Advent Devotion: A Charlie Brown Christmas: December 24

Snow falling in the air, children skating on a frozen pond while Christmas Time is here, plays in the background.  A Charlie Brown Christmas, has perhaps the best opening of any Christmas movie.  It calls us back to a time that seemed simpler and may bring us back to memories of our childhood, or simply make us wonder why mom and dad are making us watch this old, dated looking movie.  It’s worth watching as a family for a number of reasons, like what Christmas might look like in a place that actually has snow and it also teaches us a number of important lessons.  To give you some context here is a brief reminder of what happens during A Charlie Brown Christmas.

It’s the Christmas season but Charlie Brown doesn’t feel the Christmas spirit and wonders why he feels depressed this Christmas. He begins seeking help and ends up as the director the school Christmas play.  After some frustration with the other kids Charlie Brown decides they need a Christmas tree and selects a small and wimpy looking tree.  The other kids make fun of him for his terrible tree and desperate for help he asks if anyone can tell him what Christmas is all about.  Linus then quotes part of Luke chapter 2 which tells of Jesus being born and angels announcing to the shepherds.  Charlie Brown learns to not let other people ruin his Christmas but then accidently ruins his Christmas tree.  Linus then teaches everyone that like us, all this Christmas tree needed was a little love. 

There are two great things we can learn from this delightful movie, but the one we are focusing on today is that what Christmas is all about is Jesus being born.  Charlie Brown is feeling down about Christmas this year and the movie is all about the search for the true meaning of Christmas.  He is tired of Christmas lists, metal decorations, Christmas cards and all the normal things we associate with the Christmas seasons.  Linus finally tells him what Christmas is really all about.

Read Luke 2:8-14. 

In all the busyness of Christmas Eve, cooking, wrapping, spending with family don’t forget that the reason we celebrate is because Jesus was born in a manger. 

Activity: Watch a Charlie Brown Christmas and talk about the following questions.

· Do any of the kids try and help Charlie Brown?

· What does Charlie Brown learn?

· What should you do if you were one of Charlie Brown’s friends?  

Advent Devotion: December 23

Luke 2:15-20

Think about the last time you received some really exciting news, maybe it’s that you’re going on a trip to Disneyland or maybe you found out someone was taking you to see a new movie.  So what did you do with that exciting news, did you shush up and not tell anyone, did you run and hide in your room?  No of course not, you probably ran and told everyone you could get to listen to you. 

And that’s what the shepherds did, Jesus the savior of the world had been born they began telling everyone in Bethlehem, and that’s what we should do as well.  Jesus was born and we can tell people around us why Jesus was born, so let’s be just like the shepherds this Christmas. 

Activity: Write a Christmas card for Jesus welcoming him into the world. 

Advent Devotion: December 22

Luke 2:8-14

What is the best surprise you’ve ever received?  Is it a getting a gift you really wanted on Christmas morning, a big surprise party thrown just for you, a surprise visit from a loved one you haven’t seen in a while.  Whatever it is, I’m sure it was both wonderful and astounding.

That must have been what the shepherds felt like when the angels appeared to them that night.  They were going about their normal lives and suddenly a bright light appears in the sky with lots of angels announcing the birth of a new king.  I wish I knew what the shepherds felt, were they scared, excited , happy, a mix of all of them?  Whatever they felt what a wonderful privilege to be the first people to meet and worship Jesus.

Activity: Finish wrapping your Christmas presents and plan a small surprise for someone in your family on Christmas day.

Advent Devotion: December 21

Luke 2:1-6

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the change of the seasons, instead of being sunny and warm out, it’s cold and rainy and sometimes even snowy.  It’s not very nice weather to be out playing in.  It’s the perfect time of year to cozy up and have a mug of hot chocolate while you admire the Christmas tree. 

But what if you didn’t have anywhere to go, what if you didn’t have a place to live, a warm bed to sleep in, a good breakfast to eat.  That was what Jesus was born into, there was no room for Mary and Joseph so Jesus was greeted by animals and hay in a humble stable.  What a poor welcoming for the new king.

Activity: Enjoy a mug of Hot Cocoa next to the Christmas tree together as a family.   

