Sunday School Lesson for the Second Sunday of Advent
Note: During the season of Advent, messages and lessons will include a unifying focus that coincides with the four themes of the Advent Sundays (hope, peace, love, and joy). Additionally, each week a Christmas song will be featured, which also incorporates the theme.
This lesson considers how we make preparations. There are a lot of important things we might prepare for or “clear the way” for, but how do we get our hearts ready for Jesus? Just as John the Baptist prepared the way and pointed others to Christ, our job is to tell others about Him and to consider how we can focus on His love and promises. As we do so, we can embrace the peace that only He provides. Christmas preparations can feel stressful, even as they are exciting, but focusing on God’s peace provides profound comfort and strength in the midst of that.
When we think about preparing for Jesus, we often contemplate how we can be ready for His Second Coming or how we can point others to Him. While these are significant elements, it’s also important to remember that we can prepare our hearts for Him now. We do this through prayer, reading His Word, and finding peace in His promises. The Advent season focuses on His birth, but much more than that we rejoice in His life, death, and resurrection.
Sunday School Lesson on Luke 3 for Children: John Announced the coming of the Messiah
Passage: Luke 3:1-6
Target Audience: Kindergarten-6th grade (better geared to older grades)
Materials Needed: Construction paper, markers, stickers, scissors, tape/glue, paper plates, pictures or examples of snow removal or preparatory items, leather or wool clothing, string or pipe cleaners, pictures of signs, music makers, decorations, Bibles.
Lesson Opening: This lesson focuses on the theme of being prepared, as well as the importance of peace. It also considers the role of John the Baptist in preparing people for Jesus. To get started, select from one of the following openers, or select another of your own choosing.
- Prepare the way: create an obstacle course across a play area, and have students partner up. Have one partner wear a blindfold. The other partner must clear a path through the obstacle course and guide the “blind” partner through with verbal instructions.
- Turn around! John the Baptist called people to repent. The term “repent” reflects a turning. Play a variation on “red light/green light” in which students attempt to reach a designated spot in the room by walking in a slow, straight line. At intervals, call out “repent”, at which point students must turn 180 degrees and change directions. For an added alteration, provide instruction for turning only a portion of a circle, and watch the zigzag that ensues as kids go in different directions.
- Peace in chaos. Play a “freeze dance” type game, allowing students to move about or make noise, but instructing them to freeze in place when “peace” is called. Point out that this is the power of Jesus to bring peace into our lives.
- Tactile experience: examine the pieces of John’s “uniform”: allow children to touch and feel hairy clothes (if you don’t have camel hair handy, try wool or fur) and leather (like the belt). Show off pictures of locusts, or actual grasshoppers, if available. Tasting optional.
- Point it out! John was sent to prepare and point the way to Christ. Have students gaze upon a seek-and-find picture or look for certain things in a map or large drawing. Provide bells for them to ring when they find certain elements.
Bible Lesson: (Luke 3: 1-6) Sunday School Lesson for Kids Explained for Children – Peaceful Preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
Ask: What are some things you prepare for? How do you prepare when something great is going to happen?
Bible Lesson:
This passage is pretty short, but reflects on the role of John the Baptist and how we can prepare for Jesus. If time and attention allow, dive further into the passage to discuss more details about John. Older students can take turns reading the verses. Or for any audience, consider reading out loud, pausing to discuss elements.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. –Luke 3:1-3
This passage is from the gospel of Luke, and as such contains specific historical details which fit a historian. Luke provided notes about the politics of the time and what kind of world John (and Jesus) entered. It’s also interesting to see how God called John out of the wilderness. In fact, the Bible includes a lot of important events and calls that begin in the wilderness. John had been living in the desert, but God brought him into ministry to prepare the way for the Messiah. He went throughout the area to tell people about the importance of true repentance and renewal.
Ask: Can you think of any other Bible figures who spent time in the wilderness? (Elijah, Jesus, the Israelites, etc.).
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight. –Luke 3:4
This verse echoes the words of Isaiah, a prophet who spoke long before John came on the scene. Isaiah also foretold the coming of Christ, which John knew. This is a hopeful message, because it offers the assurance that crooked things can be made straight.
Ask: Who announces things to come in our day and age? Are messages we see and hear positive or dread-inducing?
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” -Luke 3:5-6
John announced the coming of the Messiah, which was a promise of hope for the people in a dark time. Not only would there be change and “smoothed roads,” but a promise of salvation. All flesh would see the salvation of God and have opportunity for rescue, not from political oppression but from sin and death. At the time, the people listening to John might not have understood or recognized what specifically he was referring to, but Jesus was coming soon!
Ask: What hope do we have now about Jesus? How does this bring us peace?
Point out that John the Baptist was called to prepare people for the coming of Christ, and to point them to Him as Lord and Messiah. As Christians now, we can point others to Jesus and tell them of His salvation. We can also prepare our own hearts for the peace that only He brings.
Pray: Say a prayer thanking God for His salvation and for sending us Jesus. Ask for help in pointing others to Christ and preparing hearts of peace.