It s About Time! Psalm 89:8. God said it, I believe it! KEY VERSE STICKY STATEMENT

Transcription

1 It s About Time! KEY VERSE Psalm 89:8 STICKY STATEMENT God said it, I believe it! LESSON OBJECTIVE Children will understand the fulfilled prophecies that led to Jesus birth proving God s faithfulness. CHECKLIST 1. A PowerPoint is available for this lesson. 2. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss (Younger Adaptation) 3. Visuals Visuals 5-6 (for both group times printed, cut apart and given to the group leaders) 5. Video Linus Christmas Speech Charlie Brown Christmas 7-1/ (1:50) 6. Index cards LESSON OVERVIEW God promised the people of Israel that He would send a Savior. The people waited for hundreds of years and kept looking for the Savior. Finally, God fulfilled His promise by sending Jesus. Younger Adaptation To explain being faithful read the book (or selected portions) Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss. What did Horton keep saying about elephants? [ An Elephant s faithful 100 percent. ] What made Horton faithful? [He kept his promise to stay on the egg even when it was hard.] Today we re going to learn about how God is faithful and keeps His promises, too. In the Bible, some of God s promises are called prophecies but that word still means that God is going to do it. If God says it, I believe it. 37. It s About Time! (Holidays) - 259

2 INTRODUCTION Teacher s Note: You can choose to use this introduction or replace this first introductory paragraph with the younger adaptation suggestion described above before continuing with the lesson. Throughout time certain people have claimed to know the future. Anybody can say they know the future, but it doesn t really mean anything unless what they predict actually comes true. When a future event is told in the Bible, it is called prophecy. Let me read Psalm 89:8 to find out who we can trust to tell us about the future. [Read Psalm 89:8.] This verse says that God is faithful. When someone is faithful, they keep their promises. We know that any time God gives a prophecy, it will ALWAYS come true. God knows the future, and He is faithful. Another way of thinking about prophecy is like a promise. Because God is faithful, you could say, God said it, I believe it. What if I said to you, Someday, I promise I m going to take you to Disney World. What would you think about that? [Allow for a response.] When would you want that promise to come true? [Allow for a response.] It s hard to wait for something you really want to happen. But when we re talking about prophecies in the Bible, they didn t come true right away. Sometimes the people in the Bible had to wait a really long time. In fact, we re still waiting for some Bible prophecies to come true. BODY Your parents waited months before you were born. God promised that He would send a Savior to the world. People waited and waited for the Savior, a Messiah, for hundreds of years before He was born. The Israelites read and studied these prophecies. They taught their children about these prophecies, so they would be ready when the promised Savior showed up. Even if it took hundreds of years for this prophecy to happen, people could say with confidence, God said it, I believe it. During those hundreds of years, God kept giving prophecies about Jesus. God s people had to be like detectives to figure out the clues that God gave them about this Savior. I want you all to put on your best detective voice. Can you say Aha! with me in your best detective voice? Aha! And I want you to turn on your smartest detective brains. [Act like you re switching on your brain.] Teacher s Note: There are four questions (See Visual 5) so you will need to divide into four groups led by four leaders. If you have a small class, you can read and discuss these passages together. Distribute the passages to the group coaches. You can remain in your groups throughout the rest of the lesson. Note: Sometimes younger children are very literal and you may have to give further explanation and background on the question. After each group is finished have them give their report while showing Visuals 1-4. We are going to check out these verses for prophecy clues about Jesus. Let s figure out what really wonderful things we can discover. [Show Visual 1 then have Group #1 give their response.] Micah 5:2 - Can you tell me where the prophecy said the Messiah (Jesus) would be born? [Allow for a response.] He was to be born in Bethlehem. Now we have to check and see if that came true. [Read Matthew 2:1.] Where did it say Jesus was born? [Allow for a response.] Bethlehem! Right. [Show Visual 2 then have Group #2 give their response.] Isaiah 7:14 - Who would give birth to the Messiah (Jesus)? [Allow for a response.] A virgin is a pure young woman and someone who had never been with a man because God was Jesus Father. Let s see if that came true. [Read 37. It s About Time! (Holidays) - 260

3 Luke 1:26-27.] Yep, Mary was a virgin, and she was Jesus mother. [Show Visual 3 then have Group #3 give their response.] Jeremiah 23:5 - Who was Jesus great-great-great-great-great grandfather? King David? Okay we ll check it out. [Read Matthew 1:1.] Yep, there it is. It says that Jesus was in King David s family. [Show Visual 4 then have Group #4 give their response.] Isaiah 9:6 - How was Jesus going to come to earth? [Read Luke 2:11-12.] The angels were telling the shepherds where to find Jesus, and He was born as a baby lying in a manger. Good detective work everyone. We saw that God s prophecies came true! Now we can see that if God said it, I believe it. Well, after many years of waiting it happened! God s promised Savior was here! God said it, I believe it. Jesus was born, the Messiah, just like God said He would be. Play the video, Linus Christmas Speech A Charlie Brown Christmas chersource.wol.org/videos/oly18/37-1/ APPLICATION The wait was over! God kept His promise! Just like God kept His promise about Jesus, God will also keep His promises to you. I need you to be detectives in your groups again. This time we re not looking for promises about Jesus. This time we re looking for promises that God has made to you and me. Okay now what promises did you find? Group #1: 1 John 1:9 What does God promise us? [Allow for a response.] He will forgive our sins. When we confess our sins to God, He promises to always forgive us. Group #2: Psalm 34:17 What does God promise us? [Allow for a response.] God promises to hear our cries. Group #3: Philippians 4:19 What does God promise us? [Allow for a response.] God promises to supply all our needs because He has all the riches of Heaven. Group #4: Hebrews 13:5 What does God promise us? [Allow for a response.] He will never leave you or forsake you. Even when it feels like you are all alone, God is always there. I would like you to choose one of these promises that God makes to you to write on an index card to carry in your Bible with you. And remember, if God said it, I believe it. [Close in prayer.] PERSONAL TRAINING TIME Goal of this Personal Training Time That children will connect the faithfulness of God with His trustworthiness in keeping promises. 37. It s About Time! (Holidays) - 261

4 Discussion Questions 1. How did God show His faithfulness in today s lesson? (He kept his promises about Jesus; He keeps His promises to me.) 2. Which promise do you want to remember that will help you? (Allow children to respond.) PARENT CONNECTION This week we talked about the prophecies that God gave us about Jesus and how He fulfilled them. We compared prophecies to promises in that if God said it, I believe it. God is faithful and will always fulfill His promises. Your child was asked to write down one of the promises we talked about on an index card and put it in their Bible. Find that card that your child hopefully brought home and talk about its truth with them. If they lost it, the promises we looked at were found in 1 John 1:9, Psalm 34:17, Philippians 4:19, and Hebrews 13: It s About Time! (Holidays) - 262

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