December 20, 2015 Bible Passage: Luke 2:8 20 (The Birth of Jesus) Jesus Is The Promise REMEMBER VERSE LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 LESSON OVERVIEW Welcome Explore Discover Connect Enjoy Bless 1
Inspire As my hands hold my growing stomach, I imagine what it will be like in a few short months to cradle my baby girl in my arms. I am full of awe and delight with every movement she makes inside of me. I always knew I wanted to be a mother. When I was a little girl, I would play with my dolls and dream of the day when I would have my own child. I felt that God created me to be a mother and made a promise to me at a young age that my dream would one day come true. As I wait for my promise to be fulfilled, I embrace this time of waiting. I count down the moments until I ll finally see her face. During this time of anticipation, I think of God s people as they waited for the Messiah. Hundreds of years they waited after God made a promise that He would send them a Redeemer. Prophets predicted His coming, including where He would be born and what He would be named. They waited until finally, Jesus was born the fulfillment of God s promise. Jesus was not only The Promise to God s people then, He is The Promise to the world now. He is the Savior of the world, the One who will make all things right. The Bible foretold His coming, and we now wait for another promise to be fulfilled His return when we can be with Him forever. Rae Lynn Lott ROCKHARBOR Church Equip Just as we wait for Christ s glorious return, God s people patiently awaited His first arrival. The birth of Jesus was incredibly humble, especially for the arrival of a king. His first entrance into this world was much different than people had anticipated. He was placed in a manger, a feeding trough for animals (Luke 2:7), in the stable of a home in an inconsequential town called Bethlehem. The announcement of the birth of the Messiah was first made to shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks (v. 8). Shepherds, who were typically teenage boys, were among the lowest class of people in Israel. This was a unique audience for the announcement of the King s arrival. Yet these were the people God chose to be the first to hear of the birth of His Son. When an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, an announcement of good news for all people was given. God s long-awaited and promised Messiah had been born (v. 11). Jesus came not for the religious or the wealthy alone, but to redeem all of mankind. The birth of Christ was a fulfillment of God s promise throughout history. He first made the promise to send a Redeemer in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). He later confirmed His promise by sparing Noah and his family and making a covenant with him (Genesis 6:18). Through Abraham s lineage, God promised the entire world would be blessed (Genesis 22:15 18). Jesus birth marked the beginning of the fulfillment of God s promises to His people to rescue and redeem them back to Himself. Jesus was God s promise fulfilled. Through Him, all people can experience a restored relationship with God. It s because of Christ that we re able to take part in God s epic story. Because of Christ, we re able to play a part in God s story with mankind, His great story of redemption and love. Did You Know At this time in history, sheep that were used for temple sacrifices were kept in the fields outside of Bethlehem. The work of the shepherds was doubled at night, due to the increased threat of thieves and other predators. The shepherds senses would have been on high alert as they were keeping watch over their flocks at night (Luke 2:8). It s interesting to note that God announced to these particular shepherds, those guarding the temple flocks, the birth of His Son, who would later be the sacrificial Lamb bringing about the forgiveness of sins and redemption for all mankind. 2
Further Resources Arnold, Clinton E., ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, vol. 1 (Matthew, Mark, Luke). Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Guzik, David. Study Guide for Luke 2. Enduring Word. Blue Letter Bible. 7 Jul 2006. 2011. 22 Sep 2011. (www.blueletterbible.org) Holman Christian Standard Bible, Commentary. 2004. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers. Anthony, Michelle. 2010. The Big God Story. