The Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:1-7

At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an order to all people in the countries that were under Roman rule. The order said that they must list their names in a register. This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own towns to be registered.

So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee. He went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea. This town was known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David. Joseph registered with Mary because she was engaged to marry him. (Mary was now pregnant.) While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. She gave birth to her first son. There were no rooms left in the inn. So she wrapped the baby with cloths and laid him in a box where animals are fed.

Discussion Questions

· Where did Joseph go to be counted?  To Bethlehem

· Who went with him? Mary, because she was engaged to him.

· What happened while they were in Bethlehem? It was time for Mary to have the baby.

· Did she have a bed for him? No, she laid him in a feed box.

· What was the baby’s name?     Jesus!

Prayer

Dear God,Thank you for the story of Baby Jesus.  Thank you for teaching us that you do what you promise, and you help us to always be happy.Amen.

Bible Verse for December

“God loved us and sent his Son.”   1 John 4:10

Activity

Singing: Mary Had a Baby Boy

(tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb )

Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy

Mary had a baby boy, and she named Him Jesus

He was born in a manger, in a manger, in a manger
He was born in a manger, among all the hay

Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy, and she named Him Jesus

The shepherds came to visit him, visit him, visit him.
The shepherds came to visit him, because the angel told them.

Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy, and she named Him Jesus

The three wise men brought him gifts, brought him gifts, brought him gifts.
The three wise men brought him gifts, Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy, and she named Him Jesus

 

Angels Tell The News

Luke 2:8-20

That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. An angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and suddenly they became very frightened. The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am bringing you some good news. It will be a joy to all the people. Today your Savior was born in David’s town. He is Christ, the Lord. This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding box.”

Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel. All the angels were praising God, Saying: “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please God.”

Then the angels left the shepherds and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened. We will see this thing the Lord told us about.”

So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph. And the shepherds saw the baby lying in a feeding box. Then they told what the angels had said about this child. Everyone was amazed when they heard what the shepherds said to them. Mary hid these things in her heart; she continued to think about them. Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him for everything that they had seen and heard. It was just as the angel had told them.

Discussion Questions

• Who told the shepherds about Jesus’ birth?  The angels.
• Where did the angels tell the shepherds they would find the baby?  Lying in a feeding box. 
• What was the first thing the shepherds did? They went to Bethlehem to see Jesus and then told everyone about his birth. 
• How did people feel about what the shepherds told them? They were amazed. 
• What did the shepherds do after they visited Baby Jesus? They went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him.

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank you for the story of the Angels who told the good news, and for the Shepherds who went to see Baby Jesus.  Thank you for sending us your son, Jesus, as a baby.

Amen.

Bible Verse for December

“God loved us and sent his Son.”  1 John 4:10

Activities:

Angel Matching

Begin by cutting out pictures of angels from Christmas cards, gift wrap, ads, napkins, computer printouts, etc (NOTE: each picture should be different from the others).  If you use only Christmas cards, simply cut off the front flap of the card. Otherwise, glue the angel pictures to construction paper or cardboard to make them easier to handle.  Then cut each picture in half, horizontally.  Keep the top and bottom halves separate. Mix up the top halves. Then mix up the bottom halves.  Give your child one of the top halves and then ask her to find the  bottom half that matches the top half.  Continue until all the matches are made.

Talk About:

• What do you think angels look like?
• Who did the angels visit in our story?
• How do you think the people in our story felt about seeing the angels?
• Who sent the angels? 

 Which Animal?

Choose one family member to be a stable keeper. The stable keeper stands on one side of the room, and the rest of the family stands on the other side.  Ask the stable keeper to think silently of an animal that might have been in the stable the night Jesus was born.  Then the stable keeper should make the noise of that animal. The other family members now pretend to be that animal and make its sound while moving like that animal, across the room to the stable keeper. Once all the animals have made it to the stable keeper, the stable keeper goes to the opposite side of the room. Play continues as the new stable keeper thinks of an animal and makes the sound. (If your stable keeper needs help thinking of an animal, whisper a suggestion to her: cow, horse, donkey, dog, cat, chicken, sheep, bird, mouse, etc).

Talk About:

• What is a stable?
• What kinds of things might you see in a stable besides animals?
• What might a stable smell like?
• Why was Baby Jesus born in a stable?
• Who visited him at the stable?

Mary Hears the Good News

Matthew 1:18-25

The mother of Jesus Christ was Mary.  And this is how the birth of Jesus came about.  Mary was engaged to marry Joseph.  But before they married, she learned that she was going to have a baby.  

She was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Mary’s husband, Joseph, was a good man.  He did not want to disgrace her in public, so he planned to divorce her secretly.

While Joseph thought about this, an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream.  The angel said, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife.  The baby in her is from the Holy Spirit..  She will give birth to a son.  You will name the son Jesus.”  Give him that name because  he will save his people from their sins.”

All this  happened to make clear the full meaning of what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will be pregnant.  She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel.”  This name means “God is with us.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord’s angel had told him to do.  Joseph married Mary.  And Joseph named the son Jesus.

Discussion Questions

• Who was Jesus Christ’s mother?  Mary
• Mary was going to marry a good man.  What was his name? Joseph.
• Why did they name him Jesus?  He will save his people from sin.
• What does Immanuel mean?  God with us.

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank you for the story of Joseph and Mary.  Please help us remember that God so loved the world he sent his son Jesus to save us from our sin.  

Amen.

Bible Verse for December

“God loved us and sent His son.    1 John 4:10

Activity

Song:  Three Little Angels

God placed three little angels round my head

one to sing one to pray and one to keep me safe at play


God placed three little angels round my bed one to sing one pray and one to keep me safe 'til day


God placed three little angels round my head
one to singone to prayand one to keep me safe at play


He gave me Jesus on Christmas Eve,
I am celebrating,
I do believe.
Jesus is born! Angels sing on high!

God placed three little angels round my bed
One to sing
One pray
And one to keep me safe 'til day

He gave me Jesus on Christmas Eve,
I am celebrating,
I do believe.
Jesus is born! Angels sing on high!

God placed three little angels round my bedone to singone prayand one to keep me safe 'til day

He gave me Jesus on Christmas Eve, 
I am celebrating, 
I do believe. 
Jesus is born! Angels sing on high!