is for Zechariah.

And [John’s] father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has 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 of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.” -Luke 1:67-71

ACTIVITY: Make a Horn. Prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birthday with a paper noisemaker. Find a cardboard toilet paper tube. Poke a hole in the middle of the length of the cardboard roll. Then cover one end of the roll with a piece of wax paper secured around the opening with a rubber band. Decorate festively.

Zechariah had a whirlwind advent. He was an old priest in the temple and was married to Elizabeth. Elizabeth was unable to have children. Then the angel Gabriel appeared and told him that they would have a child and that his name would be John. Zechariah didn’t believe Gabriel. I mean they were too old, there is no way his grandmother aged wife could have a baby, right? Because he didn’t believe, his voice was taken away.

Zechariah was unable to speak, unable to tell his wife he loved her, unable to give priestly blessings in the temple, unable to speak prayers to God for more than nine months. But God did bless Zechariah and Elizabeth and they did have a son. And when their son, John, was eight days old, Zechariah’s voice returned and he praised God with a beautiful prayer.

Zechariah was given the precious gift of a son, even though he didn’t really believe the words of the angel. Even though he didn’t deserve it, God showed grace. Grace means undeserved love.

Each week in church we confess what we do deserve. Because of our sins of thought, word, and deed, we deserve punishment from God. But that is not what He gives us. In the same way that God blessed an undeserving Zechariah, He showed us grace by sending Jesus to earth on Christmas morning. Jesus is a wonderful gift that we, as God’s people, don’t deserve.

Zechariah celebrated that his blessing, John the Baptis, would point to Jesus. And that through Jesus, God would visit his people (v.68) save his people (71), show mercy (72), and give salvation (77).

Christmas is tomorrow! God’s gift of grace will be found in a manger. The Savior of the whole world born to us.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for Jesus, the gift we don’t deserve, but You give out of Your abundant grace. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

is for Yahweh.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” -John 8:58

When Moses meets the burning bush in the desert, He asks for God’s name. The name that God gives for Himself is Yahweh, which means I Am who I AM, or simply I AM. This name tells us that if you want to know who God is and what He is about, look at the things He does.

I AM does awesome stuff. He brings plagues to Egypt to free His People. He controls the water when He parts the Red Sea. He Makes food appear on the desert floor so that His people have what they need to survive. He goes with His people as they wander the desert as a column of fire and cloud. I AM is a powerful God. I AM is the perfect God for a trapped, lost, and needy people.

Because of our sin we are trapped, lost, and needy people. We need an I AM God.

Jesus is I AM too. In the Gospel of John, Jesus calls Himself I AM at least seven times. But more than that, He shows that He is I AM. He controls the water when the disciples find themselves in the middle of the sea during a frightening storm (Mk 4:39), He makes food for His followers when there was none (Mk 6:41-44), and by being born as a baby, He comes to live with His wayward people.

Jesus came to earth as a baby to show that God hadn’t forgotten His people, that He was still with them. But most importantly, Jesus came to do the most powerful saving that God had ever done. He went to the cross to defeat all of the sin of the world.

Your sin is forgiven. The sin of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Totally, entirely gone in Jesus’ name. How did He do it? Because He is I AM, the God who protects, guards, and loves His people.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for all You do for Your trapped, lost, and needy people like me. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

ACTIVITY: Family Absolution. Mom or dad, take a few seconds and remind each member of your family that they are loved by God and that their sins are forgiven. Sample absolution: [name], beloved child of God. Know that you are forgiven because Jesus died for you. (Draw a cross on their forehead)

is for Exposed.

But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” -Ephesians 5:13-14

ACTIVITY: Write a Secret Message. Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl and add a few drops of water. Using a cotton swab to write on white paper using the “lemon ink.” Allow to dry. When ready to expose the hidden message, heat the paper up by holding it close to a light bulb.

Have you ever “cleaned” your room by throwing everything in the closet? Or maybe you shoved your clothes and toys under your bed? Perhaps you have also had the uncomfortable conversation with your parents when you have to explain the mess in your closet after your parents discovered your cleaning method.

When you are caught trying to hide something, or when others see the true, weak side of us it is called being exposed. Being exposed means that we have no where to hide our dirtiness, and nothing to hide behind.

When Jesus came to earth He exposed our sins and our sinfulness. In His perfect righteousness He shows what living a perfect life looks like. He exposes our lack of love for our neighbor when He shows what it looks like to love even the sinful foreign woman at the well (Jn 4). He highlights our unwillingness to love our enemy as He prays for those who crucify Him (Lk 23:34). And He puts our prayer life to shame as He shows his commitment to talking with His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:36).

