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FORETELLING THE LORD'S ADVENT
It was frequently declared in the Prophets that Jehovah Himself
would come into the world, and would be a Redeemer....
(True Christian Religion 486:2)
The prophecies are promises in the Word about the Lord's advent and what He would accomplish. For many years, people who knew of the prophecies looked forward to the Lord's coming. As each prophecy was given, people learned a bit more about the Messiah to come.
READ: "Prophecy" by the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King
READ: "His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful" by the Rev. Donald Rose
FAMILY WORSHIP: Prophecies of the Lord's Advent
Take turns reading aloud prophecy quotes from the Old Testament.
As each one is read, talk about how this prophecy gave people a clearer idea about the coming of the Lord. You might also want to discuss how the prophecies enrich our idea of the Lord.
Examples:
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"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes..." (Gen. 3:15). The Messiah would be a ruler and a lawgiver.
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"The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet" (Deut. 18:15) and "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel" (Number 24:17). The Messiah would be Omniscient (all knowing) and come later.
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"[T]he virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). The Messiah would be the Son of God, born of a virgin. "Immanuel" means "God with us," so this hints of an Omnipresent (always with us) God.
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"Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.... And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6-7). Lots of beautiful ideas are given here. Among them is the idea that the Mighty God (the Omnipotent God) is the Prince of Peace, able to conquer evil and lead us into states of peace and happiness.
ACTIVITY: Match Prophecies with Illustrations (ages 12-16)
Here are 9 prophecies to match with illustrations. (Hint: Match the prophecy from Zechariah last.)
PROJECT: His Name Shall Be Called (ages 6-12)
Make a picture of the Lord (as an infant or adult). Talk about the meaning of the 5 names in the prophecy given in Isaiah (chapter 9, verses 6 and 7). Then write the 5 names around the picture of the Lord or use the names provided.
PROJECT: Coming with the Clouds of Heaven (ages 9-16)
Use finger paint or watercolors to make beautiful clouds tinged with reds and yellows. Use this as a background for a picture of the Lord holding out the Word (provided) to teach us His ways.
SING: His Name (teens and adults)
PROJECT: Peaceable Kingdom Projects based on Isaiah 11:6 (ages 3-12)
This is the lovely prophecy about a child leading a variety of animals: wolf, lamb, leopard, goat, lion cub, and calf. Color the pictures of the animals and cut them out. Use them to make Christmas ornaments, a lamp shade, a basket for Christmas cards, or a table decoration.
COLORING PAGE: He Will Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd (Isaiah 40)
ACTIVITY: A Peaceable Kingdom Display for Isaiah 11:6 (ages 4-8)
Use stuffed animals or other toy animals to picture the incongruous proximity of a wolf dwelling with a lamb, a leopard lying down with a goat, or a calf and young lion together. You may want to place these near your representation of the nativity (creche scene) to show that it was the Lord who would lead them.
PROJECT: We Have Waited for Him (ages 6-14)
Make a decorated border for this beautiful quotation from Isaiah (25:9).
SING: He Has Said, Who Heard the Words of God (teens and adults)
COLORING PAGE: Out of You Shall Come a Ruler (Micah 5)
PROJECT: Names of the Lord Christmas Ornaments (ages 9-14)
COLORING PAGE: Branch of Righteousness (Jeremiah 23)
FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECIES
[I]t will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God;
we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him;
we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
(Isaiah 25:9)
Think of the joy of those waiting for the Messiah when they realized that the Lord was come! As we read about the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she would bring forth a Son to be named Jesus, about the Lord being born in Bethlehem and the shepherds coming to see Him, and about the wise men seeing His star in the East, we can share in the excitement of this wondrous event. For in the Christmas stories and the Lord's life on earth, we see the fulfillment of the prophecies and confirmation of the Divinity of Jesus - the Messiah.
READ: "Waiting for Christmas" (author unknown)
PROJECT: Stained Glass Window Project (ages 9-14)
A special project that can be backlit with candlelight.
PROJECT: For Unto You Is Born This Day (a stained glass window to color)
This is a line drawing of a stained glass window that children can color and display. (This drawing can also be used for the stained glass project mentioned above.)
PROJECT: Tissue Paper Stained Glass (ages 9-14)
This is a lovely project with a photograph and templates for the figures to make it easier to create.
ACTIVITY: Match Prophecy and Fulfillment Cards (ages 12-16)
PROJECT: Wise Men Diorama (ages 8-12)
SING: O Come, O Come, Immanuel
WHY THE LORD CAME ON EARTH
The one God, who is invisible came into the world and assumed a Human, not only that He might redeem people,
but also that He might become visible, that thereby conjunction with people might become possible.
(True Christian Religion 486:2)
The Lord came on earth at a time when there was great spiritual darkness. The power of the hells had grown to such an extent that it was difficult for people to learn and do what is right. It became necessary for the Lord to come into the world so that He could fight against the hells, redeem or set people free from evil, and bring spiritual light to the world.
