Curriculum
Call His Name Jesus
Memory Verse:
“You will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.” Luke 1:31
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
Jesus was coming, and John the Baptist had an important job to do! He was to tell others all about Jesus — and that He would be coming.
Scripture Summary
Jesus Christ is the true source of light, God’s light. He provides the only way to God and helps us see the way to walk in God’s light. John the Baptist, as he was called to make way for Jesus, was reflecting this light. John was not the source of light.
The priests and Levites were respected religious leaders. Levites served priests as they served in the central temple. It was a group of Pharisees, a group that both John and Jesus discredited, that came to question John. While they were probably jealous of John’s growing crowd of followers, the Pharisees wanted to investigate new preaching...and they questioned John’s credentials.
It was common for Gentiles to be baptized into Judaism, but John was baptizing Jews. This made no sense to the Pharisees, as only the Essenes (a strict sect of Jews) practiced purification by water. The Pharisees expected John to be Elijah, the prophet foretold by Moses, the Messiah — or a false prophet.
When the Pharisees questioned John about who gave him the right to baptize, he explained he only baptized with water. One, who is much greater, was coming. John was not worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals, the job of a slave. But John continued his work making the way for Jesus, the Messiah.
Why Is This Important
Just like John the Baptist, all followers of Jesus are called to reflect God’s light to the world and attract others to Him. We’re not to take the glory for ourselves, but to be arrows pointing to heaven.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
A Life Known or Unknown
“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Back in the mid 1920s, the manufacturing and production cotton boom began to give way to overproduction, foreign competition, and new synthetic fabrics. It was the beginning of the worst economic time in the history of the United States.
Lela B. Long grabbed her pen and wrote one of the sweetest hymns in the midst of this chaotic time. Take time to read these words (and sing along if you’re familiar with the melody), from “Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know.”
There have been names that I have loved to hear, But never has there been a name so dear
To this heart of mine, as the name divine, The precious, precious name of Jesus.
Jesus is the sweetest name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely name, And that’s the reason why I love Him so; Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know
What word or phrase stood out to you as you read the lyrics? Take that word or phrase with you throughout today.
What’s interesting is there’s very little recorded about Lela’s life. It appears she lived in Georgia, married with three children. But that’s it. She wrote a beautiful hymn that’s been sung for a century. And yet we know so little about her.
Maybe that’s the way she wanted it. Her life, her hymn, was pointing to Jesus and His name that contains salvation for each and every one of us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for sending Your son, Jesus. It’s in His name that I can find salvation. Please help me share this salvation, more importantly this Savior, with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, Name tag stickers, Markers
Get Ready: Write words or phrases from the Bible memory verse on name tag stick- ers. With a large group, make multiple sets. You can give some kids more than one word, if that works best with the number of kids you have.
“You will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.” Luke 1:31
- Invite a child to look up Luke 1:31 and read it aloud.
- Explain that each of them has a name tag with a word or phrase from today’s memory verse.
- Divide the class into groups according to the number of sets of the verse you made, and then tell kids to put themselves in order of the memory verse without talking.
- Once in order, have groups take turns saying the verse by hav- ing kids say aloud the words or phrases on their name tags.
- Mix it up by having groups say it at normal speed, then slow motion, and/or super fast speed.
- For a more difficult variation, take a child out of the line each round and remove their name tag to see if they can still complete the verse.
ASK:
- Why do people wear name tags?
- Why is it important to know people’s names?
- Tell why you think Jesus’ name is so special.
SAY: Today we used name tags because our Bible memory verse tells us that the baby born to Mary and Joseph was to be named Jesus. That is no ordinary name. Today we will learn more about how there is salvation in the name of Jesus.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, Newspapers, Tape
Get Ready: Cut a yellow circle for each child so they can hold it over their heads to represent an angel’s halo during the Bible lesson.
- Invite each child to turn in their Bibles to Luke 1:26-38.
- Give each child a newspaper and some tape.
- Explain that the boys will be playing the part of the angel and they need to make themselves angel costumes out of newspaper and tape.
- The girls will be playing the part of Mary so they need to create costumes for Mary out of newspaper and tape.