Having your sins exposed feels rotten. We think, “Why can’t I be better?” or “What will it take for me to have nothing to hide?”

It takes Jesus.

Jesus made Himself weak by becoming a human child. He made Himself weak so that He could live with us. Luke 2:7 tells us that the God-become-baby was wrapped in swaddling cloths. Swaddling cloth is like a blanket that wraps a baby up to protect him from the cold. All powerful God of the universe lowered Himself to where He had to be protected by a blanket. Jesus exposed (had nothing to hide behind) Himself for us. And that is not the only time Jesus was made weak for us. At the cross his clothes were taken from Him and He was made so weak that He died. Jesus became weak for you.

On the third day of Jesus’ death He showed His great power. He left the grave cloth behind as He rose from the dead. No longer needing protection, He was the all-powerful victor over death. Our God came as a weak child, to overcome our weakness.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for Jesus, who gave Himself over to death, for our sake. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

is for Word.                          

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. -John 1:1-3, 14

Activity: Play Password. Each person think of a word that is related to Christmas. Each person gets a turn to try and get the rest of the family to guess their words by using one-word clues (for example; if the word was TREE maybe the clues might be, branches, evergreen, decorate… etc.)

Remember back to the first book of the Bible, Genesis. In the beginning how did God create everything? From light to flowers, fish to mountains, everything that God made, except humans, He did in the same, wonderful way. God said so. The Word of God, what came out of His mouth, was so true that it just happened. We also read in Hebrews 6:18 that God can’t lie. He is so true, so perfect that everything that comes out of His mouth is true.

So, if God was talking about you, what might He say? Would it be true if He were to call us a good example of how to show love to our friends? Could He say that we always treat others how we would like to be treated? Would He compliment us on how perfectly we love Him, or how we remember to read our Bible every day without fail, and that we pray without stopping? No, God cannot say those things about us because they are not true.

In our passage today, John tells us that Jesus is the Word of God that became a baby. That means a few things. First, it means that Jesus was there in the beginning. That Jesus was hard at work as everything in all of creation was put into place. Second, it means that Jesus is perfect and true and that all that He says is absolutely true.

So, what does Jesus say about you? We can read the Bible to see what Jesus says. He says that all who believe in Him are forgiven of their sins (LK 5:20). He says that you are valuable (JN 12:7). He has saved you so that you will live forever (Jn 3:36). And He says that He loves you (Jn 3:16).

Jesus loved you so much that He went to the cross to die so that you can be called perfect. Not because of what you have done, but because He took your sins away. Jesus, the Word of God, loves you.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for Jesus, who tells and shows us Your love. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

is for Voice.   

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” -Luke 3:4-6

ACTIVITY: Hum it. Each person think of a favorite Christmas song. Take turns humming the song while the rest of the family tries to identify the song.

Christmas is a time of raising one’s voice in celebration. We often greet a stranger with a jolly, “Merry Christmas!” We lift our voice in song to sing our favorite hymns and carols of the season. According to the movie Elf, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Loud voices are the norm at Christmas. In today’s reading we read of John the Baptist who the Prophet Isaiah called, “The Voice.” John was used by God to prepare the way for Jesus. John was Jesus’ herald.

A herald is a person whose job it is to prepare the way. If a king is coming into town, the herald goes ahead to make preparations. He spreads the news that the king is coming. The towns people might decorate, make a special meal, or simply make plans to attend the king’s appearance. The herald would make sure that the king has an appropriate ride, and that the road into town is ready. If something is in the way, the herald might call out, “Make way!”

John spent His time teaching about God and telling people that Jesus, the promised one, was coming. “Straighten up!” he would yell, get ready for the king.

Advent is the time of getting ready for the King. And we are called to be heralds for Jesus as well. So the questions has be be asked, are we using our voices for God? Are we using our voice to share the love of God with our family, or are we yelling at our siblings? Are we sharing peace with our neighbors, or do we pretend not to hear them when they say hello? Are we encouraging our community with songs about the King, or would we rather only sing about Rudolph?

John’s voice reminds us that we are not ready or prepared to meet the perfect King. And no matter how much we “straighten up,” we will never be good enough to deserve God’s love. But that is exactly why Jesus is coming, because we need His help. And it is Jesus’ voice that we need to hear. The voice of the One who forgives sinners. The voice of the One who promises us salvation. The voice who will raise all of the dead on the last day (Jn 5:25). Jesus, the voice of God, calls you His beloved child, and comes as our King to save us.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for Jesus, the voice that calls us to eternal life. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

is for Us.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.- Isaiah 9:6

Activity: Draw US. Begin a picture by drawing a picture of your family. Then add in extended family and friends. Fill up the page with everyone you can possibly think of. Those and more are who Jesus came to save.

