THE BIRTHDAY

WELCOME TO WEEK 2

Have you ever seen a newborn baby? It’s a very exciting time. Everyone is anxious to meet and hold a new baby. When Jesus was born, his parents were even more excited because they knew He would be the long awaited Messiah. We can also celebrate Jesus’ birth, his life, his death and his resurrection. We can live with him forever because He came as the lamb who was slain for our sins.

Luke 2:1-7; Isaiah 9:6-7

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

SONG OF THE WEEK

BIBLE STORY

When parents are having a new baby, they often think for a long time about the name they will give the baby. Baby names often have a significance and mean something special to the parents. Listen to the following names and pick what you think the baby name means.

Hannah….. grace of God, fruit (grace of God)
Michael… Who is like God, like man (who is like God)
Aaron… enlightened, dreamer (enlightened)
Lydia… scared, beauty (beauty)
Samson… like the sun, small (like the sun)
Levi… harmony, discord (harmony)
Esther… lonely, star (star)

Mary and Joseph were told their baby would be named Jesus, because He would save his people from their sins. When baby Jesus arrived Mary and Joseph were excited. Jesus was not born in a palace or to parents who had great authority in their community, but He was born in a lowly stable with animals. This week we will see that we can celebrate Jesus’ birth because God sent him as our Savior. The king of the Universe came to live among men.

Read or listen to the scripture story in Luke 2:1-7

What did Ceasar Augustus want to be taken? (A census)
What is a census? (A count of all the people)
Where did every person have to go? (To their own town to register)
Why did Joseph need to go to Bethlehem? (He went to Bethlehem the town of David because He was of the house of David)
When was the baby born? (The baby was born while they were in Bethlehem.)
What was the problem they faced while in Bethlehem? (Every guest room was full and they had not place to stay)
Where did they place the baby? (In a manger)

additional video

Additional video

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

Jesus is our gift of salvation. We can not earn it by doing good works or earning enough points. God has given us this gift for free, we just need to accept it! Jesus came as a baby to dwell among men. We can celebrate Jesus birth because it means more than just an ordinary birthday, but a part of the fulfillment of God’s plan for our salvation.

Activity

We can celebrate Jesus’ birth by serving others. A fun family activity your family can participate in throughout the Christmas is by making a kindness link chain. Cut out strips of green and red paper and create a link chain from the completed service activities. There are two ways to complete the service chain. One way is to write the suggested service activities on the strips and then create the linked chain. Each time your family or family member completes a service activity, take off a chain link. The second way to complete this activity is to write each of the suggested service activities on the strips and keep them in a container. As the family or family member completes the activity, add it to the link chain. At the end of the Christmas season you will have a long Christmas chain link that you can hang and remember the acts of service your family did together. Example: Christmas Kindness Countdown Chain

suggested activities

Materials: Suggested service activities, red and green construction paper cut into strips, glue or decorative tape

Alternate

Angels delivered special messages to God’s people, telling them what God planned for them. Some people responded in faith, some asked questions and some doubted. Complete the following activity sheet by reading what the angel messenger said and draw a line to who the angel was talking to and their response. If you get stuck, use the verses listed.

Angel messages

Materials: printed activity sheet, pencil, bible

create activity:

Angels were messengers of God, sending His words to His people. We can send special messages about God’s love to those around us. Make Christmas cards that have messages from God. Some examples may be: “The Lord is with you!” “Hope in God’s promises” “Jesus came to earth because he loves us” “Jesus brings hope to those who are sad”.

Materials: Construction paper, pencil and pens, craft supplies such as glue, crayons, markers, decorative tape, yarn, stickers

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Jesus was born in a stable and placed in a manger. Create a popsicle stick stable scene.

craft example

Materials: popsicle/craft sticks, glue, construction paper,

Craft 2

coloring page

Coloring page

Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons

FOLLOW-UP

Sometimes time feels like it is moving really slow and other times it seems as though time is moving very quickly. Do the following activities and record the amount of time it takes to do each one.

-Pouring ketchup from a glass bottle
-Run around the outside of your house
-Watch the second hand of a clock go around once
-Sing one verse of your favorite song
-Bring a kettle of water to a boil
-Count 100 grains of sugar

Some things actually take a long time to do and some things simply feel like they take a long time to happen. Waiting to pour a tablespoon of ketchup from a bottle or counting 100 grains of sugar can feel like it takes forever. Singing a verse of your favorite song may not seem to take as long.

Read Isaiah 9:6-7. Isaiah is speaking to a people who were waiting for a savior to come because God promised it. They had waited for generations in expectation that He would rule over everything and establish a kingdom on earth, right then. Jesus came as a baby to one day die on the cross for humanity so that all who believed can live with him for eternity. He started from humble beginnings of being born in a manger, to dying and being resurrected, and then taken to heaven. No ordinary person could do such a thing. Isaiah describes Jesus as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus’ birth was no ordinary birth because He was the long awaited Savior of the world. We can celebrate Jesus birth, because His birth was the part of God’s plan for our salvation.

Practical Application at Home

Remembering Jesus’ birth means that we remember he grew up, preached the gospel, died for our sins, and then conquered death by rising from the dead. Jesus birth means God fulfilled His promise of making a way for salvation from our sins.

Jesus’ birth helps us remember the real reason for celebrating, God gave His son to die for our sins. Jesus is our means for salvation. Complete the following activity sheet or complete the following statements with your thoughts.