A story without end
key words
biblical reference
Genesis 12:1-3; Deuteronomy 7:9; 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Psalm 31:14-15; Isaiah 7:14; 11:1; Jeremiah 33:12-15; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:1, 6, 18-25; 2:1-23; Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-7, 8-20; John 4:42; 14:1-3
lesson objective
To reinforce the students’ learning about the birth of Christ and joyfully celebrate his birth
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
It has been 52 Sundays since you began this cycle of teaching with your students. Remember the first day? The new resource, full of fascinating stories to study. However, now the passage of time has left a mark on you. Above all we believe an indelible mark has been made on the hearts of your students.
We suggest you use this lesson to review some of the stories you covered in this unit about Christmas promises, and also to celebrate the year of work that is about to conclude.
Preadolescents enjoy fellowship, especially when it comes to celebrating special dates, such as the arrival of a new year. Take this opportunity to enjoy Christian love with your students and let them feel your appreciation.
Because it is the last class of the year, it is a good opportunity to reflect on how your teaching has impacted your preadolescents. Do you see the spiritual growth of your students? Do you notice a more mature attitude in them? Did they develop the habit of prayer and reading the Word of God?
Remember that a teacher’s task never ends, especially when it comes to Christian teachers. We do not just cultivate knowledge in the mind, but we sow the Word of God in their hearts. Therefore, our responsibility is to pray and ensure that this seed grows and bears fruit in abundance. It is our desire and prayer that in this year that is ending, that God will bless your ministry and enable you to accomplish the task to which he called you.
introduce the lesson
Have your students sit in a circle, and ask them why they think today’s lesson is titled “A story without end ...”
Listen carefully to their answers, and explain that the Christmas story did not end with the birth of Christ, because it was a fact that impacted the history of humanity and brought with it eternal consequences.
When Christ came to earth and died on the cross, he completed the plan of salvation that God had designed to free mankind from a terrible eternal destiny, opening the door for us to attain eternal life. That means that the story of God’s love for his children will never end, because we will live with him forever and ever in heavenly mansions.
teach the lesson
Prior to the session review Genesis 12:1-3; Deuteronomy 7:9; 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Psalm 31:14-15; Isaiah 7:14 and 11:1; Jeremiah 33:12-15; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:1, 6, 18-25 and 2:1-23; Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-7 and 8-20; John 4:42 and 14:1-3. Be ready to lead the review of this unit of lessons.
Review of the unit
As a review of this unit of lessons, discuss the following questions and statements with the group:
- Who were the prophets of the Old Testament who announced the birth of Jesus?
- Who will you tell the good new about Jesus to?
- Tell about some of the factors that made the time of Jesus' birth ideal.
- What did these lessons teach you about trust in God?
- Tell about some of the reactions people had when they met Jesus.
- How does this phrase apply to the lessons of the unit: "It was worth the wait"?
connect the lesson
Handouts to help review the unit
Use Student Activity Sheets #366-A and 366-B to review the unit.
Jesus, my personal Savior
Guide your students to a time of reflection, and ask how many of them accepted Christ in their hearts.
Use the following steps to explain the plan of salvation to preadolescents, and invite them to receive Christ as their personal Savior.
1. Admit you have sinned
2. Repent of your sins (say you’re sorry)
3. Decide that you will stop sinning.
4. Ask God to forgive you for your sins.
Build your relationship with God through prayer, reading the Bible and attending church. The more time you spend with Jesus, the better your relationship with him will be.
Then, address in prayer those who have decided to accept the invitation.
Remind them that although many people can read the Bible and know some facts about Jesus, the most important thing is to have him as a friend and Lord of your life.
Encourage them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. To do this, they should read a passage of the Bible every day, and spend time in prayer and communion with Jesus’ during the week.
Celebration time!
After the teaching time, we suggest that you enjoy a time of celebration with your students, thanking God for the teachings of the year that is ending, celebrating the birth of Jesus and the arrival of a new year.
Decorate the meeting area with colored papers.
Organize some group games, and if possible, prepare a simple snack. Below are three simple and economical recipes. (Perhaps these snacks will need to be modified to meet your context.)
Rice with milk and apples
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups cooked rice
1 apple cut into cubes.
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup of any fruit
Preparation:
Heat the milk in a saucepan until just before it boils. Add the other ingredients, stir and bring to medium heat for ten minutes. Garnish with the fruit.
Sugar cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup of butter (butter)
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs (separate the whites from the yolks)
2 cups of common flour.
2 teaspoons of baking powder.
1 teaspoon salt.
1 spoonful of milk
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract.
Preparation:
Whip the butter until it is creamy. Add the sugar and the yolks. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Join with the butter mixture. Beat the whites until they are firm and incorporate them into the dough. Add milk and vanilla. Stretch and roll out the dough and cut with molds in the desired shape. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) in a preheated oven.
Strawberry Triangles
Ingredients:
4 slices of wheat bread.
1 cup of strawberries
3 tablespoons of strawberry sweet jam or jelly.
Preparation:
Trim the bread crust. Wash the strawberries very well and make them puree. Spread one side of the bread with the strawberry puree, and bend the edges of the bread slices to form triangles. Then seal the edges with the strawberry jam or jelly. Bake five minutes.
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. Allow two students to compete at a time to put the words in the correct order. After several students have competed, say the memory verse together a couple of times. Then, congratulate the group for memorizing this Scripture during this unit of lessons.
wrap-up
Pray
Take a few minutes to pray for each of your students and ask God to continue to help them grow in their spiritual lives.
Encourage
Distribute any remaining items the students have done throughout this unit of lessons. Encourage them share the stories with their family and friends.
Invite
Thank your students for attending these sessions and invite them to attend the next session when they will begin a new unit of lessons. Say goodbye affectionately.
* 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.™