YEA Lesson Library
Be Truthful
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches that Christmas is full of lies and pagan traditions; its celebration does not please God.
Scriptures
Exodus 20:3
Exodus 20:16
2 Chronicles 18:15
Proverbs 19:9
Jeremiah 10:1-6
Colossians 3:9
James 1:17
Words to Know
REINDEER - a deer
SLEIGH - a horse-drawn vehicle with runners for use on snow or ice
The Lesson
Karie was walking in the mall with her Mommy one winter day. There was a fat man in a red suit with a long white beard sitting by a tree that had lights all over it. Karie asked Mommy, "Who is that man?" Mommy told Karie that he was just a man dressed up in a red suit to look like Santa Claus.
Karie asked, "Who is Santa Claus, Mommy?" Mommy said, "Santa Claus isn't a real person. People say that he rides in a sleigh, pulled by reindeer. People say he goes through the air like an airplane and lands on roofs of houses the night before Christmas. Then people say this fat man goes down the chimneys of houses with his big pack on his back and leaves Christmas presents for children who have been good. People think Christmas is Jesus' birthday."
Karie said, "But Mommy, I've been good and Santa Claus has never come to our house with presents. Is our house too high for Santa Claus to fly up to our roof, or is he afraid of getting burned in our chimney?"
Mommy said. "Deer don't fly; they walk and run. And there is no way they could get on the roof of anyone’s house. Santa Claus is not a real person and Jesus was not born on Christmas. These are made-up stories."
"Then why do people say these things?" Karie asked. Mommy said, "What people say about Santa Claus is not true. And God always wants us to tell the truth. The things people say about Santa Claus make him sound better than God. We know that the First Commandment tells us not to do that. Believing in Santa Claus makes God very sad. He is the one who gives us everything.”
Jesus wasn't born on Christmas. It's not His birthday. He was born in the autumn and probably on the first night of the Feast of Tabernacles. God wants us to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and not Christmas. The Feast of Tabernacles is all truth with no lies. It puts God first in our lives.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Colossians 3:9
Monday - Exodus 20:3
Tuesday- Exodus 20:16
Wednesday - Proverbs 19:9
Thursday - Jeremiah 10:1-6
Friday - James 1:17
Saturday - 2 Chronicles 18:15
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, children will be able to:
1. Explain that the story of Santa Claus is not true.
2. Explain that God is unhappy when we don't tell the truth.
3. Tell thatJesus wasn't born on Christmas and was probably born the first night of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Topics & Themes
Christmas
Feast of Tabernacles
God, One and Only
Holidays, Christmas
Jesus, Birth of
Lying
Putting God First
Sabbath
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, songbook, attendance and memory verse charts, can of shaving cream, paper towels, sock puppet
Preparation
Lying is common among preschoolers. One way they try to manipulate situations is to lie. Another way preschoolers lie is by telling tall tales. They concoct or exaggerate a truth because they wish it were true. Kids will also tell lies to gain good results and avoid bad ones. They don’t see anything wrong with doing this because it gets the desired results. For them, lying is one more way to make reality conform to their wishes. It's another way they use their intelligence to control their world.
This lesson about Christmas and the fictional character Santa Claus provides an opportunity to show that something that looks good may not be true and pleasing to God.
Preschoolers should be told that it is important for them to tell the truth because it makes God happy and it makes you happy. They should have that kind of example set before them at all times.
Before class, make a blue sock puppet (see pattern page) to use in telling the story and name him True Blue.
Review Questions
1. Is the story of Santa Claus true?
2. Is God unhappy when we don't tell the truth?
3. When do you think Jesus was probably born?
4. Do you think the Feast of Tabernacles is much more fun than Christmas?
Pattern Page
need
REACH Activity
Letter: L
Words: love, like, lie, lives, lights, Lord
Sentence: WE LIKE THE LIGHTS, BUT CHRISTMAS IS A LIE. LOVE THE LORD.
Song
"This Little Light of Mine" is on page 49 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in thanking God for His holy days and teaching all of us what is good and pleasing to Him.
Printable Pages
