Bible Study –Third Sunday of Advent – What Then Should We Do?
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
Advent extends an invitation. The invitation: don't just do something – stand, watch, prepare. Stand - Choose to believe that ours is a safe universe – a universe God chose to enter as an infant. Watch - Look for a coming that has already come and will come again. Prepare - Snatch moments from our busyness. Watching for wisps of awe and wonder to show up. Rediscover that God has chosen to dwell in us and we are invited to dwell in God.
What if – just what if – Jesus is already right here, standing silently with us, walking ahead of us, showing us we don't have to do it all? Could it be that we are called to be still, notice, listen – and then follow?
Advent Theme: Christ will come again: We watch, we prepare, we get ready
Convicted by John the Baptist's message, "Get ready!" the people ask, "What then should we do?" As we wait, how will we get ready? Yes, the packages have to get wrapped. Yet John invites us to "bear fruits worthy of repentance." Perhaps we are being called to notice what we have received and choose what we will share with others. How will we choose to respond to the abundance we have received?
Opening Prayer: Here we are, God, listening to you and looking for ways to get ready. Be with us as we listen and wonder about your words to us. Amen.
Please open your Bibles to Luke 3:7-18 and read or read the scriptures below.
Luke 3:7-18
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
Questions: Answers are find at the bottom of the page.
- What does John mean: "Bear fruits worthy of repentance?"
- What would be the "fruits"?
- How were these people trying to get out of serious repentance?
- What do you think got the people's attention?
- What does John answer to each of the groups who ask, "What should we do?"
- What did the people expect in the Messiah?
- What did John respond when they asked him if he was the Messiah? (Verse 16-18.)
- Luke states that what John was proclaiming was "good news." What about the message sounds like good news to you?
Click here for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on url)
Scripture Resource Luke 3:7-18 Year C: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vc8PgHians
Advent 3C Luke 3:7-18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heC7SAoUIPg
Gospel of Luke Summary Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIb_dCIxzr0
Song: Share His Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yklXXr_FZlA
Activities:
Advent Candles
The first Sunday lit candle represents sorrow, repentance or a plea for pardon. The candle is called the “HOPE candle, a symbol of the preparations made to receive and to cradle the Christ child.
The second Sunday lit candle represents sorrow, repentance or a plea for pardon. The candle is called the “PEACE candle, a symbol of the preparations made to receive and to cradle the Christ child.
The third Sunday lit candle is pink and called “Gaudate” is Latin and refers to rejoicing or joy. This candle is the “JOY” candle that speaks of love and the actual coming of Christ.
Good News Banner: Look for Good News. What is the good news that Jesus brings? What is the good news in our world? What might Jesus see as good news in our world? Look in the newspapers, magazines, or whatever other material you have. Look through them and cut out words or pictures that seem like good news to you. Create banner of good news. If you do not want to use the media, you can create your own good news banner.
Baptism Can: Cover an empty tin can with construction paper and write “THE REAL THING” on the outside. Then take strips of paper and write on ways that you can be REAL and place them inside the Baptism Can. Suggestions: repentance, helping others, feeding the poor, give clothes to the poor and give toys to need children. Read your slips of paper throughout the week to remind you to be THE REAL THING!!
Sharing Snowflakes: Cut out a snowflake and decorate and write SHARING WITH OTHERS on it. Give to friends or family. For instructions for folding the paper for making a snowflake, click on the following website: https://sermons4kids.com/storage/11532/paper_snowflake_folding_instructions.pdf When the folding is complete, cut out pieces along the folds to make your snowflake design.
24 Days of Christmas Kindness Activities: Christmas is a time for giving and spending time with loved ones. Click on the 24 Days of Christmas Kindness Activities and print them out and enjoy activities.
The Real Thing - Crossword: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/real-thing
The Real Thing – Fill in the Blank: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/real-thing-2
Spirit of Christmas - Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/the-spirit-of-christmas-2
The Spirit of Christmas – Word Shape: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/the-spirit-of-christmas-3
Spirit of Christmas – Jumble: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/spirit-of-christmas
The Real Thing – Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/real-thing-1
Prayer: Thank you God for giving us these stories and this good news. Help us to do the work you have given us to do and serve those around us as you have called us to do. Amen.
Answers to the above Questions:
- What does John mean: "Bear fruits worthy of repentance?" (What does the word "repentance" means?)
- What would be the "fruits" (results)?
- How were these people trying to get out of serious repentance? (They were thinking they had it made – they were chosen people, descendants of Abraham.)
- What do you think got the people's attention? (Perhaps the idea of trees getting chopped down, or stone replacing them.)
- What does John answer to each of the groups who ask, "What should we do?" (In general, verse 11; to tax collectors, verse13; to soldiers, verse14b.)
- What did the people expect in the Messiah? (Someone who would come, change everything, kick out the Romans, set up a beautiful new kingdom where everyone would live happily ever after.)
- What did John respond when they asked him if he was the Messiah? (Verse 16-18.) 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
- Luke states that what John was proclaiming was "good news." What about the message sounds like good news to you? (Possible answers: someone – someone more powerful than John – was coming. There would be a baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. Some serious changes were going to be made. )