Advent Devotion: December 20

Luke 1:67-70

I love the promise of Christmas.  Each year we look forward to the promise that with it Christmas will bring, decorations, good food, family and friends, gifts and traditions unique to each family.  And you know you can count on all these things happening every year in December.

Just like each December brings the promise of Christmas and lights and all that goes with it, God promised Israel that he would save them one day.  And God keeps his promises, just like he kept his promise to Israel we know that he will keep his promise to us that he will love us and care for us.

Activity: Talk about your favorite tradition or Christmas activity. 

Advent Devotion: December 19

Isaiah 52:3-6

The story of the Grinch is all about redemption.  The Grinch is someone who is laughed out of Whoville during Christmas and then learns that Christmas isn’t about the presents or the decorations but about being together.  The Grinch is a story of him finding love and acceptance.

Just like that Jesus came to redeem Israel, to save them from their sin, so that they could follow God, and live with him one day.  But Jesus was born not only to save Israel but to save everyone including you, that’s what we celebrate at Christmas time.

Advent Devotion: December 18

Isaiah 52:1-2

How do you feel when you first wake up in the morning?  If you’re like me you might roll over and wonder how it’s already time to get up.  It might take you a couple minutes to even be fully functioning and aware of what’s happening, but slowly you begin to get a sense of where you are what day today is and what you need to do today. 

These verses are saying that Israel who had been in captivity was to begin to free itself and wake themselves up from their long slumber because Jesus had come to save them. 

Activity: There are Christians all around the world who aren’t free to worship God,.  Pray for them that they would be protected and provided for.

Advent Devotion: Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas: December 17

“Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot... but the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, Did NOT!”  Those are the opening words of the Dr Seuss book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  It’s different from most Christmas stories because it focuses on someone who hates Christmas and tries to destroy it.  For the purposes of this Devotional we will be focusing on the cartoon TV special from 1966 rather than the Jim Carrey movie from 2000 but both are great adaptions of the story.  If you haven’t seen it in a while here’s a quick plot summary.

The Grinch hates Christmas, though we’re not sure why and so he decides to steal Christmas, presents, trees, decorations, food and everything else.  He believes that if he takes everything that the people who live in Whoville, the Who’s, use to celebrate Christmas he can stop Christmas from coming.  So he crafts a fake Santa suit and goes through with his plan and takes everything to the top of MT Crumpet to dump it.  But then he hears the Who’s singing and realizes they are celebrating Christmas even though he stole everything.  The Grinch then realizes that maybe he missed the meaning of Christmas and brings everything back to celebrate Christmas with all of Whoville.

As with the last two Christmas specials there are many lessons we can learn from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, such as Christmas not being about gifts or decorations but people.  But the one we are focusing on this year is actually about the character of the Grinch.  We don’t know why he hates Christmas, the story theorizes that it’s because his heart is too small, the movie with Jim Carrey leans into the story of the Grinch hating Christmas because it represented pain from earlier in his life.  And that’s what we are looking at this Advent season. 

Not everyone loves Christmas maybe because they have had bad experiences in the past or because their Christmas experience doesn’t feel like anyone else’s.  If that is your experience if Christmas is a painful time of year for you, then that’s okay.  Don’t feel like you have to enjoy and look forward to Christmas like many other people.  If you do love Christmas, like myself, then remember that for some people Christmas is a sad time of year and it’s okay for them to be sad.

The Good news of Christmas is that not matter who you are, Jesus is born and he came for you.  Everyone is hurting and experiences sadness at some point in their lives and the Bible tells us that Jesus came for the sad and the hurting for those who were sick and needed a doctor.  Jesus loves us all the time especially when we are hurting.

Activity: Watch the Grinch either the 2000 movie or the 1966 cartoon and discuss the following questions.

· Why do you think the Grinch doesn’t like Christmas?

· What do you think the true meaning of Christmas is?

Advent Devotion: December 16

John 1:14-18

Just like John the prophet went before Jesus to help the people get ready for him, during Advent we get ready to welcome Jesus on Christmas Eve each and every year.  That’s why we celebrate the Christmas season throughout all of December and why we read parts of the Bible each day to help us get ready to welcome Jesus. 

Activity: Help clean up the house to prepare to welcome Jesus in a  little over a week.

