Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, 2017 Lesson #4-16 God Dwells Among Us John 1:1-18 PK-2 nd Key Verse: The Point: And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory John 1:14a In the Word, God becomes human and lives among us, bringing life. Making Connections: God s Presence Brings Life Bible Nuts & Bolts: New Testament and Divisions Spiritual Practice: Fellowship 1
Activities Supplies Care for the baby Jesus. Imagine the Christmas story. Jesus is the light in the darkness. Baby dolls Baby care items Child-friendly nativity scene Flashlights Battery-operated candles Blanket Compare Christmas stories. Nativity scene Discover the different sections of the New Testament. Bible Activity Sheet #4-16.A Chapter books Crayons or markers Scissors Jesus birth brings light in the darkness. Bible Battery-operated candles 2
Help to prepare for the baby. Baby dolls Baby care items Sing a traditional carol. None Create a light switch cover to remember today s lesson. Activity Sheet #4-16.B Label paper Scissors Option A: plastic light switch cover, acrylic paints or permanent markers, small paper cups, paint brushes, water Option B: clear contact paper, red, orange, and yellow tissue paper squares, glue Decorate cookies for a snack. Celebrate the fourth week of Advent. Students continue their own Bible storybook. Star shaped cookies Frosting Plastic knives Sprinkles Plates Napkins Advent wreath Optional: matches or lighter Bible Book page (found at end of lesson) Cardstock or plain paper Pens Markers or crayons Optional: three-ring binders, hole punch None 3
Background for Teachers Story Connections The final lesson of this unit tells of the physical story of God's presence actually bringing life to the world. We have witnessed God s presence active in the fiery furnace, in the valley of dry bones, and in Isaiah s promise of a coming Messiah. Today, that promise is fulfilled here on earth. Story Summary: God Dwells Among Us In the beginning of the Gospel of John, we see a different version of the Christmas story. This version brings God coming to earth in the flesh into a larger scope, even referring back to the creation account in Genesis. Far from a humble baby in a manger, in this telling we see Jesus as one with God, connected from the very beginnings of time. God, through Jesus, not only comes into the world, but also has always been in relationship with the world. This directly opposes the popular notion of dualism, which stated that the physical, human world was a prison created by evil forces while the world of the spirit was the realm of goodness and light. Rather than helping humans escape this world, the Word in John s Gospel has come into the world to save it. The Point In the Word, God becomes human and lives among us, bringing life. The Gospel of John begins with a poetic hymn that sets the stage for the story of Jesus ministry, death, and resurrection. As the Word, Jesus is intimately connected with God and present in the creation of the world. Light, life, and salvation for humanity are the result of this presence. Bible Nuts and Bolts: New Testament and Divisions Like the Old Testament, the books of the New Testament can be divided into sections based on theme. The New Testament contains 27 books that can be grouped into four categories. The first group is the Gospels of Matthew through John. After John is the book of The Acts of the Apostles, chronicling the early history of the church. Next are the Epistles, or letters. This section includes the books from Romans through Jude, and contains letters to the young churches. Finally, the Book of Revelation contains apocalyptic writing. Spiritual Practice: Fellowship Christmas is a wonderful time to discover the spiritual practice of fellowship. Christians around the world come together in churches to celebrate the birth of Christ. Families join together to share a meal and enjoy time together. People care for friend and stranger, sharing the magical joy of this season. This is a time to learn habits of fellowship that will carry throughout the year. 4
Lesson #4-16 (PK-2nd) Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017 Lesson Plan Story Centers are mini-activities designed specifically for preschool and kindergarten students. Depending on the size of your class, you can set these up as centers for in-class rotations or do them as a whole class one after another. In most preschool and kindergarten classes, these centers along with a snack, the Learning the Story activity, and the Living the Story activity will fill the education time, but feel free to choose any activity you think would be fun and appropriate for your class. Baby Dolls Celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus by caring for baby dolls. Nativity Scene Provide a child-friendly nativity scene and let children imagine the Christmas story. Jesus is the Light Provide blankets for forts, and flashlights or battery-operated candles to use as lights inside the blanket forts. Jesus is the light of the world, chasing away the darkness and bringing us comfort. 5
Compare Christmas stories. You will need: Nativity scene During class: 1. Today we are going to hear the Christmas story, but it is a little different than the one you are most used to hearing. Let s go over that story so we remember it. We will use these figures to help. 2. Either let the kids tell the story as you prompt them, or read the story from Luke 2. 3. Today we are talking about this same story, but it is going to sound a little different. This story does not have animals and shepherds and the manger, but it has the entire beginning of the world! 6
