Wait! Focus on Luke 2: n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 December 31, 2017 First Sunday after Christmas Day Isa. 61:10 62:3 Ps. 148 Gal. 4:4 7 Luke 2:22 40 Wait! Goal for the Session Children will ponder the faithful waiting of Anna and Simeon. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Luke 2:22 40 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, William R. Herzog II Luke s purpose in narrating these events seems clear. He wants to portray Mary and Joseph as obedient to God s revelation. Following Torah, they circumcise the baby Jesus on the eighth day, and according to Gabriel s instructions, they give the child his name (1:31). Both parents are attuned to divine revelation, whether it comes through an angel or the Torah. Notice that the Torah is first called the law of Moses (2:22) but is subsequently identified as the law of the Lord (2:23, 24). Their obedience to Torah is no less divine than their obedience to the angel. Both actions show their fidelity to God s purposes. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, James C. Howell God came down, not to thrash evildoers or crush the Romans, but as an infant, to elicit love, to nurture tenderness. Simeon has waited all his life for this child. Now he can die in peace. This waiting and dying in peace are theologically poignant for us who glance away from death anxiously, who die in considerable consternation. We do not like to wait. We want to move, fill the time, stay in control, rush to the next titillation and in our inability to be still and know that God is God, we miss God. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, William V. Arnold With the grace of God and commitment of his parents, and surrounded by the hopes and dreams of so many, [Jesus] was launched toward becoming the person God intended him to be. And so should be the case with every child created in the image of God, surrounded by God s grace, cared for by faithful parents, and encouraged by supporters, both known and unknown, within the community of faith and others in God s wider good creation. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Shelley D. B. Copeland Imagine being this seasoned person of faith, who had the chance to witness a poor teen mom and a dad with the Anointed One in their care. Imagine knowing they had a child with tremendous promise and possibility for an entire people. If you were in such a position, would you do something more for this family than offer a blessing? Perhaps we are called to create a society with a positive regard for struggling, faithful parents, because we believe we are co-stewards of the future. Perhaps this text is pleading with us to create a more just society for the children who come into the world through parents of limited means. 1

2 Wait! FOCUS SCRIPTURE Luke 2:22 40 Focus on Your Teaching Children know how hard it is to wait for something special. Most recently, they waited for Christmas, perhaps counting the days on an Advent calendar to mark the time. They wait for birthdays, too, looking forward to the next as soon as one has passed. As you explore the focus scripture, consider together how Anna and Simeon were longing for the birth of God s promised Savior, Jesus the Christ, just as children long for Christmas morning. YOU WILL NEED white fabric large white batterypowered candle gift wrap ribbon basket of small stones Bible Color Pack 9, 10, 29 Singing the Feast, ; CD player sand timer or kitchen timer For Responding option 1: cookie dough, rolling pins, cookie cutters, sprinkles; or baked cookies, frosting, knives, sprinkles option 2: copies of Resource Sheet 1, crayons option 3: copies of Resource Sheet 2, crayons or colored pencils God of young and old, strengthen me to be active and faithful in times of waiting. Help me to seek your presence and to encourage these children with joy and thanksgiving. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, if you are using option 1 in Responding, arrange to use the kitchen in your church and enlist another adult to help. As children arrive, invite them to place the white fabric in the center of your learning space, place the candle on it, and arrange some long pieces of Christmas gift wrap ribbon around the candle. Gather around the candle, telling learners that Christians celebrate Christmas for twelve days, so it is still Christmas today! Pass the basket of stones, asking each child to take one. As you light the candle, say, Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Take a stone and set it on the cloth as you tell a favorite memory from Christmas Day. Invite children to take turns doing the same. Pray aloud: Dear God, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to us at Christmas. Be with us today as we learn more about him. Amen. Place a one-minute sand timer or kitchen timer on the table. Challenge learners to sit in silence for one full minute. After the minute, invite their reactions: P How hard was it to wait for one minute? P When does waiting seem especially hard? P What do you do to help pass the time while you re waiting? 2

