The Birth of Christ Part #1 The Stable (Children’s Church ...

1 Felicia MollohanNovember 10,2009 The Birth of Christ part # 1 the stable ( children s ChurchLesson) this lesson plan with your Sunday School or children s Church this Christmas seasons. Itis part 1 of a 3- part series about the Christmas Story. This lesson teaches about the detailsof the King of Kings being born in a Stable . This children s Church lesson plan was firstwritten for children age 5 11. Be sure to consider your own ministry context and modify itas needed. Please leave any feedback or suggestions for improvement in the comment boxat the bottom of this Story: The Birth of Christ in the Stable , based on Matthew 1:18-24 and Luke 2 Objectives: After this lesson, the children will demonstrate: An understanding ofwhat it was like when Jesus was born by answering Age: Kindergarten 5thItems Needed:Bible: Matthew 1:18-24 & Luke 2:1-7. There is a detailed explanation below to helpbring out some of the important parts of the dough Jesus and Me paper per child, pencils, whiteboard, whiteboard markers piece of paper per child, markers/crayonsWorship: Use Christmas Songs (extra print out) to lead the children to sing before the Plan: The StableWelcome Activity: Welcome activities are things to have out for the children to do as theyare arriving for class.

2 These activities will get them engaged as soon as they arrive and willhelp the transition from their the children make a barn ( Stable ) out of play dough. If they have time, they can makeanimals to go in the Lesson Introduction: We will be learning about Jesus and when He was born. Wewill learn in the next few weeks that the wisemen and the shepherds came to visit we are going to learn a little more about when He was born. But first, we want to talkabout when you were born. Give each child a Jesus and Me paper and a over the parts of the Me side with the children , writing their answers on the whiteboardHave the children fill out the Me side only. They will do the Jesus side laterWorship: Christmas SongsBible Lesson: Use the following notes as a guide, but be sure to tell the Bible story in yourown words. If possible memorize your key points and just teach as you read the relevantverses directly out of the the children open their Bibles to Matthew 1:18-24.

3 To help them find it, use thefollowing questions. Answers are in part of the Bible is Matthew in? New TestamentWhat book of the New Testament is Matthew? #1 Read Matthew 1:18-24 (NIV) aloud to the is how the Birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be marriedto Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the HolySpirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her topublic disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her finds out that Mary, the woman he s engaged to be married to, is pregnant and so hewants to divorce her. Back then, when you were engaged to someone, you were legallybound to them, just like today after you get married. He s a good guy, though, because hedoesn t want to make a big deal out of it, so he was just going to divorce her after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what isconceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

4 She will give Birth to a son, and you are to give himthe name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Joseph finds out that the baby, that Mary is going to have, is from the Holy Spirit and is theSon of God. The angel told Joseph, in so many words, that he was to raise the Son of God!2/5 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will bewith child and will give Birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means, God with us. This whole thing was in God s plan. Jesus was fulfilling prophecy before He was even Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and tookMary home as his listened to the angel and believed what he was told. He decided not to divorce Luke 2:1-7 (NIV)In those days, Caesar Augustus made a law. It required that a list be made of everyone in thewhole Roman world.

5 It was the first time a list was made of the people while Quirinius wasgovernor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be Joseph went also. He went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea. That is whereBethlehem, the town of David, was. Joseph went there because he belonged to the family lineof David. He went there with Mary to be listed. Mary was engaged to him. She was expectinga man in charge, Caesar Augustus, wanted to know how many people he was in chargeof. Caesar wanted to know how many people would be paying him taxes. Every man had togo, with his family, to his hometown to be counted. Joseph s family was from Bethlehem, sohe traveled with Mary from Nazareth, where they lived, to Bethlehem. Mary was pregnantwhen they started the journey. They didn t have cars or planes. They did have a donkey andtheir own two feet to Joseph and Mary were there, the time came for the child to be born.

