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Program: The Life of Jesus
Now, select a Format
Quarter: Quarter One
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Opening
5 min View
Opening
WelcomeSupplies
- Bible
Welcome
Thank kids for coming.
Just for fun, have kids high-five three of their friends.
Make announcements.
Introduce new kids.
Celebrate birthdays by whispering the “Happy Birthday” song.
Collect the offering.
Introduce the Lesson
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. Today we’ll learn about the night Jesus was born.
Share
Tell a story about when you were a baby.
Have kids get in pairs and tell stories about when they were babies or about babies they know.
Summarize
Open a Bible, and say: Today we’ll explore how Jesus is the light of the world and what that means to us. We’ll dig in to the Bible to find out. The Bible isn’t an ordinary book; it’s God’s special book. The Bible is one way God talks to us. God is here right now, ready to talk to you.
Pray, thanking Jesus for being the light of the world.
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Music Video
10 min View
Music Video
Go, Tell It on the MountainSupplies
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“Go, Tell It on the Mountain” (watch or download here)
- “He Is the Light” (watch or download here)
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“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” (watch or download here)
Tip
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Don’t have internet in your classroom? That’s okay! You can choose your own worship songs from our Best Of Dig In Music DVD here.
Sing Songs to God
Sing the three songs in any order.
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Bible Message
10 min View
Bible Message
Jesus, the Light of the World, Is Born (Luke 2:1-20)Supplies
- Bible
- bright flashlights (1 for every 10 kids)
Discuss
Say: We usually learn about Jesus’ birth at Christmastime. But it’s exciting to think about Jesus coming to earth any time of year! Let’s think about Christmas for a minute.
Ask: • Tell about a really cool Christmas display you’ve seen. Have kids turn to a partner to share. Then ask a few kids to share with everyone.
Say: Christmas lights and displays can remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. He came to bring light and hope when the world felt dark and hopeless. And that’s a message we need to remember all the time, not just at Christmas!
Do a Shadow Play
Say: Since Jesus is the light of the world, let’s do a shadow play where light helps us see what happened when Jesus was born.
Open your Bible to Luke 2, and show kids the words.
Assign roles: Flashlight Holder, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, an innkeeper, an angel, a couple of shepherds, and a couple of sheep. If you don’t have that many kids, stick with the basics—Mary, Joseph, an angel, and a shepherd or two. You can hold the flashlight. If you have a lot of kids, form smaller, mixed-age groups that each have those roles.
Say: Mary was Jesus’ mom. And Joseph was his earthly father. Now, as I read what happened in the Bible story, you’ll act it out. Your Flashlight Holder will shine a light on you so that you make a shadow on the wall. Your shadows will become the play others will watch, so keep an eye on what they look like!
If possible, dim the lights. Read this paraphrase of Luke 2:4-5: Joseph had to go to a different town, called Bethlehem. He took Mary along with him. Allow time for kids to act out their parts. Continue with the following sections:
- Luke 2:6-7
- Luke 2:8
- Luke 2:9
- Luke 2:10-12
- Luke 2:13-14
- Luke 2:15-16
- Luke 2:17-18
- Luke 2:20
Collect the flashlights, and have kids sit down.
Ask: • Think about the poses you made. Which ones felt joyful or hopeful?
• Shadows helped tell our Bible story. How do you think shadows work?
• What can shadows and lights teach us about Jesus?
Say: In order for there to be shadows, there has to be light. Without light, there wouldn’t have been shadows for our play. The flashlights helped us see the story. And the light of Jesus helps us see God! Jesus is the light of the world.
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Core Bible
20 min View
Core Bible Discovery
The Night Jesus Was Born (Luke 2:1-20)Supplies
- Bible
- music player
- CD or MP3 of quiet music
- small box or basket
- thick blanket
- 1 glow stick per child, plus 2 extras
- rubber bands to make a cross from glow sticks
- small bag of potting soil
Easy Prep
- Darken the room as much as possible.
- Set up a box or basket as a manger. Crack two glow sticks, use rubber bands to bind them together in a cross shape, and set the cross in the manger. Put uncracked glow sticks around the cross. Cover the cross with a thick blanket to obscure the light. If you have more than 50 kids, set up multiple baskets.