Discover the different sections of the New Testament. You will need: Bible Activity Sheet #4-16.A Chapter books Crayons or markers Scissors Before class: 1. If students have their own Bibles, send a reminder to bring them to class this week. 2. Print copies of Activity #4-16.A. You may want to cut some apart into sets of four for younger students. During class: 1. Show the Bible. Do you remember our very first class this year? In that class, we talked about the Bible being like a library with lots and lots of books. 2. Show the chapter book. In some books, we have different sections that are called chapters. This book has chapters, and each chapter starts with a page that looks a little different than the rest of the pages. Show a chapter title page. 3. Our Bibles have different sections in them, too. Everybody open their Bible to the very beginning, and find the Table of Contents. This is a list of all of the books in our Bibles. 4. Each of these books is like a chapter in our big book, and those chapters tell different parts of the big story in different ways. 5. Distribute a set of bookmarks to each student. Allow students time to decorate their bookmarks. 6. Help students find the beginning of each section in their Bibles, and place the bookmark in the appropriate place. Gospels -- Matthew through John Acts The Acts of the Apostles Epistles Romans through Jude Revelation The Book of Revelation 7
Jesus birth brings light in the darkness. You will need: Bible Battery-operated candles During class: 1. Pass out a battery-operated candle to each student. 2. As we hear our story today, we start at the very beginning of time. What was in the beginning before God created the world? [Nothing, darkness.] As I read through the story, every time that you hear the word Light or Word, I am going to point to a few of you to turn on your candles. If necessary, show students how to turn on their candles. By the time we are finished reading the story, all of our candles will be lit, just like Jesus the Light coming to our world. 3. Dim or darken the room, depending on students comfort level. Read through the story from a child-friendly Bible. 4. Try to use the darkness to put out the light. It is impossible! No matter how dark it is, the light always makes it brighter the dark can never stay dark. Jesus is the light that brings all good things into our world. Jesus birth is light coming to the world. 8
Help to prepare for the baby. You will need: Baby items During class: 1. A new baby is coming! What is that baby s name? [Jesus.] We need to get ready to welcome him. What needs to be done to welcome a baby? Allow ideas. How can we work together to get ready for the birth of Jesus? Pretend to get things ready for Jesus, making sure students each have a chance to participate. 2. What does our church do to get ready for the baby? We all work together to welcome Jesus. What are some ways that you can help our church get ready? [Help decorate, bring cookies, sing in worship, invite others, hand out bulletins, etc.] 3. We can all work together to welcome Jesus! 9
Sing a traditional carol. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head. The stars in the sky look down where he lay; The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. 10
Create a light switch cover to remember today s lesson. You will need: Activity Sheet #4-16.B Label paper Scissors Option A: plastic light switch cover, permanent markers Option B: clear contact paper, red, orange, and yellow tissue paper squares, glue, small paper cups, paint brushes, water Before class: 1. Make copies of Activity Sheet #4-16.B on label paper, so each student may have a sticker. Cut apart stickers. 2. Option B: Mix glue and water 1:1 in the small cups, one per student. Cut contact paper to light switch sized pieces. During class: 1. Jesus is the light of the world! We are going to make special covers to put around our light switches at home so that every time you turn on your light, you will remember that Jesus is the light. 2. Option A: Use permanent markers to decorate the plastic light switch cover. Finish by adding Jesus is the Light sticker from Activity Sheet #4-16.B. 3. Option B: Leaving the contact paper with the sticky side covered, decoupage red, orange, and yellow tissue paper squares onto the front of the contact paper. Adhere the Jesus is the Light sticker from Activity Sheet #4-16.B or print it on regular white paper and simply decoupage it on as well. 11
Decorate cookies for a snack. You will need: Star shaped cookies Frosting Plastic knives Sprinkles Plates Napkins Before class: 1. Before serving any food, always check with participants or caregivers for students who have food allergies. Provide an alternative if necessary. During class: 1. What is your favorite part of celebrating Christmas? Allow students time to respond. One of my favorite parts is decorating cookies, and our cookies today are even star shaped to help us remember that Jesus is the light. 2. Allow students time to decorate and eat their cookies. 12
Celebrate the fourth week of Advent. You will need: Advent wreath Optional: matches or lighter Before class 1. Locate the Advent wreath used previously in your class. During class: 1. How many of you remember what this is? [An Advent wreath.] Have any of you been celebrating Advent at home using an Advent wreath? It might not look exactly like this one. 2. We are now on our fourth and last week in the season of the church year called Advent. Advent is a time of waiting. Do you know what we are waiting for? [Christmas, Jesus birth.] To help us count the days while we wait, we have used this Advent wreath. The wreath has four colored candles to help count down the weeks before Christmas, and this special white candle in the middle. Do you remember what the white candle in the middle symbolizes, or reminds us of? [Jesus.] 3. This is our fourth and last week in Advent. It is a week when we remember the peace that Jesus birth brings to the world. Let s light our fourth candle and say a prayer together. Lord, we wait for you. (echo) While we wait, we celebrate peace. (echo) Thank you for bringing peace to the world (echo) Through your son, Jesus. (echo) Amen. (echo). 13
