Advent – Week 2 – “Peace” – Day 1&2 – Tamar
This week for our Advent lessons, we will focus on Peace.
Memory Verse:
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
Jesus, our Prince of Peace. Just saying His name brings me such peace. A peace that nothing else can bring us. Only He can do that for us. When you need peace and settling, turn to Him. He can give us “a peace that passes all understanding”. Things in this world try to do that for us, but they cannot.
Day 1, Candle Lighting
Day 2 – Tamar – Genesis 38:6-14, 24-30
Parents – This passage has some sensitive topics for littles** You might pre-read and decide how much of the passages your children are ready to discuss.**
Talk about God’s Grace!!!!!! Wow! As we are reading through the family tree of Jesus, we see that there are so many broken, messed up, hot mess people along the way. Had you ever really thought about how messed up the people in the lineage of Jesus really are? Tamar is no exception. Tamar was married to this guy named Er, and talk about disobedient, wow. He did not fulfill his role as husband and he died. Er’s brother Onan married her, which was custom then, to carry on the name for the children and to provide them a father. Onana failed her too, so he died. Then ole Judah comes along, yep Judah, her father n law, who by the way is scared to give her another son so he sends her away. Ugh!!! Not just sends her away, but with an empty promise to give her a husband when his other sons are old enough. Judan did not keep his promise. He lied and betrayed her.
Tamar decides, in her anger and hurt, to trick Judah. Oh and she did!!! He wound up giving her twins through this sneaky trick and he was so angry that she tricked him that he wanted to kill her!!! But God……..God changed his heart and Judah realized that she did all this because of his sin and his son’s sin. Now, that does not justify her sin, it was still sin, but he was able to see why she felt the way she did and Judah spared her life. He repented for his sins.
If you are like me and many others, you read this and are just blown away that this is part of the lineage of Jesus. But see, God does not make mistakes. He knew what He was doing and we can see GRACE just pouring out from Him in this story. Grace that He offers to us every single day.
Questions:
- Does our sin affect just us?
- How do we see this in this story from Judah to his sons to Tamar?
- Who is it that leads them to repent?
- Have you ever made a promise you did not keep, kinda like Judah?
- How do we see from this story that God always keeps His promises? Even when we do not?
Notes and resources for this Advent Study or from The Daily Grace Co. – Amazing website with beautiful materials for all ages.
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