LEADERS HUB
Year 1, Term 4, Week 4: Ideas for Junior Group
Week 4: Jesus is here! - He is Born!
Lesson Objective:
Jesus was born to Mary in a stable in Bethlehem and lay down in a food trough. He was not a typical rich King but He was DEFINITELY the promised King!
Bible Passage:
2 Samuel 87:8-13 (Prophecy about the King) Luke 2:1-7, Matthew 1:18-23 (Birth of Jesus)
Memory Verse:
Luke 2:7 - She gave birth to her first-born Son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Story Idea: Kids Act it Out!
You will need:
- Kids costumes (Mary & Joseph - from the cupboard)
- Wrapped baby doll
- Manger (stored in roof)
Ask the kids if they remember last weeks lesson and prompt them to remember that an angel told Mary she was going to have a baby!
Have volounteers dress up as the characters, then tell the story, covering the main points and have the kids act along with you:
- Mary and Joseph were a young couple
- Mary was going to have a very special baby
- Mary's baby was going to be the king that God had promised to His people!
- Mary and Joseph had to walk a LOOOONNGGGG way (Mary and Joseph walk across room)
- They had to go back to their home town - Bethlehem - to be counted - and so did everybody else!
- When they got to Bethlehem, Mary was just about to have her baby
- There were lots and LOTS of people in Bethlehem and so there was no room for them to stay in the inn!
- Instead, Mary had her baby and put Him in an animal feed trough - called a manger - in a stable! (Mary put baby in manger)
- The prophets, Micah and Isaiah had said long ago that the new King would be born in Bethlehem - He would be the Saviour!
- Mary's baby was born in Bethlehem - just like they said!
- Mary's baby would be the Saviour!
- Mary's baby was the promised King, and they named Him Jesus!
- The Bible tells us that Jesus Kingdom will last forever and that we can be part of it!
Quiz Questions:
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1. Where did Mary and Joseph have to go? Bethlehem
2. Where did they lay baby Jesus? In a feed trough
3. Is a feed trough the place you expect to find a King? No
4. Do you think Jesus was just going to be a regular King or is He a special King? A special king
5. How long will Jesus' kingdom last? Forever
6. Does Jesus want us to be know Him and be part of His Kingdom? Yes
7. What do you think it means to know Jesus and be part of His Kingdom? To love and trust Him, to know that He loves us and died for us and to follow Him and pray to Him
8. What time of year do we celebrate the birth of Jesus? Christmas
Game Idea: Pass the Parcel
Before the lesson, wrap a small prize in several layers of newspaper or Christmas wrapping, including a small prize or lolly in each layer
- Have the kids sit in a circle
- Play some music and have the kids pass around the parcel
- When the music stops, whoever is holding the parcel unwraps a layer and takes the prize from that layer
- Continue until the final prize is unwrapped!
Remind the kids that we celebrate Jesus being born at Christmas. We give each other presents to remember that we have all been given the greatest present of all - Jesus and a chance to be part of His Kingdom!
Craft Idea: Jesus in a Manger
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Before the lesson:
- Download, print and cut out the Jesus body/faces (one per child)
- Gather paper bags, shredded yellow paper or yellow wool, wooden clothes pegs, colouring pencils, glue, and spare fabric
- Cut the fabric into small squares, enough to wrap Jesus in (see below for how)
Have the kids:
- Colour in their Jesus
- Glue Jesus to a peg
- Wrap Jesus in fabric square (Head goes on one of the corners, fold the bottom corner up, then the two horizontal corners across the body to cover the peg (young children will need help)
- Roll the paper bag down until a manger shape is formed (younger children will need help
- Fill the manger with 'straw'
- Place Jesus in the manger
Remind kids that Jesus was put in an animal feed trough, but He is the King of the world and His Kingdom will go forever!
Prayer Idea: Thank You Prayers
- Have the kids sit in a circle
- Go around the circle and have each child pray to thank God for the special gift of Jesus and for something else they can think of... (eg. Thank you God for sending Jesus and thank you for....)
