give us the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, convict, teach, 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 some time this week praying for ways your family can be more generous.
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, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Though Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give the victory over the grave.
O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one in 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:
Luke 2:10-11
“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.’”
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:
Questions 21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
Answer: One who is truly human and also truly God.
