The Gifts that Jesus Brings
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "The Gifts that Jesus Brings"

Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:2-11

GIFTS TO WRAP:

The teacher should have small boxes available for children to wrap a small piece of candy or some other small gift that they would like to give to someone who needs encouragement. Each little gift should have a slip of paper to place inside that will say JESUS IS THE BEST GIFT... or THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IS JESUS COMING TO EARTH TO GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE.

UNWRAP A GIFT:

Have gifts hidden around a designated place for children to HUNT for the gifts. INSIDE each gift place a small candy and a slip of paper that will have something written on it that Jesus gives to us. The children will take turns opening their gift and reading something that Jesus gives to some or all of us. This could include such things as hearing, sight, walking, health, parents, church, and His Word.

CALENDAR ART:

Give each child a calendar for December to decorate with JESUS BIRTHDAY and what THEY would like to GIVE to JESUS at Christmas! JESUS' BIRTHDAY can be drawn or written on the 25th and the other days can have the other ideas of "What can I give to JESUS"? (Suggestion for children to say "I'll give him ME"!

JESUS/CHRISTMAS ACROSTIC:

Make a large poster with JESUS written down on one side and CHRISTMAS written toward the other side. Children can give ideas for each letter of things that JESUS gives to US and the children can then give ideas on the CHRISTMAS side of what WE can give to JESUS!!

"JESUS IS THE BEST GIFT" POSTER:

Let the children cover a large piece of poster board or a piece of light weight wood with a solid color Christmas wrapping paper and decorate it with a wide ribbon and then add large, brightly-colored cut-out letters for JESUS IS THE BEST GIFT. (If the class is small, one child could tape or glue on the letters for a whole word on the poster).

BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR JESUS:

Have a cake for Jesus decorated with ribbon and a bow to look like a GIFT. Have the children sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jesus and enjoy a piece of the cake for His birthday!

"WHO GETS THE GIFT?" GAME:

The teacher can tell the children that some gifts last for a short time and some gifts last for a long time, but Jesus lasts FOREVER! The teacher can give a GIFT to one child but whenever a whistle is blown, the child will hand the gift back to the teacher who will hand that gift to someone else! This game can last for the duration of the classtime. Explain to the children that THIS GIFT is only for a short time, but JESUS' gift of eternal life is FOREVER when we repent and trust in Him! The teacher can then give each child a little gift to open or take home, if desired.

GIFTS RECEIVED GAME FUN:

Have all the children scatter around a large designated area. When the teacher tells the children to be BLIND, they will all mingle around with their eyes shut tightly until the teacher says, "You receive your sight". Then the teacher will tell the class that they are crippled and lame and they will mingle around the area as if their arms or legs or backs are hurting (a little groaning sounds would be good here) and then the teacher will say that they are healed... and they'll all stand up and jump up and down until the teacher says to sit in a circle. Then the teacher will say that they all have leprosy and explain what that is to the children. As children sit in a circle and scratch and moan, the teacher can share parts of today's lesson and then tell them that their leprosy has been healed. Continue to play as being deaf or dead and all the GIFTS that Jesus gives when He is healing these diseases.

Song: "The Greatest Gift of All" by Charles Kirkpatrick

Sheet Music (PDF)

Piano Accompaniment (MP3) Right click and save to your computer.