THE GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS

 

memory verse for this unit

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV*).

objectives of this unit

This unit will help the children:• Appreciate the gift of God that is Jesus. Understand that Mary and Joseph obeyed God’s will for them and became the earthly parents of Jesus. Experience the joy of giving when they follow the example of the shepherds and wise men. Learn that the best gifts are not material things.• Know that Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus.• Understand that these lessons will encourage them to tell others the good news of the birth of Jesus.• Obey and worship Jesus, the Son of God.

the reason we teach this unit

Christmas is the favorite time of year for most children. They have a great admiration for this time of year. It is very easy for them to get lost or confused among secular celebrations, so they need a clear teaching of what Christmas really means.

They must know that God is the supreme example of one who gives when He gave us His only Son, Jesus Christ. Take time to read stories straight from the Bible. Each lesson contains a creative monologue of a character in the story. These will help the children to imagine themselves in the events that occurred during the birth of Jesus.

Children will be moved by the angel, the fear and admiration of a shepherd, and the stillness of a wise man. These characters will help children learn about the joy of giving. They will also learn that the greatest joy of Christmas is to give their love to Jesus and to people.

Pass on to each child’s heart that Christmas along with Easter are the most important Christian celebrations of the year. We celebrate the best gift ever given: God gave us his Son Jesus Christ! Encourage them to give an important gift to Jesus: their own life. Take advantage of these lessons so that your children surrender their lives to the Lord.

* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™