Advent is the celebration of Christ’s birth and second coming. It is from the Latin word Adventus, meaning a coming or arrival.
It is traditionally celebrated on the four Sundays prior to Christmas. Each Sunday contains Bible readings from the Old Testament, Psalms, New Testament, and Gospels.
Many churches light a candle on each of the four Sundays, with the themes being hope, peace, joy, and love.
Recognizing that many of our readers are serving in churches where Advent is celebrated, we are taking a break from our Five Smooth Stones series to provide a series of Advent devotionals.
Each is followed by an experiential activity that can be used by churches or families to teach the weekly theme.
This first week, we focus on hope.
"Immediately after the distress of those days "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' 30 "Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 36 "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:29-44 NIV)
I was a Christmas baby. My daughter was pregnant with her third child, and her due date was close to my 60th birthday. My prayer was that my 60th birthday gift would be the birth of my first granddaughter.
But Christmas Day came and went, and my hopes faded. My wife and I headed to bed, praying for our daughter. I experienced what I call “the death of a vision.”
Early the next morning, the phone rang—it was our son-in-law. Labor had started, and delivery was imminent! I jumped out of bed and quickly made coffee for the hour-long drive to their house.
A rainstorm had blown in overnight, and I drove cautiously toward the freeway. Nearing the entrance ramp, my wife’s phone chimed with a text message. It was a photo announcing the birth of Ava!
My wife was distraught that we weren’t there and blurted out, “She’s all alone!” I reminded her that our son-in-law was there, to which she replied, “You know what I mean! Drive faster!”
We arrived safely at their house and greeted our healthy granddaughter. I was caught off guard and surprised by how quickly the delivery had progressed—we simply weren’t prepared for her arrival.
This reminds me of the theme of Matthew 24:29–44.
In this passage, Jesus speaks about the future and the coming of the Son of Man. The focus is on alertness. Jesus begins with a parable about a fig tree, reminding the disciples to be aware of what is happening around them as signs that His coming is near.
He concludes by assuring them that His Word will never pass away. Then Jesus compares His coming to the days of Noah. Noah’s family was prepared for the flood, while the others were unaware and unprepared. Those who were alert were spared; those who were not were swept away.
As we begin the Advent season, we can help children focus on three important lessons from this passage:
1. Live Ready
We should help boys and girls be prepared for Jesus’ return.
While the concept might seem abstract for children, we can remind them of how excited they get before a birthday, Christmas, or a special family event. We prepare for those moments and “count the days.”
Children can have that same anticipation for Jesus’ return. Though Jesus tells His disciples that no one knows the exact time (v. 42), He clearly wants His followers to be ready.
Advent reminds us to keep that excitement alive throughout the year—it could be “just around the corner.”
2. God’s People and God’s Word
Tucked within this passage is a reminder of two foundational truths: the eternal and permanent nature of God’s people and God’s Word.
The passage begins with a dramatic vision of the Son’s return, gathering His elect from the four corners of the earth—showing the priority God places on His people.
In verse 35, Jesus declares that although heaven and earth will pass away, His Word will never pass away.
During Advent, we can help children grasp this truth. The toys, foods, and festivities surrounding Christmas are temporary. We may enjoy them, but they will not last.
Favorite foods will be eaten or spoil. Gifts will break, wear out, or be given away. Even the Christmas tree, lights, candles, and decorations will eventually be packed away—or if you still buy a real tree, it will become a fire hazard!
But God’s Word and God’s people are eternal. Advent is a time to celebrate with God’s people and focus our children’s hearts on God’s Word.
3. Hope
At first, this passage might seem frightening—darkened skies, stars falling (v. 29), and people mourning (v. 30).
Yet, for those who follow Christ, it’s a message of hope and a bright future. Children need hope—something often in short supply.
Many little ones live with fear or uncertainty, and others face the everyday stresses of school and family life. Anticipating Christ’s return gives hope in every situation.
The Advent season rightfully centers on the birth of Jesus. We see nativity scenes everywhere, and the birth story is told repeatedly at home and in church. We talk about it, sing about it, and celebrate the first coming of Jesus.
But Advent also points us toward the hope of His second coming. We should talk with our children about that with the same enthusiasm and passion.
Recently, we drove into our daughter’s driveway in Texas after two long days on the road. As we pulled up, our three grandchildren ran out the front door for hugs, kisses, and a celebration of our arrival.
We had told them we would return after our previous visit three months earlier. Like most children, they didn’t remember the exact date or time—but our daughter kept reminding them, building their excitement.
This Advent season, let’s do the same. Let’s remind our children that Jesus is coming again—and help them look forward to that day with joy and anticipation. We begin the Advent season with this message of hope!
Experiential Activity: The Surprise Guest
We don’t know when Jesus will return, but we can live ready--keeping our hearts focused, our actions kind, and our hope strong.
Set-Up:
- Prior to meeting, choose a “Surprise Guest” (pastor, leader, or another adult the children know and love) to bring a “Special Gift.”
- Arrange the children in a circle.
- Have the Surprise Guest stay hidden with the gift until the signal (knock, trumpet, or bell).
Supplies:
- Wrapped giftbox (with small treat, toy, or item for each child)
- Bell, trumpet, or knocking sound for the guest’s arrival
- Helper to play the surprise guest (with bell and gift)
Activity Steps:
- Begin with Anticipation (2 min)
Say: “We’re waiting for someone special—a surprise guest! I don’t know exactly when they’ll come. When you hear the signal (designate a knock, trumpet sound or bell), stand up and say, ‘I’m ready with hope!’” Practice the response a few times. - Waiting Period (3–4 min)
Start a short activity (e.g., Bible verse “Sword Drill,” memory verse practice, or another fun game). At a pre-set time, the knock or bell will sound, and the guest will enter joyfully with the gift. - The Surprise Moment (2 min)
Kids who responded quickly by standing up and saying the response get to help unwrap or share the gift. Say: “You were ready—even though you didn’t know when the guest would come!”
Connecting Questions (3 min)
- How did it feel to wait with hope for something good?
- What helped or made it hard to stay hopeful and ready?
Connecting Statement
“Jesus will come again someday. We don’t know when, but we can live ready—loving others, obeying God, and keeping our hope strong.”
My Advent Gifts of Love: Coupon Booklet
- Open the .pdf file and print the coupon booklet. (one/child)
- Cut the coupons into eight coupon sections and insert them into the folded coupon book cover and back page
- Give a coupon booklet to each child right before they go home. Tell them that for the rest of December, they can choose one gift of service to do each day. They don’t have to do them in any special order. There are 31 choices, one for each month of December.
- Children may cut out the coupon to present it with their act of love to a parent, sibling, friend, teacher, or neighbor. Or they can use a crayon to draw an X on each fulfilled act of love.
- During the weeks of Advent, ask children about their gifts of love and how we are celebrating the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.