Advent Youth Lesson Three: The Messiah is here

Game Idea: If You Love Jesus Please Smile:

Students will sit in a circle.  One student is "it" and must go around the circle and say to each student "if you love Jesus, please smile."  They can do anything to a student to smile as long as he or she does not touch the student.  The other player must resist smiling and say, "I really love Jesus, but I just can't smile."  If a smile is cracked the smiling player is now "it."

Bible Passage 1: Luke 2:21-33

Video: Advent-Hope - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c6qfU_QCXc

Bible Passage 2: Luke 2:36-38

Discussion

1. Why do think people use advent calendars or paper chains during the Christmas season?
2. Could you imagine waiting years to celebrate Christmas? If you knew that it was coming but didn’t know exactly when, how would you feel about waiting?
3. Why do you think Simeon and Anna were willing to wait so long for the promised Messiah?
4. How do you think they handled the moments when they got discouraged?
5. Do you feel like you are waiting for something from God? Explain.
6. Does our ability to wait for things, people, or promises say something about our hearts? Why or why not?

Wrap Up

Say: Waiting for Christmas is fairly easy for us because we know exactly when it is and how long until the day arrives. Imagine that you have been waiting years for the birth of the promised Messiah. Anna and Simeon waited years to see the Messiah; they never lost hope and they never stopped devoting themselves to God. They likely faced discouragement and frustration, but they continued to listen for God’s leading, comfort, and direction. When we listen for God’s voice and God’s leading, we discover amazing truths and witness God doing incredible things.  The Christmas Season is not just about looking back on what God has done by sending His Son, it is also a time to recognize what God is doing in our world and in our lives today as well as a time to hope and wait for what God will ultimately do when Jesus returns a second time. 

Prayer

Give the students time to share prayer requests AND praises (strongly encourage students to contemplate their blessings).  Close by thanking God for sending His son and asking Him to help us remember what that really means and to trust in Jesus.   

Children's church lesson: Mary Visits Elizabeth

Story

Say: Today's story is about someone with really good news to share.  She had to travel a long way to share the news.  Look at this picture from the story, does anyone in this picture look happy? (Show picture from the story)  Every time you hear something happy or exciting say "Woo Hoo!" and wave your arms.  Are you ready?

Read "Mary Visits Elizabeth" in any children's story bible.  Give the children time to respond with a "Woo Hoo" whenever appropriate.  

Lesson

Say: Who had good news in this story? (Mary and Elizabeth) What was the good news? (they were both going to have babies!)  Who travels to share the good news? (Mary) What happened when the good news was shared (Mary and Elizabeth were happy, sang a song, and celebrated together).  

What kinds of news do you like to share?  How do you share that news?  With whom do you like to share it?  What good news about God have you told someone about?  

When we have good news we like to share it.  The birth of Jesus is some of the greatest news ever and we need to share it with others!

Big Idea

The birth of Jesus is some of greatest new ever and we need to share it with others!  

Memory Verse

Marry hurried to visit Elizabeth. -Luke 1:39.  Remind the children that we should hurry and share the good news about Jesus birth too!

Prayer

Take a minute to see if the children have any prayer requests or prayer joys.  Say a short prayer thanking God for love us and sending us his son.  Ask God to help us share the good news with others.  

Advent Lesson Two(of Three): Crazy News

Game Idea:  The Clap Game – see rules at: http://www.thatyouththing.com/resources/crowdbreakers.htm. 

Bible Passage 1: Luke 1:26-28

Video: A Social Media Christmas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sghwe4TYY18

Bible Passage 2: Matthew 1: 18-25

Discussion

1. Ladies, what would it be like to be in Mary’s situation?
2. Guys, what would it be like to be in Joseph’s situation?
3. How do you think your family and friends would react if you were in Mary or Joseph’s situation?
4. How did trust, or faith in God play into Mary and Joseph’s situation?
5. How do you think God’s past faithfulness played into Mary and Joseph’s trust in God?
6. How does trust play into our own situation as we prepare for Christmas and how does that trust effect the way we live our lives? 

Wrap Up

Say: It took a lot of trust in God for Mary and Joseph to go along with his plan.  We saw from the video that Mary and Joseph probably lost a lot of friends and family and respect because of God’s plan.  Mary and Joseph had to trust that God would do what He said He would and also trust that He would get them through their rough situation.  It takes a lot of trust for us to believe in the Christmas message too.  If we do believe that Jesus is the savior than that trust should affect what we believe about many other things and how we live our lives too.

Prayer

Give the students time to share prayer requests AND praises (strongly encourage students to contemplate their blessings).  Close by thanking God for sending His son and asking for help to trust in Him the way Mary and Joseph did.    

Children's Church Lesson: Angels Visit (The Annunciation)

Story

Say: Hello everyone!  Are you taller today?  You look like you’ve been growing.  We all start life as little babies, then grow and grow into big kids.  Someone in our story started small like us: Jesus!  Jesus was born as a little baby to his mother Mary and her husband Joseph.  Do you know who told them Jesus was coming to them? (Angels)

There are two angels in this story.  I wonder what angels look like, do you? Listen closely to the story.  Each time I read the word angel, flap your arms like wings.  Angels are polite and patient, so after I’ve said the word angel and then keep reading hold still and be patient until you hear  the word again. 

