SEASONS
S E A S O N SENTER THE STORY OF JESUS
S E A S O N SENTER THE STORY OF JESUS2017-2018 2017 The Village Church2101 Justin Road, Flower Mound, Texas.All rights reserved.Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, EnglishStandard Version ), 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of GoodNews Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
87919599102104WHAT IS THE CHURCH CALENDAR?ABOUT THIS BOOKADVENTWeek 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Ideas for Family DiscipleshipSubstance Over ShadowsFear and Trembling at AdventEPIPHANYWeek 5108112116119122126130133136139143Week 6EASTERWeek 18Week 19Week 20Week 21Week 22Week 23Week 24Ideas for Family DiscipleshipI Hope I Don’t End Up in HeavenThe Resurrection CompelsUs to Do Better WorkWeek 7Week 8Week 9Week 10Ideas for Family DiscipleshipAn Unfading Brightness146150153156158Epiphany, the Magi and MeLENTPENTECOSTWeek 25Ideas for Family DiscipleshipWe Have a Reason to CelebratePentecost: Empowered forthe Ordinary160ORDINARY TIME161174176177Appendix A: Bible Reading PlanWeek 11Week 12Week 13Week 14Week 15Week 16Week 17 – Holy WeekIdeas for Family DiscipleshipGood Friday Reflections on Isaiah 53The Seasonal Nature of LentAppendix B: ResourcesContributorsSources
THE ONE TRUE STORYWe’re people drawn to stories and shaped by stories.Whether a book, podcast, movie, TV show or song, it’s hardto find a human being who isn’t moved or captivated by agood story. This is because we are created to live in a story—the Christian story.But given our bent toward sin, away from the one truestory, we often find ourselves caught up in the false storiesof our culture. Amid the chaos and busyness of everydaylife, we buy into narratives like consumerism, secularism,nationalism, progressivism and cynicism. Though we maynot confess these stories to be true with our mouths, weact as if they are true with our lives. They sink deep intoour bones, shaping and forming our longings and desires,disorienting and distracting us from the gospel.The Church Calendar—also called the Liturgical Year—seeks to redeem our time and space through the seasonsof Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. Throughreadings, prayers, songs, fasts and other practices, theseseasons help to reorient our hearts and minds away from thefalse stories of the world and back toward the one true storyof the Bible—the Christian story.6SE A S O N S
WHAT IS THE CHURCHCALENDAR?Practiced for over 1,500 years, the Church Calendar serves as a way to order our livesaround the Christian story. Inspired by the annual feasts and celebrations of God’speople throughout the Old Testament, the calendar can be traced all the way back to theearly Church, when Christians began establishing rhythms and rituals based on the onestory of Scripture.Despite its details and approaches changing over time and looking different acrosstraditions, the Church Calendar has almost always hit the same plot points and themeswith the seasons: Advent (the birth of Christ), Epiphany (the manifestation of Christ),Lent (the temptation and death of Christ), Easter (the resurrection of Christ) andPentecost (the Spirit of Christ).The Church Calendar can come across to many as legalistic or as empty ritual, givensome of the abuses we’ve seen throughout Church history. It can also feel strange andforeign to those who are new to church or who grew up in churches that didn’t follow thiscalendar. But the seasons of the Church are really just a way to center our lives aroundthe gospel by entering the story of Jesus each year. It’s a practical way to follow thewords of Paul in Romans 13:14: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisionfor the flesh, to gratify its desires.” While we should always make sure we’re not fallinginto meaningless routines and simply going through the motions, it’s hard to think of abetter way we can spend our time each and every year.The gatherings, the practices and the traditions of the seasons help us remember theone true story of the Bible—who God is and what He has done in Jesus Christ—and helpus to live in that story every day as the people of God.S EA S O NS7
EPIPHDECJANLENTFH O LY W EEKEASMUGAPRSEPMARR YN AD IO ROCTOVEBNEADVNTANYTHE SEASONSAYJUNJULAPENTECMT IOSET8SE A S O N STER
