Even before Advent begins, the shops are geared up for Christmas. Decorations adorn windows, streets are illuminated, Christmas music spills from the radio and Santa Claus appears in many guises!
Many families too are eager to decorate their homes. Office Christmas parties are celebrated, Christmas concerts begin and Carol Services are held in churches, even before we are half way through Advent. There can be a generally unhappy tension between what happens outside the life of the church and what the church is trying to accomplish by celebrating the Advent season. Those outside the worshipping community may even view the church as a killjoy in trying to halt the Christmas celebrations!
Advent Joy
This couldn’t be further from the truth! The Advent season is so rich with symbolism and colour, that we want to make the most of it! This is where The Jesse Tree makes its appearance! At the beginning of Advent, an evergreen tree (one that would, during the Christmas season, be used as a Christmas Tree) could be erected in the church or at home—which, week by week (or day by day) is decorated with symbols representing the genealogy of the Jesse Tree.
At Christmas, this tree then becomes the Christmas Tree, adorned with the symbols of Christ’s birth, crowned with a Star and illuminated.
The symbols added to the tree tell the story of our Salvation from the creation of the world to the coming of Jesus. Each symbol represents an important person or event in the life of God’s people. The story that will unfold over the weeks will tell of a God who, despite the weakness and waywardness of his people, constantly shows love, compassion and patience towards us.
As the tree gets filled with those who prepared for and prophesised the coming of Jesus into the world a sense of anticipation and rhythm is generated. There is a sense of progress, of moving closer to the time when we celebrate with great joy the Incarnation.Yo
You download the Jesse Tree Resource here as well as a supplementary resource
Jesse Tree Symbols
Creation (Genesis 1): Symbol: The World
In the beginning God created the world and everything in it. He made light and dark, day and night, sun and moon and stars, creatures that flew through the sky and wriggled in the earth and ran across the plains. He made plants and flowers and trees. He made man and woman and gave them everything they needed to live wonderful lives. God was pleased with everything he had made. It was a wonderful world!
God our Creator, in the beginning you made everything that exists and saw that it was good. Help us to see your powerful hand in the world you have made, and lift our eyes to heaven to see the One who is to come.
Adam and Eve (Genesis 3): Symbol: Apple
Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world in the beautiful Garden of Eden but sadly they didn’t listen to God and live as God wanted them to live. God told them not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God was very upset when they didn’t listen to him and so he sent them out from the garden.
Father, you give us the gift of freedom. Help us to make good choices in life and to look to Jesus as the One who takes away the sins of the world.
Noah (Genesis 6:11-22): Symbol: Rainbow and Dove
God was very disappointed by the way people were living. He told Noah that he was going to destroy the world. He told him to build an ark for himself and his family and for two creatures of every kind. God made it rain for forty days and forty nights. Then it stopped raining and a rainbow shone in the sky. Noah and his family were safe. God said the rainbow was a sign that he would never destroy the earth again. It was his promise.
All Powerful Father, you saved Noah through wood and water and set your colourful promise in the sky. Help us to see Jesus as the one who saves us through his death on the cross and who keeps his promise to be with us always.
Abraham (Genesis 12:1-7): Symbol: Stars
God called Abraham and told him that he would make him the father of many people. He said that his descendants (his children and his children’s children) would be as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore: too many to count! Abraham obeyed God and did what he wanted!
Great and Good Father, when we look to the night sky and see the stars shining through the darkness we remember the generations of people who have come to know you through the faith of Abraham. Keep our faith strong and help us to be ready for the coming of Jesus into our lives.
Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19): Symbol: A Ram
God wanted to put Abraham to the test. He wanted to see how strong his faith really was. So he asked him to do a very difficult thing. He asked him to sacrifice his own son. Can you imagine what he must have felt like? But just as Isaac was about to do as God wanted an angel stepped in to stop him. God provided a ram for the sacrifice. God now knew that Abraham would do anything for him.
God our Father, as Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac, so you sent your Son Jesus Christ into the world as the sacrificial lamb to share your love and give us life.
Jacob (Genesis 28:1-17): Symbol: Ladder
Jacob was going home to see is brother, Esau. He had upset Esau and wanted to make amends. One night as Jacob slept on the ground he dreamed that a ladder stretched from earth to heaven with angels going up and down. When he woke up he realised that he had been in God’s presence.
Heavenly Father, in his dream Jacob saw heaven opened. On waking he realised that he had been in your presence. Help us to know that you are always with us, and to turn our gaze to heaven, from where Christ will come again in glory.