Tip
- For safety reasons, it's better to use thicker glow sticks, as the thinner, bracelet glow sticks can break.
A Dark Night
Turn off all the lights and darken the room as much as possible.
Say: It’s dark in our room, just like the night Jesus was born. Did you know there’s another kind of darkness we can have in our lives? When we feel afraid, sad, confused, lonely, or far from God, it’s like being in the dark.
In their small groups, have kids talk about this question.
Ask: • Tell about a time you experienced darkness by being afraid, lost, confused, or all alone.
Before kids share, give your own example of a dark time, such as losing a job, moving away from friends or family, or facing an illness.
Play music quietly while kids talk together. (This fills some of the background silence and makes it more comfortable for kids to share.)
Say: When we go through dark times like the ones we’ve talked about, we need Jesus, the light of the world.
Angels Visit Shepherds
Say: The Bible tells us that shepherds were out in a field that night, protecting their sheep from wild animals. Have kids imagine they are the shepherds in the dark field as you read aloud Luke 2:8-12, with expression. Turn on the lights.
Say: Wow! There’s a bright light! I need your help celebrating this good news of Jesus, the light of the world. The angels did it with style, so let’s do what they did.
Read aloud Luke 2:13-14.
Have kids pretend to be angels as they crouch and whisper “Glory to God” when your hand is low. Practice that. Have kids jump and shout “Glory to God” when your hand is high. Practice that.
Say: There was one angel (hand low)
And then more (hand medium)
And then all the angels in heaven. (hand high)
Do this again.
Heading to the Manger
Say: After the angels returned to heaven (turn off the lights), the shepherds hurried to find Jesus. And they found Jesus lying in the manger—just as the angel had said. Listen to this!
Read aloud Luke 2:6-7, and then have kids make baby crying sound effects. Say: Jesus—God’s Son—had left heaven to come to earth.
Ask: • Call out words that describe what you imagine heaven is like.
Say: Jesus left that perfect place to come to earth. And the first thing he experienced was a dirty stable.
Pass around the bag of potting soil and have kids smell it.
Ask: • What would it be like to put a newborn baby in a dirty stable?
Shining God’s Light
Have children gather around the manger.
Say: Jesus was no ordinary baby—Jesus is God! Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus came to show God’s love to a world that was dark and smelly with sadness, fear, and sin.
Pull back the blanket to show the glow cross. Let kids take turns looking inside the manger.
Give children each a glow stick, but tell them not to crack it.
Have kids go back to their small groups.
Ask: • What do you want to do with the glow stick?
Say: The shepherds wanted to share the news that Jesus is the light of the world! That’s the most important news in the world! They ran and told everyone about Jesus, the light of the world. Let’s do that now!
Let kids crack their glow sticks and hold them up high.
Light Party
Tell kids to be the shepherds. They have 30 seconds to tell as many people as possible that Jesus is the light of the world.
Ask: • What just happened here?
Say: That was exciting! That’s what happens when we share that Jesus is the light of the world. We can celebrate and share this amazing gift of God’s love!
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Music Video
10 min View
Music Video
Go, Tell It on the MountainSupplies
-
“Go, Tell It on the Mountain” (watch or download here)
- “He Is the Light” (watch or download here)
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“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” (watch or download here)
Tip
-
Don’t have internet in your classroom? That’s okay! You can choose your own worship songs from our Best Of Dig In Music DVD here.
Sing Songs to God
Sing the three songs in any order.
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Core Bible at Home
20 min View -
Jesus Connection
10 min View
Jesus Connection
A Guiding LightSupplies
- sticky notes
- crayon
Tips
- Isaiah 9:1-7 paints an awesome picture of Jesus, the light of the world. As you prepare, you may want to read and reflect on these words.
- Post-it brand sticky notes will stick to the wall best, even after kids have touched the sticky part.
Put Notes on a Wall
Say: Jesus’ birth was a great thing to celebrate! I wonder if his family had a birthday party for him every year after that. A game we sometimes play at birthday parties is called Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Let’s try a game that’s a little like that!