ADVENTAdvent is about the coming of Jesus Christ.It begins with a time of waiting and longing and ends withcelebrating the birth of our Savior, the Messiah, on Christmas.This season progresses from dark to light.EPIPHANYEpiphany is about the manifestation of Jesus Christ.The season focuses on Christ revealing His divinity and Hissaving plan for the nations. It establishes a time of renewal forthe believer to recommit a life of faithfulness to Christ.LENTLent is about the temptation and death of Jesus Christ.The season begins with 40 days of prayer and fasting and endswith Holy Week, which includes Christ’s triumphant entry intoJerusalem on Palm Sunday and His death on the cross on GoodFriday. It is a time of examining and repenting of sin.EASTEREaster is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.As the culmination of the Christian story, this season marks atime of ongoing celebration and consideration of the future hopewe have in Christ.PENTECOSTPentecost is about the Spirit of Jesus Christ.This season ends the official Church Calendar by reflecting onthe sending of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. Itreminds us of our unity with Christ and our call to share Christby the power of the Spirit.S EA S O NS9
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ABOUT THIS BOOKThis book is not an exhaustive study of the Church Calendar. It does not even comeclose to covering all the history and theology behind the seasons. Plus, depending onwhat denomination or tradition you look at, those things will likely vary anyway. Thinkof it more as “Church Calendar 101” for those who are new to this idea and a helpfulreminder of the “why” behind the calendar to those who grew up in settings thatpracticed these seasons.Though we think it’s helpful to get a grasp of the history and details of the seasons, thisbook is less about information and more about formation—providing a framework foractually following the seasons and entering the story of Christ through annual traditionsand rhythms. From a Bible reading plan to devotionals, reflections, songs and prayers,we want to give individuals, families and churches ideas for how to center our heads andhearts around the one true story of the Bible each year.Bible Reading PlanThere is no substitute for spending regular time reading and reflecting on God’s Word, sowe’re providing a reading plan that follows the high points of the seasons. If you don’t doanything else with this book, we encourage you to at least follow the Bible reading plan.That’s the most important thing you could do to participate in the Church Calendar.After all, the calendar is first and foremost about remembering the story of Scripture.This specific Bible reading plan lasts one year and includes a reading from the NewTestament, the Old Testament and the Psalms each day. Over the span of the year, thosewho follow the plan will read the New Testament three times, each of the Psalms andhalf of the Old Testament. (The other half of the Old Testament will be read in the nextyear’s plan.) There are also make-up days each week in case you get behind or want todig deeper into a particular passage of Scripture. Each week’s readings are found at thebeginning of the weekly sessions (see below), and a checklist of the full Bible readingplan for the year can be found in Appendix A.An Invitation to PrayAs a part of the Bible reading plan, we’re inviting everyone to spend time prayingtogether each day. We encourage you to pray for your time in the Scriptures, that Godwould use His Word to center your heart and mind around Him and His story. We alsoS EA S O NS11
encourage you to pray through the Scriptures, using one of the texts you’re readingthat day as a framework for prayer.Weekly SessionsFrom Advent to Pentecost, there are weekly sessions that include a devotional, aset of questions for reflection, a song and a prayer. During Lent, there will also berecommended fasts for each week.The devotionals focus on either a passage from the Bible reading plan or on the seasonitself, hitting the major plot points and themes of the story. The reflection questionswill help you consider your heart and mind, as well as your actions, in a given season.They can be used on your own or with your family, Home Group or other form of gospelcentered community. The song and prayer are meant to be read and sung throughoutthe week. We’ve also created seasonal playlists on Spotify for you to use throughoutthe year (vll.ge/tvcspotify). As you read, sing, pray and sometimes fast week to week,day to day, throughout the day, we believe the Lord will use these rhythms to shapeand form you more into the image of the Son.Ideas for Family DiscipleshipFor each season, the book includes a section of ideas