Sunday, December 18, 2011

Advent: Week 2 - Preparation Day 4

Advent Tree Ornament - Crooked Pathway Made Straight
  • Click here to download my ornaments to print out yourself.
  • If you have an advent wreath, light two candles while your do your Bible reading (we read it in the morning without the candle and then light the candle when we read it again at night with daddy.)

Bible Reading - Luke 1:67-80

 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he was visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.  And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."  And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Activity - Speaking with Emotions

Ask your child what they think it would be like to finally be able to speak after nine months of not speaking.  Trevor thought Zechariah would be sad =)  I think he was confused, thinking how Zechariah felt not being able to talk for so long.  Ask you child to say something in a happy voice (I gave Trevor a simple sentence to repeat) and then something in a sad voice.  Go through a range of emotions.  We did happy, sad, excited, and sleepy.  Ask you child again how they think Zechariah felt and then have them repeat (or read) parts of Zechariah's speech from today's reading in that emotion. Trevor had a good time doing this exercise and I bet your child will too!  


Memory Verse - Luke 2:1&3 (if you have older children you could add verse 2)

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered...And all went to be registered, each to his own town.


Discussion -

Explain to your child how everything in all of history had to be prepared just right for Jesus to com in the world.  If everything wasn't 'just so' then the prophecies wouldn't have been fulfilled.  Guess where Mary and Joseph had to go to be registered?  Yes, Bethlehem! God had to arrange it so that Caesar Augustus would call for this census at just the same time that Mary was due to have her baby in order for the prophecy of Micah 5:2 to be fulfilled...amazing!  All this week we will see the stage being set for the coming King.


Vocab Words - (definitions for preschoolers)

  1. Decree - someone saying something that HAS to be done
  2. Caesar Augustus - he was like the 'king' of the area (giving him the right to give a decree!)
  3. Registered - everyone going and writing their name down (or whatever) to say Yes, I am here!) Caesar Augustus wanted to know how many people there were.

Song - O, Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above the deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in the dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

 
For printable advent ornaments and the list of verses for the whole month, click here.  For all of this weeks activities, click here.

Merry Christmas! 

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