Joseph (Genesis 42:1-45): Symbol: Coloured Coat
Joseph’s brothers thought that he was dead but he had become a very important leader in Egypt. There was a famine in the land and everyone was hungry. His brothers came to him looking for food but they didn’t realise who he was. Joseph gave them a bag of grain.
Generous God, you showed your loving care through Joseph. Help us to be filled with generosity and love so that when Jesus comes at the end of time he may find us watching and waiting.
Moses (Exodus 1:1-14; 3:1-12): Symbol: Burning Bush
God asked Moses to do a very special job for him. He wanted Moses to lead the People of Israel from their life of slavery to the Egyptians to freedom. God showed himself to Moses in a bush that, although it was ablaze, didn’t burn.
Father of Light, from the flaming branches of an unburned tree you called Moses to lead your people to freedom. Help us to know your presence in our lives, calling us to freedom from all that separates us from you.
Torah (Exodus 19:16-20): Symbol: Stone Tablet
After Moses led the people out to freedom in the desert, he went to the top of a mountain to be alone with God. God gave him Ten Commandments to take back to the people. The commandments were how God wanted his people to live.
All Powerful Father, you spoke to Moses on the mountain and gave him a law for us to live by. Help us to listen to you so that we may be ready for Jesus’ coming into the world.
Joshua (Joshua 6:1-16): Symbol: Trumpet
Joshua was an apprentice of Moses, and was appointed by him to be leader of Israel after him. Joshua led the Israelites to victory at the city of Jericho where the trumpet call caused the walls of Jericho to fall down!
God our Father, Joshua shows us that you do the most amazing things. Help us to follow you wherever you lead us and to never stop trusting in you.
Gideon (Judges 2:6-23; 6:1-6;11:8ff): Symbol: Clay Water Pitcher
Gideon was a very unlikely hero and extremely unsure of himself. He couldn’t believe that God that God was asking him to do a very important job, so he asked God for two miracles. When Gideon was convinced that God was calling him, he destroyed the town’s altar to a foreign god. He gathered together men from different tribes in order to fight the army of Midian who had crossed the Jordan River and who were camped in the Valley of Jezreel. God insisted that there were too many men in Gideon’s army and continuously instructed him to send some away until his army had been reduced from 22, 000 to 300. Gideon won the battle because he had faith in God and not because he had a great army!
God on High, Gideon was surprised when you called him but he finally trusted you and accepted your plan. You showed him how powerful you are by giving him victory over the army of Midian. Help us to trust in you too and to do everything you ask of us so that when Jesus comes again we may share in his victory over death and darkness.
Samuel (1 Samuel ;3:1-10; 10:1): Symbol: Crown
Samuel was a prophet who asked God on behalf of the people for a king. God was very reluctant to give them a king but answered their request. Saul was chosen and anointed privately by Samuel. Later, Samuel was also given the responsibility to find a replacement for Saul. He went to Bethlehem to a man called Jesse. Each of the sons of Jesse were rejected, except David the youngest.
God our Father, King of Kings, through the prophecy of Samuel you gave Israel a King. May we who wait for the coming of Christ the King live according to his law of love.
David (1 Samuel 16:1-23): Symbol: Shepherd’s Crook
David was the youngest son of Jesse. He was a shepherd boy who was called to be the leader of God’s people. This surprised everyone, especially his older brothers! He became a great King. Bethlehem, where Jesus was to be born many years later, was called the City of David.
Almighty Father, you called King David above all his brothers, and made him a great king to lead your people. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ our King in David’s city of Bethlehem open our lives to his kingdom of light and peace.
Elijah (Elijah 18:21, 30-37): Symbol: Stone Altar
Elijah was a prophet who told people to stop worshipping other gods and only to worship the One True God. A prophet is someone who speaks for God to his people.
God our Father, you call us to worship and adore you and to turn our hearts to your law of love. Help us to reject all the things that spoil our worship of you so that we may worship you, and you alone!
Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:1-19; 19:32ff): Symbol: Tent
Hezekiah was a great King of Judah and helped to make sure that people were worshipping God properly. He removed from the Temple anything that wasn’t to do with God. He destroyed the shrines and focussed the worship of God at Jerusalem, and restored the Passover pilgrimage.
Father, as Hezekiah cleared the Temple of everything that stood in the way of worshipping you, so may our lives be cleared of all the clutter that stops us from serving you, the One True God.
Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-13): Symbol: Burning Coals
Isaiah was a prophet chosen by God to called his people to be holy. In the opening chapters of the book of the prophet Isaiah we hear how he was called by God, and how his lips were touched by burning coals, enabling him to speak for God to his people. ‘Then one of the seraphs flew to me holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs…’ (Isaiah 6:1-8)
Holy Father, Isaiah spoke boldly to your people. Help us to speak to others about your wonderful love and the good news of Jesus who has come into the world.
Jeremiah: Symbol: Tears
Jeremiah was chosen by God to explain to the people why bad things were happening to them: it was because they had broken the covenant (promise) that God had made with them. They were worshipping other gods, and so they were exiled to a foreign land. ‘O that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears,’ says Jeremiah (8:22)
God our Father, Jeremiah spoke your word to the people exiled from the promised land. Help us to know your presence wherever we are, and to long for the promised land of heaven.
Habbakuk (Habbakuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4): Symbol: Stone Watchtower
Habbakuk was a prophet. He complained to God and even questioned him. However, he learned that we should trust in God, no matter what happens around us. In Chapter 2 of the book of the prophet Habbakuk we read, ‘I will stand at my watch post, and station myself…I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint.’
God our Father, Habbakuk waited and watched for an answer to his prayers. Help us to wait on you, to listen to your voice and to follow wherever you lead us.
Nehemiah: Symbol: City Wall
Nehemiah had heard about the terrible condition that the city of Jerusalem had fallen into, and it made him very sad. When he arrived in Jerusalem he looked over the city under cover of darkness, drawing up plans to restore it. Nehemiah restored the city wall within 52 days.
Father, we live in a world broken by selfishness and sin. Help us to work together to make the world a better place and to build up your kingdom here on earth.
Zechariah (Luke 1:5-22): Symbol: Pencil and Tablet
Elizabeth and Zechariah were the parents of John the Baptist. They thought that they were too old to have a child. When Zechariah was told the news he couldn’t believe it! The angel who visited him said that because he didn’t believe the news he would be unable to speak until the child was born! When he was asked by people what the child’s name was he had to write it on a tablet of stone. They thought he would be named after his father. But the angel had told Zechariah to call him John.
Father of Old, Zechariah couldn’t believe his ears when he heard that he would have a son. Help us to be open to your plans and to be ready for all the wonderful things you have in store for us.
Elizabeth (Luke 1:23-25; 39-45): Symbol: Hills
As soon as Mary received the news that she was to be the mother of Jesus she rushed to the hill country of Judaea to greet her cousin Elizabeth. She was also expecting a child, even though she was very old. Mary and Elizabeth were full of joy for all that God was doing in their lives and in the world. Elizabeth’s unborn child leaped in her womb at the presence of Mary and the special unborn child she was carrying in her womb.
Father of every generation, Elizabeth was filled with joy at everything you were doing. Help us to be excited about Jesus’ Birthday and to share his love with everyone.
John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8): Symbol: Water
John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. He told people to stop leading selfish lives and to follow Jesus, whom he called the Lamb of God. He baptised people in the river Jordan.
Father, John the Baptist pointed people to Jesus and prepared them for his coming into the world. Help us to show Jesus to others and to be ready for his coming into our lives.
Mary (Luke1:26-38): Symbol: ‘M’ for Mary
Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. The angel Gabriel visited her to tell her the news. Mary was a bit confused at first but she said to the angel, ‘Let everything you have said happen to me. I am the Lord’s servant.’ It is because of Mary’s faith and response to God that Jesus came into the world.
God our Loving Father, you chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, your only Son. Help us to be like Mary and to receive Jesus into our lives.
Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25): Symbol: Hammer
Joseph was engaged to be married to Mary and when he heard that she was pregnant with Jesus he was going to leave her. But, in a dream, God told him that the child was holy, and so Joseph stood by Mary and helped her to bring Jesus up.
Father, Joseph the carpenter stood by Mary because he was a good and faithful man, who believed in everything you told him. May we too stand up for all who are called in your name and encourage all who want to know Jesus.
Jesus
Jesus is born in Bethlehem, the City of Jesse’s son, David. His coming was foretold by prophets and proclaimed by angels, welcomed by shepherds and wise men. He is Emmanuel, God is with us. ‘To you is born this day a saviour who is Christ the Lord.’
Father, we praise you for the birth of Christ your Son, who was born in David’s city. May he be born in our hearts today! Help us to share the news of his coming with others so that they may know the joy of his saving presence.
South Cardiff Ministry Area 