Lesson background
It’s the first Sunday in Advent and if the children in your church are anything like those in mine, they’re already focused on Christmas! They can barely contain their excitement about the presents and the cookies and the visitors that will greet them on Christmas morning. They’re desperate to skip to the good part. But we know there are so many good parts along the Advent journey!
This is the first in a four-part lesson series on the themes of Advent. In this lesson, children will refocus their Christmas excitement on the hope contained within the promise of Jesus’ arrival. They’ll explore God’s message of hope for the future in Isaiah 2 and will consider what hope looks like in today’s world.
You will need
- A Bible
- Clear water glasses, water and food coloring. Be sure to have enough so each child has a glass and a dropper of food coloring (optional)
- Empty water bottles, warm water, clear glue, glitter, super glue and small objects (optional)
- Computer with internet access connected to a television screen or data projector to stream this YouTube video (optional)
- Colored paper, crayons or markers (optional)
Starting off
Greet the children as they arrive.
Have the children sit in a circle on the floor or in chairs around a table so that they are facing one another.
Share that today is the first Sunday of Advent, the period in the church when we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth on Christmas Day.
Ask:
- What are you hoping for this Christmas?
- What do you hope for in the new year?
- If someone asked you what the word hope means, what would you say?
Exploring the passage
Say a prayer.
Provide context for the Scripture passage:
- Today’s reading comes from the book of Isaiah, which is part of the Old Testament. It is a story that was told many, many years before Jesus was born.
- The words in this book were likely written by two different people, but they are all collected under the name Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet. God chose Isaiah to share important messages with the people of God.
- At the time when Isaiah was alive, the people of God were going through a very hard time. They were facing attacks by other nations on the land God promised would be their homeland forever. They were feeling as if God abandoned them. They needed a message of hope from God. Isaiah offers that message.
- Encourage the children to notice the future that God promises the people.
Read aloud Isaiah 2:1-5. After reading the passage, ask:
- Describe the place where “the Lord’s house” will be “in days to come.”
- What would it be like to be in this place? How would you feel?
- Who might you meet in this place?
- What might people be doing in this place?
- Focus in on verse 4: In this place, people will take their swords and spears into garden tools. What does this mean about the way the people of God will live together?
- Would you want to live in this place? Why or why not?
- How might the message God offers the people through Isaiah fill them with hope?
Relating the passage to our lives
Tell the children that God continues to offer hope in difficult times to God’s people. The greatest gift of hope we receive is Jesus. Jesus’ birth shows God’s hope for all of creation. Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us,” here on earth to show God’s love will be with us forever.
To help children connect the idea of hope in Christ to their own lives, engage in one or more of the following activities together.
- Colored drops in water: This is a simple activity to show how a little hope can positively affect our lives. For this activity you’ll need a clear glass of water and a dropper of food coloring for each child. Give each child a glass of water. Ask the children to observe the glass of water. What do they notice about it? Then, hand each child a dropper of food coloring. Ask each to squeeze one drop of food color into the glass of water. What does the water look like now? How does it change? Repeat this process a few times. As more food coloring is added, the color becomes stronger. Tell the children that the clear water represents our lives and the food coloring represents hope. Thinking about how the food color affected the water, how do you think hope changes our lives? How can it improve our lives?
- Train of Hope in Ukraine: Hope can help get us through very challenging times, just as it did for the people of God when they were exiled from their homeland. Ask the children to share examples of times when people experience difficulty. Tell the children that times of war are especially challenging. Currently, the countries of Ukraine and Russia are at war with one another. They need hope. Show this video about the Train of Hope that helps Ukrainian families displaced by the war move to safety. [Insert link ]. After watching the video, discuss how the trains provide hope to the Ukrainian people. What are some other acts that can give hope to people in the midst of war?
- Care cards: While Christmas is a joyful time for many people, it can be a time of sadness for people struggling with loss or difficult family dynamics. A message of hope and love can help someone through the holidays. Materials you’ll need for this activity are: colored paper, crayons or markers and any other art materials you’d like to provide for card making. Ask the children to make cards with hopeful messages using these materials. Distribute these cards to people in your congregation who struggle during the holidays. If your church has a board of deacons, members may be able to help you distribute the cards.
Closing
Conclude your time together by offering a prayer for the coming week as well as people you may have discussed during the activity portion of the lesson.