- Draw a heart on a sticky note, and stick it to a wall where all your kids will be able to reach it.
- Gather kids about 15 feet from the wall, then hand each person a sticky note.
- One at a time, have kids close their eyes and keep them closed, then spin around two times. (You might want to let older kids spin five times to make it more challenging.)
- Holding the sticky note out in one hand, they’ll take turns trying to put their note on top of the heart note. Kids should keep their other hand (not holding the note) behind their back so they’re not tempted to feel around for the right spot on the wall.
- You may need to remind kids to keep their eyes closed, or have younger kids keep a hand over their eyes. If you have more than 15 kids, form several groups around the room, each with its own heart note.
- After placing the note on the wall, kids can open their eyes to see how close they got to the heart note.
Thank God for Jesus
Gather kids and have them sit down.
Ask: • As a group, how well did we do at finding the heart note? Give your answer with a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down. Let kids express their answers, then ask a few kids to explain why they gave that answer.
Say: Walking in darkness is hard! The Bible tells us that God’s people were walking in darkness, too. Their world wasn’t dark—like it is at nighttime. But times felt dark and hopeless. Things felt sad for them. They wanted a king and leader of their own.
Ask: • Think of a time you felt sad or hopeless. Share a brief example of your own, then let kids share with a partner.
Say: God’s people needed hope, joy, and light. God sent his Son, Jesus! Jesus came to guide people to God. He helped them see God’s love and power. Jesus is the light of the world. Let’s try our game a new way.
- Let kids each retrieve a sticky note from the wall.
- Have kids take turns spinning around and walking toward the heart note—this time with eyes open!
- Direct kids to put their note right next to the heart note and say, “God, thanks for sending Jesus—the light of the world!”
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Prayer
5 min View
Prayer
Noticing God’s PresenceShare God Sightings and Pray
Say: It’s true! Jesus is the light of the world. In our Bible story today, God brightened the world by sending his special Son, Jesus.
Friendship with God still brightens our lives today!
Let’s pray a God Sightings prayer! We’ll each think of one way God has brightened our day today. For example… Share an example from your own life. You could talk about an answer to prayer, something beautiful you saw in nature, or something kind someone did for you.
God Sightings are ways we’ve seen God’s light in our lives! Now it’s your turn. Turn to someone nearby and tell about a way God has brightened your day today. You’ll each have about a minute to share. Then we’ll pray and thank God for these reminders that he is with us.
Ask: • How has God brightened your life today?
Allow time, then have kids hold hands over their eyes like binoculars to show they’re looking for God at work. Have them hold that pose as you close in prayer.
Pray: Dear God, we love looking for you in the world around us. Thank you for all the ways you’ve brightened our lives today! May we notice more ways you’re at work in our lives and in our world this week. Thank you that your Son, Jesus, is the light of the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Talk-About Video
10 min View
Talk-About Video
Karl, Light of the WorldSupplies
- “Karl, Light of the World” teaching video (watch or download here)
Tip
- Don’t have internet in your classroom? That’s okay! You can download the videos before class using the “download” button at the link provided, or purchase DVDs here.
Discuss and Watch "Karl, Light of the World"
Have kids get into groups of three. Say: Today we’re going to watch a video about a guy who got confused about something that was said at church. In your group, tell about a time you got confused about something someone said—it can be something you heard at church or someplace else. I’ll go first. Share your own story about a time you were confused about what someone said. Take about a minute to share so you model the type of sharing you’d like kids to do. Then invite children to share their own stories with their groups.
Allow three minutes for sharing, and then have kids return their attention to you.
Say: Let’s watch our video and see what happens.
Watch “Karl, Light of the World.”
Say: Karl was confused about what the pastor at his church said. He thought the pastor said that Karl should be the light of the world, and Karl thought that meant wearing a funny sunshine costume.
Ask: • What did Karl get wrong when he thought he was the light of the world? Allow another three minutes for kids to share in their groups, and then invite a few kids to share their answers with the larger group.
Ask: • We know that Jesus is the light of the world, not us. But how can we show Jesus’ light in the world?