for family discipleship so thatyour family can participate in the Church Calendar together. Each season looks abit different, but there are ideas for stories to read, games and activities, decorationsfor your home and more. These sections are built around our framework for familydiscipleship: time, moments and milestones. Most of the ideas will emphasize timeand moments, not milestones.Family Discipleship Time – Creating intentional time built into the rhythm of thefamily’s life for the purpose of thinking about, talking about and living out thegospel.Family Discipleship Moments – Capturing and leveraging opportunities in thecourse of everyday life for the purpose of gospel-centered conversations.Family Discipleship Milestones – Marking and making occasions to celebrate andcommemorate significant spiritual milestones of God’s work in the life of thefamily and child.Articles for Digging DeeperThough we want this book to be more about formation than information, we stillthink it’s helpful to learn and grow in your understanding of the history and theologybehind the Church Calendar and the story it tells. For every season, there will be a few12S E A S O N S
articles, written by ministers, pastors and friends of The Village Church, to dig deeperinto the seasons.AppendicesIn the back of the book, we’ve included the full Bible reading plan for the year and a list ofresources for each season, some put together by The Village Church and some by others.From playlists to books to articles, the appendices will point you to a number of outsideresources that will help you practice the seasons in the ways that make the most sensefor you and your family.S EA S O NS13
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A DV E N TTheComing ofJesus ChristS EA S O NS15
INTRODUCTIONOf all the seasons, Advent probably feels the most familiar. Many people, regardless offaith, have used an Advent calendar—the ones with little windows to help you countdown the days until Christmas. Yet, even though Advent is certainly about anticipatingthe coming of the Messiah, we don’t seem to be very good at it, and what we generally call“Advent” looks pretty different than what the Church historically has called “Advent.”Formed from a Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival,” Advent is the traditionalcelebration of the first advent of Jesus in humility and the anxious awaiting of His secondadvent in glory. The season is a time for remembering and rejoicing, watching andwaiting. In American Christianity, we’ve got that first part down. As soon as Thanksgivingis over (and sometimes even before), we start putting up the tree and listening to ourfavorite Christmas songs. There’s nothing wrong with doing these things, of course, butthe whole point of Advent is to spend several weeks—four weeks, to be exact—preparingfor Christmas instead of celebrating Christmas. It’s about stepping into the shoes of theIsraelites, longing and crying out for the Messiah to come. It’s about reflecting on oursin and shortcomings and our need for a Savior. It’s about looking around at our brokenworld and hoping for the second coming of Jesus. And, once we get to Christmas Day,the celebration of Jesus’ birth becomes that much more spectacular and meaningful.As we remember and enter this story, the coming of Jesus Christ, we deconstruct anddeny the false stories that we find ourselves caught up in, especially those connectedto our culture’s concept of Christmas—individualism and consumerism. Instead, wereconstruct and embrace the true story of the gospel in our lives, specifically the focusesand themes of Advent. We recognize the weight of sin personally, corporately andcosmically and why we need Jesus Christ, Immanuel, to dwell among us, restoring andreconciling creation back to the Father by the Spirit. Celebrating the Son of God comingas a gift, not to be served but to serve, we respond out of praise and gratitude, using thisseason to serve and to give to others.16A DVE N T
