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Prepared by Richard Thomas / November 02, 2003 Advent celebration involves 5 candles. Four white, representing the four Sundays leading up to the celebration of the birth of Christ. With the fifth candle being red, representing the Christ child, the light of the world. Each Sunday, starting with the fourth Sunday from Christmas a white candle is lighted. Do not allow children to light a candle unsupervised. Each white candle is to have a theme. For this study, the theme for each candle and its corresponding Sunday is as follows: 1) Prophecy [scripture is read or studied with regard to age group] 2) Angels [same as above] 3) Shepherds[same as above] 4) Magi [same as above] 5) The Red candle is lighted last on Christmas day. If Christmas day falls on the fourth Sunday, the fourth white candle (Magi) is lighted first, then the Red candle. Although this is meant to be a Sunday school lesson, many churches include the Advent celebration element to their worship services. Advent celebration is a good way of holding family home devotions that will involve the children. Children love to light candles and are a great way to hold their attention through the devotional time. For young children, remember, they have a very short attention span. So for the sake of young children keep your devotional times to no longer than 15 minutes. You can accomplish much in 15 minutes. Even adults can get bored after 20 minutes. As you prepare this lesson for class time, remember; prayer and proper planning are the keys to a successful program. As a teacher, “…study to show yourself approved…”[2 Timothy 2:15] then share your enthusiasm for what you’ve learned. Enthusiasm is contagious.
For this first Sunday of our Advent celebration, let us look at, and ponder, the following prophecies or foretelling of the advent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [Genesis 3:14] a) Who is speaking? (3:14) b) To whom is God speaking? (3:14) c) Why is God speaking to the serpent? (3:14) [Genesis 3:15, Revelation 20:1-2] a) Who is the serpent? (Genesis 3:15) b) What did the serpent do? (Genesis 3:13) c) What did the serpent receive from God? (Genesis 3:14) [Genesis 2:7] a) What earthly material was man formed of? b) What would the serpent eat all the days of his life? (Genesis 3:14) c) What is the devil’s favorite dish? ( I Peter 5:8) [Genesis 3:15] a) What would the woman’s seed do to the serpent? (Genesis 3:15) b) What would the serpent do to the woman’s seed? (Genesis 3:15) c) Who is the woman’s seed? (Galatians 4:4) The process took many centuries and much patience on the part of God’s servants, the prophets and people of faith. The prophets of old were considered the watchmen of the children of Israel. A watchman’s duty was to stand guard high on the city wall or watchtower to be on the look out for approaching danger. When the watchman noticed danger, he would blow a horn to warn the citizens. If the watchmen did not warn the people of impending doom, they paid for it with their lives. If the people did not heed the warning, the people paid for it with their life. God is able to see the end from the beginning because He is higher than all. All the future events of the world are laid before His eyes. The prophets of God were used by God to deliver His message of salvation to the world. The prophets (watchmen) reported what they saw and heard as the Holy Spirit moved (inspired) them. In the fullness of time God would send salvation to Adam’s race, to deliver all by faith in His gift. The gift would arise out of the house of Israel and then go in to all the world of mankind through His servants. Let us look at what some of God’s watchmen and people of faith saw of the coming salvation of humanity. (1) Isaiah 9:2-7 (2) Micah 5:2 (3) Isaiah 7:14 Memorize this portion of Revelation 19:10 “…the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
[Hebrews 1:14] a) What are they? b) What is their function? c) Whom do they serve? [Genesis 1:1] a) What was created first? b) Where do angels live? c) Who is the ruler of Heaven and Earth? [Nehemiah 9:6] a) Who is God? b) What did He do? c) Who made the angels? d) Who made the inhabitants of Heaven, Earth and the sea? e) Who gives life to all? f) Whom do angels worship? [I Peter 1:10-12] a) What is it that angels long to look into? b) Do angels know the future? c) Whom do they serve? d) To whom do angels minister? [Read Luke 1:5-37] a) What is the angel’s name that spoke to Zechariah? ( verse 19 ) b) What is the angel’s name that spoke to Mary? ( verse 26 )
[Psalm 23] a) Who wrote this psalm? b) Who does the psalmist say is his shepherd? c) Does the LORD take care of His sheep? d) Define the term “the LORD”. [John 10:11, 14-16] a) Who is the good shepherd? [Psalm 100:3] a) Who are the sheep of the LORD’s pasture? [Isaiah 53:6] a) What has happened to the LORD’s sheep? [Read Luke 2:8-20] a) What were the shepherds doing? ( verse 8 ) b) What did they see? ( verse 9 ) c) What did the angel announce? ( verse 11 ) d) How many angels appeared right after the announcement? ( verse 13 ) e) What did the shepherds do immediately after the angels left? ( verse 15-16 ) f) What did the shepherds do after they came and saw Mary, Joseph and the baby? ( verse 17 ) g) What did everyone do who heard the good news? ( verse 18 ) h) What was Mary’s reaction to all of this? Before we begin, let’s look at who the Magi were and what was their vocation. I. Occupation a) Astrology = The study of the placement of planets and constellations and how they relate to times and seasons. [ see Genesis 1:14 ] GOLD b) Medicine = Healing arts. [ see Isaiah 60:6 ] FRANKENSINCE c) Natural Science = Laws of nature. [ see Hebrews 2:14,17,18 ] MYRRH There are many traditions as to where the Magi came from. This writer’s educated guess is as good as any. Taking into account that these scholars arrived from the East, stating that they saw the Star, while in the East, one has to consider, Biblically, the area that experienced the greatest historical Jewish influence in Assyria, Babylon and Persia. The Aramaic portion of the book of Daniel for instance, covers chapter 2 verse 4 all the way to chapter 7 verse 28. In chapter 7, Daniel prophesies of the coming Messiah. This portion would have remained in the Aramaic archives. These Magi, scholars, with their study of the times and seasons would have been aware of the arrival of, as Daniel 7:13&14 states, that the Son of Man would come and set up His kingdom that would never be destroyed. The story of the arrival of the Magi is only found in the Gospel according to Matthew. Let’s take a look! [Matthew 2:1-12] a) When did the Magi arrive at Jerusalem? (:1) b) From where did the Magi arrive? (:1) c) Whose star did the Magi see in the East? (:2) d) For what purpose did the Magi arrive at Jerusalem? (:2) e) Where was the King of the Jews supposed to be born? (:5) f) Who foretold the arrival of the Messiah in Bethlehem? (see prophesies from lesson 1) g) What was it that guided the Magi to Bethlehem? (:8) h) Where in Bethlehem did the Magi find the child Jesus? (:11) i) Who warned the Magi not to go back to king Herod? (:12) If you are seeking hope for a new life, it all begins with Jesus Christ. Begin Here!
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