Children s Christmas Resources 2016 Week Three Star of Bethlehem

Transcription

1 Children s Message Star of Bethlehem For this message you will need: A Christmas Tree with a star on the top A mobile phone A laptop or ipad loaded with Facebook. A Herald Sun newspaper open to the classified section. SCRIPT: I wonder if you had good news to share how you would announce it. How do you share with your family and friends when something good has happened? (Encourage feedback from congregation.) Yes, you may ring (show mobile phone) your Grandparents, Aunties and Uncles and share the good news that you won the best and fairest trophy in the basketball team or you became School Captain. If you are any adult, you may ring a friend and tell them how much weight you have lost on your special diet or how you have won a trip for two to Hawaii! It may be that you have bought a new dog or you have finished school for the year! Sometimes we share good news on social media (hold up laptop/ipad), like Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. We love to share our news with our friends and become encouraged when they comment back or like our status. (At this stage you may wish to read out a funny good news message you have seen on social media) When you are born your parents may have placed an announcement in the paper for the world to see the good news that you are born and when a couple announces that they are getting married they sometimes place an announcement in the paper telling the world that they intend to get married. (hold up the newspaper) So there are many ways of sharing good news. I wonder if you have your Christmas tree up at home yet? Do you have a star on top of the tree? I know in some families they take turns each year in putting the star on top of the tree. Does this happen in your house? Who usually gets to put the star on top of the tree? I wonder how God announced the birth of Baby Jesus. Yes, there were angels announcing the good news but the way we want to focus on today is the star that God used to announce the birth of Jesus and to direct the Wise men to find Jesus. The Christmas Star on top of the tree represents the announcement and coming of the King Baby Jesus and that is why it is placed high on top of the tree. I wonder who your favourite movie star or rock star is. When people become well known or famous from being in a movie or singing a hit song they become a star. People know about them and we often hear about them in the news or in magazines. 1 of 5

2 Jesus is the biggest star of all because he is the light of the world. His light shines in the world and in our lives just like a star shines in the dark sky. He doesn t need to star in a movie or have a hit song to shine as a star. He shines his light to the world. If we follow Jesus who is the greatest star of all, He will guide us back to God. Jesus is the link to God. Jesus is the one who came as a baby and then as an adult died on the cross to bridge the gap between us and God. Jesus took the punishment for all the things that humanity does against God. He is the star who can guide us back to God So this Christmas when you see a star on top of a Christmas tree think about how God sent the star to guide the wise men to baby Jesus and how remind yourself that God sent Jesus, the best star of all to earth as a baby and how that special baby can lead us back to God. 2 of 5

3 Children s Activity: For this activity you will need: Newspapers to show the children example birth notices or you could print out a couple of examples of birth notices from the internet. Cardstock or paper Textas Together look up the scripture Numbers 24:17. It says, What I saw in my vision hasn t happened yet. But someday, a king of Israel will appear like a star. (CEV) Explain to the kids that this is what we call a prophecy about Jesus. Explain that is not to say Jesus is an actual star, but rather a star that will light the darkness of humankind with the light of God. Emphasis what was said during the story about the fact that the Christmas story has two stars the star that leads the wise men to Jesus and the real star of Bethlehem who is Jesus. Ask: If we wanted to announce to our friends and family that Christmas is all about the birth of King Baby Jesus, what would be a good way of doing this? Explain that today we are going to look at two ways that perhaps we could do this in a fun way. Birth Announcements Activity 1: Place the children into pairs or small groups and have each group write an announcement for the arrival of Baby Jesus. Most children would hear recess or lunch time announcements at school. Encourage the kids to write the announcement as they would hear it over the loud speaker at school. Encourage some creativity. Give each group 10 minutes to work or their announcements and then spend time listening to each groups announcement altogether. Encourage the kids to make this announcement to their family on Christmas morning. Activity 2: Make a birth announcement for Baby Jesus to hang on the kid s Christmas tree at home. Cut the cardboard into a shape of a large star. Write the details of the birth of Baby Jesus. It s a boy! God is proud to announce the birth of his son Jesus Born in Bethlehem in the town of David. Thanks to the Inn keeper for providing a stable. Draw a picture of Baby Jesus in the manger. 3 of 5

4 The kid s may want to add their own touch of personal thoughts to the announcement such as: Mother is doing well! Come to save the world! Glory in the highest. Mary and Joseph are delighted. He is the star that can guide us back to God. Encourage the kids to hand their announcement on their tree at home or to send it to a friend or family member who needs to learn more about Jesus. Finish by praying together that He would give each one of us courage to announce to our family and friends the true meaning about Christmas the birth of Jesus. 4 of 5

5 Print out the following Home and Beyond activity for each child to take home and do with their family. 5 of 5