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Special Baby
Luke 1: 47-55
submitted by Janet in MD
props: prenatal sonogram pictures.
When my babies were still inside my body, I didn't know who they would be.
The doctors took these special pictures, so I could see that they had hands,
fingers, feet, toes. I could even tell that N. was a boy. But I didn't know who
they would be. I didn't know what they would love, what would make them happy,
what would make them laugh. I didn't know that D. would tell really great
stories or that N. would tell funny jokes. I had to wait to find out what kind
of people they would be. And I'm still learning every day. I still don't know
what they are going to do when they grow up!
There was one mommy who knew who her baby would be before he was born. The
mommy was Mary, Jesus's mom. She didn't have a sonogram picture -- they hadn't
been invented yet. She had better information though. An angel appeared to Mary.
The angel told her not only that she would have a boy, but also that his name
would be Jesus, and that he would be God's Son, and that his kingdom would
never, ever end! Mary knew before Jesus was even born that he would be the most
special baby ever; that he would be the Savior of the world.
In today's scripture lesson, we hear the song that Mary sang because she was
so happy about the special baby she was carrying.
The Greatest Gift
a children's sermon based on the 3rd Advent theme of "Joy"
by Rev. F. Schaefer
Props:
take a baby Jesus figure in a manger and box it up, wrap it with Christmas gift paper. You
also need a piece of paper with John 3:16 printed on it in large letters.
Good morning guys and girls; today is the third Sunday in Advent already.
Who knows what the theme is for today? Let's see who paid attention during
the lighting of the advent wreath. Joy--that's right.
The Scripture calls us to rejoice today. Why do you think that is?
What can we as Christians be joyful about? Actually there are a lot of things
that we can be joyful about. What do you think? (Let them share and
acknowledge all of their answers).
Today, I brought with me the greatest gift ever made. And I got it right
here (hold up the little box with baby Jesus inside). Do you know what it is?
Who wants to take a guess what's inside? What's the greatest gift ever
given? (Have some fun with the answers they give).
(Unwrap the gift box slowly while you continue to talk) Let me give you a
little hint: it's what we celebrate on Christmas Eve. (Hold up the Jesus
figure in the manger)-- it's the birth/arrival of the Lord Jesus. And who sent the
Lord Jesus to us? God.
Let's hear what the bible says about that. Can I have a volunteer to
read this (hold up the piece of paper with the Scripture verse). Let a child read the
verse.
God gave us god's only son, because God loves us so much.
That's the greatest gift ever given. God sent his son into the world to save us and
to help us find our way back to God.
And that's exactly the reason why we give presents to others on Christmas
Day. Let us pray:
"Dear God, thank you for Christmas. Thank you for giving us the
greatest gift ever given; thank you for Jesus. Jesus shows us the way to you, he
teaches us and he helps us. Thank you God and have a merry Christmas. Amen."
Advent Reading for Children
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT: The wise men The promise of a king wove itself
into the study of the stars and the pondering of the prophecies, as some intricate pattern
in brocaded tapestry. Throughout the dreariness of life, royalty was heralded; in the
darkness of the night, a star was encountered. The travel preparations were costly, but
the gifts were even more valuable, and it seemed likely that they would be laid at the
foot of a dazzling throne as instruments were played and servants offered lodging and
legions of subjects bowed in obeisance.
But when the journey was fulfilled, the star's light on the straw was
glowingly golden, and the breathing of the cattle in the stalls was a finely orchestrated
hymn, and the tapestry was woven with the realization of prophecy patterned against the
changing of direction, and it was all so much richer than anything ever had been before:
rich in purpose and implication, rich in surprise and imagination, rich in love.
