Is Christmas Really Over?

Before the sermon, put the heart stickers inside the box and wrap it.

This gift I am holding was one of my Christmas gifts. Did you receive gifts for Christmas? (Pause.) What was your favorite gift? (Give the children an opportunity to tell you about their favorite gifts.)

There’s one thing I’ve learned about Christmas gifts. No matter how much you enjoy receiving them, they just don't last forever. If you got nice, new clothes, eventually they’ll wear out, go out of style, or you’ll outgrow them. Even if you got a fun toy you really enjoy, eventually it could break or you’ll grow tired of it. Maybe you got candy in your stocking, but when you eat it, it’s gone.

But there’s one Christmas gift that’s different. (Show the wrapped box.)  It never wears out. It never goes out of style. You’ll never grow out of it. It’s the true gift that Christmas is all about. It’s God's gift to us: His Son, Jesus. (Have kids pass the box around, each making one rip until the whole gift is unwrapped. Open the box and give each child a heart sticker to represent God’s gift of love, Jesus.)

The Bible tells us that all who receive Jesus and believe in His name become the children of God! When we become the children of God, we have all of the rights and privileges of being His child. God will love us, protect us, and provide everything that we need. The best part is that it never ends. In Psalm 23:6, the Bible says that kindness and love will be with us every day of our life and we will live forever in God’s house.

I enjoy giving and receiving gifts at Christmas, but I think it’s important to remember the greatest gift of all was God's gift to us. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Dear God, we thank You for loving us so much that You gave Your Son so we too can become Your children. In Jesus' name, amen.