PROJECT: Divine Truth Like a Sharp Sword
By coming into the world, the Lord was able to fight against the hells with Divine truth, which can be compared to a sharp sword rather than the round hilt. Let children use wrapping paper tubes as swords, making a paper plate into a hilt. Emphasize that truth should be used to fight only against evils.
FOR REFLECTION: Seeing the Lord
One of the reasons that the Lord came into the world was that He might become visible to people with the eyes of their understanding. How does knowing more about the Lord bring you closer to Him? How do you get to know someone? How do you get to know the Lord? How might reading the Word, prayer, attending church services, and trying to obey the Lord's commandments help bring you closer to Him?
PROJECT: The Destructive Nature of Evil (for teens and adults)
While He lived on earth, the Lord allowed Himself to be attacked by the forces of hell. The gospels give us glimpses of these battles, such as: "And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts..." (Mark 1:13). The Lord's combat against the hells could be compared to a conflict with all the wild beasts of the earth, and in this passage from Mark, evil spirits are meant by the wild beasts (see True Christian Religion 123). Sketch a fierce animal in a way that pictures the ferocity of evil OR use the lion provided. Add your reflections about what the Lord accomplished for us by taking on the forces of hell.
READ: "Do Not Be Afraid" by the Rev. Kurt Horigan Asplundh
"THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT"
The Lord is light, that is, good itself and truth itself,
and thus from Him stems all intelligence and wisdom, consequently all salvation.
(Arcana Coelestia 3195:4)
It is difficult for us to comprehend the spiritual darkness that existed at the time of the Lord's advent. We are fortunate to live at a time when we can receive spiritual light through the Lord's Word. But in order to receive this light, we must choose to turn to the Lord in His Word. Otherwise, our spiritual vision will be obscured.
FAMILY WORSHIP: Looking to the Light
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Let each member of the family light a candle and then read one or more quotes from the Word about light. (See the Light quotes).
- Talk about ways that you can embrace the spiritual light that the Lord wants to give us.
READ: "Christmas Light" by the Rev. David R. Simons
READ: "I Am the Light of the World," a sermon by the Rev. Peter M. Buss, Jr.
This sermon explores light and darkness, focusing on how the prophecy in Isaiah (9:2) can help us understand the nature of God, what He longs to do, and the kind of life to which He leads us.
PROJECT: Stars of Light Ornaments (ages 10 and up)
Make beautiful ornaments with quotes from the Lord's Word. First paint a large piece of watercolor paper (or thick card stock), cut into star shapes, and use special pens to write quotes from the Word on each star.
PROJECT: The True Light, Giving Light to All (based on John 1:1-5,9) (ages 4-10)
Two project ideas for picturing the Lord as the source of Light for every person.
ACTIVITY: A Light to My Path (ages 10 and up)
Light an oil lamp (or several candles) in a dark room. Then open the Word and take turns reading pre-selected passages that shed light on our thoughts and actions.
PROJECTS: Star Snowflakes - Intricate Patterns to Fold and Cut (ages 10-16)
PROJECT: The Light of the World (based on Isaiah 9:2) (ages 4-12)
Here are several ways one might picture the great light shining in the darkness. Draw the light with white or yellow chalk on dark paper. Or paint white paper with yellow watercolor, and then cut out rays of light from it and glue onto black paper. Or use torn yellow paper to picture the light.
SING: Watchman, Tell Us of the Night
SING: Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light
The Lord is present with every person, urging and pressing to be received;
and His first coming, which is called the dawn, is when a person receives Him,
which he does when he acknowledges Him as his God, Creator, Redeemer, and Savior.
(True Christian Religion 766)
The shepherds went to Bethlehem to see the baby Lord and then told others about this Child (see Luke 2:15,17). The wise men saw the star in the East and came to worship the young Child (see Matt. 2). How can we go to Bethlehem and see the Lord? We must go to the Word, for this is symbolized by Bethlehem, and it is through the Word that we can come to see the Lord - with the sight of our understanding. As we see and acknowledge His qualities, we can become more and more aware of His loving presence in our lives.
FOR REFLECTION: The Name Immanuel (teens and adults)
READ: "Our Savior" by the Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs
ACTIVITY: To Guide Our Feet into the Way of Peace
The Lord came on earth to give light and to guide our feet into the way of peace. How can we let the Lord lead us toward peace? Families may want to discuss areas of conflict and brainstorm peaceful solutions. Then "walk" in the way of peace by enacting the peaceful resolution to conflict.
COLORING PAGE: Conjunction with the Visible God
READ: "Making Spiritual Preparations for the Lord's Advent" by the Rev. Glenn Alden
ACTIVITY: Your Light Has Come!
On Christmas morning, light candles around the Word or your nativity scene. And start the day by reading aloud the beautiful words from Isaiah:
Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people;
but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you....
The Lord will be to you an everlasting light.
(Isaiah 60:1,2,19)