What you need:
Children – gather the neighborhood kids, your grand kids, or the kids from your local small group.
Advent wreath and candles
Lighter
Candy
Optional: Manger scene, you can have it displayed or as I do, hand the pieces out to the children to hold during the lesson.
Meet every Advent Sunday or just once each week before Christmas.
Teachers Overview-
The word advent means coming.
The wreath symbolizes the passing of time.
Candles represent:
1st Sunday – Hope, purple
2nd Sunday – Peace, purple
3rd Sunday – Joy, pink
4th Sunday – Love, purple
Christmas Eve/Day – Light, Jesus is the light of the world giving the gift of eternal life, white (center candle sometimes not included in the wreath)
Lesson 2:
Encourage children to be good listeners. Tell them you will need to choose two helpers to light the candles at the end and you have a small treat to pass out to all good listeners.
Last week we talked about what Advent means. Does anyone remember what the word Advent means? (Allow time to answer) Yes, that’s right, the word Advent means coming. At Christmas we are excited about a lot of things that are coming up. What are some things you are excited about? Who’s birthday do we celebrate at Christmas? Jesus, that is right. Before Jesus was born they were waiting for him to come and now we are waiting on him to come again.
The wreath and the candles are all symbols; a symbol is something you can see that helps you think of or remember something that you cannot see. The wreath is a symbol for the passing of time. Like the passing of time for the people in the Bible who waited for Jesus come and how we wait for Jesus to come again. Who can remember the word we talked about last week when we lit the first candle? Hope, that’s right. Some think of hope as a feeling but hope is more of a way of thinking. In the Bible hope is a confidence (a sure thing) that God keeps his promises.
Today we will light a second candle. I will need helpers to help me light the peace candle from last week and the new candle and I will choose some of my best listeners.
The second candle symbolizes Peace. Can you say peace? Now can you whisper peace?
I want everyone to stand up. Stand at arms length apart. Now I want you to show me in your body and face what you think it means to NOT have peace. Remember to stay in your place and the rules are do not hurt yourself or others no go let me see? Allow kids a moment. Good now show me what you think Peace does look like. Okay everyone come back and sit in front of me.
Peace in the Bible means a good relationship. A right relationship. If you hit your friend and take their toy, is that peace? No that is the opposite. Now Jesus came to give us peace with God. We ALL have something in our hearts called sin. That is a word that means we like to be in charge more than God, and because of that we do not always make the right choices. Jesus came the first time to live a perfect at peace life with God. Die on the cross for our sins and rise again to show that he defeated sin and death. To have peace with God we must believe in Jesus and let him be the one in charge of our lives.
Now we can have peace with God because of Jesus. That is an amazing gift.
But is there peace in this world? No, that is right.
And that is what the Bible says will happen when Jesus comes back, that he will also bring peace to this world for all those who believe and follow him. That is also a really amazing gift.
Do you remember our bible verse from last week? I will read the whole thing again and then I want you to repeat just the end back to me.
Open your bible and read John 1:1-5
(This will be the emphasis reading each week, with a focus to memorize vs 5)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (have them repeat the last verse after you)
John 1:1-5 (Read again with the new Jesus emphasis)
1 In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. 2 Jesus was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Jesus all things were made; without Jesus nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Jesus was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (have them repeat the last verse after you)
Jesus offers us peace with God and one day peace in this world. And that truly is the best gift.
Say a short prayer and select two children to help with the candle lighting.
