My family has a yearly tradition of reading a chapter a day of the book of Luke, leading up to Christmas. It has been such an enriching experience that helps center our holiday season on what is most important to us. If you’d like to join us in these readings, I’m providing questions to talk through with your kids to help spark conversations and meaningful engagement with what you read. I hope it’s helpful!
(Here is where you can find background information or to start this project at Chapter 1.)
Before you start each night, think about the environment you’re creating for this experience. Check your heart. Lower your expectations. Here is where you can find more ideas on how to set yourself up for success.
Questions before you read Luke 3:
Who came to see Jesus after he was born?
What were the names of the two people who interacted with Mary and Joseph at the temple?
Where was Jesus when Mary and Joseph couldn’t find him?
Is there anything in particular you learned from Chapter 2?
I ask my kids to listen for this information while we’re reading and I’ll ask about it after we’re done:
What does John call the crowds coming to be baptized by him?
What does John say he baptizes with and what does he say The Messiah will baptize with?
Where do you see an example of the Trinity in the story?
How many times do we read “the son of” in the genealogy of Jesus?
(Asking them to look for the information before you start reading is super helpful in keeping little learners engaged. They tend to listen pretty hard when they’re listening for something specific. I might even write the questions out so they can hold them and look for the information while we read. I will assign these questions to my youngest kids and target the longer discussion questions to my older kids. If my younger kids need to go to bed while we’re deep in discussion, they still had a chance to participate.)
Questions after you’ve read Luke 3:
What does the word “repentance” mean?
Why would John be warning the people against thinking being descendants of Abraham is enough for salvation? Can you be saved because of what your parents or ancestors believed?
When the people ask about what “fruit” should look like, what does John say? Are you willing to share with those in need? How does our family share what we have?
John was not afraid to speak God’s truth to people in power, even when that came at a great risk. Are you willing to do that? Do you see current examples of people who are willing to do that? What do you think gave him the strength and conviction to do that?
What do we know about Jesus’s life from the time he was 12 until he was 30?
What names and Biblical stories do you recognize in the genealogy of Jesus?
Was there anything else that stuck out to you or surprised you?
(We might get through all of these questions, or just focus on one or two, depending on how deep the discussion is getting. And some nights, we might listen to the chapter in the car and not have a chance for a great discussion at all. Be flexible.)