December 2023 – Jesus: Watching and Waiting for the Messiah

Jesus: Watching and Waiting for the Messiah

A perfect creation till sin entered through man,

But One was coming, redemption His plan.

Big boat God provided when He judged mankind.

Babbling builders’ homelands reassigned.

Christ, Canaan, children: blessings on all nations.

God takes man’s punishment for Covenant violations.

Daddy’s boys with a favorite each round,

But only through one will a Savior be crowned.

Egyptian slaves they became to their dismay,

But salvation was planned all along the way.

Freedom cries heard by the great I AM

Salvation in the blood of the Passover Lamb

God set His people apart with His commands

To dwell with them Emmanuel is His plan

Hot and Dusty in the desert 40 years

Brought His ways into focus through trials and tears.

Into the Promised Land, victory a fail

Only Christ will truly prevail.

Judges and priests rescued from oppression

Their duties and roles of Christ’s works an expression.

Kings came, and kings went, and the Kingdom was split

“Look, the Messiah!” many did predict.

Listen to the warnings: repent or lament

But never despair, a Savior would be sent.

Make yourselves at home in a foreign land

Trust He will bring you back to the Promised Land.

New temple, new walls, renewed covenant

Watching and waiting till Messiah is sent.

Waiting for a Messiah.

I saw a video from some missionaries who were storying the Biblical narrative with an unreached people group for the first time. After they shared the story of the Fall, the missionaries told the people One was coming who would make everything right between God and man again. Every time they introduced a new character, someone would stand up and cry out, “Is he The One?”

Cain?….Seth?….Noah?…..Abraham?…..Jacob?….Joseph?…..David?……“No, he is not The One.”

The people in this tribe were “watching and waiting till Messiah is sent” just like the Jews did over 2000 years ago. Watching and waiting for the One who would make things right between God and man again.

Then one night when everything was set – the world was at relative peace, everyone shared a common language, and the stage was set for the Gospel to spread – The One arrived.

Can you imagine? The One heaven and earth and all creation had waited for was finally here!

One Special Baby was born, the angels did sing
the Promised One, Foretold One, One Eternal King.

I hope you can feel the excitement and your heart is beating a little faster as you read this. I hope you feel the joy and hope this night brought to mankind.

The angels did. The shepherds who heard the angels’ herald did, and, at some point – either that night or year or so later – the wise men did. They all found the One, and they all worshiped the One.

And so did Pepita in the story of the Legend of the Poinsettia.

Copied from: https://www.creativebiblestudy.com/legend-of-the-poinsettia.html

It was Christmas Eve in Mexico when many traveled to the nearest chapel to worship and lay their gifts before the Christ Child in the Nativity.

Pepita and her cousin Pedro joined their families as they traveled down the dirty road. Pepita held her head low with such a sad look on her face for she was too poor to buy a gift.

Pedro tried to encourage her saying that even the smallest gift given in love would be happily accepted by Christ.

Pepita’s eyes glanced about and landed on a field of flowering weeds along the roadside. She knelt and gathered several making them into a simple bouquet.

As she looked at the flowers, her disappointment returned for they were in no way a worthy gift for anyone, much less the Son of God. A small tear fell from her cheek and landed on the dusty path leaving a dark spot behind.

As they neared the Nativity, Pepita bowed her head low and drawing courage from Pedro’s words – “even the smallest gift given with love will be accepted,” she stepped inside the little chapel and approached the Nativity scene.

As she knelt there, it is said a miracle took place! The scraggly petals of those weeds changed into beautiful scarlet red blooms. Pepita’s face also bloomed with a smile sensing the love her Savior had for her – a poor little girl with nothing to give but herself and her love.

From this time on the poinsettias became known as the Flores de Noche Buena – “Flowers of the Holy Night.”

-Mexican Folktale

The question is, do you and your family find your hope and joy in The One born in a stable and bound for a cross who came to make things right between God and man? Do you worship to The One?

Use this link to discover how businessmen brought the poinsettia to America and made it into a symbol of Christmas: https://www.almanac.com/poinsettia-christmas-story.

Use this link to view the whole story of the people group hearing the Biblical narrative and getting the Bible in their own language for the first time: https://youtu.be/DVvjgBciqLA?si=zE1REvfA-G8S04WK .

 

Horticulture

Check out the following websites for more information about Horticulture & Poinsettias.

Sunbelt Greenhouses

200 Thompson Drive

Douglas, GA 31535

Nov 30th – 10:15 AM

 

  Suggested Projects/Activities:

• Observe and discuss the landscape around you – natural and man made.

Bible Verses

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 KJV

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 KVJ (NOT a Bible drill verse)

Complete these fun family challenges as a way to help illustrate the Biblical accounts we study each month.

Nativity

Object

 Celebrate the birth of Jesus – The One who came make things right between God and Man

Materials

Be creative!

What To Do

• Using your chosen materials, creative a nativity scene and retell or act out the story.