Conversations to Have With Kids
Want to bring Godly conversations into your home? Here are some family friendly discussions that will follow along with the sermon each week to help your children have a deeper understanding during this advent season!
Week 1: The Hidden Plan
Read Genesis 1:26-31
Why did God create people?
God created people to worship Him, love Him, and give Him glory.
What makes people special?
People are special because God made us in His own image.
Share a special characteristic about each person in your family. Remind kids that these are attributes we share with God, and that He calls us to demonstrate them to the world.
Read Genesis 3:1-5
How did sin enter the world?
Adam and Eve did not trust God’s plan and they disobeyed God.
What does it mean to sin?
To sin is to think, say, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands.
Share a time from this week when you sinned. How did it hurt your relationship with God and others?
Parents: Most likely your kids are still forming an understanding of personal sin, so be patient with them. You may need to gently provide an example for them. This is also a great opportunity to remember that we are ALL sinners. Don’t be afraid to share a time you messed up during the week. Let your kids see you confess and ask for forgiveness.
Read Isaiah 9:6
How did God plan to fix what sin broke?
God promised a Rescuer would come from Eve’s family. God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue people from sin and bring them back to God.
End the time by praying together as a family.
Week 2: Unveiling the Plot
Read Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8
What are your observations after reading these two passages? Point out that the passage in Mark mentions the words that were written by Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus was born.
God’s people were in a sad situation. After sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, all people were separated from God. God is holy, and He can’t be around sin. God gave His people the law to show them how to be holy, but no matter how hard the people tried, they could not obey the law perfectly. And because they sinned, they deserved to die. God’s people needed to be rescued from their sin. They needed someone who could obey the law perfectly and fix their relationship with God. No one on earth was good enough, but God loved His people and had a plan. God’s plan was not a secret plan. Throughout the Old Testament, God gave messages to prophets who told God’s people what was going to happen. God promised to send a Messiah—a Savior—to save people from sin and death. Hundreds of years after God gave these messages to the prophets, everything God said about Jesus’ birth came true.
When Jesus did show up, He not only fulfilled God’s plan; He called us to join in it.
How can we join in God’s work?
We can start by training ourselves to look for God. God is always active, so it is important to tune in to the many ways He appears and works in our lives every day. This will help us remember that God is dependable and can always be trusted. It will also help us find opportunities to join in God’s work!
Commit to sharing God sightings each day this week.
God sightings are miracles that we can see each and every day if we’re watching for them. It can be something that happens or something you see that reminds you of who God is. It can be observing something beautiful in nature, or an answer to prayer, or an act of kindness that reminds you of God’s love. The more we practice seeing God in the little things, the easier it will be to see Him during difficult times. Looking for God in our daily lives can also help us discover ways to join in the work He is already doing!
End the time by praying together as a family. Pray for ways to join in what God is doing!
Week 3: Already, Not Yet
Because of what we know from the Bible, what are some events that have already happened?
Any true story from the Bible is an acceptable answer but bring the focus to Jesus. Jesus became a human. Jesus came to earth to save us from sin. Jesus taught about God and His kingdom. He lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.
Because of what we know from the Bible, what are some events that haven’t happened yet?
Depending on the ages of your kids, you could read Revelation 21:1-5 to help get the discussion started.
Bring the focus to Jesus again. Jesus has not returned yet.
What will happen when Jesus returns?
Jesus will judge the world; and all who have trusted in Him will receive resurrection bodies, be fully free from sin, and live with God forever. Because of our salvation, we can look forward to Jesus’ return when He will make all things new.
Because of what we know from the Bible, how can it change the way we live each day? How can we be a living example of God’s kingdom this week?
As a family, think of a practical way to demonstrate God’s love this week. Maybe you can bake cookies for a teacher, make a card for an elderly neighbor, pay for someone’s meal, commit to praying for someone who doesn’t know Jesus, etc.
End your time by praying together as a family.
Week 4: The Big Reveal
All month we’ve been talking “around” the central event: the birth of a child. The birth of Jesus was good news! Jesus was not an ordinary baby. He is God’s Son, sent to earth from heaven. Jesus, the promised Savior, came into the world to show us what God is like and to deliver us from sin and death. We no longer have to wonder what God is like or what He is doing; He has shown us in the person and work of Jesus.
Why is trusting Jesus better than any Christmas gift we could receive?
Discuss how only Jesus can fully satisfy our hearts, and His presence in our lives is our greatest gift. Jesus is the greatest gift because only He can save people from their sin, and those who trust in Jesus not only receive forgiveness of sins but also eternal life with God.
Advent season and these family discussion moments have been meant to help you “prepare Him room” – to help you carve out time to have meaningful conversations as a family about who God is and to remember and celebrate how He’s working in our lives.
As a family, come up with a plan to continue this in the new year.
Let your kids help create a plan. It could include things like: sharing God-sightings each week, memorizing scripture together, creating a family prayer journal, or doing something to show love to your neighbors once a month.
Be realistic, keep it simple, and then make it a high priority to stick to the plan!
If you’re unsure how to fit one more thing into an already busy schedule – try utilizing times of the day when you’re already together – like morning time, drive time, meal time, or bed time.
End your time by praying together as a family.