- Gather the boys on one side of the circle and the girls on the other side. Explain that when the person they are dressed as is referred to in the story, they are to stand up and silently act out what that person is doing and saying.
- Read aloud the verses, pausing for kids to act out their parts.
ASK:
- What do you think of Mary’s reaction to the greeting from the angel?
- What do you think of her response once she understood what God wanted her to do?
SAY: Mary got some pretty amazing news, but the news was also probably a little bit scary. Once Mary learned she had a special calling from God, she went ahead with God’s plan more confidently. And then our Savior Jesus was born!
Snack
Manger Snacks
You'll Need: Pretzel sticks, Mini marshmallows, Paper plates
- Give each child a paper plate, pretzel sticks, and a handful of mini marshmallows.
- Invite kids to be creative and construct a stable with their pretzel sticks and marshmallows. If they’re feeling extra creative, chal- lenge them to make baby Jesus and some animals.
- When kids have completed their stables, let them show their edible work of art to the others. Then invite kids to eat up!
SAY: You all were very creative with your edible manger scenes. Jesus sure was born in a creative way, wasn’t He? We can all be so thankful that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. That’s us. Without Jesus, we’re lost in our sin. The great news is that there’s salvation found in the name of Jesus.
Game
Matching Animals
You’ll Need: Index cards, Pen
Get Ready: Before class, write the names of different animals that may have been present at the birth of Jesus. Make sure you write each animal on at least two cards, but if you have a large group you can write them on three or four cards. For example, you might write donkey, sheep, pig, cow, and horse.
- Give each child a card for them to see what animal they have been assigned. Tell them not to show their cards to the others.
- When you say “go,” kids will go around the room making sounds and acting like the animal listed on their cards.
- When they find their matching animals they’ll move as a group until all the animals have found their teams.
ASK:
- What do you think about Jesus being born in a stable?
- Why would God have had His son born in a stable?
SAY: Jesus may have come into the world in a very different way than people expected, but He was unlike any other baby. The angel told Mary His name was to be Jesus because that means there’s salvation in the name of Jesus.
Craft
Stable Crafts
You’ll Need: Light blue construction paper, 1 sheet per child, Craft sticks - 5 per child, Glue, Large star stickers or cut outs, Finger paint (brown, yellow, and blue), 3 bowls, Markers
Get Ready: Pour some brown, yellow, and blue paint in separate bowls.
To make the stable crafts, have kids follow these steps:
- Give each child a piece of construction paper and five craft sticks.
- Instruct kids to glue their craft sticks in a pentagon shape to make the stable.
- Next, kids can stick or glue the star to the top of the stable.
- Using their fingertips, invite kids to dip into the brown paint and make seven dots across and two dots underneath as legs, to create the manager.
- Next instruct kids to dip their fingers in yellow paint and dot several times on top of the manger to make hay.
- Then kids will dip their fingers in blue paint and make three dots on top of the yellow hay to represent Jesus.
- Using the markers, direct kids to write “There is salvation in the name of Jesus” on their construction paper.
SAY: As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let’s not forget that He didn’t stay a baby. He grew up and was fully God and fully man. Jesus is unlike anyone else. He is the only one that can truly save us from our sins.
Prayer
Praise Tree Prayers
You’ll Need: Green poster board, Construction paper, Scissors, Markers, Tape
Get Ready: Before class, cut the different color construction paper in different shapes for Christmas ornaments. Make a large tree from the green poster board.
SAY: There is no one quite like Jesus because there’s salvation in His name. There is so much to praise God for. When we praise God, we’re adoring Him for who He is. For example, He is holy, loving, and King of Kings. You will decorate an ornament for our praise tree as we praise and pray to God.
- Give each child an ornament cutout and a marker.
- Invite kids to write something they adore about who God is.
- Explain that they can also decorate their ornament.
- After they have finished, invite each child to come up one at a time and say “God I praise you for being… (and fill in the blank with what is on the ornament).
- Then invite each child to tape his or her ornament on the praise tree.
- After they have all put their praise ornaments on the tree, close in prayer.
PRAY: Dear God, we have so much to praise You for. You are good, kind, loving, and holy. We could go on and on about how great You are. We are so grateful that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to save us from our sins. In Jesus’ name, amen.