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook. Remember Verse Motions Inspired by American Sign Language; demonstrated at www.signingsavvy.com and www.commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb /browser.htm Support The birth of Jesus is epic and inspiring. It brings a message of hope for all mankind. His arrival represents the longing and waiting for God s promised Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise to God s people, and He is the fulfillment of the promise to all of mankind. Spend some time this week thinking about the Christmas story. Ask God to reveal the awe and wonder of the birth of Jesus to you in a fresh way. Pray that He ll give you new eyes and new ears for this story. Then ask yourself: How has the birth of Jesus affected my life? How has Christmas changed who I am and the part I play in The Big God Story? Little star of Bethlehem! Do we see Thee now? Do we see Thee shining O er the tall trees? Little Child of Bethlehem! Do we hear thee in our hearts? Hear the Angels singing: Peace on earth, good will to men! Noel! O er the cradle of a King, Hear the Angels sing: In Excelsis Gloria, Gloria! From his Father s home on high, Lo! for us He came to die; Hear the Angels sing: Venite adoremus Dominum. A Christmas Carol, words and music by Charles Ives, 1894 3
Lesson Overview Follow the red times for 9:00 Service Follow the blue times for 11:30 Service Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare Explore:: (Homeroom) 9:00 11:30 ROTATIONS:: 9:10 9:53 Discover:: (Room 105) Exploration stations create space for children to engage in hands-on activities as they begin their time of worship. Coloring Animals --------------------------------------------------- Transition Song: The Cleanup Song Kids will rotate through stations as follows: 9:10 9:23 9:25 9:38 9:40 9:53 Butterflies Enjoy (110) Discover (105) Connect (104) Caterpillars Discover (105) Connect (104) Enjoy (110) Fireflies Connect (104) Enjoy (110) Discover (105) 11:45 Facilitate interactive games, songs, and storytelling, allowing children to participate in discovering God s Word and to create space for children to celebrate God together in worship through music. Welcome Bible TruBlessings Theme Song The Big God Story Storytelling Jacket Story Pockets: Song of Celebration Enjoy:: (Room 110) Connect:: (Room 104) 12:05 Enjoy building relationships with the kids during this time intended for a snack break, restrooms and free play or video clip. 12:15 Games, songs, manipulatives, sensory and art activities are used to help children reinforce what they experienced in Discover. snack connect blanket (every week for giving instructions and connecting before beginning the activity) Bless:: (Homeroom) 9:55 12:25 Dismiss: 10:00 12:30 Read a blessing over the children that they may experience God fully. Be ready for parents to pick up kids Baby Jesus in A Manger Bible (for the blessing) 4
Explore Exploration stations create space for children to engage in hands-on activities as they begin their time of worship. This time is designed for all the children to explore activities set up around a table. There should be enough activities set up to involve all the children. If various options are listed you may want to have children rotate or float between options. Prepare children to move into a time of rotations where they can participate in discovering God s Word through storytelling, worship, and interactive experiences, as well as connect activities and a snack break. Station 1 :Animals at the Stable Coloring Page/Activity Engage: The children can color the animals, then take them home with the help of parents, they can cut out their animals and stand them around Baby Jesus, which they will make in Connect Time. Transition Song: The Cleanup Song 5
Discover Children participate in discovering God s Word through storytelling, worship, and interactive experiences and respond to God in worship through music. Upon entering the room, have each child choose a story spot and place it where they want to sit and then sit down. At the close of your time together in The Big God Story, encourage children to return their Story Spots to their original location. WELCOME Hi, kids! Welcome! I am so excited to be here with you today. Let s all celebrate God by singing and dancing together! (Play the TruBlessings Theme Song and lead kids in dance and celebration.) Wow! That was great! Now everyone, take a seat it s time to hear part of The Big God Story! Let me put on my storytelling jacket and see if we can find a clue to our Big God Story in one of my pockets. Start checking pockets and pull out this week s clue. Ponder Point: Jesus Is The Promise Story Jacket > Story Pocket: Star The night sky conveyed the news of Jesus birth to all. Shepherds saw and heard the angel s proclamation in the night sky. God also placed a moving star in the sky. The wise men from the east saw this star and followed it until they found Jesus. When they found Him, they brought gifts and worshipped Jesus. God used the night sky to proclaim to all people, Jewish and Gentile, that the Messiah had come. The star can help us to remember that Jesus is The Promise fulfilled. Through Him salvation has come for all of mankind. DISCOVER QUESTIONS (Child s name), what do you see in the wardrobe? Engage the other children by asking: Where do we usually find stars? Why do you think there s a star in the wardrobe today? You have great ideas! Well, let s find out how the star fits into today s portion of The Big God Story. Do you know what time it is? Let s all stand up and sing our Bible Song together. Bible Song (sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb ) Now it s time to hear God s Word Hear God s Word Hear God s Word Now it s time to hear God s Word So let s look in the Bible As the song ends, have the children return to their Story Spots. 6