Advent Devotion: December 15

John 1:9-13

In Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer it takes Santa a long time to realize that Rudolph’s shiny nose could actually help him navigate the storm.  During the whole story before that Santa says that Rudolph can’t pull the sleigh because he is different.  Sometimes it’s hard for people who might have known us for a long time to see that as we get older we change and develop new skills and talents.

These verses tell us how Jesus’ people Israel, didn’t know that Jesus came to save us so that we could be God’s children.  They missed it because they were looking for the wrong thing.  But we recognize Jesus as our savior and because of that we are all God’s children, what a wonderful thing to have God as our father.

Activity: Pray together as a family and thank God for saving us, and pray for children around the world who might be separated from their family.  

Advent Devotion: December 14

John 1:6-8

From the time I was eight until I was about twelve my dream job was to be a mailman.  I thought it would be so fun to deliver people’s mail and get to know them by saying hello everyday.  I planned on walking the same route and chatting with each person as I delivered their mail.  When I got a bit older I realized that mailmen and women don’t usually see or talk to the people they deliver their mail to and I changed my mind.  However, I still think it’d be fun to be a mailman at Christmas time because you would deliver so many letters and presents to lots of people.

These verses talk about a messenger named John.  A messenger in Bible times was kind of like a mailman.  A messenger would deliver messages between people because there were no phones or computers.  But John was a special messenger, he was a messenger for Jesus.  He came before Jesus and told people to get ready for Jesus by saying sorry for the wrong things they had done.  The Bible tells us that we are also messengers for Jesus today just like John.

Activity: Practice sending a message to someone by writing a letter to a family member that is far away or who you don’t see often.

Advent Devotion: December 13

John 1:1-5

One of my favorite Christmas Movie’s is Elf, starring Will Ferrell.  The movie is all about a man who was raised as an elf trying to understand the normal world.  In the movie Buddy the elf, learns that he is not just an elf but also, a man, a brother, a boyfriend, a son, and more.  Just like Buddy we all have different roles to play in life.  We might be a, brother or sister, mom or dad, son or daughter, friend, student, or many more. 

These first verses in John are kind of confusing but what the Bible is saying is that Jesus is God and has been God since the beginning even though he was only born as a man, 2000 years ago.  It’s hard to understand but the important thing to remember is that God loves us so much he became a man and came to earth to save us.

Activity: Talk about the different you have in life, do you have a favorite?

Advent Devotion: December 12

Isaiah 9:6-7

Have you ever wondered why many people put a star on top of their Christmas tree?  Usually the star is a certain shape it’s called the star of David, Jesus was born under the line of David and the star on top of our tree represents Jesus. 

We put the star on top of the tree because Jesus was born as a king.  He is the ruler and king of all things including us.  When we put him on top we are acknowledging Jesus as our king and the one we want to guide our lives. 

Activity: Make a star ornament or a draw a star of David and place it somewhere in your house.

Advent Devotion: December 11

Isaiah 9:2-5

Lights and Christmas go together like peanut butter and chocolate.  We put lights on our Christmas tree, we decorate our houses in them, some neighborhoods have competitions to see who has the best Christmas lights.  But why do Christmas lights play such an important role as a part of our celebration.  It’s because of the light that Jesus brought on that first Christmas when he was born, the angels announced to the shepherds in the fields and the “Glory of the Lord shone around them.”  The Wise men followed a bright star to Jesus.

These verses talk about how Jesus coming into the world brought light into the darkness, not only did Jesus’ birth bring physical light, he also brought us God’s light into a dark world.

Activity: Go and see Christmas lights somewhere around Seattle, Zoo Lights or Candy Cane Lane are great options for this activity.

Advent Devotion: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: December 10

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose and if…”  Almost all of us can probably finish that line from one of the most famous Christmas carols of all time.  And of course the song comes from a story written by Robert May, who wrote it as a story for his 4 year old daughter in 1939.  It was first published that year 1939, but then wasn’t republished until 1946 because of World War 2.  The song became popular in 1949 when Gene Autry sang it, but the popular Rudolph TV special didn’t air until 1964. 

