Lesson 3 – The Angel and Joseph
Christmas Theme:
OVERVIEW
Key Point: ] Jesus’ names represent who He is.
Bible Story: An angel appears to Joseph
Bible Reference: Matthew 1:20-21
Challenge Verse: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
Younger option: “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
ITEMS NEEDED
Signs that say: Mary, Joseph, and the Angel.
Enough Christmas color sheets for each student. (These color sheets can be taken from any Christian Christmas coloring book that gives you permission to copy.)
A Christmas Ornament for each child—These can be bought or made out of salt dough using the following recipe:
Mix two cups of flour, one cup of salt and one cup of water.
Roll the dough out. Use cookie cutters to create shapes. You can also cut out circles and have your children put their handprints inside. Be sure to poke a small hole at the top from which it will hang. Then bake your creations at 350 degrees for 30 minutes for every ¼ inch of thickness.
Washable markers with which to color the Christmas Ornament (for K-2nd classes only)
Washable paints with which to paint the Christmas Ornament (for 3rd-5th classes only)
Sturdy plates (for 3rd-5th classes only)
Q-tips and paint brushes(for 3rd-5th classes only)
Give each class enough blank nametags for each student.
Sharpie Markers
Enough candy for each student (avg. attendance) to get two pieces.
Slips of paper for Christmas Chains
Scotch Tape or glue to put the Christmas Chains together
Blank Name Labels
Bible Verse Poster
BEFORE CLASS
– Put on some Christian Christmas music to set the mood.
– Put up the Bible Verse Poster for today.
– Set out any items you need for today’s lesson
– Pray for each student by name.
AS STUDENTS ENTER
– Greet each student by name as they enter.
– Give each student an attendance sticker for the attendance chart.
– Get to know any guests.
– As students arrive, let them choose a name—any name for themselves. It could be a nickname or a silly name or a fruit or vegetable or the name of someone famous. Help them to have fun with this, and let them know that you will be calling them this “other” name all morning. You might even want to give them nametags with their new nicknames on them.
OPENING ACTIVITY
Control Tool
Anytime you say, “What’s Christmas all about?” students should shout back, “It’s all about Jesus!” Feel free to have a boys vs. girls or a side vs. side competition to see who can say it the loudest. And remember that students are going to mimic how you say it–so be excited.
Leader: What’s Christmas all about? / Students: It’s all about Jesus!
Go around the circle and let each student introduce his new name.
Ask the students—Who remembers what the candy cane can represents? (It’s shaped like a “J” for “Jesus,” the red can represent the blood Jesus shed when He died for our sins, and the white can represent that Jesus can make us clean when we give our lives to Him.)
Ask the students—Did anyone get a chance last week to share a candy cane with a friend and to share Jesus with them?
Discussion
Ask the students—Does God make promises?
Ask the students—Who can name a promise that God has made? (Take several responses.)
SAY: We’re going to have a Bible Drill to look up a promise that God made. So everybody get your Bibles ready.
Ready…Romans 8:37-39…Go!
Ask the students—Who can show me the book of Romans on the Bible Book Chart?
Ask the students—Who wrote the book of Romans? (Paul)
SAY: God used Paul to write that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. Jesus’ love lasts forever. That’s the reason Jesus was born—because He loves you.
Control Tool
Leader: What’s Christmas all about? Students: It’s all about Jesus!
SAY: God made a promise that a Savior would come, but the people in Old Testament times had to wait a long time for Jesus to be born.
Activity: The Waiting Game
SAY: To show you what it’s like to wait, I’m going to give you a choice. I have some candy here. If you want it now, you’ll get one piece, but if you wait until class is over, I’ll give you two pieces. Which would you like?
Say the following to the children who are eating the candy. If none chose to eat now, feel free to eat a piece in front of them—SAY: This sure does taste good. Is there anyone else who has changed his mind and wants his candy now instead of two pieces later? (Continue to ask your students this throughout the lesson.)
BIBLE LESSON
Choose three volunteers (two girls and a boy)—To represent Mary, Joseph, and the Angel. (There are no signs for these parts.)
Tell Mary that every time you say “Mary,” she’s suppose to say, “That’s me.”
Every time you say, “Joseph,” he says, “That’s me.”
Every time you say, “Angel,” she says, “That’s me.”
Every time you say, “Married,” everybody says, “Oooooh.”