The Big God Story 20 min Luke 2:8 20 Storytelling Technique: Images, Sound Effects, Actors Preschool 2.3 SUPPLIES images: #1 Creation a, #2 Creation b, #3 Prophet, #4 Joseph feeds, #5 Exodus and Moses, #6 Silence, #7 Angel and Mary, #8 Earth, #9 Mary, #10 Traveling, #11 Innkeeper, #12 Stable, #13 Mary with baby Jesus, #14 Shepherds field, #15 Shepherds angel, #16 Multitude of angels, #17 Shepherds tell, #18 Wise men travel, #19 Star stops (see tru.davidccook.com) God made the world. He made everything in it. (show image #1 Creation a.) He made the earth and sea, the land and trees, the sun, moon, and every star in the sky. He also made people. (show image #2 Creation b.) God loved the people He made so very much. When they chose to disobey His words, everything changed. The people weren t able to have a close friendship with the living God the way they had before. Life became hard. But God had a plan. He promised to send someone to save them a Savior. The Savior would make a way for people to be with God forever and ever. The people God made began to wait for the promised Savior. God was with His people while they waited. He sent them prophets to remind them to trust and obey His words. (Show image #3 Prophet.) When the people were hungry and didn t have any food, God provided ways for them to be fed. (show image #4 Joseph feeds.) When the people prayed to God for help, He heard His people and answered their prayers. Show image #5 Exodus and Moses.) He even gave them a beautiful land as their home. The Lord God was with His people. He never left them, not for one minute. God loved the people He had made. He was always thinking about the promise He made to send a Savior. So, God reminded the people many times of His promise. The people continued to wait. (show image #6 Silence.) After many years, it was time. God sent an angel to a young woman named Mary (Show image #7 Angel and Mary), and then to her husband-to-be, Joseph. The angel told them that Mary was going to have a baby. The Holy Spirit of God was going to give them a baby and they were to name Him Jesus. Then something amazing happened. The almighty and powerful God, the One who made the entire world and everything in it, decided to come to earth and become like one of us. (Tech: Cue image #8 Earth.) So God the Father sent His Son to be born as a baby. Mary carried the baby inside of her for many months. (Tech: Cue image #9 Mary.) When she was almost ready to have the baby, Mary and Joseph traveled to their hometown of Bethlehem. (Tech: Cue image #10 Traveling.) You see, the most important leader in the land had made a law. (Tech: Cue sound effect Trumpet.) He wanted to know how many people lived in his land, so he told them to go home so he could count them. While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby. (Tech: Cue image #11 Innkeeper.) Joseph looked for a place for them to spend the night. But there were so many people in town there wasn t room anywhere. Well, there was one place (Tech: Cue image #12 Stable.): There was room for them in a stable. (Tech: Cue sound effect Animal/barnyard.) Mary and Joseph made their way to the stable. It wasn t long until Mary had the baby God s Son. (Tech: Cue image #13 Mary with baby Jesus.) She wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough, or manger. (Tech: Cue sound effect Night field and image #14 Shepherds field.): There were shepherds in a nearby field that 7
night, watching over their flock. An angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. (Tech: Cue image #15 Shepherds angel.) They were terrified. Don t be afraid, the angel said to them. Look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in a cloth and lying in a feeding trough. HE IS HERE! THE PROMISE OF GOD HAS COME! Jesus is the promised Savior! God came to earth as a baby, and His name is Jesus! Jesus is The Promise! (Tech: Cue image #16 Multitude of angels.): Suddenly, more angels appeared and stood with the first angel. There were more angels than the shepherds could count. They began praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors! After the angels left and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let s go straight to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us. They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. (Tech: Cue image #17 Shepherds tell.) After seeing them, the shepherds left and told everyone they could find. When people heard the news, they were amazed. The Promise was here! Jesus is