Who is Christmas for? Was it for Mary, that she might celebrate a perfect little boy? Was it for the shepherds, to give them a break from tending their flock? Was it for the angels, that they might have something to sing about? Maybe it was for the Wise Men who had been watching for a star to see a prophecy fulfilled. Perhaps it was for the Israelites who had waited thousands of years for the promised one to be born.

The answer to all of the above is yes, it was for them. But most exraordinarily, it was also for us.

Most of us don’t fit into the story of the Bible in the way that we might like. The Old Testament was the story of God’s people, the Israelites who were looking forward to the day when their nation would be the greatest in all of history. They were anticipating the day when they would have the perfect king that all other nations would look up to. They believed that because they were God’s people, God was theirs exclusively. Which is a fancy way of saying that God was for them only and not for anyone else.

Most of us are not part of God’s Old Testament people, the Jews. The Jews had a name for people who were not Jews. They called them gentiles, and it wasn’t a very nice name. Calling someone a gentile was saying that they were dirty sinners and outcasts, that they were bad and didn’t belong.  

God’s Word says that the Jews were right. We aren’t good enough, and we don’t have any right be be called a part of God’s people based on who we are. But neither were they. Romans 3 says that no one is good enough to deserve God’s love.

But then Jesus came. And He did something shocking. He made friends with the sinners and the outcasts. He healed them and ate meals in their houses. Even though it didn’t make sense, Jesus loved the gentiles.

And then He did the unthinkable, He gave up His life to save those sinners and outcasts (Rom. 5:8). Jesus came to earth, and died, for us. Christmas is a celebration that God’s love is for all people. For Jews and Gentiles, for people from every nation and every language.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for sending Your Son, to save us. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

is for Tree.

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” -Isaiah 55:12-13

Activity: Family Moment. As a family go and lay under your Christmas tree for a moment. Look up through the branches. Observe the decorations and lights from a different angle.

The Christmas Tree is a widely celebrated tradition of Christmas. We see them in homes, in stores, at church, even outside in people’s yards. We love a good Christmas tree trimmed to the top in festive decorations.  There is even a Carol, “O’ Christmas Tree” that honors this beautiful symbol of Christmas. But what does a Christmas Tree have to do with Christmas?

In Genesis, the world was changed after Adam and Eve sinned. Everything from animals, the ground, even the trees became flawed because of sin. Ever since then, all of nature has been full of groaning and sighing as it waited to be made perfect again (Jer. 12:4). So when Jesus, the creator, came down from heaven to be a part of His own created world, even the trees rejoiced. That’s why we decorate trees, that’s why they are strung with garland and lights. Because even the trees celebrate, Immanuel, God is with us!

So as we look forward to Christmas, we gaze lovingly at the Christmas tree to celebrate the beginning of Jesus’ time on earth, and celebrate all that God would do through Him. But Jesus and the tree would become even more deeply connected.

At the end of Jesus’ life, He was nailed to a tree. This tree was not decorated with lights and baubles, but with the very body of the Savior. Instead of lights providing a colorful display, it was Christ’s blood that stained the wood. This tree was the wooden cross.

We have reminders of that tree all around us. Every cross that you see reminds us of what Jesus did, and that He did it for you and for me because of His great big love for us. So even though the cross was what killed Jesus, we see it as a symbol of love, of that amazing thing that God did to save sinners like you and me.

We admire the Christmas tree and all its decorations because it points to God coming down. But the tree also reminds us of when Jesus was lifted up to save the world.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for trees, reminders of Your love for us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

is for Star. 

After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. -Matthew 2:9

Activity: Follow My Example. Give each person 30 seconds to be the leader. While the leader, everyone else is to impersonate that person and do whatever they do.

Have you ever been on a road trip when your whole family realizes they are lost? It doesn’t happen as often now-a-days thanks to the fancy maps on our phones but when we unexpectedly find that a road is closed or our map stops working, we can find ourselves wandering around, looking for clues or maybe a person to point us in the right direction.

The wise men of the Bible, didn’t have fancy phones, they only had old books and a star. Once they saw the star, they journeyed to Jerusalem where they stopped to ask directions. They received directions from the book of Isaiah that stated that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. The Word of God pointed them right to Jesus.