6 She gave Birth toher first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him ina manger. There was no room for them in the are in a strange place and Mary gives Birth to the Son of God. The city is full because ofthe census. They have to stay in a Stable because there is no other room available. A stableis like a barn. It s where animals were kept. He didn t have a crib. He was layed in a manger is like a trough where animals ate out of. The Son of God, the greatest person toever come to this earth, was born in the most humble of Bible LessonTalk with the children about the story. Ask them questions like the following:3/5 What would it have been like to be Mary?What would it have been like to be Joseph?What would it have been like to see an angel?~ If you have time, reenact the Lesson ActivitiesUse the following activities to reinforce the learning goals.

7 If time is short, move on to theevaluation portion of the lesson : Jesus and Me Jesus BirthHave the children fill out the Jesus side of the the answers with the children or do it as a class on the white boardDiscuss the difference between their Birth and Jesus Birth and how many things they had a choice, would they want to be born in Jesus time or now? Take a : Bible Verse Memorization She gave Birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in amanger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (New InternationalReader s Version)Have the children do the following hand motions along with repeating the words after you,to help them learn the Bible Verse:She gave Birth to her firstborn, a son: act like you are rocking a babyShe wrapped him in clothes: wrap a pretend baby in a blanketAnd placed him in a manger: pretend to gently lay the baby downBecause there was no room: shake head side to side as though saying, no For them in the inn: make the shape of a house with your armsLuke 2: hold up 2 fingers7: hold up 7 fingersDo this a few times with the children .

8 Make it fun for them to do the motions and say thewords. Involving them in active learning is essential for : Bible Verse DrawingHave the children draw a picture of what the Bible Verse is about. They can share it withtheir neighbors or the :4/5 Have the children stand in a line in the middle of the classroom. Ask the following questions,while having them choose to go to the side of the room that corresponds to the correctanswer (correct answers are bold):What city was Jesus born in?Right side of the room JerusalemLeft side of the room BethlehemHow did Mary and Joseph get to Bethlehem?Right side of the room by walking and riding a donkeyLeft side of the room driving a taxiWho told Joseph that the baby that Mary was going to have was from God?Right side of the room an angelLeft side of the room Joseph s motherWho named Jesus?Right side of the room the angelLeft side of the room Mary and JosephWhat did Mary wrap Jesus in after he was born?

9 Right side of the room a cute little outfit she bought at JC Penney sLeft side of the room swaddling cloths (or big strips of cloth)What did Jesus sleep in?Right side of the room a mangerLeft side of the room a cribWhy were they in a Stable ?Right side of the room they liked to be with animalsLeft side of the room there was no room for them in the innNeed More Help? Browse our collection of Christmas crafts for Sunday School or check outall our resources about Christmas.[Total: 0 Average: 0/5]5/5 MeJesusCity born born (type of building)Dressed MollohanNovember 16,2009 The Birth of Christ #2 The Shepherds ( children s ChurchLesson) this lesson plan with your Sunday School or children s Church this Christmas seasons. Itis part 2 of a 3- part series about the Christmas Story. This lesson teaches about the detailsof the Shepherds visiting the baby Jesus.

10 This children s Church lesson plan was first writtenfor children age 5 11. Be sure to consider your own ministry context and modify it asneeded. Please leave any feedback or suggestions for improvement in the comment box atthe bottom of this Story: The Birth of Christ The Stable Luke 2:8-20 Learning Objectives: After this lesson, the children will demonstrate an understanding ofthe visit of the shepherds by telling a neighbor the Age: Kindergarten 5thItems Needed:Bible: Luke 2:8-20. There is a detailed explanation below to help bring out some of theimportant parts of the story. The Angel s Announcement to the Shepherds PDF Activity Sheet per child, pencilsWhiteboard, whiteboard markers, index cards (or cut paper), markers paper plate per child, construction paper, scissors, glue, markers, stapler, cottonballs1 of the following per child: The Candy Cane Poem, a miniature candy cane, a largecandy caneWorship: Use Christmas Songs (extra print out) to lead the children to sing before the Plan: The Shepherds Christmas LessonWelcome ActivityWelcome activities are things to have out for the children to do as they are arriving for activities will get them engaged as soon as they arrive and will help the transitionfrom their The Angel s Announcement to the Shepherds Activity SheetWorship.