the promised Savior! God used more than angels to announce Jesus birth. He also used the stars in the sky. Friends, do you know what that means? That s right! We ve found our What sit in this part of The Big God Story. What was the What sit today? (Children answer.) It s a star, that s right. You see, God also announced the birth of Jesus by placing a star in the sky. And it wasn t just any star. This star moved. There were some men, called wise men, who lived in a land far from Bethlehem. (Tech: Cue image #18 Wise men travel.) When they saw the star in the sky, they knew there was something very special about it. The wise men believed that this star was announcing the birth of a very special king. And they were right! So, they packed their bags and traveled for many miles, following the star. Finally, the star stopped. The men stopped when the star stopped. (Tech: Cue image #19 Star stops.) It rested right above the house where Jesus was living. When they saw this, they were full of joy. When the men walked into the house, they saw Jesus with Mary and they fell to their knees before Him, worshipping Him. Then, they gave their treasures as gifts to Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. God made a promise in the very beginning that He would send a Savior. When the time was right, God came to earth as a baby. Jesus is The Promise. He came to earth to make a way for all people to be with God forever and ever. When we choose to trust and obey Jesus, we get to follow Him our entire life forever and ever! Jesus is the way that we play a special part in God s story, The Big God Story. 8
Connect Create: Plate pocket Manger ENGAGE Welcome children to the CREATE Station and gather in a circle on the floor or around the table. Place the bin of instruments in the center of the circle. Today in The Big God Story, we heard how God sent an angel of the Lord to tell the shepherds that Jesus was born. We are going to make a manger bed for the baby Jesus today. Supplies Needed: Baby Jesus (one per child) Manger (one per child) Crayons Tape Shredded paper, for hay Have Kids color baby Jesus. Front and Back have them fold arms down (see Picture on next page) Have Kids put their name on the bottom of the manger Have the kids grab some shredded paper for hay, and put it in the manger. Wonder Questions In the very beginning of time, God had a plan to save His people. He continued to remind the people of His promise to make the way for them to be with Him forever and ever. We know that God always keeps His promises. The night Jesus was born, The Promise came to earth for all people. I wonder How did the angels feel when Jesus came to earth? I wonder What did the shepherds think when they saw the angels? I wonder How did Mary and Joseph feel when shepherds and wise men came to worship Jesus? I wonder Who else came to visit Jesus and His family? I wonder How does this part of The Big God Story make me feel? I wonder What promises has God given us today? 9
Enjoy Enjoy building relationships with the kids during this time intended for a snack break, restrooms and free play or video clip. Ensure that each child: Receives a small snack/drink Uses the restroom Has a little time to play and build friendships with you and the other children 10
Bless This time is set aside for leaders to spend a few moments blessing the children. A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement and guidance. We can offer a blessing in order to ask God s Spirit to overflow from the child s life in such a way that blesses others, while we can also pray a blessing over a child for the purpose of declaring God s protection, joy, or wisdom. Have the children place their hands out in front of themselves palms up. This is a posture that demonstrates an expectancy in receiving what God has for them. Close your time with a prayer of blessing over the children. SUPPLIES Megaphone For many, many years, God promised to redeem, or save, His people. He promised to make the way for us to be with Him forever and ever. His promise came true in the love of Jesus Christ. God s promise is real for us today. He has given us hope for our future that we can live forever with Him. As you gather the children in your small group, show them the megaphone and ask them what it is. Talk about how a megaphone makes a voice louder and how we can be loud when we celebrate Jesus! Use the megaphone to amplify your blessing to the children. Consider letting kids use the megaphone to amplify their voices while repeating their Remember Verse. Read this verse from 2 Peter 3:13 over the children as a blessing of God s new promise: But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. May you always remember that Jesus is The Promise and that He has made the way for you to be with Him forever and ever. LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God s Word together before children arrive at church. 11