The Bible points us to Jesus too, on every single page! But we are so helpless that we can’t even find our own way to God. The Bible tells us that because of our sin, we are lost and wandering, like a helpless sheep wandering away from the shepherd. On our own, we are so helpless, and hopeless, that Jesus himself had to come to earth to save us and guide us back to God.

The Bible uses stars to represent God’s People. In Genesis 18 God has Abraham look up at the stars and tells him to count them. That was how many descendants Abraham would have. The book of Daniel 12:3 says that the wise in Christ will shine like the stars. Psalm 147:4 says that God knows the name of each-and-every one of those stars. One of those stars has your name.

God calls us to be stars. To point those around us to the Word of God. To share the good news of scripture so that all people can know the love that God has for every person.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for your Word that points us to Jesus. Help us to share that word with others. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

is for Remember.  

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” -Luke 23:42

Activity: Memory. Get out a deck of cards and lay them out in a grid on the table. Take turns as a family revealing one card and then another in an attempt to get two matching numbers. When your numbers do match, you get to collect the cards as a point and take another turn. Continue until all the cards are collected. At the end, whoever has the most points, wins the game.

What is your earliest memory?

One of the sad truths about life is that there are so many wonderful memories that we make each and every day, and unfortunately we will forget most of them. No matter how hard we try to focus and concentrate, we just cannot remember everything. Sometimes we even forget important stuff.

The Third Commandment reminds us to remember the Sabbath day. That means, don’t forget to take a day and remember all the good things God has done for His people, and especially for you. We remember the sabbath day by reading the Bible, by worshipping at church, and by learning in Sunday school. But sometimes we forget. We forget how wonderful God is, we forget all the blessings He has given us, and we forget how exciting it is to have a God who is so good.

We forget God.

But God doesn’t forget us. Christmas is proof of God’s perfect memory. In the Old Testament He promised to: stay close to His people (Jer. 23:23) to save His people (Gen.3:15) to send a King to reign forever (Dan. 7:14) and that The One who would come would show love by healing His people (Is. 35:5-6).

Jesus being born in Bethlehem was God remembering His promise to love you and me. And the promises don’t stop there. Jesus made promises too, promises that we can count on. Jesus pledged to be with us always (Mt. 28:20). He assures us that He will bring us into life forever (Jn.11:25). And He even promises to help us remember by giving us the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26).

God’s memory is perfect, but in the book of Isaiah chapter 43, it tells us one thing God DOES NOT remember, our sin. And what good news that is! And even that is only because of the baby who would go to the cross to wipe them away.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for Jesus, the proof that you remember and love us. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN

is for Quick.

But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! -Psalm 22:19-20

Activity: Plan a Race. Whether it is a foot race around the house, or a contest to say the alphabet the fastest, or both. Determine who is the quickest in your family.

One day while doing chores around the house I heard the front door open and these words, “Dad come quickly, Asher is hurt!” Words like these are a parent’s worst nightmare. When parents hear that our kids are in trouble, face physical harm, or are currently in anguish, it breaks our hearts, and we race to do whatever we can. That is what we want when we are in trouble or in pain. We want relief and we want it now.

Over and over in the Bible, God’s people are in trouble and cry out to Him for help. We read in Psalm 22, “O you my help, come quickly to my aid!” God has come to the rescue over and over. He rescued His people from slavery in Egypt. He saved them from starvation in the desert, He defended them from foreign armies by His angels. There were times when His help was needed urgently. When Daniel was in the lion’s den, I can imagine that his prayer wasn’t Lord, please shut the mouths of the lions whenever you get the chance. No, he needed help right away. The disciples on the boat in a raging storm didn’t slowly wake Jesus and ask that He take his time, but maybe do something about the wind and the waves. They pleaded with Him to do something now unless He didn’t care whether they drowned.

We too need God’s help. We can’t seem to get our act together and every week we need forgiveness for our sins. And God is quick to act as He provides a pastor to forgive our sins each weekend. He is quick to remind us by His Word that He has always loved us and quick to point us to Jesus as the one who has loved us. Just like a parent, God is quick to help His children in need.

Advent, the season of waiting, seems like a strange time to talk about God’s quickness. God’s people waited a couple hundred years in exile before he came, that doesn’t feel very quick. And in a few years, it will have been 2000 years since Jesus last walked on earth, promising that he would come again. Why doesn’t he come quick now? He is not being slow, He is being patient. He is patiently waiting for more people to know His Son. He is patiently waiting for His church to grow even bigger so that there will be a larger crowd in heaven. God is quick to help us with what we need, but patient to come again for our own good.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for being quick to save, but patient with your people. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.