Say: Jesus is the light of the world! We have the great opportunity to reflect the light and love of Jesus to others so they can experience that light and love, too.
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Preschool Puppet
10 min View
Preschool Puppet Skit
Preschool Puppet SkitNot available for this age level.
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Scripture Skills
10 min View
Scripture Skills
Come to the LightSupplies
- Bibles
- “Hands-On Bible: Books of the Bible Poster Set” (purchase here)
- flashlights (1 for every adult or teen helper)
Tips
- It may take a while for kids to find the Bible verse. That’s okay! This activity is primarily about building Bible navigation skills.
- If you have a lot of non-readers, have some picture Bibles on hand for them to flip through as older kids look up verses. They won’t look for anything specific, but they can look at the pictures to practice paging through Bibles.
Come to the Light
Say: Jesus was born to be the light of the world. Let’s play a game to practice coming into the light.
- Give a flashlight to each adult or teen helper.
- Dim the lights if possible.
- Helpers will turn on the flashlights and shine them at the floor.
- Encourage kids to run to stand in the light.
- Have helpers move the light often, and direct kids to run to stand in the new spot.
- If time allows, give kids a turn to shine the lights.
Say: It was fun to try to stay in the light of a flashlight. We use a flashlight to light our way in the dark.
Ask: • Tell about a time you had to walk in the dark.
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. When you follow Jesus, it’s like he’s the light on your path showing you the way, even in times that feel dark and we’re not sure what’s going to happen.
Explore John 12:46
Say: Let’s see what Jesus had to say about being the light.
Make sure kids all have Bibles. Younger kids can sit with older kids so they can observe the skills of using their Bibles even before being able to read.
Say: Our Bible verse is in the book of John, chapter 12, verse 46. Let’s find the book of John. That’s in the New Testament—which is the later part of the Bible. Open your Bible kind of near the back. Allow time.
- Point to the book of John on the poster so kids can see the name and what books come before and after it.
- Mention that the chapter numbers are the big numbers, and help kids find the big 12 in John.
- Mention that the verse numbers are the small numbers, and help kids find the small 46 in John 12.
- When everyone has found the verse, ask someone to read John 12:46 aloud.
Ask: • When this verse talks about being in the dark, it doesn’t mean having the lights off. What are some examples of times in life that could feel dark to people?
• Think about our game and how you tried to get into the light. What might it look like to see Jesus’ light come to some of our dark times?
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. We can trust him to be with us and help us in the dark times.
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Activity Pages
10 min View
Activity Pages with a Point
Bright LightSupplies
- “Jesus, the Light of the World, Is Born” Activity Page (1 per reader) (download here)
- “Jesus, the Light of the World, Is Born” Coloring Page (1 per non-reader) (download here)
- yellow highlighters
- crayons
- three-hole punch and binders (optional)
Tip
- WARNING! Don’t just print and distribute! Here’s why.
Older Kids: Do an Activity Page
Say: We’re learning that Jesus is the light of the world. Let’s play a game where you’ll try to be the first to spot things I call out. Some of them light up!
Distribute the activity pages. You’ll call out items from the page, such as an hourglass, a lightbulb, a spider, a flashlight, a cookie, a lantern, a teddy bear, and a campfire. The first child to find it will raise a hand and point it out.
After several items, say: I think it would be easier if our light-up items actually lit up!
Distribute highlighters, and have kids color the items on their page that light up. This will include the flashlight, lightbulb, sun, star, candle, lantern, moon, firefly, campfire, and lamp.
Play some more rounds. This time kids should be able to find the items more quickly since they’ll know whether to look for an item that’s “lit up” or one that’s not.
Ask: • Compare the first rounds we played to the rounds when the lighted things were highlighted.
• What difference would it make if there was nothing in our world that gave off light?
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. The things we highlighted give off light that helps us see. But Jesus’ light does more than that. When life feels sad, dark, and lonely, Jesus’ light helps us see hope.
Younger Kids: Color a Coloring Page
Distribute the coloring pages and crayons. Say: Jesus is the light of the world. Let’s color him as a baby—all lit up!
Allow time for kids to color. They can use highlighters to color the rays around Jesus.
