Theme: Celebrations

Bible Story: The birth of Jesus

Value: Trust in God’s promises

The birth of Jesus

In a little town called Bethlehem, something wonderful happened! Long ago, God promised to send a special gift to the world – His Son, Jesus. Mary and Joseph, who loved God very much, had to go to Bethlehem. The journey was long, and Mary was about to have her baby. But they trusted God to take care of them.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room for them to stay overnight. So, they stayed in a stable with sheep and cows and horses. That night, under the twinkling stars, Jesus was born! Mary wrapped Him in a soft cloth and laid Him in a manger, a cozy bed of straw.

Out in the fields, shepherds were watching their sheep. Suddenly, an angel appeared and said, “Don’t be afraid! I bring good news. Today, Jesus the Saviour was born!” The sky filled with angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest!”

The shepherds hurried to see the baby. When they found Jesus, they were so happy and told everyone that God’s promise had come true. Mary smiled, knowing she could always trust God’s promises. And that is how Jesus, the greatest gift, came to the world to bring love and hope for everyone.

(Luke 2:1-21)

 

  1. Opening

Have you ever received a very special gift? Tell me about it. How did you feel when you received it?

Today we will read about the greatest gift that God ever gave to all of us. Let’s read the Bible story.

 

  1. Discovery

Can you remember the story that you heard yesterday?

Yes, we talked about the birth of Jesus. Let’s read the Bible story again.

What is your favourite part of the story?

What do you see in the picture?

Are the people in the picture happy or sad?

 

  1. Retell

Can you tell me what happened in our story yesterday? (Ask leading questions and guide the child using the picture and story.)

What did the angel tell the shepherds about baby Jesus?

How did the shepherds feel when they heard the good news and saw Jesus?

When do you feel that way?

 

  1. Value

This week we’ve been talking about how God kept His promise that He would send a special gift to the world.

What special gift did God promise to us?

Yes, this special gift was Jesus. Jesus showed us how to love and gave us hope. We can always trust in God’s promises. He loves us and is always ready to help us.

What can God help you with today? Let’s pray about it together.

 

  1. Activity

In this week’s Bible story we talked about the promise that God made many years ago, and how that promise became true when Jesus was born. Now, let’s act out the birth of Jesus!

(Have the children act out the Bible story. Let some children play the part of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the angel.)