Curriculum

Simeon Blesses Jesus

Simeon Blesses Jesus Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

Simeon spent time with the Holy Spirit and listened to Him. The Holy Spirit told Simeon that he would not die before he had met the Messiah. Simeon was able to meet the infant boy Jesus, bless Him, and prophesy to Joseph and Mary about Jesus’ life.

Scripture Summary

Within the Jewish culture, young families completed a number of important events when a child was born. Every boy was circumcised. A firstborn son was offered to God a month after he was born. Each mother was ceremonially unclean ( meaning she couldn’t enter the temple) for 40 days after the birth of a son and 80 days after the birth of a daughter.

God had already been at work in Simeon’s life and preparing him for this day. The Holy Spirit had already told Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. That promise, among so many prophecies from the Old Testament, came true. Simeon was drawn to the temple by the Holy Spirit the day that Joseph and Mary offered Jesus to God.

Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple, and that is where they met Simeon. Simeon foretold Jesus’ future. There would be a mixed result from Jesus’ life and ministry. Some would fall and others would rise with Jesus. There was no half-way.

Simeon’s words included the Gentiles specifically. It was understood that Jesus, the Messiah, would save His own people, the Jewish people. Jesus, however, came to save all people—Jews and Gentiles.

Why Is This Important

We can trust God to prepare our hearts and minds for what He has in store. Just like Simeon, we can spend time with God and listen for His prompting. God has something special planned for each of us each day.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

Too Good to Be True

“The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)

I was overjoyed when I saw the ad for running shoes at a steep discount. Who doesn’t love a great deal? I selected the style and color and made sure they had my size. I quickly clicked through the payment process, and immediately realized there was something not quite right.

I knew better, but I fell for an online scam. I felt that awful feeling of being foolish. What I thought was a legitimate ad for running shoes was a money-making scam. The story doesn’t end there. The scammers completed the transaction and shipped me “merchandise.” The envelope contained a single suction cup. They called me a “sucker.”

While the people behind the shoe scam were truly intending evil to illegally make money, it made me wonder how others feel when I don’t follow through with what I’ve committed to. There have been times when I made a commitment, an agreement, a promise, and I didn’t fulfill it.

When I committed to serving on the committee and never showed up.

When I said I’d set aside time to spend with a family member and to-dos got in the way.

When I promised to pray for a dear friend and forgot.

When I agreed to go on a trip and bailed out at the last minute.

We must keep the promises we make. Otherwise, we make others feel foolish, and we lose credibility with those closest to us.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for always keeping Your promises. You have modeled for us what it means to be dependable. Please help me keep my promises today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: A Bible, Cheap sunglasses - one pair for each child, Permanent markers

“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” Luke 2:26

Get Ready: Write each word or phrase from today’s Bible memory verse on the lenses of the sunglasses so the entire verse is covered. Then hide the sunglasses around the room or even around the church.

  • Invite a child to look up Luke 2:26 and read it aloud.
  • Explain that kids are to find all the sunglasses and put on a pair.
  • Once they’ve all found the sunglasses and put on a pair, they are to get in order for today’s Bible memory verse.
  • Once in order, have kids take turns saying the verse by saying aloud the words or phrases on their glasses.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, “Simeon Blesses Jesus” handouts - one per child, Pens or pencils - one per child

  • Give each child a “Simeon Blesses Jesus” handout and a pen or pencil.
  • Explain that kids are to match the Bible verses to the promises.
  • After they’ve had time to complete the handout, go over the answers.

ASK:

  • What promise meant the most to you and why?
  • Is it easy or hard for you to believe that God will keep His promises? Why or why not?

SAY: God’s Holy Spirit showed Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That’s a big promise and Simeon was getting old. God led him to the temple and he got to see Jesus. Simeon believed God’s promise to him. You can believe God’s promises, too!

Snack

Baby Jesus Snacks

You’ll Need: Nutter Butter cookies, Blue icing, Paper plates - one per child, Black icing gel

  • Give each child a paper plate and a Nutter Butter cookie.
  • Explain to kids that they’re going to make a baby Jesus with a blanket on Him.
  • Invite kids to dip their Nutter Butters in blue icing to form the blanket covering for baby Jesus about three-quarters of the way up the cookie.
  • Using the black gel icing, invite kids to make a face on the baby Jesus cookie.
  • Allow kids to have more than one cookie for their snack.

SAY: Can you imagine what Simeon must have felt when He finally saw Jesus with his own eyes? Simeon said: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

ASK:

  • Tell about a time someone made a promise to you and kept it.
  • Tell about a promise that you’ve made and kept.

Game

Promise Puppets

You’ll Need: Brown lunch sacks - one per child, Markers, Glue, Yarn, Fabric scraps

  • Give each child a brown paper bag, markers, fabric, and yarn to decorate their puppets to look like Simeon.
  • Encourage the children to write “For my eyes have seen your salvation” on the front of their puppets.
  • Once they’ve completed their puppets, allow kids to tell each other the Bible lesson with their Simeon puppet.

ASK:

  • What do you think it was like for Simeon to wait for God’s promise?
  • Explain whether waiting is hard for you.
  • What helps you to wait patiently?

SAY: Waiting can be very hard. We sometimes find ourselves waiting on God. Maybe we‘ve prayed about something and we’re waiting for God to answer. Remember, God keeps His promises. That doesn’t mean everything will look perfect or like we want, but we can trust God to do what’s best for us.

Craft

Promise Star Ornament

You’ll Need: Craft sticks - five per child, Yarn, Glue, Markers or crayons

To make the star crafts, have kids follow these steps:

  • Give children five craft sticks and have them lightly color one side of each stick.
  • Have children write a promise on each end of all the craft sticks for promises that they would like to keep, leaving the centers of the sticks empty because they will later overlap in the center and be glued together.
  • Glue the middle of the sticks together on top of each other to form a star.
  • Loop some yarn around the center of each star so kids can hang them on their Christmas trees.

ASK:

  • What are the promises you wrote?
  • What is a promise you especially need to remember about God right now?

SAY: As you hang this star on your tree, think about the promises you would like to keep, and remember that God is the perfect promise keeper. God kept His word to Simeon, and He will keep His promises to us.

Prayer

Snowflake Prayer

You'll Need: White paper, Scissors, Markers

  • Give each child a square or round white piece of paper.
  • Have kids fold the paper as many times as possible.
  • Have kids cut little notches out on all the folded edges.
  • Have kids unfold their new snowflakes.
  • Encourage kids to write a message to God, such as “I believe Your promises” or “I will wait for Your promises.”
  • Invite kids to say a silent prayer thanking God for keeping His promises before they hang the “Snowflake Prayers” on your classroom door.

ASK:

  • What’s a promise you want to make to God today?

PRAY: Dear God, You keep your promises. Help us remember that we can count on You to keep Your Word. Help us to keep our promises to You. We thank you for the gift of Jesus and that He died in our place for our sins. In Jesus’ name, amen.