Today is Day 6 of the Advent Calendar Jesse Tree devotions. The symbol, or ornament, for Day 6 is that of a ladder.
The scriptures are Genesis 27:41-28:22 which tells the account of Jacob's dream where he saw a ladder to heaven with angels climbing up and down.
There is no New Testament reading for today's devotion. But, the ladder in Jacob's dream is significant of the connection we now have, open to everyone who believes, of Jesus connecting us to the Father God. The ladder signifies how Jesus left his Heavenly glorious dwelling and descended to earth to become a man. He then died & rose to forever bridge that gap between man (man's sin) and God. The heart of the story is in the first part of the verse Genesis 28:15 where is says:
Remember, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go..
Activity: Here are some great lesson activities from New Church Vineyard.org. And, if you like to use snacks in your lesson plans, here's a great Jacob's ladder "pretzel ladders" snack and lesson plan from rotation.org.
Today's ornament for the Jesse Tree is the symbol of a ladder. The easiest way to make this ornament is to purchase a wood fence cutout from the craft store or find a dollhouse picket fence & turn it on it's side to look like a ladder. Paint & decorate it how you like. You can even add angels or a light on top to signify God who was at the top of the ladder. Or, be creative with toothpicks, popsicle sticks or felt.
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Showing posts with label family holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family holiday. Show all posts
Friday, December 3, 2010
Day 5 Advent Jesse Tree
Today is Day 5 of the Advent Calendar Jesse Tree devotions. The symbol, or ornament, for Day 5 is that of a lamb.
The scriptures are Genesis 22:1-19 which is the account of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac; and
Isaiah 53:7 - "He was abused and punished, but he didn't open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was like a sheep that is silent when its wool is cut off. He didn't open his mouth."
John 1:29 - "John saw Jesus coming toward him the next day and said, "Look! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."; and
1 Peter 1:19 - "Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections."
The Old and New Testament readings tie each other together by explaining that God tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice the son he had been promised. When God saw that Abraham would obey God even unto death, He stopped the sacrifice of his son and substituted a ram that God had supplied on the mountain. This was a foreshadowing of what would take place with the sacrifice of the promised Messiah, who died to take away the guilt of our sins.
The Advent Jesse Tree book points out:
It is interesting to note that the place Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac (Mt. Moriah) was the exact mountain in Jerusalem where Solomon's temple was built. When Christ died on Calvary, the veil of the Temple was torn, symbolizing the final end of the sacrificial system. Today the Moslem mosque, the Dome of the Rock, is located on this site.
Activity: The lesson and idea of a father being asked to kill a son is a hard one to share with children. It's a difficult concept that sin causes death including the death of an animal for a sacrifice for those sins. But, then add to it that God promises a son to Abraham and then asks him to sacrifice that son. Of course, God knew all along death would not come to Isaac through the hand of his father. It was an ultimate test for Abraham: Would he obey God or did he love the gift of his son, Isaac, more than he loved God who gave the gift. This Bible Lesson by Suite 101 is really a cute way to get this hard lesson across. It has a Red Light, Green Light game and even a recipe for an edible altar.
Today's ornament for the Jesse Tree is the symbol of a lamb. Of course, the first thing that comes to mind in making an ornament of a lamb is cotton balls. So, be creative. There are other options as well. Here's a nice fluffy lamb ornament from Kaboose.com. And, Joshclay.com describes how to make one out of polymer clay.
The scriptures are Genesis 22:1-19 which is the account of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac; and
Isaiah 53:7 - "He was abused and punished, but he didn't open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was like a sheep that is silent when its wool is cut off. He didn't open his mouth."
John 1:29 - "John saw Jesus coming toward him the next day and said, "Look! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."; and
1 Peter 1:19 - "Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections."
The Old and New Testament readings tie each other together by explaining that God tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice the son he had been promised. When God saw that Abraham would obey God even unto death, He stopped the sacrifice of his son and substituted a ram that God had supplied on the mountain. This was a foreshadowing of what would take place with the sacrifice of the promised Messiah, who died to take away the guilt of our sins.
The Advent Jesse Tree book points out:
It is interesting to note that the place Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac (Mt. Moriah) was the exact mountain in Jerusalem where Solomon's temple was built. When Christ died on Calvary, the veil of the Temple was torn, symbolizing the final end of the sacrificial system. Today the Moslem mosque, the Dome of the Rock, is located on this site.
Activity: The lesson and idea of a father being asked to kill a son is a hard one to share with children. It's a difficult concept that sin causes death including the death of an animal for a sacrifice for those sins. But, then add to it that God promises a son to Abraham and then asks him to sacrifice that son. Of course, God knew all along death would not come to Isaac through the hand of his father. It was an ultimate test for Abraham: Would he obey God or did he love the gift of his son, Isaac, more than he loved God who gave the gift. This Bible Lesson by Suite 101 is really a cute way to get this hard lesson across. It has a Red Light, Green Light game and even a recipe for an edible altar.
Today's ornament for the Jesse Tree is the symbol of a lamb. Of course, the first thing that comes to mind in making an ornament of a lamb is cotton balls. So, be creative. There are other options as well. Here's a nice fluffy lamb ornament from Kaboose.com. And, Joshclay.com describes how to make one out of polymer clay.
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