Wednesday December 24th
Hello and welcome to Bay Family Adventures!
As we countdown until Christmas Day, we’re spending time thinking about the Christmas story and drawing near to God together. Each week we look at a different theme — and this week we’re thinking about LOVE, and how God showed His love by sending Jesus to be with us.
Let’s start by pausing and taking a deep breath:
In and out.
In and out.
We remember that God is here, and so together we prepare ourselves to be with God.
Lord Jesus, we open our minds to learn new things, so that we know more about You. We open our hearts to be filled with Your love, so that we become more like You. And we open our hands to receive all we need to live our lives for You.
Father God, as we draw near to You, please draw near to us too. Teach us to pray. Speak, Lord, we’re listening.
God please help us remember our memory verse for this week:
1 John 4:11
Dear friends, if God loved us that much we also should love each other.
Today, on Christmas Eve, we’re reading about how God’s love changes us.
1 John 4:9–12 (NCV)
This is how God showed His love to us: He sent His one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through Him.
This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent His Son to die in our place to take away our sins.
Dear friends, if God loved us that much, we also should love each other.
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is made perfect in us.
On Christmas Eve, this passage reminds us of the whole point of Christmas:
God loved us first. Before we prayed, before we sang, before we knew His name — He loved us.
His love is not just a feeling; it’s something He showed. He sent Jesus — not only to be born, but to grow up, to teach us, to save us, to bring us back to God. Christmas is the beginning of that rescue story.
And then this passage gives us the Christmas challenge:
If God loved us that much, we also should love each other.
God’s love goes from Him to us, and from us to others.
When families love each other, forgive quickly, speak kindly, and help one another, God’s love becomes visible — people can see it in real life.
This is how Christmas continues beyond Christmas Day.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question:
Do you find it easy to share things with others? Like your toys, or any treats.
What about sharing the love of Jesus?
And now let’s ask God to help us.
Father God, thank You for loving us first. Please fill us with Your love so that we can love others like You do.
As we read the Bible again, let’s listen for a word or a phrase that stands out to us.
1 John 4:9–12 (NCV)
This is how God showed His love to us: He sent His one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through Him.
This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent His Son to die in our place to take away our sins.
Dear friends, if God loved us that much, we also should love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is made perfect in us.
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verse?
And now let’s say yes to God.
Lord Jesus, we say yes to living in Your love and sharing it with everyone around us.
After enjoying this time together, lets’ say our memory verse one more time:
1 John 4:11
Dear friends, if God loved us that much we also should love each other.
Let’s put a hand on our heart.
Father God, fill us with Your love. Help us to love You, and everything that You’ve made.
Let’s point to our eyes.
Lord Jesus, help us to see You, and to see others the way that You see them too.
Let’s point to our ears.
Holy Spirit, help us to hear You, and give us courage to do what You say.
Let’s point to our mouths.
Lord, please give us the right words and be encouraged to say them.
Amen.