NT 06 Young Jesus at the Temple

Reference: Luke 2:39-52

Story Summary:
     When Jesus was twelve, he left his hometown of Nazareth with his family. They travelled to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. When the celebration was over, the family headed back to Nazareth. However, they accidentally left Jesus behind.
     When Mary and Joseph realized their mistake, they headed back right away to Jerusalem. They searched for three days until they found Jesus. He had been at the temple, talking with the teachers there. The answers Jesus gave amazed the people at the temple.
     Mary said to Jesus, "Son, why have you treated us like this?" Jesus replied, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" Jesus was talking about the temple, the special place where God promised to meet with the Israelites. He was reminding his mother Mary that his father was God himself.
     Jesus returned to Nazareth with his family. There, he obeyed his parents. He grew stronger and wiser. And he grew in favor with God and with people.

Big Idea and Motions: Jesus came in human skin to save us from our sins.
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Human skin - pinch some skin on your arm or neck
Save - make the baseball “Safe!” sign
Sins - two thumbs down

Verse / Motions: John 1:14, ESV -  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory
Word - form a cross with your arms
Flesh - squeeze some part of your body
Dwelt - rest your head on your hands like a pillow
Among us - point to yourself with both thumbs
Seen - put your hand above your eyes and look round
Glory - wiggle your hands above your head

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What town did Jesus grow up in? // Nazareth
How old was Jesus in today’s story? // 12
What city did Jesus’ family travel to? // Jerusalem
Who did Mary and Joseph forget on the way back from Jerusalem? // Jesus
What was Jesus doing in Jerusalem by himself? // At the temple, asking questions of the teachers
Did Jesus disobey his parents? // No
How many days did it take Mary and Joseph to find Jesus? // 3
What did the teachers think of Jesus’ answers? // They were amazed
Who was Jesus’ father? // God
Did Jesus have to grow, learn, and obey his parents like a regular kid? // Yes

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/bV3Zat
Resources - http://goo.gl/U6z4cx

NT 05 Magi Visit Jesus

Reference: Matthew 2:1-12

Story Summary:
   The magi were wise men from the east. They studied lots of things, including the stars. One day, they saw a special star God placed in the sky. They were certain that this meant a new king for the Jews had been born.
   The magi followed this star to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?” When evil King Herod heard about this, he asked the Bible experts where the Christ, the savior and king God had promised to send, would be born. They said, “In Bethlehem.”
     Herod told them to go and find the child so that he, too, could go visit him. However, Herod secretly began planning how to get rid of this newborn "king."
   The magi followed the star until it stopped over a house. Inside, they found a child named Jesus and his mother, Mary. There they bowed down and worshipped him. They also gave him expensive gifts for a king: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Later, God warned them in a dream  to not return to Herod, but to go back home by a different route.

Big Idea and Motions: Jesus is the Christ: our Savior and our King!
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Christ - pretend to anoint your own head with oil
Savior - do the baseball “safe!” sign
King - pretend to put a crown on your head

Verse / Motions: Philippians 2:10-11, ESV - ...every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...
Knee should bow - drop to your knees, then stand up
Heaven - reach up high and jump
Earth - reach down and pat the ground
Under the earth - pretend to dig with a shovel
Tongue - grab your tongue
Jesus is Lord - point up three times, once for each word

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who were the magi? // Wise men who looked at the stars to learn about God and the future.
What did the magi think the special star in the sky meant? // A new king for the jews was born.
Who was upset when he heard the magi were looking for a new king? // King Herod
Where did the Bible experts say the Christ was going to be born? // Bethlehem
What does “Christ” mean? // The anointed one; the savior and king God promised to send
Over whose house did the star stop? // Jesus’ house.
What did the magi do at Jesus’ house? // Bow down and worship, give him gifts for a king
What gifts did the magi bring them? // Gold, frankincense, myrrh
What did God tell the magi to do in their dream? // Don’t go to Herod, go home a different way

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/wY4Um4
Resources - http://goo.gl/eNu6Iv

