The Story
- Reading: Luke 2:1-20
- For younger children, retell story or read Luke 2:7-18
- Jesus Is Born Video
This video tells the story of the Lord’s birth and how the shepherds went to see Him. This Christmas story is beautifully illustrated with felt figures.
Discussion Ideas:
- Who were the first people to see baby Jesus? (Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds)
- An angel let Mary, Joseph and the shepherds know that this child was the Savior come into the world. How did the wisemen learn of His birth? (They saw a special star and remembered the prophecies about His coming.)
- What did the angel tell the shepherds to help them recognize the baby Lord? (“You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”)
- Why was the baby Lord laid in a manger? There was no room in the inn, but there is another reason as well. All of the details of the Lord’s birth have a spiritual meaning, and the manger symbolizes learning from the Lord’s Word. By coming into the world, the Lord was able to teach people the truths they needed to understand the way to heaven. And we can go to the Lord’s Word and learn from Him there, because the truths reflect His love and His wisdom.
- Imagine how Mary must have felt as she cared for this newborn child, and as the shepherds, and later the wise men, visited. No wonder that she “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
- How do we respond to the stories of the Lord’s birth and His purpose in coming on earth? When might our minds be too full to make room for the Lord, like the inn was too full? When do we hurry to see Him and then share the good news of His loving presence like the shepherds? When do we make time to quietly reflect on all that the Lord does for us, as Mary reflected? What response will we choose to make this Christmas?
Read more about the birth of the Lord on earth:
- “The Lord’s Birthday” by N. Bruce Rogers (ages 4-6)
At Christmas time we celebrate the Lord’s birthday because we are very glad that He was born into the world! - “Where the Lord Was Born” by Peter M. Buss, Sr. (ages 7-14)
This family talk explains why the Lord wasn’t born in a palace or other special place where all the important people could find Him and why the shepherds were the first people to see the Lord. - “The Birthplace of the Lord” by Peter M. Buss, Sr. (ages 18 and up)
The inn symbolizes the part of the mind that thinks about and lives in this world. Our natural minds should have room for the Lord in them and be willing to learn about His Word. For when we read the Word and see it for ourselves, then the Lord appears to us. Then we can “see this great thing which has come to pass….” - “In Your Heart Make Speedy Room” by N. Bruce Rogers
Let us be like the shepherds and the wise men by making sure that there is room for the Lord in our minds and in our hearts.
Projects and Activities for All Ages
- Setting up a Christmas Representation
Picturing the story of the Lord’s birth with a nativity set or crèche is a wonderful way to think about the true meaning of Christmas. - No Room at the Inn Coloring Page by Marguerite L. Acton
Mary and Joseph find out that there is no room for them at the inn. - Away in a Manger Song
A lovely recording of this song about the baby Lord in a manger. - In a Manger Coloring Page by Robert Glenn
An intricate illustration of the shepherds coming to see the baby Lord in the manger. - Dramatize the Story of the Lord’s Birth (ages 4-10)
Dramatize the story of the shepherds while someone reads the story from the Word. - For Unto You Stained Glass Window (ages 6-12)
A lovely illustration of the nativity drawn in the style of a stained glass window. One option is to print it on translucent paper or dab it with vegetable oil after coloring so that it looks more like stained glass. - Who Saw the Lord – Accordion Book or Mural (ages 7-14)
Make a mural or accordion book showing the people who saw the Lord and rejoiced in His salvation. - Teen Prayers on the Good Tidings of Christmas
Three prayers to help us reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, asking the Lord to help us recognize Him as our God and thanking Him for giving light to our darkness. - Prayers for the Christmas Season (ages 18-up)
Prayers looking to the Lord at this special time of year and asking Him to touch us with His presence.
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