When kids finish coloring, three-hole-punch their pages and put them into binders, if desired.
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Object Lesson
10 min View
Object Lesson
The Word RevealedSupplies
- Bible
- “Glory to God” handout (I per child) (download here)
- glow sticks* (If you made the lantern crafts, use these instead of glow sticks.)
Reveal a Message
Darken the room.
Set a handout facedown in front of each child.
Say: There’s a message on your paper. Without picking up your paper, see if you can read the message in the dark.
Have kids crack the glow sticks to make them glow. (You can have groups of two or three kids share if you don’t have one glow stick per child.) Then have them use their glow sticks or lanterns to try to read the message while the papers are still facedown on the floor.
Have kids pick up the papers and hold the glow sticks or lanterns behind the papers to reveal the message.
Talk About It
Ask: • How did the light make a difference in this experience?
• Jesus is the light of the world. Does Jesus make a difference in your life? Tell me about that.
Say: Let’s look at what the Bible says about Jesus, the light of the world. When these verses talk about “the Word,” they’re referring to Jesus.
Read John 1:4-5. Remind kids that Jesus is the light of the world. Read the passage, substituting the word “Jesus” for the words “the light.”
Ask: • What does this passage tell you about Jesus?
• What would our world be like without Jesus?
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. He came to show people God’s love and power. The Bible tells us that nothing is more powerful than Jesus! I am so thankful that Jesus came to shine God’s love to each of you.
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Bible Memory
10 min View
Bible Memory
Glory to God in Highest HeavenSupplies
- envelopes
- crayons
- small slips of paper
Write to God
Say: Today we’re celebrating Jesus’ birth! The angels celebrated by giving God praise, and his light shone all around them! Let’s learn the Bible verse with their cheer for God!
In Luke 2:14, the angels said: “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Lead kids in repeating the verse after you, phrase by phrase.
Say: The angels gave glory to God in highest heaven. It’s almost like “highest heaven” is God’s address! Let’s decorate envelopes addressed to our God in highest heaven. Then we can write prayers to give glory, or thanks, to God for what he’s done for us!
- Give each child an envelope, and let kids use crayons to decorate the envelopes any way they’d like.
- If they can write, show them where to write “God in highest heaven” in the center address spot of the envelope. Older kids can help younger kids write it on theirs.
- Allow time for kids to write or draw notes of thanks to God on slips of paper.
- Have kids take turns sharing about what they wrote or drew. After each child shares, lead everyone in saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven!”
- When everyone has shared, lead kids in saying the entire verse a few times.
- Have kids take some blank slips home to add to their envelopes throughout the week as they want to thank God.
Talk About It
Ask: • How is prayer kind of like writing or mailing a letter?
• How is it different?
Say: We don’t actually have to send God mail for him to hear our prayers! But our envelopes are a fun way to remember that our God in highest heaven came down to earth when Jesus was born! We can give God glory by thanking him any time Jesus brings light into our lives. Jesus is the light of the world.
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Deeper Bible
15 min View
Deeper Bible
Does God Have Favorites?Supplies
- Bibles
- candy or other treat for each child
Wonder
Read aloud Luke 2:13-14. Repeat the end where it says “with whom God is pleased.”
Say: This verse makes it sound like God is going to give peace to only those people he likes. Does God have favorites? Let’s dig in to that.
Favorite Kids
Choose a few of the kids as your “favorites.” If you have a lot of kids, stop when you reach 20. Have your “favorites” come to you and get candy or another treat.
Let your “favorites” eat their candy up front, and ask the other kids: • What’s this activity like for you?
Ask the “favorite” kids: • What was this activity like for you?
Ask everyone: • Do you think this is the way God treats people? Explain.
Have kids rejoin their small groups. Give everyone candy.
Peace on Earth
Say: Some of you probably didn’t have a very peaceful feeling about that experience.
Tell the kids about a time you felt God’s peace.
Ask: • Turn to a partner and share about a time you felt peaceful.
Say: That peaceful feeling is like God’s love filling your heart. True peace can only come from God. Jesus came to show God’s love—and to give us true peace—because Jesus is the light of the world.