Read the Story:
In the Gospels we read about a young lady named Mary (That’s me). She loved the Lord and God had chosen her to for something very important. Mary (That’s me) was supposed to be married (Oooooh) to Joseph (That’s me). But one day an angel (That’s me) appeared to Mary (That’s me) and the angel (That’s me) said that God had chosen her to give birth to His Son. Wow! Before Mary (That’s me) and Joseph (That’s me) were married (Oooooh), Mary (That’s me) was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph (That’s me) was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to put her aside quietly. But after Joseph (That’s me) had considered this, an angel (That’s me) of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph (That’s me) son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary (That’s me) home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
CHALLENGE VERSE
Control Tool
Leader: What’s Christmas all about? / Students: It’s all about Jesus!
SAY: Get your Bibles ready for a Bible Drill.
Ask the students—Who knows an easy way to find the Gospels? (Turn to the middle of the Bible—You’ll probably find Psalms. Then turn halfway through the section to your right. You’ll usually end up in the Gospels.)
Ready…Matthew 1:20-23…Go!
Read these verses and tell them to listen for two names.
Ask the students—(Refer to your challenge verse poster.) Who knows what the name “Jesus” means? (It means “He saves.”)
SAY: Jesus is the Savior of the world. He was born to die, to pay the price for our sins so that we could be saved. That’s what Christmas is all about.
Control Tool
Leader: What’s Christmas all about? / Students: It’s all about Jesus!
Ask the students—The angel mentioned another name too. What was it? (Immanuel.)
Ask the students—What does “Immanuel” mean? (It means “God with us.”)
Ask the students—Why could Jesus be called “God with us”? (Because Jesus was God who came to earth as a man. He lived a perfect life and then died and rose again.)
Ask the students—Does anyone know what your name means? (Take a couple of answers.)
Ask the students—Someone tell me why you chose the name for yourself that you did when you came in the room? (Take a few responses.)
SAY: Some people choose names because they like how it sounds or they think it’s cool, but others choose names because they mean something. Many of the names in the Bible had a meaning such as “Jesus” and “Immanuel” and there were other names for Jesus too. Get your Bibles ready for a Bible Drill. This is from an Old Testament Book of the Bible.
Choose one volunteer—to show you on the Bible Book Chart where the Old Testament is.
SAY: The book you’re going to be finding is Isaiah. He was a prophet.
Ask the volunteer to point out where Isaiah is and what section of the Old Testament it is a part of.
Ready…Isaiah 9:6…Go!
Read the verse.
SAY: These were names for Jesus because this is who He is.
Ask the students—What are some other names for Jesus? (Savior, Creator, Lord, King, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the world, the Living Water, the Great I AM, etc.)
SAY: Isaiah wrote about Jesus’ birth about 700 years before He was born. People in the Old Testament had waited for Jesus’ coming for a long time.
Ask the students—Are any of you tired of waiting. Would anybody like to go ahead and have their candy now?
LESSON ACTIVITY
COLOR AN ORNAMENT—for younger children
Give each student an ornament to color with washable markers. Challenge them to put a name for Jesus on their ornament to remind them about the real meaning of Christmas. Younger students might need help knowing how to write a name for Jesus.
Control Tool
Leader: What’s Christmas all about? / Students: It’s all about Jesus!
PAINT AN ORNAMENT—for older children
Give each student an ornament to color with washable paints. Put the paint on plates to share. Also provide brushes and Q-tips. Challenge them to put a name for Jesus on their ornament to remind them about the real meaning of Christmas.
Control Tool
Leader: What’s Christmas all about? / Students: It’s all about Jesus!
CHRISTMAS CHAINS
Have students write names for Jesus on the chain loops and add them to your Christmas Chain. Younger students may need help writing a name for Jesus. Use these chains to help decorate your room or a small Christmas tree.
PRAYER TIME & WRAP UP
Control Tool
Leader: What’s Christmas all about? / Students: It’s all about Jesus!
Thank Jesus that He is Wonderful, a Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, etc.
List Prayer Requests Here
Be sure to pray specifically for each request above.
EXTRA TIME
Use any extra time to:
– Ask your kids what their families are doing for Christmas
– Help your students memorize the verse for today
– Practice extra Bible Drills
– Wish your students a Merry Christmas.
NOTES
This lesson was adapted from ideas found in Kid Kount Publishing’s Lesson 29, Winter 2004 edition.
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