Adult
• 4 Sessions of Learner’s Materials
• 4 Sessions of Teaching Materials
• Handouts
1. Matthew 24:36-44
2. Matthew 3:1-12
3. Matthew 1:18-25
4. Matthew 2:1-12
While Christians certainly intend it to be otherwise, the experience of the Christmas season has become more burden than joy for many people. The lure of shopping malls, an avalanche of direct mail catalogs, appeals for charitable giving, office parties, school programs, and the many responsibilities of family and church life increase the pace of modern living, which is already too hurried.
For early Christians, Easter was the climax of the year. At Easter, Christians celebrated the revelation of God in Christ. They found the core of belief in the Christ, who died for the sins of all people. The celebration of Christmas represented God’s entry into the world as fulfillment of the promises and prophecies made to God’s people in the Old Testament. Jesus’ birth was the “advent” (coming or arrival) of God into the world, and the celebration of Christmas pointed to all that God would one day accomplish through Jesus for the salvation of the world.
Early Christians recognized the need to prepare for these two significant events—and so began the practices of Lent and Advent. For Christians today, preparing for these events can serve as a spiritual antidote for the busy commercial seasons. The Scriptures of these sessions help us “get ready” in heart, mind, and soul for the long-anticipated coming of the Lord.
by Robert W. Guffey Jr.
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