3 Wait! EXPLORING Opening your Bible to Luke 2:22 38, comment that today s Bible story is about two people who waited a long time for something. Ask children to listen for the words baby, pray, and praise as you read the story, using these motions at those points to help tell the story: P Baby: hold arms as if cradling a baby P Pray: hold hands together, as in prayer P Praise: raise arms in praise Tell the story, using this version: Mary and Joseph were Jewish. When a Jewish baby was born, the parents brought the baby to the temple in Jerusalem, the place where Jewish people gathered to worship God. Mary and Joseph traveled to the temple with baby Jesus. They praised God, giving thanks for baby Jesus. There was a man named Simeon, who lived in God s ways and prayed to God to help the people of Israel. He was waiting for the savior God promised to send. The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple. When Simeon saw Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus, he took the baby in his arms and praised God. Simeon said to God, Now I have seen your saving love. Now I know your promise is true! This baby is God s promised Savior! Mary and Joseph were amazed. Simeon blessed them, praying that God would care for the young family. In the temple that day, there also was a woman named Anna. She knew God s Word and trusted God s promises. She was old and had been waiting a long time for God s promised Savior. She prayed night and day. When Anna saw Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus, she knew that Jesus was the promised Savior. Anna praised God! Then Anna told everyone she saw all about God s Son, Jesus. Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus home. God loved Jesus and helped him grow as God s Son. Show Color Pack 9 and 10, inviting children to describe what is happening. Refer to the pictures as needed as you review the story: P Where did Joseph and Mary take Jesus when he was a young baby? Why? P Who were Simeon and Anna? Why were they at the temple? P What were Simeon and Anna waiting for? What did they do while they waited? P What did Simeon and Anna do when they met Jesus? How did they know Jesus was God s promised Savior? Sum up Exploring by saying that Anna and Simeon were waiting for God s promised gift of a savior. God sent Jesus to be our Savior, too, to give us love and forgiveness that never ends. Ask: P How might we say thank you to God for the gift of Jesus for love and forgiveness that never ends? 3

4 Wait! Be aware of food allergies and diabetes when making food together. Ask parents to make sure the cookie dough ingredients are safe for their children. EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use: 1. Celebration Cookies Make Christmas cookies together to continue the celebration of Jesus birth. Buy sugar cookie dough or prepare your favorite recipe. After washing hands, have children roll out the dough, cut it with Christmas cookie cutters, sprinkle cookies with decorations, and then wait together as they bake. Option: Bake sugar cookies before class and have children decorate them with frosting and sprinkles. As you wait for cookies to bake (or frosting to set), review how Simeon and Anna waited for Jesus. Talk about waiting for the cookies to bake and waiting for other things. What are some things people can do to make waiting easier? 2. Signs of God s Love Anna and Simeon were looking for a sign of God s love, for God s promised Savior. Sometimes people today long to see a sign of God s love, too. Jesus teaches that when we act in loving ways, other people will see God s love at work in us; we can be signs of God s love. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Signs of God s Love). Invite children to look for people who are showing signs of God s love through their actions and to color those parts of the scene. Discuss the parts they color: How might that action be a sign of God s love? What signs of God s love have they seen this Christmas week? Go, Tell It on the Mountain Refrain: Go, tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere; Go, tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born. While shepherds kept their watching Over silent flocks by night Behold throughout the heavens There shone a holy light. Refrain The shepherds feared and trembled, When lo! above the earth, Rang out the angel chorus That hailed the Savior s birth. Refrain Down in a lowly manger The humble Christ was born And God sent us salvation That blessèd Christmas morn. Refrain 3. Prayer Chart Recall how Simeon and Anna prayed as they waited for God s promised Savior to come. Prayer was part of their lives each day as they looked for signs of God s love around them. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (My Prayer Chart) and crayons or colored pencils. Demonstrate how to complete the chart by drawing or writing joys and concerns each day, and have children write or draw to fill in the boxes for Sunday. Encourage them to add to their charts each day at bedtime and to pray to God about these things, trusting that God is at work in their lives, too. CLOSING Gather around the candle. Invite children to tell one thing about the story of Simeon and Anna that they will remember. Ask them to imagine Simeon and Anna singing with them as they sing Go, Tell It on the Mountain (Color Pack 29; track 7 on Singing the Feast, ). Pray, asking children to use the hand motions from the Bible story in Exploring: Dear God, we praise you and thank you for your Son, baby Jesus. Please teach us to pray and to look for signs of your love. Amen. Say good-bye to each learner by name. 4

5 December 31, 2017 Wait! Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 1 Signs of God s Love Jesus teaches that when we act in loving ways, other people will see God s love at work in us. We can be signs of God s love. Look for people who might be showing signs of God s love through their actions. Color those parts of the scene Westminster John Knox Press

6 December 31, 2017 Wait! Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 2 My Prayer Chart 2017 Westminster John Knox Press