NT 04 The Shepherds Visit Jesus

Reference: Luke 2:8-20

Story Summary: 
     The night that Jesus was born, shepherds were in a field, watching their sheep at night. An angel appeared to them and God's glory shone around. The shepherds were terrified.
     The angel came with a message: a savior had been born in the town of Bethlehem. This savior was the Christ, God's special savior. The angel told them how to find this child: he would be wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, an animal's eating dish. Then a whole big group of angels appeared and began to praise God before returning to heaven.
     The shepherds left to find out if the angel's news was true. They came to where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were. And they found a child lying in a manger just like they were told.
     The shepherds were so excited that they went around telling everyone what they had seen and heard. All the people who heard the news were amazed. And Jesus' mother Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart.


Big Idea and Motions: The good news of Christmas is Jesus is Savior.
Good News - cup your hands around your mouth, like you’re sharing the news
Christmas - form the letter “c” with your arms
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Savior - do the baseball “safe” sign

Verse / Motions: Luke 2:11, ESV - For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
You - point to another person
Born - pretend to cradle a baby
City of David - touch your fingertips together to form a “rooftop,” separate them, then form a rooftop again*
Savior - make the baseball “safe” sign
Christ - form a cross with your forearms (for Jesus)
Lord - point up
* This is the ASL sign for “city”.

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who were out in the fields, watching their sheep at night? // Shepherds
Who appeared to the shepherd? // An angel
What good news did the Angel tell the shepherds? // A savior is born
What is the “city of David”? // Bethlehem
What did the Angel tell the shepherds to look for in Bethlehem? // A baby, in cloths, lying in a manger
Who appeared with the first angel? // A large group of angels
Who did the shepherds find in Bethlehem? // Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, in a manger
Who did the shepherds go tell about Jesus? // Everyone
How did the people react to the shepherds’ news? // They were amazed
What did Mary think of all this? // She remembered these things like a treasure in her heart

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/mqxIYF
Resources - http://goo.gl/pyDB6G

NT 03 The Birth of Jesus

Reference: Luke 2:1-7

Story Summary:
     An angel had appeared to a young girl named Mary. He told her that she would have a special child; he would be God's Son. And soon after that, Mary became pregnant by the power of God's Holy Spirit. Mary was also engaged to a man named Joseph.
   During that time, Caesar Augustus made a law requiring everyone to return to their hometown. They had to sign their name on a list so that they could be taxed.
   So Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem, Joseph's hometown. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. Mary gave birth to a son. She named him Jesus, the name the angel had told her to give him.
   Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling cloths. Since there was no room for them to stay at the inn, she laid him in a manger, a box normally used to hold food for animals.
   Jesus is God's Son. He came to earth as a human being because he had a special mission. He came to save us from our sins.
   When Jesus grew up, he saved us by dying on the cross. He died to pay the punishment for the sins of others.

Big Idea and Motions: God sent his Son to save us from sin
God - point up
Son - pretend to cradle a baby
Save - make the baseball “safe” sign
Sin - two thumbs down

Verse / Motions: Matthew 1:21, ESV - She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Bear - squeeze your belly
Son - pretend to cradle a baby
Call - pretend to call on a phone
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Save - make the baseball “Safe!” sign
Sins - two thumbs down

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What did Caesar Augustus make everyone do? // Go and sign a list so they could be taxed.
What town did Mary and Joseph need to travel to? // Bethlehem.
What happened to Mary while they were in Bethlehem? // Time for the baby to be born.
What did they place Jesus in when he was born? // A manger.
What is a manger? // An animal’s food dish
Why did they have to place Jesus in a manger? // Because there was no room in the inn.
What does Jesus’ name mean? // Savior.
Who is Jesus’ father? // God
What did Jesus come to save us from? // Sin.
How did Jesus pay the price to save us from sin? // By dying on a cross.

Google Docs Links
Lesson - https://goo.gl/PR2yni
Resources - http://goo.gl/W6UQE3