HISTORY & TRADITIONSThe Advent season begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and continues upto Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve in some contexts. There are a variety of ways tocelebrate the season, depending on tradition and background. Many people use anAdvent calendar, typically made up of 24 “windows” containing Scriptures, stories,poems or gifts, to count down the days until Christmas. As each window is opened andthe final day draws closer, our expectation increases. This reminds us of the hopefulyet anxious waiting God’s people experienced as they longed for the promised Saviorto come.Another popular tradition is marking the progression of the season through an Adventwreath made up of five candles. This symbol is borrowed from the emphasis throughoutScripture of Jesus Christ being the Light of the World (Matt. 4:16; John 1:4-9; 8:12). Eachweek, a new candle is lit in anticipation of Christmas Eve. The last candle, called theChrist Candle, is lit on Christmas Eve to represent Jesus’ first advent. Through thistheme of ever-increasing light penetrating the darkness, we see a picture of the gospel.Regardless of the tradition, Advent is a significant time in the life of the Church. It’s anopportunity for believers to remember God’s promise to send One who would overcomesin and death forever. God promised a Savior, and He kept that promise perfectly.Posture: yearning, expectant, hopeful, celebratoryColors: blue, gold, whiteSymbols: wreath, candles, treesFlowers and Greenery: red and white poinsettias, evergreens, hollyADV EN T17
WEEK 1DECEMBER 3 – 9READING PLANSunday: Isaiah 1-2; Psalm 1-2; Mark 1-3Monday: Isaiah 3-4; Psalm 3; Mark 1-3Tuesday: Isaiah 5; Psalm 4; Mark 4-6Wednesday: Isaiah 6-7; Psalm 5:1-4; Mark 4-6Thursday: Isaiah 8; Psalm 5:5-12; Mark 4-6Friday: Isaiah 9:1-10:4; Psalm 6; Mark 7-9Saturday: Reflect and catch upPASSAGE: ISAIAH 2:2-5It shall come to pass in the latter daysthat the mountain of the house of the LORDshall be established as the highest of the mountains,and shall be lifted up above the hills;and all the nations shall flow to it,and many peoples shall come, and say:“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,to the house of the God of Jacob,that he may teach us his waysand that we may walk in his paths.”For out of Zion shall go forth the law,and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.He shall judge between the nations,and shall decide disputes for many peoples;and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation,neither shall they learn war anymore.O house of Jacob,come, let us walkin the light of the LORD.18A DV E N T
DEVOTIONALThe brokenness of our world is inescapable. Watching a newscast or quickly scrollingthrough your social media timeline reveals atrocity upon atrocity. Whether it’s acts ofterror or nations warring or genocide or injustice or senseless acts of murder, we remaina people bombarded with this reality: Things are not as they should be.The season of Advent breaks into our broken world and reorients our hearts around abetter reality—the present darkness which shrouds creation has been defeated in JesusChrist and will one day be fully realized. Advent is a turning away from despair andtoward hope.The prophet Isaiah heralded this hope to Israel, and like him we can look ahead in hopewhen the instruments of war, destruction and death of our day are hammered intoplowshares and pruning hooks. The Light of the World shines into the darkness. Let usjoin with the prophet Isaiah in his exhortation, “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk inthe light of the LORD.”REFLECTIONThink of an event in your life where you waited with a longing expectation. What wereyou waiting for? How did you feel in the waiting? What was it like when the event finallyhappened?What are some evidences of the brokenness of this world that you’ve seen this week?How does the return of Christ help reframe the way you see them?Think about someone you know who might be feeling overcome by darkness. What aresome ways you can point them to the hope of Christ’s advent this week?SONG: “O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL”O come, O come, EmmanuelAnd ransom captive IsraelThat mourns in lonely exile hereUntil the Son of God appearRejoice, rejoice, EmmanuelShall come to thee, oh IsraelADV EN T19
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheerOur spirits by Thine advent hereDisperse the gloomy clouds of nightAnd death’s dark shadows put to flightRejoice, rejoice, EmmanuelShall come to thee, oh IsraelRejoice, rejoice, EmmanuelShall come to thee, oh IsraelO come, desire of nations bindIn one the hearts of all mankindBid thou our sad divisions ceaseAnd be Thyself our King of PeaceRejoice, rejoice, EmmanuelShall come to thee, oh IsraelRejoice, rejoice, EmmanuelShall come to thee, oh IsraelPRAYERAlmighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor oflight, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son, Jesus Christ, came to visit usin great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majestyto judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him wholives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.–The Book of Common Prayer20A DVE N T
