Write out on separate pieces of
cardboard the nine letters that make up the word
'CHRISTMAS'. Take each letter in turn to illustrate the
Christmas story. As you talk about each letter, get a
volunteer to come and hold it up before the class - at the
conclusion the complete word will thus be shown.
There are a number of
variations that could be used, but here are some ideas.
C = Christ. God's gift to us.
H = Heaven. Jesus came down
from Heaven to be born at Bethlehem.
R = Redeemer. You will probably
have to explain this. To redeem something means to buy it
back. God
created us, but then he
had to buy us back with the blood of Jesus. The famous story
about the boy who
made, lost and then had
to buy back a toy boat is helpful in explaining this.*
I = Israel. Jesus was born in
Israel. (An alternative could be Isaiah, who foretold of His
coming).
S = Star. God sent a bright
star to guide the wise men. (An alternative could be
Stable).
T = The wise men. The Bible
doesn't say how many there were, but they brought Three
gifts.
M = Manger, in which Jesus was
placed. (An alternative could be Mary).
A = Angels, who announced
Jesus' birth.
S = Shepherds, the first to
hear the 'Good News. (An alternative could be Saviour).
* A boy once made a toy boat.
He was very proud of his boat because he hadn't bought it,
he had made it himself. One day whilst sailing his boat on
the lake, the wind suddenly strengthened and blew the toy
boat out of sight towards the other side of the lake. The
boy immediately ran around to the far side of the lake to
look for his boat. He searched and searched, but couldn't
find it anywhere, the boat was lost. The boy was bitterly
disappointed because this wasn't any ordinary boat, this
was his special boat that he had made with his own hands.
Sometime later the boy was
walking past a shop. He happened to look in the window, and
there up for sale was his boat. He knew it was his because
he had made it himself and knew exactly what it looked like.
Immediately the boy rushed into the shop and paid the asking
price for his boat. On leaving the shop, the boy looked
admiringly at his boat and said "Now you are mine twice
over. I made you, and now I have bought you back again. I
have redeemed you."
That is a picture of what God
has done for us. He made us and therefore owns us, but
because of our sin we became lost and separated from Him.
But in His love, God sent Jesus to buy us back, to redeem
us. And the price Jesus paid? - His own blood that He shed
on the cross. So although at Christmas we remember the
coming of Jesus to earth, we must also think of Easter and
remember the purpose of His coming, to redeem us to God.
2.
The Christmas Tree
If you have a decorated
Christmas tree in your classroom, you can use it as an
object lesson to teach some important Christian truths. If
not, a picture of a Christmas tree would suffice.
The tree.
This reminds us of our sin. Adam and Eve ate the
forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil in the Garden of Eden, and Jesus died on a tree to take
away our sins.
The point.
This points heavenwards, reminding us that Jesus came from
heaven to be our Saviour.
The Angel.
Reminds us that it was an Angel that brought the first
Christmas message to some Shepherds, "Fear not, for I bring
good tidings of great joy, for unto you is born a Saviour,
Christ the Lord." (Luke 2.10,11).
The star.
Reminds us that God sent a special star to guide the wise
men to the baby Jesus.
The lights.
Jesus came to give light to those in darkness, and guide us
on our way to heaven.
The decorations.
Remind us of the beauty of everlasting life obtained through
faith in Jesus.
Depository for
gifts. (Usually underneath the tree). Reminds
us of the first and best Christmas gift - Jesus Christ,
God's gift to the world. We are also reminded that for any
gift to benefit us, we need to receive it. If we don't
personally receive Jesus into our lives then, as far as we
are concerned, He might as well never have come to earth.
- by Maurice Sweetsur