Through all those adaptions, the poem, song, and TV special the story stayed the same.  If you haven’t seen Rudolph in a while it’s worth checking out, but here’s a brief summary.  Rudolph is born with a red and shiny nose that Santa says will prevent Rudolph from ever being allowed to pull Santa’s sleigh.  This nose leads Rudolph on many adventures and eventually to the island of misfit toys.  There he meets a bunch of toys who have been rejected because they are unwanted or unloved.  Eventually he winds up back at the north pole after saving his parents and friends from the abominable snowman.  Soon it’s Christmas Eve and Santa fears that he will have to cancel Christmas because the snowstorm is so bad, but then he realizes that perhaps Rudolph’s glowing red nose could light the way so he asks Rudolph to lead his sleigh and soon Rudolph has not only saved Christmas but also helped Santa find homes for the misfit toys. 

Just like last week, there are many lessons that we can learn from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  The lesson that we shouldn’t discount or exclude anyone because their different from us, that we should always try and help those in need, but I think the most important lesson is learned by Santa.  When the storm is so bad that he almost cancels Christmas he finds the solution by looking at someone who had been dismissed by everyone else, but Rudolph was exactly who Santa needed.

Just like that, the Birth of Jesus was not a huge splendid affair.  Jesus is the Son of God, the savior of the world and yet he was born in a stable with animals all around him and his bed was simply a feeding trough. 

Today we often do a similar thing we lift up and look up to people who have lots of money or seem to have it all figured out.  We look at the cool kids at school or the kid who has his own Youtube channel and say I want to be like that.  I wonder where Jesus would be born if he was born today?  This Christmas, remember that Jesus came to teach us to be humble and to serve others, he was different from other rulers and leaders and he wants us to follow his example.

Activity: Watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and then discuss a few of the questions below

· What would you do if you were Rudolph when all the reindeer tease him?

· Why does Santa ask Rudolph to lead his sleigh?

· Where do you thinks Jesus would be born if he was born today? 

Advent Devotion: December 9

Revelation 21:5-6

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione uses a device called a Time Turner.  It’s a gadget that allows her to manipulate time so that she can classes that happen at the same time of the day.  I know I’ve thought I’d love to have a Time Turner it would come in handy when I have a lot to do, but since Harry Potter is only a great book of fiction such things don’t exist. 

However we learn from these verses that God is like the ultimate Time Turner, the Bible says he’s the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  It’s impossible for us to understand it but God exists outside of time, he didn’t have a beginning and he doesn’t have an end.  God created time to help us understand how the world works. 

Activity: Make a homemade Sun Dial, these were some of the first clocks that helped men tell time.  https://www.rookieparenting.com/make-a-sundial/

Advent Devotion: December 8

Revelation 21:3-4

What is heaven going to be like?  It’s a question many people have tried to answer whether it’s books, movie, paintings, songs, or something else.  The reality is that we don’t know, the Bible tells us very little about heaven or what will happen to us when we get there.  But it’s fun to imagine it, when I was younger I thought that heaven would have this huge movie theater you could go to but the only movies you could watch where stories from the Bible and you would use your Bible as a remote. 

It’s fun to imagine what Heaven will be like but all we know for sure is that it will be amazing because we will be with God.  These verses are telling us it’s okay to look forward to heaven sometimes.  When God saves us he not only saves us to live a new life here on earth he also saves us to live in heaven with him forever.

Activity: Talk about what you think Heaven will be like, what would you like it to be like?

Advent Devotion: December 7

Revelation 21:1-2

I love the first day of school, everything feels new and fresh.  You might have new pencils, paper, erasers, and more.  You might even have a new outfit or maybe just a new pair of pants.  I never like school much but I always loved the first day because it was the start of something new.  When we become a Christian, God calls us into a new life, we are to live differently, treat people differently, and be like Jesus.  Being a Christian is kind of like the first day of school everything is new again it’s an exciting time and that’s what God calls us to in our new life.

Activity: Write some early New Year’s resolutions, specifically focusing on how you can better follow Jesus in 2018.

Advent Devotion: December 6

Isaiah 43:20-21

Do you have a pet, maybe a dog or a cat?   What do you have to do with that pet?  Feed it, take it for walks, brush it, pet it.  You have to care for it and make sure that all it’s needs are taken care of.  And in return it will love you back or if it’s a cat at least tolerate you.  These verses talk about how the wild animals honor God because he cares for them.  Our animals will often love and honor us because we care for them.  In the same way we should honor God by how we live our life and treat other people because God cares for us. 