Look at Verse Context
Tell kids to listen to a Bible verse so they can answer this question: According to this verse, who is God’s good news for?
Have an older child or the group leader read Luke 2:10 to their small group.
Ask: • According to this verse, who is God’s good news for?
Look at Other Verses
Tell kids to listen to a Bible verse so they can answer this question: What do these verses show you about favorites?
Have an older child or the group leader read Acts 10:34-36 to their small group.
Ask: • What do these verses show you about favorites?
• Based on these verses, who can receive God’s peace?
Summarize
Say: Everyone is special to God, and peace is available for everyone. Jesus is the light of the world, not just parts of it! What this verse is really saying is: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace and good will toward all people on earth.”
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High-Energy Game
10 min View
High-Energy Game
Light of the World TagSupplies
- flashlights (1 per small group)
- small lamp (optional)
Easy Prep
- If your room doesn’t have any windows, consider turning on a small lamp to one side of the room for safety.
Set Up the Game
Choose a child in each small group to be “Darkness.”
Choose another child in each group to be “The Light of the World,” and have him or her stand to one side of the group, holding a flashlight. Tell him or her to be careful not to shine the light directly into anyone’s face.
Have the rest of the children in each group spread out around “Darkness.”
Play the Game
Have kids move around the room using only baby steps.
When children are tagged by Darkness, they must freeze and crouch down on the floor, waiting for The Light of the World to shine the flashlight on them. When the light shines on them, they’re free to stand and can continue playing.
The Light of the World can’t be tagged by Darkness.
The game starts when the lights go off and ends when the lights come back on.
Stop the game after a few minutes of play.
Repeat the game with different children being Darkness and The Light of the World.
Talk About It
Have kids sit in a circle with their small groups and discuss the following questions.
Ask: • What would the game have been like without The Light of the World?
• What would our world be like without Jesus—the true light of the world?
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. Without him, we would live in darkness. But Jesus is more powerful than the darkness. His light can never be stopped.
Have kids each think about a friend or family member who would be encouraged by Jesus’ power over darkness. Let kids pray silently for those people, asking God to shine Jesus’ light into their lives.
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Overtime
10 min View
Overtime
LighthouseMove Toward the Lighthouse
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. Sometimes our world seems dark, like it’s full of sadness.
Ask: • What are some things that make you feel sad or worried?
Say: Things like [some of the things kids shared] can make life feel dark. But Jesus is the light of the world! And Jesus’ light can help us go forward with hope! Let’s see how light can help us keep going.
- Have kids form a circle around the edge of your space.
- Ask a willing child to stand in the center of the circle to act as a Lighthouse.
- The Lighthouse will extend his or her arms straight out in front, with hands angled out. The space between those hands will represent a beam of light shining out at the circled kids.
- Ask the Lighthouse to spin in place. When the “beam” is on kids in the circle, they can move toward the Lighthouse, but when the “beam” moves past they must freeze in place.
- The first person to get to the Lighthouse takes on that role. Call out directions to your Lighthouse to keep things interesting, such as “Switch direction!” “Speed up!” or “Slow down!”
- Let the game keep going as long as needed to fill time until parents begin to arrive.
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Low-Energy Game
10 min View
Low-Energy Game
Share Jesus’ LightSupplies
- “Share Jesus’ Light Cards” handout (1 per small group) (download here)
- paper bags (1 per small group)
Easy Prep
- Cut apart the “Share Jesus’ Light Cards” from the handouts.
- Put a set of cards in each paper bag, and mix up the cards.
Mime Sharing the Light
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. He came to show people how much God loves them. That’s great news that everyone should know! Let’s play a game to think about ways we can spread Jesus’ light—and share God’s love—with our friends and family members.
Let each child take one of the “Share Jesus’ Light Cards” from a bag without looking.
Tell children not to show their cards to anyone else.
Say: Each of your cards has a different way you can share Jesus’ light. When it’s your turn, act out what’s on your card. The rest of your group will try to guess what it is.
Have small group leaders choose a child to start the game, and have each child act out what’s on his or her card while others guess what that child is acting out.
