Lesson 5.2: Jesus s birth and the revelation to the shepherds (Luke 2:1-38) Episode 5 True heroes [Timing: 13:10 to end] Objective To reinforce the fact that Jesus was born in the humblest of circumstances. To deepen the children s understanding that God s message brought to us by Jesus should bring light and hope to everyone. Summary of resources required this lesson Friends and Heroes Episode 5 DVD player Sheep outline for each child (Printable Resources page 5) Cotton wool balls and glue Summary of Friends and Heroes story While Diana and the girls take the thief, Aaron, to the lighthouse, Macky and Samuel lead Aaron s brother, Caleb, to the place where Samuel s boat is hidden. Caleb tells Macky and Samuel about how he and his brother became pickpockets: When the governor killed Caleb and Aaron s parents, took their land, and left them with nothing, they started stealing to stay alive. Caleb tells Samuel that he and Aaron had no hope because they were so poor. But then Samuel tells him the story of some poor people who had hope when they heard the news that God s Son was born. After Caleb hears the story, he realises he can have hope too, without having to be a thief. Prepare yourself Remember to pray first! Watch Episode 5: Watch out for references, both verbal and visual, to light and dark. There are many of them. We will be picking up on these at the end of this lesson tying them into the idea that Jesus is the light of the world. We will also look at the idea that God gave the shepherds signs, in order to find Jesus. Although not specifically mentioned in this lesson, it is worth noting, when watching the episode, that Simeon was looking for a sign of God intervening in the world to make it a better place; and when he saw the baby Jesus, he knew that he had found it. 1
Starting off Game: Follow the signs Materials DVD player and Friends and Heroes Episode 5 Watch the second part of Episode 5 together, from when Leah spots the lighthouse, shortly after the Gideon story, until the end (start point = 13:10). Afterwards ask your children to remember the story of Jesus s birth and the shepherds. Ask them: What were the shepherds told so that they knew how to find the baby Jesus? Answer: he would be in Bethlehem, wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger Now, tell everyone that we are going to play a game, where we have to describe something about someone (or something) in the room, so that everyone else can identify him, her or it. But we have to do it in as few words as we can manage (for instance, wearing red shoes, sitting next to a table or with pink polka dots, under a light switch ). Let everyone have a go if you have time. Afterwards, ask the children what things helped the most in finding the right answers in this game. Answer things that were very particular about the person or thing in question. Then ask them: What do you think really helped the shepherds know that they had found the right baby? Although there were a number of distinctive things, the thing that was really unusual, was that Jesus was lying in a manger. Explain what a manger is. Point out that things must have been really tough for Mary and Joseph, if all they could manage to find as a bed for their baby was an animals feeding trough. Here was someone, whom the whole world would later find out was the Son of God, lying in the poorest of circumstances. He could have come into the world in any way he wanted, but he chose the humblest most basic place. Jesus came to talk to everyone, not just the rich, famous and successful. He came to give us all absolutely everyone the message of God s love. 2
In deeper Craft: The shepherds and their sheep Materials Sheep outline for each child (Printable Resources page 5) Cotton wool balls and glue Let the children make a fluffy sheep picture, using the sheep outline, cotton wool balls and glue. During and/or afterwards, explain that when Jesus was born, people thought shepherds were very unimportant. They didn t think looking after sheep was a great job at all. But even though people didn t have much time and respect for shepherds, God loved them, and saw them as valuable. He even decided that they would be the first people who would hear about Jesus s birth. Then ask the children to imagine how the shepherds felt. To help them do this, ask your group the following questions: How does it feel when you re the first person picked for something? How does it feel when you get picked last? The shepherds must have felt really special. This is the amazing thing about the birth of Jesus: it is for everyone. It doesn t matter how insignificant others might consider us to be, God knows we are important, and he loves us. When we recognise this, we can be positive about our lives. We can be positive about the way we live with, and treat, other people. This is why in the Friends and Heroes episode, Caleb realises he has been treating people wrongly by stealing from them. He recognises that, if God values others, we should value them too and not treat them nastily. He is also starting to realise that, despite his poor background, he is someone who God values and loves too; and with God s help he can lead his life in a far more positive way than he has done before. In the end he helps Macky by giving him a torch flame, so that Macky can create more light for the people on the fishing boats who would probably have crashed into rocks otherwise. We have a song about Jesus s birth and the Revelation to the Shepherds called He chose the Shepherds. You can add music and Song Time activities to your lesson using our music CD, What about Love?: Bible songs inspired by Friends and Heroes Series 1. Click here to learn more: /songtime 3
Prayer time Materials DVD player and Friends and Heroes Episode 5 Tell your children that Jesus is sometimes called the light of the world. This is because he came to the earth and showed us how we should treat one another. Without him doing this, many of us would not see how to treat other people well and properly. We would be living in the dark in a way. Darkness and light are big features in this particular episode. Go to the Extras menu, and play the stills for this episode. Tell the children to call out light every time they see a picture with flames or light in it. Then pray the following prayer (or similar): Dear Heavenly Father Long ago you sent your only son, Jesus, to be the light of the world. He came so that we could see how to treat one another properly. He came so that we could learn that everyone is important. It doesn t matter how rich or poor people are. It doesn t matter whether they do what we think is an important job, or an unimportant job. Everyone is a human being just like ourselves. You value everyone; and we should value everyone too. Help us to recognise this. Help us to walk in the light, and not in the dark. Amen 4
5 Printable Resources Lesson 5.2 Woolly Sheep I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me. John 10:14 [New Living Translation]
Extra, extra! Lesson 5.2 Jesus, hope for everyone Do you remember after I told Caleb about the baby Jesus, I told him about a man called Simeon too? In the passage below from the Bible about Simeon s story, some words have been missed out. See if you can unscramble them to complete the story. Simeon had waited a very long time for a sign that God s new way was coming! Simeon at the Temple At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named 1. (mosien). He was righteous and devout and was eagerly 2. (niwigta) for the 3. (siheasm) to come and rescue 4. (slaler). The Holy 5. (isrtpi) was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not 6. (ide) until he had seen the Lord s 7. (saemsih). That day the Spirit led him to the 8. (elptme). So when Mary and 9. (ospjeh) came to present the baby 10. (esjus) to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the 11. (hchlid) i his arms and praised God, saying, Soveriegn Lord, now let your servant die in 12. promised. (ceepa), as you have I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all 13. (eepplo) He is a light to reveal God to the 14. (tinnaos), and he is the 15. (rolgy) of your people Israel! Luke 2: 25-32 [New Living Translation] Answers: 1. Simeon 2. waiting 3. Messiah 4. Israel 5. Spirit 6. die 7. Messiah 8. Temple 9. Joseph 10. Jesus 11. child 12. peace 13. people 14. nations 15. glory