Christmas Devotionals

I created these four short devotionals to teach my daughter about the story of Christ’s birth. We have been using them during our family study time during this holiday season. Feel free to use them on your own and/or with your family and children as well.

 

Lesson 1 – Old Testament Prophet Foretells the Birth of Jesus

Many people are familiar with the stories of Jesus’ birth in the New Testament. But did you know that there are several verses in the Old Testament that detail the coming of a Savior? Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, prophets foretold of His birth and death. The prophet Isaiah wrote a great deal about the birth and death of Jesus.

 

Key Words:

1. Prophet/Prophecy/Prophesy
2. Inquity
3. Immanuel
4. Ancestor
5. Omniscient

 

Read the following scripture passages and discuss the questions.

Isaiah 7:14

• Immanuel means “God with us.” How is this an appropriate description of Jesus?

 

Isaiah 9:6-7

• Jesus is of the lineage of David. What does that mean?

 

Isaiah 46:9-10

• God knew we would need Jesus. Why did we need Him?

 

Isaiah 53:5-6

• What event is Isaiah describing here?

 

Closing Thought and Prayer:

God knows the end from the beginning, and He knew we needed a Savior. Pray and thank God that He sent His Son to live and die for us, long before we even existed.

 

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Lesson 2 – God Blesses Mary’s Relative with a Son

 

Not only did the prophet Isaiah write about the coming of the Messiah, but he also wrote about a messenger who would come before Jesus to prepare the way. This messenger was John the Baptist, and he was actually a relative of Jesus. In fact, his mother and father were also uniquely blessed by God to bear a son who would play a major role in spreading the gospel.

 

Key Words:

1. baptism
2. repentance
3. blameless
4. barren
5. mute

 

Read the following scripture passages and answer the questions.

Luke 1:5-25, 57-64

• What was the reason that Zacharias and Elizabeth had no children?
• According to Gabriel, what was John called to do for God?
• When was Zacharias able to speak again?

 

Mark 1:1-8

• Compare and contrast the two types of baptism in verse 8.

 

John 1:6-9, 19-23

• Why do you think it was important for the writer John to tell the difference between John the Baptist and Jesus (verses 7-8)?

 

Closing Thought and Prayer:

Everything that led up to the birth of Jesus was designed for a specific purpose by God. Pray and thank God for His wisdom and love, and for crafting such a beautiful story just for you and me.

 

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Lesson 3 – Mary and Joseph Have Doubts About Good News

 

You may think that hearing about the birth of the Savior would get everybody excited, especially if you’re the couple chosen to be His earthly parents. But things did not happen as smoothly with Mary and Joseph. The gospels of Matthew and Luke give the details behind the Christmas story as we know it. And from the very beginning, both accounts share the uncertainty of Mary and Joseph as they heard of this unique blessing.

 

Key Words:

1. betrothed
2. virgin

 

Read the following scripture passages and answer the questions.

Matthew 1:18-25

• What was Joseph’s first reaction to the news that Mary was pregnant?
• According to the angel, why was Jesus born?
• The angel quoted the Old Testament to Joseph. Which verse did he use?

 

Luke 1:26-45

• What was Mary’s first reaction to the angel?
• How is Elizabeth’s story similar to Mary’s story?
• What was Mary’s final response to the angel?
• What was John’s reaction to Mary’s visit?

 

Closing Thought and Prayer: 

Sometimes we let our humanness cause us to doubt blessings from God. Even Mary and Joseph did that. Pray and thank God for His blessings and ask Him to forgive you when you doubt His power.

 

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Lesson 4 – A King is Born in a Manger

 

The time had come for Jesus to be born! Many exciting events took place during this time, and some not-so-pleasant events happened too. Regardless, the King of kings was born in a humble manger, and His birth changed the world forever.

 

Key Words:

census tidings

swaddling

 

Read the following scripture passages and answer the questions.

Luke 2:1-20

• Where did Joseph live? Where did he go to register?
• What was the shepherds’ reaction to the angel visiting them the night that Jesus was born?

 

Matthew 2:1-23

• King Herod told the wise men to let him know where the baby was so that he could worship Jesus. What was the real reason he wanted to know where the baby was?
• How did the wise men find baby Jesus?
• After the king died, what did the angel tell Joseph to do?

 

Closing Thought and Prayer: 

As the angel said, “For with God, nothing will be impossible.” The birth of Christ was surrounded by a set of miraculous events. Thank God that He worked it all for our good, and, because of His love, we received the greatest gift ever given.