If kids can’t guess after about 30 seconds, have the child reveal the answer, and let the next child have his or her turn.
If you have more than 10 people in a small group, have them form two or more groups to play simultaneously.
Continue until everyone has had an opportunity to act out what’s on a card.
Talk About It
In their small groups, have kids discuss the following questions.
Ask: • What makes it hard to do these things in real life?
• How would your world—your school, home, sports teams—be different if you did share God’s love?
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus is the light of [name of your community]. We get the awesome job of sharing Jesus, and showing God’s love, to the people around us!
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Take-Home
0 min View
Take-Home
Dig In @ HomeSupplies
- this week’s “Dig In @ Home” handout (1 per child) (download here)
Easy Prep
- Add your church announcements to the “Dig In @ Home” handout.
Distribute a copy of the “Dig In @ Home” handout to kids as they leave, or email it to parents during the week.
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Craft
20 min View
Craft
Light of the World LanternsSupplies
- 1 empty water bottle per child
- 1 glow stick per child*
- heavy-duty aluminum foil
- pencils
- Glue Dots
- chenille wire
Creative Extras
- stickers
- permanent markers
Easy Prep
- Cut a piece of aluminum foil for each child so that it fits around the full height of the water bottle.
Decorate
Give each child a water bottle, a sheet of foil, and a pencil.
Have kids decorate their foil by poking holes in it with a pencil to make the letters in their names or initials or other creative decorations. Kids can also engrave shapes into the foil with a pencil, draw on it with permanent marker, or decorate the foil with stickers.
Assemble the Lantern
Have kids use Glue Dots to secure their foil tightly around their water bottles.
Kids can wrap chenille wire around the neck of the bottle and then twist it at the top to make a handle.
Direct kids to place their lighted glow sticks in their water bottles.
Talk About It
Darken the room.
Read aloud Luke 2:8-11.
In their small groups, have kids discuss these questions.
Ask: • What do you think it was like for the shepherds to see all that radiant light in a dark, quiet pasture?
• How is that like the way Jesus brought light to the world?
Say: Jesus came to bring God’s awesomeness to people on earth so we could know about God’s love and power. That’s why we say that Jesus is the light of the world. He came to shine God’s love, power, and glory to people.
Encourage kids to take home their Light of the World Lanterns as a reminder that Jesus is the light of the world.
Say: The light in your lantern will eventually stop glowing, but Jesus is always the light of the world! When your lantern stops glowing, you can put it on a windowsill or near a lamp and still watch the light shine through.
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Wrap-Up
5 min View
Life Application Wrap-Up
Light PrayersSupplies
- glow cross*
- glow sticks*
- markers
- sticky notes
Listen to God
Darken the room, and set the glow cross in the middle of the room.
Say: Jesus is the light of the world. That means he came to show God’s love to everyone. Now that you’ve heard about Jesus’ light, you can shine it to people around you. Take a moment to silently ask God about what he might want you to do to show his love to people around you. Listen to hear what God might say to you.
Allow about one minute for kids to sit in the dark, quiet room and silently listen to God.
Light Prayers
Explain that sometimes we hear God’s voice, and sometimes we get a feeling in our hearts. Sometimes God brings a picture or name or word to our minds. Have children each write or draw on a sticky note what they just heard from God. Let kids know that it’s okay if they don’t hear from God. If they didn’t they can write a prayer to God instead.
After they’re done, have children each stick their notes around the cross so that the light of the cross shines on their notes. Ask kids to return to their seats, and then have them silently pray for the courage to show God’s love and share about Jesus, the light of the world.
Say: Thank you for being here today. This week you can be like the shepherds who shared about Jesus. Hold your glow stick up high. Pause. You can share God’s love and light with the people around you.
Thank kids for coming, and tell them you look forward to seeing them next week.
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Take-Home
0 min View
Take-Home
Dig In @ HomeSupplies
- this week’s “Dig In @ Home” handout (1 per child) (download here)
Easy Prep
- Add your church announcements to the “Dig In @ Home” handout.
Distribute a copy of the “Dig In @ Home” handout to kids as they leave, or email it to parents during the week.
