How Advent can shepherd our children’s faith
As Christmas approaches, no doubt, our children will start to focus on opening presents. To be honest, we adults will too. It is good and right to give presents — who doesn’t like presents? But it is important to help our children remember that God gave us the greatest gift — His Son, Jesus — on the first Christmas day so long ago. We need to make certain that we see Christmas as a tremendous opportunity to shepherd the hearts of our children toward spiritual growth.
One way your family might promote spiritual growth around the holidays is the observance of Advent. Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent — which means “arrival” — as a way to keep their focus on Christ. There is an emphasis on the celebration of the first coming of Jesus, but also on the time of His return when He will roll back the curse and bring Heaven to earth. It is a season of joyful celebration and expectant waiting.
Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Your church may light Advent candles each week symbolizing anticipation, followed by a meaningful reading or prayer. Each candle represents something different — hope, love, joy, and peace. While the theme of each candle is traditional, there does not appear to be a traditional order in which to celebrate. Whether or not your church observes the Advent candle lighting tradition, you can discuss it in your home with your children to help point their hearts and the attention of your home towards Christ this season.
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Hope
Peter tells us that “according to [God’s] great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3). We have a living hope in Jesus. It is important to observe that people understand the word “hope” differently today than how it is used in the New Testament. We might say “I hope it doesn’t rain today” or “I hope we have pizza for supper” as if making a wish. While the English word carries a degree of uncertainty, the New Testament word does not. It carries the idea of absolute certainty — the idea of something that has not yet been realized. Our hope is that Jesus will never disappoint, and God will bring our expectations to pass in His own time.
In addition to having the hope of Jesus, we can also look forward to a time when we do not hope in Him. After all, hope is for something which we do not yet possess. In the future, we will have Christ’s physical presence, so there will be no further need to hope in Him as all of our hopes will be fulfilled. Paul said, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” (Romans 8:24). In our time, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7), but soon, we will walk in sight as we behold our King.
Ask your children: How does Christmas give us hope for today and in the future?
Love
God sent Jesus into the world because of His love for us. The Apostle John said, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). God manifests His love for us in many ways — shelter, family, finances, music — but the greatest way He has shown His love for us is by sending Jesus into the world to save us. Nothing God has ever done has more clearly demonstrated His love.
In addition to knowing that God loves us, let us also consider that we only know what true love is because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). If God did not exist, there would be no love. He is the fountainhead of all love. Every act of love we have ever witnessed reveals the nature of God.
Ask your children: How does Christmas show God’s love for us?
Joy
Do you ever think about the fact that Jesus came to give you joy? Certainly, we know that He came to save us and set us free from sin, but He also came for joy. He said in the high priestly prayer, “These things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13). He did not come merely to give us joy, He came to give us His joy. Jesus, in the same way, is eternally holy, eternally loving and eternally just, He is also eternally joy-filled, and He came to give us His eternal joy. On this earth, we can taste joy, and in the coming age, we will know it in its fullness.
Ask your children: What is the difference between happiness and Christmas joy?
Peace
Do you feel at peace this Christmas? Not everyone does. In fact, many Christians feel anything but peace — at least in their earthly experience. So, how then could the angels proclaim to the shepherds a message of peace on earth (Luke 2:14) when there has never been total peace since then?
The great poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem, “Christmas Bells” (later turned into a popular Christmas song) amidst extreme grief and a life that was anything but peaceful. He was widowed for the second time when his wife’s dress caught fire, and her injuries took her life. Henry tried to help extinguish the flames but was unable to and severely injured himself as a result. Two years later in 1863, Henry’s son, Charlie, joined the Union army and was severely injured during the Civil War. On Christmas morning, a few days later, Henry heard church bells playing the message of “peace on earth” and such notions seemed contradictory to his suffering. His poem began with the line, “I heard the bells on Christmas Day…” and ended with this refrain:
“And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.’”
In the midst of unspeakable grief, Longfellow gave voice to the essence of the Christian experience, that it is “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
Sadly, until the curse is removed, the angels’ promise of peace on earth will not be fully realized. Yet, one day our King will come back, and the peace of God will cover every square inch of the universe, and we will forever live in a world of peace on earth, and goodwill to men.
Ask your children: What makes you feel peace or calm on the inside when you think about the birth of Jesus?
Advent with your family
I encourage you and your family to light Advent candles and share readings and prayers about hope, love, joy and peace. Be intentional about sharing the Gospel with your own children and telling them about our great Savior who we celebrate this time of year. The tradition of Advent will help your children grow in their love for Jesus who came and is coming again soon.
Jeremiah Cho is the President of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), the largest child evangelism ministry in the world, and has served with the ministry since 1988 in various roles. He first served in his home country of South Korea and then as a missionary in Sri Lanka. Now he leads from CEF’s international headquarters in Missouri.
