Jesus is the Star!

Remind children that just like they get to feel like a star on their own birthdays, Jesus is the star of His birthday - Christmas!  In fact, the Bible even calls Him the Bright Morning Star!  Hold up a star-shaped ornament.  Ask students how many points are on the star.  There are 5 points.  Pass around the star and as each student holds it, instruct them to say 5 things they love about Jesus.  On His birthday and every day, what Jesus wants from us is our praise and our worship.

The Artist, the Model, and the Clay

Supplies Needed:

modeling clay

various objects that would be simple for the kids to use as models 

What to do:

Place various objects on the table and instruct students to use them as models for shaping clay to look the same.  Say, “You tried to make your clay look just like the model.  The Holy Spirit does the same thing.  He is like the artist.  You are like the clay.  Jesus is the model.  The Holy Spirit molds us to look like Jesus.”

Scripture References:  1 John 4:17,  Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-10

My Father's Business

Supplies Needed:                                                                   

magnets

metal items

Read story of the boy Jesus teaching in the temple from Luke 2: 41-52.

Ask, "What was Jesus’ response to His mother’s question once they found Him?”  I MUST be where My Father’s work is. “Some Bibles say, ‘My Father’s house or My Father’s business, but the actual Greek translation is this:  ‘Didn’t you know that I had to be about My Father?’  (Hold up magnet and demonstrate the following illustration while explaining) “Just like metal cannot resist a magnet, Jesus could not resist being in His Father’s presence.  He was drawn to Him just like the metal is drawn to the magnet.  Our Father longs for us to be about Him too.  He longs to spend time with us, to tell us His secrets, to show us His will, to open our faith eyes to see the Kingdom...He longs for us to hear Him, trust Him, and obey Him.  Let’s see what He wants to tell us or show us right now, then let’s trust whatever He says or shows, then follow through by obeying whatever He tells us or shows us.”  

Spend some quiet time just seeking The Father's heart and listening to what He says.


What are your suggestions for this story?

Mirror Game

Play similarly to Follow the Leader, except instead of following one another around the room, stay in one place and strike various poses, which the students must copy or mirror.  After awhile, choose a student to be the one the other students copy.  Continue until everyone who wants a turn leading has had one.  

Say to students, “You know, playing this game reminds me of what today’s lesson is about.  Just like we only did what we saw the leader doing, Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing.”

Scripture References:  John 5, 8, 14, 20


Your ideas???

Show and Tell

Send a note home or email parents ahead of time to inform them that you will be having show and tell at church.

Give students a chance to show and tell about whatever they brought with them, then say to them,

“Did you know that Jesus liked Show & Tell too?  He taught about the Kingdom of Heaven, then He showed everyone what it was like by bringing Heaven to earth with miracles.  He has given us the keys to do the same!”

Teach about some of Jesus' miracles and/or what He has given us the authority to do in His Name.

Scripture References:  Matthew 9, 10


Your suggestions???

Keys to the Kingdom 1

Supplies Needed:

Perfection Game

Large Key

Play a few rounds of Perfection.  Students try to get all the shape pieces in their correct places before the timer runs out and they all pop out of place!  Say to children, “These pieces remind me of how a key works.  Each piece would only fit into its correct place.  A key will only fit into the lock it was designed to fit into.” Show students the large key.  “Jesus gave us some keys that will fit into a most special place.  Does anyone know where that place is?”  Heaven!

 “Today we will learn about the Keys to the Kingdom and how we can use them to bring Heaven to earth.  Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me.  Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of Heaven belongs to people who are like these children.’  As children, you hold a special place in Jesus’ heart and He has some special keys for you.”  Scripture references:  Matthew 16, 19, Mark 10, Luke 18 


Jesus blessing the children is one of my favorite Bible stories!  I'd love to hear your suggestions for this story.

Jesus Concealed & Revealed

This is a good object lesson to use when teaching about Jesus and His followers on the road to Emmaus.

Play a game where you have several objects covered with cloths.  Give the students clues about one of the objects and have them try to guess what the object is.  For example if you have a pencil under the cloth, you might use clues such as:  It is long and skinny...It is yellow...It is pointy on one end...It is a school supply...

Whichever student guesses correctly first gets to peek at the next object and offer clues for the other students to guess the object.  

Explain to the students that first the objects were hidden or concealed under the cloths, but the clues given helped them figure out what was under the cloth.  When you lifted the cloth, you revealed what was underneath.

Read the story of the road to Emmaus from Luke 24 to students.  Emphasize that verse 27 says that Jesus taught them all about HIMSELF starting with Moses and going all the way through the Old Testament.  That means the books Moses wrote (Genesis through Deuteronomy) and all the rest of the Old Testament all point to Jesus. He was in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed. Ask students if they have you ever watched the TV show  Extreme Makeover Home Edition.  They send the family on vacation while they build them a new house, then when the family comes home, they park the giant bus in front of the new house, so the family can’t see it.  When the family gets out of the car, everyone yells, “Move that bus!” then their new house, which was concealed before is now revealed for them to see. 

This is a good way to introduce various ways the Old Testament points to Jesus and the new covenant of Grace.

What activities do you have that teach how the whole Bible points to Jesus?