The Jesse Tree for Families: Introduction
INTRODUCTION
The Jesse Tree is a Christmas, or Advent, tradition dating back to the medieval period. The name comes from the prophet Isaiah, who prophesied about a descendant of Jesse, the father of David:
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. — Isaiah 11:1
This “branch,” or “tree,” refers to Jesus. Throughout the Advent season, we will prepare each day for His birth at Christmas by tracing the story of Jesus from the Old Testament all the way to his birth.
Every day, an image and passage of scripture will be paired with a devotional written to explain how each story points to Jesus. In addition, you will find a short reflection for families to be read aloud. For those decorating a Jesse Tree, we encourage you to read it together, and then put on the corresponding ornament! If you don't have a tree, get creative in how you want to hang them! You can find the file to download the ornament coloring book above. All of this is designed to help form our thinking around the beauty and significance of Christmas.
Every day, an image and passage of scripture will be paired with a devotional written to explain how each story points to Jesus. In addition, you will find a short reflection for families to be read aloud. For those decorating a Jesse Tree, we encourage you to read it together, and then put on the corresponding ornament! If you don't have a tree, get creative in how you want to hang them! You can find the file to download the ornament coloring book above. All of this is designed to help form our thinking around the beauty and significance of Christmas.
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