Activity: What are some ways you can honor God?  Everyone in the family should write down at least one and try to do that by the end of the week. 

Advent Devotion: Dec 5

Isaiah 43:18-19

The Bible can be confusing sometimes, yesterday we learned about how God has cared for and protected his people, but this verse says forget the former things and do not dwell on the past.  These verses seem to contradict each other, but if you look at them together what God is actually saying is, yes I’ve done all these amazing things but that doesn’t stop me from doing new things as well.  God keeps working in our lives, he wants us to focus on the future.  What is God going to do in your life whether it be through school or work or a friend or family member. 

I recently watched Disney’s Meet the Robinsons, It’s an early CG movie from the mid 2000’s but the theme of the movie is about an inventor named Lewis and his motto is keep moving forward.  So keep moving forward in life and trust that God will take care of everything. 

Activity: Choose a few toys or clothes to donate to a charity for Christmas this year. 

Advent Devotion: December 4

Isaiah 43:16-17

God has done mighty things for his people, these verses highlight just a few of the things that God has done such as bringing the Israelites safely across the red sea under Moses, God says we should trust him because we can see and read about the things that he has done in the past.

But God hasn’t only cared for the Israelites, he also cares for all his people and that includes us as followers of Jesus, so how has Jesus cared for you in the past?   Remember that and say a quick thank you for giving us so much.  

Activity: List one way that Jesus has cared for you.

Advent Devotion: December 3rd: It's a Wonderful Life

If you’ve never seen the 1946 classic It’s a Wonderful Life it’s worth digging up a copy.  You might need to make sure your kids are at least in elementary school to enjoy it but it’s a wonderful movie and story.  If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it here’s a brief summary. 

George Bailey has spent his life giving to the people of Bedford Falls and runs a building and loan company.  His uncle Billy loses $8,000 and George knows he will be held responsible and thrown in jail for theft.  He believes his life has been a failure and a waste and contemplates killing himself believing everyone will be better off.  But he is saved by the prayers of his family and an angel named Clarence who shows him how much he has helped and changed the lives of many people.  Ultimately George learns that he has touched the lives of many people in a positive way and that his is truly a wonderful life. 

There are so many lessons and messages that this movie can teach us but one of the most important ones is found in the interaction between Clarence and George.  Clarence jumps into the river to save George from killing himself.  Clarence, of course, is an angel sent by God to save George and show him how much his life is worth.  That basic message is that God often reaches out to us during our lowest points in life.  It’s true in George Bailey’s life and it’s true in our lives as well. 

He did this in the life of Joseph and Gideon in the Old Testament and in Peter and Paul’s life in the New Testament.  When we feel at our lowest point God will be with us to help us get through it.  He might do it through reading a passage from the Bible or from a good friend or family member or some other way but we know that God will be with us.

Another lesson we learn is that God wants us to look forward and focus on the life ahead of us. 

Read Isaiah 43:16-21

Here, God tells Israel that he is doing a new thing in their lives.  He says forget the things of the past and look to the future.  What has happened in the past, whether it’s good or bad, we can’t change.  Instead focus on all the opportunities in life ahead of you and trust that God will work it out. 

Activity: Watch It’s a Wonderful Life, together as a family and then discuss a few questions.

· What did Clarence do to help George?

· Why is George so happy when he finally gets back to his normal reality?

· What can we be thankful for that might seem ordinary in our lives?

Advent Devotion: December 13

John 1:1-5

One of my favorite Christmas Movie’s is Elf, starring Will Ferrell.  The movie is all about a man who was raised as an elf trying to understand the normal world.  In the movie Buddy the elf, learns that he is not just an elf but also, a man, a brother, a boyfriend, a son, and more.  Just like Buddy we all have different roles to play in life.  We might be a, brother or sister, mom or dad, son or daughter, friend, student, or many more. 

These first verses in John are kind of confusing but what the Bible is saying is that Jesus is God and has been God since the beginning even though he was only born as a man, 2000 years ago.  It’s hard to understand but the important thing to remember is that God loves us so much he became a man and came to earth to save us.

Activity: Talk about the different you have in life, do you have a favorite?