White as Snow: A Winter Family Bible Study

It’s a seasonal Family Bible Time this week at Ministry Mom! Today we are going to have a bit of fun with the SNOW!! That way the next time you are stuck inside on a snowy day, you can do a Bible study with your family — and have lots of fun in the process!

Do you live where it never snows? Don’t worry, I’ve included “snow-free” ideas, too. (Yes, it is possible to make snow ice cream without snow. Who would’ve thought?) But, just in case you do live in a snow-free zone, here is a site that will help you create your own virtual snowstorm (and then you can create your own virtual snowman later!)

https://www.hotdesign.com/snowing/

Now that we are all in the proper mood . . . here is today’s Friday Family Bible Time!

Friday Family Bible Time

December 5, 2014

“White as Snow”

Theme: We all have sin in our life that makes us dirty and separates us from God. God, however, provided a way for us to be made clean again. Through Jesus, we can all be made as white as snow.

Object Lesson: What is it like right before it snows in the winter? Often, it feels rather blah outside, doesn’t it? Most of the trees are without leaves and the ground feels brown and barren. But then one day it snows. Soon the landscape is given new life . . . it is beautiful outside, as the snowflakes and icicles shimmer in the sunlight. Isn’t this what it is like with Jesus? Before Jesus, we are dirty and we feel rather “blah”. But when Jesus comes, he takes away the ugliness and makes us shimmer for Him! He can make us as White as Snow!

Scripture:

Psalm 51

Isaiah 1:18

1 John 1:9

To Discuss:

How was David feeling when he wrote Psalm 51? Why? (Note: David had just sinned by committing adultery and murder. This would be a good time to discuss with your older kids the importance of the choices we make. If you have teenagers, you may want to read through the story of David’s sin and concentrate on all the problems his sin caused him. You can find that passage in 2 Samuel 11.)
What was David asking God to do for him?
Do you ever sin? Do you ever need to ask God to forgive you and make you clean? How does God do that?
How do you feel when you know that God has washed you clean and that you are now whiter than snow?
Jesus washes us whiter than snow when we become a Christian, but we are still going to make mistakes and sin. When we do sin, all we have to do is confess those sins and Jesus will make us clean again (1 John 1:9). Think of it as the snow that has been sitting for awhile. Eventually, that snow gets dirty, too, and it looks yucky outside once again . . . until a fresh snowfall comes. How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus will always forgive you anytime you sin?

To Do: (Choose as few or as many of the following activities to do together.)

1. If there is snow on the ground right now, make a snowman together as a family. While you are doing this, discuss how God made us and wants to have a relationship with us. Stress how God sent Jesus to save us and how we can be made white as snow.

Don’t have any snow where you live? Make a virtual snowman:

http://www.abcya.com/snowman.htm

2.. Make a snowman craft. Write Isaiah 1:18 on the craft and then hang the craft somewhere in your house to remind you that God wants to make you clean! Here is a website full of all sorts of fun ideas:

http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/winter/

3 Make snow ice cream. You would never dream of doing this with dirty snow, would you? You need clean, fresh snow to make good ice cream. In the same way, God needs clean people to serve Him. If you want to be of the most use to God, you need to confess your sins and let God make you clean again! Here are directions for making snow ice cream:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Ice-Cream-with-Snow

Don’t have any snow? Don’t let it stop you. Here is an alternative:

http://blessedmom.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-make-snow-ice-cream-without-snow

4. If you have a musical family, sing along to the following songs. You can also use these songs as prayers during your prayer time:

Prayer Time:

Have each member of the family make their own snowflake. Give each person a piece of paper and have him write out a prayer asking God to forgive him or help him overcome a temptation he is struggling with. Then, turn the prayer into a snowflake as a reminder that God can take us and make us clean again. When you are finished, the prayer with the sins should be all chopped up . . . a symbol that God takes our sins and removes them far from us! Here are some simple instructions for making paper snowflakes:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Snowflake

Outreach Ideas: (Serving together as a family can be an amazing experience! Choose from the list below, or come up with an idea of your own to serve those around you.)

Shovel your neighbor’s driveway (or someone you know who needs help.) Do this all winter to really make a difference.
The next time it snows, make a pot of hot chocolate and cookies and be ready . . .when the snowplows come by, share your hot chocolate and cookies with the workers! (other ideas could be: give some to your mail carrier, paper delivery person – you might have to work hard to do this one, especially if your paper is delivered early in the morning, or anyone else who has to go outside in the nasty weather.)
Make snowman cookies and deliver them to a neighbor.
Send your virtual snowman (see above) to someone you know along with a message about how God loves him!
Serve at a local homeless shelter.
Buy blankets and deliver them to a homeless shelter or other organization that could use them. If you live in a large city and have homeless people nearby, deliver them a clean, new blanket along with a plate of cookies, cup of hot chocolate and gift card to a local restaurant.