Welcome to The Real Christmas Tree. This booklet is designed to be used alongside the linked Advent Calendar, to help children and adults explore the Bible together during Advent. Each day provides a short family Bible time suitable for ages 4 to 12. It will take about five minutes, maybe at breakfast, or after an evening meal. Choose whatever time and place suits you best as a family. The Advent Calendar
The Small Print Published by The Good Book Company, 37 Elm Road, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3HB, UK Tel: 0845 225 0880 www.thegoodbook.co.uk Designed and written by Alison Mitchell. Email: alison@thegoodbook.co.uk Fab pics by Kirsty McAllister. With special thanks to Carl Hamblin and Jon Bradley. Scriptures quoted from the International Children’s Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright © 1991 by Authentic. Used by permission. This booklet is part of The Real Christmas Tree Advent calendar pack. ISBN: 978-1-905564-52-1 Printed in the UK
s Open each day’s window before reading the relevant page in the booklet. (The picture hidden behind the window is sometimes printed in the booklet as well— and you don’t want to spoil the surprise.) s Read the verse printed behind the window. s If you are making your own Jesse tree, tear the window carefully from the calendar and hang it on your tree so that each day’s symbol can be seen. (There are suggestions for how to make a Jesse tree on the next page.) The Booklet s Each page starts with a simple discussion or activity. These sometimes need pencil and paper. s Then read the day’s verses. (The verses printed in the calendar are taken from the International Children’s Bible. However, any modern translation will be fine.) s There are then a few questions based on the passage, followed by a suggestion for prayer.
UÊWho was Jesse?Ê Jesse is part of Jesus’ family tree. He was the father of King David—the best king the Israelites ever had. Jesse and his family lived in Bethlehem, the same town Jesus would be born in 1000 years later.
/Â…iĂŠĂƒĂŒĂ•Â“ÂŤĂŠÂœvĂŠ iĂƒĂƒi Talk:ĂŠ Have any trees been cut down near you? The stump looks dead—but sometimes a shoot starts to grow from it again. It’s not dead at all!
UĂŠWhat is a Jesse tree?ĂŠ
Read:ĂŠ
A Jesse tree is a traditional way of celebrating Advent. Each day, a symbol is hung on the tree as a reminder of part of Jesus’ family tree. You will find these symbols hiding behind the windows on your Advent calendar. We will meet three kinds of people on our Jesse tree:
Talk:ĂŠ
* Members of Jesus’ family (starting with Adam) * Old Testament prophets who spoke about Jesus hundreds of years before He was born * People who met Jesus during the first Christmas
UĂŠMake your own Jesse treeĂŠ The windows on your Advent calendar are designed to tear off once they are open. Make a small hole at the top to help you hang the window from some thread. Choose what kind of ‘tree’ you want to hang the symbols from: * A branch with plenty of twigs
Isaiah was a prophet—one of God’s messengers. He said that someone’s family was like a tree stump. Whose family was it? (v1) (Depending on your Bible version, it may say Jesse’s family or David’s family. They are the same family—Jesse was David’s father.) Someone special would come from this family, and would be given God’s Spirit. What would the Spirit give this person? (See v2)
Think:Ê When Isaiah wrote his book, God’s people, the Israelites, were in a mess. Most of them didn’t love God or live the way He wanted. They were like a dead stump! But God promised that someone very special would come from that stump. Someone from the family of Jesse and David would be God’s wise, powerful King (v2). Your Jesse tree will be all about that person. Who do you think he is? (Jesus)
Do:ĂŠ
* A miniature Christmas tree
Start your Jesse tree by hanging up today’s symbol of a stump. The opposite page tells you more about Jesse and gives ideas for making your tree.
* A drawing of a tree on a large sheet of paper (use Blu-tac to attach the windows) * Or, you can make your own tree from thick card (see pics):
Today’s verses seem to be about a tree stump—but they’re really about a person... Read Isaiah 11v1–2.
Pray:ĂŠ Slot the two sections together.
Ask God to help you to learn more about King Jesus as you read the Bible and make your Jesse tree together this Christmas.
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Talk:Ê
Do:Ê
What’s the difference between you and a walrus? (!)
(You need pencil and paper.) Each draw one or more trees on the paper to make a garden.
Read:Ê
Read:Ê
God created our world and everything in it. He made the first animals and birds. Then He made the first people... Read Genesis 1v26–27. (If you have older children, read v28-31 as well.)
God gave Adam and Eve a perfect garden to enjoy. There was just one tree they must not eat from—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If they ate from that tree, they would want to decide for themselves what’s good and what’s bad. But that’s God’s job! Cross out one of the trees in your garden picture.
Talk:Ê Who were the people like? (v26) (God) Human beings are made in God’s likeness. That means made like God Himself! We are like God. Animals and birds (and walruses!) are not like God. That’s why God has put us in charge of His world, to look after it and enjoy it. Who are we to rule over? (v26) (Fish, birds and animals)
Think:Ê God created a perfect world. The first people were perfect, too. Do you know what the first two people were called? (Adam and Eve) As we will see tomorrow, Adam and Eve didn’t stay perfect. But they were the beginning of a family that would one day have God’s own, perfect Son born into it. Who was that? (Jesus) Adam was only perfect for a short time. King Jesus will be perfect for ever!
Pray:Ê God created a good world for us to live in. Each choose something about God’s world you would like to thank Him for. Ask God to help you look after His world.
Sadly, Adam and Eve broke God’s rule. They ate from the tree—then hid from God... Read Genesis 3v8–15.
Talk:Ê Where did Adam and Eve hide? (v8) (Among the trees) God already knew that they had broken His rule. Who did they blame? (v12-13) (v12—Adam blamed Eve; v13— Eve blamed the snake, who was the devil in disguise.)
Think:Ê Adam and Eve had to leave the garden. God’s perfect world was spoilt. But God already had a plan to rescue His world and His people. What was going to happen to the evil snake? (v15) (He would be crushed by one of Eve’s children.) Jesus was born into Eve’s family. He would be the one to crush the devil and rescue us from evil.
Pray:Ê It was always God’s plan to send Jesus to be our Rescuer and King. Thank God for His wonderful rescue plan.