Read “Angels Visit” (Annunciation) in any children's bible.  Exaggerate the word angel in your reading, allowing “flying time” for the children.   

Lesson

Say: What did Mary and Joseph do when they saw the angels? (They were afraid, but they listened and believed)  What did the angels tell Mary and Joseph? (Do not be afraid. You will have a son; he will be God’s son, name him Jesus) Why was Jesus’ coming such a big deal? (He is the son of God; he came to save us all)

That’s right, Jesus’ coming was so special because he is the son of God and he came to save the world!  God sent his son as a new born baby, just like all of us!  The bible tells us that this new born baby has been with God since the beginning of time.  Jesus helped God create the world! 

Memory Verse

Nothing is impossible with God. – Luke 1:37

Big Idea

God send His son Jesus and he was born a baby just like we were born. 

Prayer- Ask for Joys and Requests

Take a minute to see if the children have any prayer requests of joys.  Say short prayer thanking God for loving us and sending us his son.     

Craft

Children will make angles using cotton balls and muffin cups. 

Advent Youth Lesson One (of three): The Word Became Flesh

Game Idea:  Four Square – see rules at: http://www.thatyouththing.com/resources/crowdbreakers.htm

Bible Verse 1: John 1:1-14

Video: 8 lb 6 oz Baby Jesus: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6AlEYreD6k.

 Make sure to stop right at 2:20 (to avoid language).  If you can’t project a computer you can play 

this segment from the movie Talladega Nights.  

Discussion

1)      When we think of Jesus at Christmas what do we think of? (Baby, human, etc)

2)      How does this compare with Ricky Bobby’s Jesus? (Similar in a lot of ways)

3)      What does John 1 have to say about Jesus? (Existed from the beginning of time, had a hand in creation)

4)      Why is it important to remember what John has to say about Jesus during the Christmas season? (Jesus is not just a baby, He is our savior and He is the son of God.)

5)      How does the way we think of Jesus affect our personal relationship with Him?

Wrap Up

Say: The season of Advent (or Christmas – if students aren't familiar with Advent) is all about trust.  If we trust that Jesus is our Messiah/Savior than we trust that baby Jesus was also the Son of God and the co-creator of the universe.

Prayer

Give the students time to share prayer requests AND praises (strongly encourage students to contemplate their blessings).  Close by thanking God for sending His son (in all his glory and power) to earth as a helpless baby to save us all.  If Jesus was just another baby than He cannot be the messiah.  

Anger Management: Cain and Abel

Story

Raise your hand if you ever get Angry.  Is it ok to be angry? (Yes) Do you make good choices or bad choices when you are angry? (Bad)  Is it ok to make bad choices when you are angry? (No)

Today we are going to read a bible story about two brothers and a very bad decision that was made because of anger.

Read “Cain and Abel” in any children's story bible (or Genesis 4).  

Lesson

Why did Cain get angry? (God like Abel’s offering better)  What bad choice did Cain make (Killed Abel).  I doubt that any of us would hurt someone that badly.  What are some bad choices you make when you are angry? (Mean words, hit, etc., let the children share) 

The bible tells us not let our anger make us sin.  What are some ways that we can keep from sinning when we are angry? (Use our words to tell the person they are making us angry, ask a grown up for help, as God to help us – take time for children’s answers).  These are all great answers!

One way we can keep form making a bad choice when we are angry is using our words to tell the person that they are making us angry.  That way they can stop doing the thing that makes us angry and sometimes just telling someone we are angry makes us less mad.

Another good choice to make when we are angry is to ask for help form an adult.  This is really important is using our words has not helped the situation.

Sometimes using our words and getting help from a grown up is not enough.  If we are still really angry after all of that we need to pray to God and ask him to take away our anger. 

Memory Verse

“In your anger, do not sin.” Ephesians 4:26 

Big Idea

Its ok to be Angry but it is not ok to sin in our Anger.   We need to tell people when they make us made and ask God for help.  

Prayer- Ask for Joys and Requests

Say a prayer asking God to help us make good choices when we are angry.  

Craft

Children will draw a picture of what makes them angry and a picture of what they can do when they are angry to keep from sinning. 

Youth Group Discussion: Anger- Work it Out

Bible Verse 1: Matt 5: 21-24

         

Video: The Skinny on Truth and Grace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thpqXF04IkY

Bible Verse: Matt 18: 15-18

Five Questions:

1.     Help me understand what the Bible passages say about anger. (Reread them) Tell me what the Bible says in your own words.

2.     Have you ever been really angry with a friend or parent?  Does that feel different than being angry with an enemy or someone you barely know?

3.     The Bible passage says that becoming angry with someone is like murder.  How does make you feel?

4.     Jesus gives specific ways to deal with people who makes us angry or who have wronged us.  What are they?

5.     Jesus and the Skit Guys say that if you become angry with someone you should try to show them “Grace”.  What does that mean? ……….We’ll talk more about Grace next week.

Close in prayer and ask for prayer requests.