FAITH CHALLENGE
“This is My Dear Son”: Jesus’ Birth to Baptism
Jan 5 – Feb 2, 2003
Birth of Jesus (Lesson A Week 2)
Scripture: Matthew 1-2
Memory Verse: “All of you are God’s children
because of your faith in Christ Jesus.
And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in
the same way you put on new clothes” Galatians 3: 26-27 CEV
· Jesus Christ embodies and fulfills God’s purpose in the world.
· Just as God redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt, so God in Christ redeems us from sin.
· In Christ, God calls us to a new way of life that exhibits God’s purpose for the world.
· Students will review Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth.
· Students will recognize that Jesus brought new ideas of life to us and that when we believe in Jesus, we begin to live life in new and different ways.
1. If some students arrive early, assign those who were
present last week to prepare a re-enactment of the story of Jesus’ birth as
they studied from Matthew’s gospel.
Have costumes available. Provide
Bibles and assistance as needed to assure the re-enactment is accurate.
2. The Coach leads the opening routine: snack,
fellowship, prayer wall activity, and prayer chain. Nametags are available.
1. The Coach reviews the timeline and the previous
week’s workshop activity. Remind them
they are learning about Jesus’ birth as told by Matthew and that the other
lesson in this unit is Jesus’ baptism which they have already have or will
begin next week.
2. Introduce the Guide who leads the Workshop Lesson.
NOTE TO GUIDE: During this lesson you will read a children’s book to the class titled The Fourth Wise Man. It might seem more like a story-telling or story-reading atmosphere if the youth gathered around you on the floor. Providing floor pillows or spreading blankets on the floor might seem more inviting rather than just asking them to leave their seats and join you on the floor. Another option is to just have students gather their chairs together in a small circle as you read the story. If you choose to sit on the floor—you could do one of the following—remove chairs for today and ask students to sit on the floor at arrival, ask students to move to the floor as you begin your part of the lesson (now) or ask them to join you on the floor following the discussion below when you are ready to read the story. Choose the option that seems best to you.
1. Move on from the review above with the following question: “What did God do that was unexpected or new in the Matthew story of Jesus’ birth?” Use a flipchart or dry erase board to record students’ ideas. Although students may have many ideas, be sure the following points are made of new or unexpected aspects to the Matthew story:
· God asked Joseph to marry Mary rather than
have her stoned
· God revealed the birth of Jesus not only to
Jewish leaders, but also to those outside the Jewish faith—gentiles. These were the Wise Men.
· Jesus was born in humble circumstances
rather than in a fancy palace as might have been expected for one called “King
of the Jews”
2. If students have not already moved to the floor or gathered their chairs together, have them do so now. Pass around a basket of “gems” and allow each student to choose one “gem” from the basket. Tell them to keep the “gem” through the lesson today and to take it home with them at the end of class.
3. Read The Fourth Wise Man. Stop reading after Artaban saves the child by giving his ruby to the soldiers.
4. Begin a 4-minute clip from the video with the same name as the book. The clip begins where Artaban is talking to his servant and says—“Don’t you understand? I must find him.” Watch the section where Artaban talks with the rabbi. Stop watching as Artaban rides across the desert.
5. Stop the video and have a short discussion with the following questions. “What do you think happened next? Do you think Artaban found Jesus? Where and when do you think Artaban found Jesus?” There are no right or wrong answers—the questions are to help the class think ahead.
6. Finish reading the book.
7. Again have a time of discussion with the following questions:
· Where did Artaban expect to find Jesus at the beginning of the story? He was going to follow the star and expected to find Jesus where the star pointed.
· Did Artaban ever find Jesus? Where? Artaban did not ever see Jesus in person, but he found Jesus in his work to help other people. Artaban did not recognize that he was “finding” Jesus in this way until the end of the book.
· Do you think Artaban was surprised to know that he had “found” Jesus in his work with others? All answers are acceptable, but it is probably reasonable to think Artaban did not expect to find Jesus in this way.
· Can you name some places where you have “found” Jesus in the same way Artaban did? Many of our children will have had experiences in which they have helped or served other people. You might want to be careful to draw their attention again to the author’s references to Matthew 25 (“I was hungry and you fed me . . .”). There are many points—but the one to make sure the students recognize is that God comes to us in expected ways and in unexpected places. When we believe in Jesus, we live our life in new and unexpected ways. We can encounter Jesus in everyone we meet if we know how to look for him.
8.
Ask the class to recite the memory verse with
you (posted for you in the room): “All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ
Jesus. And when you were baptized, it
was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes”
Galatians 3: 26-27 CEV
9.
Pass
out strips of paper on which you have written short phrases of the memory
verse. Ask the students with the papers
to stand up and put themselves in order so that the verse is correct. Repeat as needed to provide adequate review
of the memory verse.
10. Tell students to keep their “gems” as reminders of the lesson. Suggest they can share their gifts with others, just as Artaban did, and in that way find Jesus. Students might want to consider placing their “gem” into the clay model they made last week.
11. Students should take their “gems” and clay models home.
1. Ask students to tidy up.
1. The
Coach conducts the closing prayer. A
simple prayer such as: God, we thank you for Jesus. Help us to share our gifts and serve others
and in doing that, to find you. Amen
2. Close/lock the door and turn off the lights.
1. Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
2. Preparation instructions for this lesson plan:
· Preview the book. The Fourth Wise Man.
· Preview the video clip—or the entire video as desired
· Write short phrases of the memory verse on strips of paper
· Costumes for the re-enactment of the Matthew’s birth story
· Book
and video titled The Fourth Wise Man The book is based on the story by Henry Van Dyke and retold by
Susan Summers. The video is by Gateway
Films and is a Vision Video.
· TV/VCR
in classroom
· Blankets
and/or floor pillows if desired
· “gems”
· Writers’ Bible study materials titled “This is my own dear Son” prepared by Susan Mazzara