Optional ongoing activity. You will need: Bible Book page (found at end of lesson) Cardstock or plain paper Three-hole punch Pens Markers or crayons Optional: three-ring binders Before class: 1. Make copies of this week s Bible Book page on cardstock or copy paper for each student. During class: 1. Pass out Bible Book pages. 2. Read the bottom of the Bible Book page aloud, reminding students of what they learned in the lesson. 3. Have them put their names on their pages, and draw a picture of something they particularly liked or remember from story in the middle of the page. 4. Optional: Collect and three-hole punch the pages, and put them in individual binders for each student to be kept at church until the end of the year. If you wish, you can investigate other options for binding the Bible books through a local print shop at the end of the year instead of using a three-ring binder. 14
As you say this final prayer, have small groups of students turn on their lights as you point to them. Jesus, welcome to our world! We are excited that you are here. Thank you for being the light of the world. Thank you for coming to be with us. Amen. 15
Activity Sheet #4-16.A Lesson #4-16 (PK-2nd) Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017 New Testament and Divisions Discover the different sections of the New Testament. 17
Activity Sheet #4-16.B Lesson #4-16 (PK-2nd) Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017 Jesus is the Light (Switch) Create a light switch cover to remember today s lesson. 19
Bible Book Lesson #4-16 (PK-2nd) Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017 God Dwells Among Us John 1:1-18 The Point: In the Word, God becomes human and lives among us, bringing life. 21
The Story @ Home PK-2 nd Living the Word: Teaching Kids God s Story Narrative Lectionary, Year 4 (2017-2018) Lesson #4-16 John 1:1-18 Last Week Through the prophet Isaiah, we hear about the promise of the Lord to always be with us. This Week This week concluded the study of God s presence among people with the story of God dwelling with the people from the beginning of time. Story Summary In the beginning of the Gospel of John, we see a different version of the Christmas story. This version brings the God coming to earth in the flesh into a larger scope, even referring back to the creation account in Genesis. Far from a humble baby in a manger, in this telling we see Jesus as one with God, connected from the very beginnings of time. God, through Jesus, not only comes into the world, but also has always been in relationship with the world. Practice: Fellowship Christmas is a wonderful time to discover the spiritual practice of fellowship. Christians around the world come together in churches to celebrate the birth of Christ. Families join together to share a meal and enjoy time together. People care for friend and stranger, sharing the magical joy of this season. This is a time to learn habits of fellowship that will carry throughout the year. As you worship together during this season, find someone you do not know and welcome them. Invite them to sit with your family. The Point In the Word, God becomes human and lives among us, bringing life. Bible Nuts & Bolts New Testament and Divisions Like the Old Testament, the books of the New Testament can be divided into sections based on theme. The New Testament contains 27 books that can be grouped into four categories. The first group is the Gospels of Matthew through John. After John is the book of The Acts of the Apostles, chronicling the early history of the church. Next are the Epistles, or letters. This section includes the books from Romans through Jude, and contains letters to the young churches. Finally, the Book of Revelation contains apocalyptic writing. Next Week Next week we join John the Baptist and the disciples at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus.
@ HOME Lesson #4-16 John 1:1-18 Family Discussions Use the questions below or other questions you think of to discuss today s Scripture reading (listed above) with your family. In what way does this text speak to our theme that God s Presence Brings Life? What does this scripture have to do with our lives today? What part of this scripture is the most interesting to you? Why? Family Devotions As you hear and study these stories each week, consider what God has to say to you and your family. What is God s message to us? How should we respond? Sunday Read John 1:1-18 God dwells among us. Gather and light some candles. Talk about what it means that Jesus is the Light. Monday Read Luke 2:1-20 The Savior brings life to all. Merry Christmas! Celebrate the holiday together. Pray a special prayer together around your tree if you have one. Tuesday Read Luke 2:21-38 Jesus is dedicated and named. Talk about the history behind your name. Wednesday Read Luke 2:41-52 Jesus as a boy in the temple. As a child, what is or was your favorite thing about going to church? Thursday Read Luke 1:5-25 The birth of John the Baptist is foretold. Talk about a time when you were waiting for someone to be born. What feelings did you have? What did you do to prepare? Friday Read Luke 1:57-66 John the Baptist is born. Using baby dolls, retell the story of John being born. Saturday Read Luke 1:67-80 The song of John s father, Zechariah. Roll up a piece of paper like a megaphone. Pretend you are John the Baptist, going ahead of Jesus and calling to prepare the way.