As Christian parents, it is our hearts greatest and deepest desire for our children to come to know Christ as their Savior.  Throughout the time that God has given us these precious gifts, we plant seeds and we pray everyday that those seeds will grow into a strong relationship with Christ.

It is only fitting that the last virtue of this advent activity is SALVATION because that is the reason Jesus was born.  That is the reason God came to be with us!  He is Emmanuel!

Begin this morning by reading the Christmas story with your children.  Luke 2: 1-20

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Discuss the following with your children about the most important virtue of all and the reason Jesus was born!

1.  God loves you more than you can possibly comprehend. He created you.  He knew you before you were even born.  He knows what your life has in store and He will greatly bless you.  He promises to give you a prosperous future! (Jeremiah 29:11).  Discuss ways that we know God loves us.

2.  We are all sinners.  After the great fall of man, it is human nature to sin.  Sin is when we don’t listen to God or we make choices that do not fit with God’s commands.  Sin separates us from God.  Talk about ways that we have sinned.

3.  God sent His son to prepare us a way for our eternal home.  Even though we sin, God still loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die on the Cross for our sins.

4.  Jesus died for our sin.  Talk about the crucifixion and how Jesus, who is also God, could have stopped His suffering, but He chose not to, because He chose us.

5.  Jesus can be the Lord of your life.  All you have to do confess your sins and ask Jesus to live in your heart.  When your heart is ready to invite Jesus in, all you have to do is admit you are a sinner, believe that Jesus died for your sin and confess that Jesus is the Lord and Savior of your life.

 

I want to thank each and everyone for being a part of this advent activity!  I pray that this activity has blessed you and your children tremendously!  It has been fun preparing these devotionals for you.  It has been so much fun and I have had so much positive feedback that I am going to turn it into a FREE ebook that you can download sometime in the next month or two!

Have a very blessed Christmas and may God richly bless you in 2015!

In His Love,