SermonStudio

Exegetical Aim: To teach the incarnation.

Props: Fingers and Toes.

Lesson: Good morning! Hey, do you know what's going to happen in a few days? (response) I will give you a hint: Happy New Year! Now do you know what will happen? (response) It will be a new year! What year will it be? (response) You know what that means; we're all getting a little older. How old are you now? (response) Let's see ... hold up the respective amount of fingers as you ask the following how many of you are three? Four? Five? Six? Wow, that's pretty old, isn't it. Do you know how old I am? (response) Interact with the children until they guess your age. Now that you've guessed how old I am, how old is your dad? (response) Is that old? (response) Well, here's the really important question: How old is your mom? (response) That's not old at all, is it? (response) Let me tell you a secret. When you say your mom's age you always say "29." That way you always get ice cream.

I have another question? Do you think that your dad - how old did you say he was? - do you think your dad being so old could be five years old again? (response) Do you think he could become a child? (response) He couldn't? Why not? (response) What about your mom? Do you think your mom will ever be five years old again? (response) Why not? (response) Do you think she will ever be 29 again? Don't answer that!

Application: Can you think of anyone who was really old and then became five years old? (response) You can't think of anyone who was old and then became a child? (response) Well, the Bible tells us that this really happened. In the Gospel of John, John says, "The Word became flesh and lived among us." Can anyone tell me what that means, "the Word became flesh and lived with us?" (Jesus was born) Yes, that's it. So it has happened. Not to your dad or your mom, but to Jesus. You see Jesus is actually millions and millions of years old - just a little older than your dad - and he lived in heaven. How many is a million? Hold up five fingers: This many? (response) Hold up ten fingers: This many? (response) Hold up your toes and continue the questioning by having them hold up their fingers and then their toes. Observing all the toes and fingers: Look at how many Jesus is. You see, he's older than the stars because he is God and he lived in heaven. But, then he decided to leave heaven and come to earth and live with us. So, you see, Jesus isn't just a little baby. He is God in heaven who was very old and became a baby. He became a little child and he lived as a little child. He knew what it meant to have chickenpox and get a fever. He knew what it meant to fall down and skin his knees and go to bed early. He knows what it means to be three Hold up your fingers and four and five and six ... and even 29. God himself who is older than the stars knows what it is like to be a little boy.

Let's Pray: Dear God, it is wonderful that you know what it is like to be five and six and seven years old. What is even more wonderful is you did it for us. Amen.

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Christmas Day
Hebrews 1:1--4 (5--12)

Leaving Prints

Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate that Jesus Christ is the "exact imprint" of God's very being.

Props: An ink pad and construction paper and enough pieces of paper for each child. On each piece of paper write, "Christ is the exact imprint of God's very being" (Hebrews 1:3).

Lesson: I want to show you something really neat this morning. Bring out the ink pad. This is an ink pad. When I open it up, there is a pad that has ink inside of it. One neat thing we can do with an ink pad is make fingerprints. Who knows why people have their fingerprints taken? Guide the children in discussing a couple of different reasons: i.e., the police want them if they catch a criminal, or parents want them just in case their children get lost, etc. Do you know what is so special about a fingerprint? (response) A fingerprint is unique. Only one person in the whole world has your fingerprint - you. So if I take my thumb and press it on the ink pad, and then put my thumb on the paper, it will leave my print. Watch this. Demonstrate making your thumbprint. Today, I have special paper that I want you each to have. Hand the paper to each child. And in a minute I want you to put your thumbprint on the paper just like I have done.

Application: This morning is a special day. Do you know what today is? (response) Yes, it is Christmas Day! What is special about Christmas Day? (response) That is correct; it is the day that Jesus was born! Do you know who the Bible says that Jesus was? (response) The Bible says that Jesus is the exact imprint of God's being ... the exact imprint. Now, if only I can leave a fingerprint that is mine, what do you suppose it means if Jesus Christ is the exact imprint of God's being? Only who could have sent Jesus to the earth? (response) That's right. Only God could have sent Jesus, because Jesus is God's imprint sent to earth. This Christmas Day, I want you to remember that if you want to see God, you just need to see ... who? (response) That is correct. To see God, we need to look to Jesus. Because Jesus is the exact imprint of God's being.

Direct the children in making a thumbprint in the paper you have passed to them. Now I want you each to press your thumb on the pad, and then place your thumb on the paper that I gave you. On that paper is written the Bible verse that I just told you about. Whenever you look at your thumbprint, a print that only you can leave, you can remember that Jesus was the imprint that only God could leave ... on this Christmas Day!

Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for sending Jesus to be your exact imprint. Help us to remember that when we want to know what you are like, we just need to look to Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen.

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