Weekly Family Devotional During COVID-19: What One Church Is Doing
Many local churches are canceling Sunday services due to COVID-19. That means that there are a lot of kids who are normally in children’s and student ministries who are at home with dad and mom. What a great opportunity for church leaders to equip moms and dads to train up their kids in the faith. We’ve already featured a list of great resources that Christian publishers and other ministries are giving away for free, but I wanted to share today what my local church is doing. Each week, we're sending out a family devotional for families to use at home. Here is our first one—on Luke 2:1–20:
Read Luke 2:1-20
You could also read "He's Here" from The Jesus Storybook Bible (pages 176–183), or
"Story 28: Jesus is Born" from The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible (pages 164–169).
Jesus Came to Bring Peace to All People
Do you ever fight with your brother or sister? When you’re fighting, have you ever needed an adult to come in and help everyone calm down? This sort of thing happens all the time. We need someone calm to step in and bring peace to a tough situation. Today's story is about how Jesus stepped into our world to bring peace to our brokenness. Jesus came to bring peace to all people.
When Caesar Augustus was the ruler, he wanted to get a headcount of all the people living in his kingdom. It was time for a census. In order to be counted, everyone had to travel back to the town where they were born. Joseph was from the town of Bethlehem, so he and Mary, who was pregnant with baby Jesus, traveled nearly one hundred miles to the small town known as the city of David.
When they finally arrived, the town was so packed that there were no guest rooms available. So, even though he is God and king, the baby Jesus wasn't born in beautiful palace (or even a nice hotel!). Jesus was born in a stable with dirty animals. And when Jesus's birth was first announced, it wasn't told to the rich officials of the city. Instead, it was announced to poor shepherds who were sleeping out under the stars.
Jesus came to dirty places, to gritty places, to places that needed him! And this should encourage us, because we need Jesus too. Sometimes we fight with God—just like we fight with our friends or siblings. But God doesn't get angry and make annoying faces like a friend or sibling might. God doesn't fight back. Instead, when we were his enemies, God sent Jesus to be our Savior. He sent Jesus to make peace between us and God. Jesus came to bring people to all people.
It had been 400 years since God’s people had heard his voice, but that four hundred years of silence was broken by the sound of a newborn baby crying. God’s own Son, Jesus, was finally here! Even in the most scary and difficult times, God arrives right on time... to bring peace to all people!
Think about it!
Ask: What’s the farthest place you’ve traveled to? How did you get there? Can you imagine walking the whole way? Or how about riding on a donkey?
Ask: How would you share the news that Jesus was born? Who would you share it with first?
Remember It!
Take a few minutes to review our catechism question, memory passage. You can sing the memory passage song. The kids are also learning the Apostle's Creed in the month of March by singing the song linked below.
Memory Passage: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst." 1 Timothy 1:15
Big Picture/Catechism Question:
What makes Jesus different? Jesus is fully God and fully man.
Review and Pray!
Here are some great ideas to review this lesson in your own family.
Use toys or dolls to act out the story. You could begin by taking a census of your child's stuffed animals.
Invite your kids to draw a picture of the place they think Jesus would be born if he was born today.
At the end of your devotional, take time to pray. Pray for those who are severely affected by the virus, for our government leaders as they make decisions about our city, state, and country, and for peace for our church family during these trying times.