West Park Baptist Church

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 4 – The Shepherds (Joy)

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
    righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Suggested hymns: Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 4 – The Shepherds (Joy)

John 10:10-11

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Suggested hymns: Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 4 – The Shepherds (Joy)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— ² the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— ³ that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And we are writing these things so that our^[a] joy may be complete.

Suggested hymns: Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 4 – The Shepherds (Joy)

Luke 2:15-20

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Suggested hymns: Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 4 – The Shepherds (Joy)

Isaiah 35:1-10

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
    the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
² it shall blossom abundantly
    and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
    the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
    the majesty of our God.

³ Strengthen the weak hands,
    and make firm the feeble knees.
⁴ Say to those who have an anxious heart,
    “Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
    will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
    He will come and save you.”

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
⁶ then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
    and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
    and streams in the desert;
⁷ the burning sand shall become a pool,
    and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
    the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

⁸ And a highway shall be there,
    and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
    It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
    even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.^[a]
9 No lion shall be there,
    nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
    but the redeemed shall walk there.
¹⁰ And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
    and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
    they shall obtain gladness and joy,
    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Suggested hymns: Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 4 – The Shepherds (Joy)

Psalm 5:11-12

¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may exult in you.
¹² For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Suggested hymns: Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 4 – The Shepherds (Joy)

Isaiah 40:11

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
    he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
    and gently lead those that are with young.

Suggested hymns: Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Family devotions and personal worship are great spiritual disciplines to embrace in this Advent season and continue year-round.

1. Gather with those in your home to set apart a daily time together (15 minutes or more is fine… right after a meal
   is ideal).
2. Have someone read the passage for that day.
3. Discuss what it means in light of Jesus. What does it say about Him or His coming?
4. Pray in response to the passage. Thank God for fulfilled prophecies, answered prayers, renewed hopes, etc. Ask the Holy
   Spirit to keep your hearts focused on His Word.
5. Sing a hymn or carol of the season.

---

Week 3 – The Christ Child Emmanuel (Love)

John 13:34-35

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Suggested hymns: O Come, O Come Emmanuel; Do You Hear What I Hear