Four Steps for Focusing on Jesus During the Advent Season
1) Decide Together to Make this Christmas About Jesus
Advent is a time for joyful expectation. After the Fall and subsequent promise of salvation in Genesis, people waited for generations to meet the one who would rescue the world. The hopeful anticipation of a coming Messiah sustained God’s people until he sent his Son. The Advent season is a reminder of the hope of salvation fulfilled in Christ’s appearance, life, death, and resurrection.
As we await the day when we celebrate Jesus’s birth, we should be reminding ourselves and our children why Jesus’s birth was so important.
God Himself, Creator of the universe, Lord of all creation, was willing to humble Himself and come to Earth as a baby. The One who sits on the right hand of the heavenly throne (Hebrews 12:2) allowed Himself to be born in a barn and placed in a feeding trough (Luke 2:7), all in order that He might live a perfect life and then one day be sacrificed in order to redeem all of creation.
This year, decide as a family to make Advent a central part of your Christmas season.
2) Put Reminders in Your Home
We adore the concept of setting up a nativity scene in your house. The scene might serve as a potent reminder of Jesus' modest appearance.
The creation of this nativity scene by your kids themselves will make it much better! Recently, many parents have come up with inventive ideas on ways to encourage pupils to create their own nativities.
In addition to nativity sets, other reminders include:
- A lighted shadow box nativity
- Nativity chalk silhouette
- A nativity tree
- Nativity preschool worksheets
As much as your kids are looking forward to seeing the presents under the tree, help them see, within your home, reminders of Christ as God’s gift to all.
3) Do an Advent Devotion with Your Family
There are various Advent devotionals created to be studied as a family in addition to singing hymns together. Establishing a family worship time while studying the captivating birth narrative during the Christmas season is beneficial for your family.
Children can be gathered around the fire (or wherever you gather), who can then start singing well-known Christmas carols and songs. Following that, you can start reading through the gospel stories of Christ's birth or using an Advent family devotional.
You can do your devotional daily or weekly. Whatever you do, however, make sure it is consistent and focuses on Christ as the greatest gift of Christmas.
4) Pray Together Often
Praying together as a family is one of the ways you can remember how much the event of Jesus' birth was anticipated throughout the many generations before he arrived.
How Haywood Christian Academy Emphasizes Jesus During The Christmas Season
The mission of Haywood Christian Academy is to develop students into Christian leaders by providing an excellent educational experience on a foundation of Biblical truth. One of the most important biblical truths we love to tell is the story of Christ’s birth. It is miraculous yet documented and told by eyewitnesses who can corroborate their stories.
Many saw the star, the birth, and the world change through his appearance. He was called Jesus because his name means he is the one who saves his people from their sin (Matthew 1:21). He lived a perfect life, died in our place, and rose from the grave to defeat sin and death for all who believe.
This is a story we love to tell at HCA. All of our faculty and administrators are committed to helping each student hear and know the good news of Jesus. Students at Haywood Christian Academy hear the gospel every day. From our admissions page:
“In the education of children, you not only gain access to developing minds but also to developing worldviews. Haywood Christian Academy was founded on principles of excellence, with a primary focus on teaching a Christian worldview to its students. A worldview is taught to children, regardless of where they are being educated. Our focus is to be intentional on forming a worldview that keeps scripture and daily life in Christ as the highest priority.”
If you want your child to experience education in a setting that points each student to Christ, reach out to the team at HCA.