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(Children's Sermon Service...Plus)

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. (v. 18)


Good morning, boys and girls. I have finally figured out something that I have been thinking about for a long time. This is what I figured out. There are some things that I know. I know my name, the names of my family members, and other things, like where I work, the kind of car that I drive, the foods that I like, the different colors, how to spell many words, and how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. There are a lot of other things that I know.

I also figured out that there are some things that I do not know. I don't know how to fly

... including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. (v. 6)


Good morning, boys and girls. This is the fourth Sunday in Advent and it is only a couple of days before Christmas. I know you are excited about Christmas and so am I, but it is still a couple of days before it happens.

Today, I would like to have my volunteer, who is quite a good writer, to write your names on this piece of paper that is sticky on the back. (have the volunteer write each person's name on a name tag and then put it on his or her blouse or shirt) Isn't it wonderful that we each have a name? If we didn't have names, I would have to point at you or touch you on the arm so that you would know that I wanted to talk to you. Names

SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME


Materials:

White paper

Tape

Flashlight

Pencils or markers

Black construction paper

White crayon or colored pencil

Scissors

Colored construction paper

Glue





Directions:

1. Divide the children into groups of three.

2. Instruct each group to tape a piece of white paper to the wall.

3. Have one of the children turn sideways in front of the paper.

4. Have another child hold a flashlight so that the child standing against the wall is silhouetted in shadow on the paper.

5.

SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME
AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME


Materials:
Construction paper
Markers, pencils, pens
Scissors


Directions:
1. Give each child a piece of paper. Have them lay their hands down on the paper side-by-side.
2. Help them trace around their hands.
3. Have them cut on the tracing line.
4. These are their angel wings. On the wings, have them make a list of good things they can do to help others this Christmas season.

Has anyone ever told you, "You look just like your father or just like your mother?" You can't hide it.

Once there was a pastor that had a son and as the years passed the son began to look more and more like his father and even laughed and sounded like his dad. The father died but having his son there, you almost felt like the father was there himself.

Our story today is like this but even better. It says,

"Mary, the virgin, would be with child and would give birth to a son and they would call him Immanuel, which means God with us."

What’s in a name? A lot. Parents spend months thinking and arguing about what to name their children. Before we can speak, we learn that there is a specific sound that means us. We later learn that sound is “Sam” or some other name. Our name is the first thing that is ours unequivocally. Some of us hold onto that with a firm grip, for example I am Bethany and never Beth. Others love to play around with nicknames. I have a friend who changed her name every four years or so. You can tell at what life stage someone met her based on what name they call her.

Object: An empty plastic jug, like a plastic milk jug from the store. When you have the children try to carry the jug on their heads, remind them that Mary would have done it no-handed.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story? (Let them respond.) Awesome! Let’s go!

What an exciting day this is! Today is the day before Christmas and tonight is Christmas Eve! People have different ways of doing things. Some people open their presents on Christmas Eve. How many of you do that? (Let them answer.) Others open their presents on Christmas Day. Which of you will open your presents tomorrow? (Let them answer.) Some open gifts on other days. Would any of you like to share another time when you open presents? (Give them the opportunity to answer.)

Why do you suppose we open gifts at this time of the year? (Let them answer.)

There may be many reasons for giving and receiving gifts at Christmas time, but the number one reason is because God has given us Jesus and Jesus is the biggest gift any of us could ever

Good morning! In the Gospel reading we heard that an angel
appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him that he was to name
the baby who would be born to Mary "Jesus." (Show them the card
with Jesus written on it.) Now why do you think the angel told
him to use that name? Why didn't he want the baby to be named
Fred or Harry or Bob? (Let them answer.)

It has to do with the meaning of the name "Jesus." Does
anybody know what the name means? (Let them answer.) The name
Jesus means "Savior," and that's the reason the angel said, "You
are to name him Jesus for he will save his people from their
sins."

Now Jesus is called by a lot of other names. For instance

Teachers and Parents: It is good for children to learn to
respect the name of Jesus because of all that he has done and
continues to do for all of us. If they realize what the name
means, who the man was, and what he did for all of us, they will
be much less likely to abuse the name or use it in casual ways
that cause offense.

* Read Philippians 2:10 and explain that we will play a game
based on this text, which tells us that every knee should bend at
the name of Jesus. Count the children who will play, and put
down in a circle a number of rugs, pillows, or pieces of cloth
equal to the total minus one. Have the children march around the

Good morning, boys and girls. How important is a name? (let them answer) Do you think your name is important? (let them answer) Most of us really like our name and we feel proud of it because it's a name that was chosen especially for us. Some parents study books for months before their child is born to find exactly the right name. Not only do we have a name, our names mean something, too.

Good morning, boys and girls. I have something special with me this morning. Almost every family has one and it's used when babies are born, when children have birthdays or when they graduate from school. Some families take them along when they go on vacation or go to a wedding. Does anyone know what I have? (let them guess) That's right, it's a camera!

I brought the camera with me to show you that it has two important parts. Does anyone know what those parts are? (let them answer) There's the camera, which you can see and there's the film, which you can't see when you are taking pictures. When the camera and film are working together properly, they make beautiful pictures.

