A long trip to see a king
key words
biblical reference
Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-23; John 4:42
lesson objective
To help the students recognize that they need to know Jesus personally.
recognize that they need to know jesus personally.
Memory verse“This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
Preadolescents are developing the ability to make decisions and carry out those decisions. Some have already accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord, but they think that this is the end of everything. They need to understand that being a Christian is not an act, but a relationship. It is a lifelong commitment to Jesus Christ and his teachings. This lesson will motivate them to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus, helping them to renew their commitment to live for him.
biblical commentary
Read Micah 5:2 and Matthew 2:1-23. The wise men of the East present a great contrast in the history of Christmas. Their wealth and social position stood out on the humble stage of Bethlehem, in contrast to the condition of Mary, Joseph and the shepherds. These powerful men, with great academic training, advised kings, studied the stars and interpreted dreams.
Their nationality and religion were different from the inhabitants of Bethlehem. They came from the East, perhaps from Persia, and perhaps they did not practice the Jewish religion. However, they had heard the prophecies about the promised Messiah, and they feared God.
The visit of the sages shows the inclusive nature of the gospel. Jesus came for all people: Jews and Gentiles. The Good News is for everyone.
A star motivated these wise men to start their journey and guided them every day on their journey. How appropriate it was to be guided by a star! The stars shine more in the dark, because they are seen more clearly. The wise sought the truth and found Jesus, the “shining star of the morning” and the source of all truth.
Read John 4:42. The Gospel of John tells us about another group of men who sought Jesus. After hearing the testimony of the Samaritan woman, they wanted to know more about him, and they were not disappointed. That is why they told the woman, “We no longer believe only because of your saying, but because we ourselves have heard, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world, the Christ.”
introduce the lesson
What is myrrh?
Ask volunteers to help you hand out Student Activity Sheet #365 and have them all find the page referring to this activity. Then, have them read the definition of “myrrh”.
They are to look in their Bibles for the texts suggested in the concordance, so that they understand the meaning of this gift that the wise men brought to Jesus, and answer the following questions:
Who brought myrrh to the baby Jesus? (Matthew 2:11 - The wise brought him gold, incense and myrrh).
How was myrrh offered to Jesus on the cross? (Mark 15:23 - The soldiers offered him wine mixed with myrrh to alleviate his pain, but Jesus rejected him).
For what did Nicodemus use myrrh after Jesus died? (John 19:39-40 - Nicodemus took myrrh, oil and spices to anoint the body of Jesus).
teach the lesson
Prior to the session study Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-23; John 4:42 to be prepared to teach this lesson. Remember that it is important to be familiar with the details and ready to answer any questions.
Assign several students to look up Matthew 2:2, 8, 13-18 and Micah 5:2. Ask them to read their verse when you tell them, as you tell the Bible story. If you have visual material to illustrate the lesson, it would be very helpful.
connect the lesson
A gift for the King
Hand out white paper and colored pencils for your students to draw the gift they would like to give Jesus. Let each decide what to draw, and then pass it on to the group. Remember that all the contributions of your students are important. Stay alert to avoid negative comments about others’ work.
Then, ask the preadolescents to describe their drawing, and stick them on a poster board to create a wall mural, which they will title “My Gift to Jesus.”
practice the memory verse
Before this session you will need mix up both sets of large pieces of cardboard with the words of the memory verse. Use both sets of pieces of cardboard with the words of the memory verse today. However, do not use the pieces that contain words that begin with vowels. Begin by reading the memory verse (1 John 4:9-10) aloud. Then divide the group into two teams, e.g. boys and girls. Tell the teams they need to help you put all the words of the memory verse in the correct order, but only the words available are those that begin with consonants. Allow one student on each team at a time to place one word in the correct order. The team that completes the memory verse first is the winner. After all the words are put in the correct order, repeat the whole memory verse together a couple of times. Then, put the pieces of cardboard in a visible place in the meeting area for continued use during the unit.
wrap-up
Pray
Sing some Christmas songs, and form a prayer circle to thank God for his love and for his Son Jesus Christ, our Savior, and intercede for the group’s requests.
Encourage
Before saying goodbye, emphasize that the best gift Jesus desires from us is our faith and obedience. Encourage your students to spend time with the Lord during the week to get to know him better.
Invite
Remind the group that the next session will be the last in this unit of lessons, and therefore, their attendance is very important. Remind them to welcome visitors.
* 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.™