WEEK 2DECEMBER 10 – 16READING PLANSunday: Isaiah 10:5-34; Psalm 6; Mark 7-9Monday: Isaiah 11-12; Psalm 7:1-7; Mark 7-9Tuesday: Isaiah 13; Psalm 7:8-17; Mark 10-12Wednesday: Isaiah 14; Psalm 8; Mark 10-12Thursday: Isaiah 15-16; Psalm 9:1-7; Mark 10-12Friday: Isaiah 17:1-19:15; Psalm 9:8-20; Mark 13-14Saturday: Reflect and catch upPASSAGE: MARK 13:32-37“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, northe Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when thetime will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts hisservants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, inthe evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he comesuddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”DEVOTIONALIt happens every year—what we expect to be a slower-paced summer whirs by, andbefore we know it, it’s Labor Day weekend. Autumn comes and goes faster than awithered leaf falling to the ground from a lofty branch. Fireworks give way to football,then pumpkins to pilgrims. Now, it’s all we can do to finish our Christmas shopping andget our yuletide greetings in the mail before the “guaranteed delivery by Christmas”date. And the reality is, if left unchecked, we’ll be right here again this time next yearwondering, “Where did the time go?”The Advent season calls us out of our slumber. It bursts into our passive experienceof time and calls us to “stay awake.” Jesus’ words from Mark 13:32-37 are a stunni
our bones, shaping and forming our longings and desires, disorienting and distracting us from the gospel. The Church Calendar—also called the Liturgical Year— seeks to redeem our time and space through the seasons of Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. Through readings, prayers, songs, fasts and other practices, these
seasons, the length of seasons, the lack of seasons, southern and northern locations, etc. For example, southern locations might have longer summers and shorter winter seasons. 6. The teacher will ask the students to place themselves into the location of the Woodland Cree people t
viii Study & Master Life Skills Grade 2 Teacher’s Guide Term 2 Study Area Topic and number Activity Page no. Week No. of hrs Life Skills CAPS content Beginning Knowledge and Personal and Social Well-being 5 Seasons 1–3 6 hrs Seasons The four seasons B34 ½ hr The four seasons. How seasons affect us – clothes, food, activities.
SEASONS IN YOUR AREA? RE ACH. UNIT . 3: Seasons. Lesson 6 — Grades K-1. INSTRUCTIONS. 3 them to your classroom to help students with the vocabulary. 2. Make copies of STUDENT WORKSHEETS: Fall, Winter, Summer, Spring. Whole Picture. Scientifically, seasons are the result of the Earth's tilt, rotation, and orbit around the sun.
reasons why Earth experiences seasons. It should be clear to students that Earth orbits the sun and throughout this orbit, whether the reason for seasons is known or not, the seasons change in chronological order. Misconceptions for Reasons for the Seasons: According to Thomas (2011, April), students may hold the following misconceptions: earth's
Earth's Year and the Seasons As Earth orbits the Sun, the seasons change, but that does not mean Earth's orbiting causes the seasons. To understand seasons, you must consider both Earth's motion around the Sun and Earth's tilt. Also, you might have thought that seasons are caused by changes in the distance between Earth and the Sun.
Four seasons make up the year Four seasons make up the year Four seasons make up the year Can you name them with me right now? Autumn, the leaves fall down Winter, snowflakes abound 10 Activity 1: Association Ask students to draw any activity they associate with the seasons. Elaborate on their answers.
Seasons Come and Seasons Go Grade: 6 GPS: S6E2. Students will understand the effects of the relative positions of the earth, moon and sun. - Relate the tilt of the earth to the distribution of sunlight throughout the year and its effect on climate. Essential Question: How does the tilt of the earth affect sunlight? Teacher Note:
THE EARTH IS YOUR SPACEMP, Schwartz. SEASONS. THE HOUSE OF FOUR SEASONS, Duvoisin TRUE BOOK OF SEASONS, Podendorf TIME OF WONDER, McCloskey. The change of seasons in Maine. THE DAY THE SUN DANCFD, Hurd EVERYTHING CHANGES, Howell. IT'S TIME NOW! Tresselt. A POCKETFUL OF SEASON