Editor's note: To prepare for this lesson, go to a library and find a book of names and their meanings. Be prepared to mention the names of some or all of the youth listening to your lesson. Good morning, boys and girls. Each of you has a name, don't you? (Let them answer.) Do you know your middle name? (Let them answer.) Do you know your last name? (Let them answer.) Do you each have a last name? (Let them answer.) Of course, we all have names. Each of our names is important. Our parents gave us our names. Some of us are named after someone else in our family. How many of you are named after someone in your family? (Let them raise their hands.)

All of our names have a meaning. Jesus' name does. Today's scripture tells us that Joseph had a dream. In Joseph's dream an

Good morning, boys and girls. What am I holding? (Show the telephone and let them answer.) That's right, a telephone. Have any of you ever received a call on a phone? (Let them answer.) Well, God calls us, and God talks to us. God doesn't need a telephone to do it.

When God wants to tell us things, God does it in many ways. That's what I want to talk to you about this morning. I want you to know that God can use you to talk to people. In a minute I'm going to tell you how God does that.

First I want to tell you about a man called Paul. We read a lot about Paul in the Bible. In today's Bible story, Paul tells us that God called him to be an apostle. Paul was called to tell all people about God's gospel. Paul also says that we are all

Everyone has a name. Do any of you know how you got your name? (Let them answer.) Did you know that every name also has a meaning? Do you know the meaning of your name? (Let them answer. If no one answers, or in addition to their answers, look up the meaning of your name in the name book. Do the same with several of the children. Look up names of children expected to attend so that there are no unexpected and embarrassing surprises from the name book.)

Usually parents give a child a name, but Jesus got his name from God. One name that is important is the name Emmanuel. It is important because it tells us so much about God. The name means, "God is with us." Because of Jesus we know that God is with us. That is really good news!

Good morning! Have any of you ever seen a sign like this?
(Show the sign and let them answer.) Years ago, before they could
cure disease as well as they do now, they used signs like this to
tell people that a house was quarantined. It meant that nobody
could go into or leave the house. By setting the people in the
house apart like that and not letting other people have contact
with the sick people, there was less likelihood that the disease
would spread.

Once, Saint Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome that he had
been set apart for the gospel of God. Do you think that he meant
God had quarantined him so he could not have contact with other

The Gospel lesson for today is probably one you've heard before. It's the story of Mary and Joseph and how Jesus came into the world. Today's reading comes from the book of Matthew, but there are other places in the Bible that tell the story of Jesus' birth too. The stories of who Jesus was, why he was sent to us and how he got here are told over and over. (hold up your Bible) I've brought my Bible with me today. Listen to me read today's lesson again. (read Matthew 1:18-25)

It's almost here! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. In two days Christmas will finally be here. It's been so hard to wait, but we made it. We've all done different things to get ready. Listen to some of the different things people have done to get ready: They've decorated houses, put up lights, bought presents, had parties, stopped school, taken off from work, gotten Christmas trees, prayed, gone to church and waited. Maybe you haven't done all those things, but we've all done one of them. We've all waited. We've waited and waited and waited.

Materials:
Construction paper
Clear laminate or shelf paper (like contact paper)
Markers/pencils
Scissors
Hole punch
String/yarn
Computer/website www.behindthename.com

Directions:

(You may want to look up what the children's names mean on the above website and print them out for the children before class begins.)

Using several colors of construction paper, allow each child to choose a color. Have each child write his/her name at the top of the paper. Look up what each name means or give each child the printed paper with his/her name's meaning on it. Let each one copy down his/her meaning on the construction paper (certificate).

Teachers: This week's Bible story tells the background of the birth of Jesus. Focus your students' attention on their own birth. Invite them to bring the first photographs that their parents ever took of them. You might make a game of this. See if the class members can correctly identify the photos.

The verse leading into the gospel lesson tells of the genealogy of Jesus. Take this opportunity to have each student create a family tree. In this way students will understand their own family background. Through this project you can relate the Bible story of Jesus' family background.

Your family tree project could be on an 81/2 x 11 sheet of paper. Have the students draw an outline of a tree. Place their

Teachers or Parents: Teach the children the words to the popular Advent/Christmas hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Go verse by verse and teach the meaning of the words to the hymn. Perhaps you have never thought of their meaning. This can be a joint learning experience for you and your children. Like the various names of Jesus -- especially this name, Emmanuel -- this hymn tells us a great deal about God.

Children don't learn hymns and Christmas carols in school like they did some years ago. The result is that they often don't know many words to true Christian Christmas carols and hymns. A tape and tape player may help you teach this hymn.

*Look at the name of Jesus used in the hymn: "Emmanuel ... Son

At this point, Christmas is just two days away! This is when things really get exciting. Mary and Joseph are wrapping up their journey to Bethlehem, but the real journey is just about to begin. Pretty soon they will have a new baby to raise! In the church, we place a high priority on telling the story of Jesus. The story is bigger, of course, than what happens at Christmas, but the Christmas story is where it all begins.