YEA Lesson Library
Something Worth Celebrating
About This Lesson
This lesson describes the birth of Jesus Christ and gives the reason why He had to become human: to be the Savior.
Scriptures
Isaiah 7:10-16
Isaiah 9:6
Matthew 1:20-23
Matthew 2:1-12
Luke 1:26-38
Luke 2:1-20
Luke 2:11
John 7:42
Words to Know
EMPEROR - a male ruler or sovereign
HUMBLE - low in importance or stature
SWADDLING - cloths used to wrap a newborn baby
The Lesson
Most children love to celebrate their birthdays. Cake with candles, gifts, and special treatment are really fun. It’s neat to hear everyone sing “Happy Birthday to You.” You get the attention and feel very special that one day of the year. You have something to celebrate – you’re one year older!
Something very special took place many years ago, about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. This event was worthy of the entire world celebrating. Yet God chose not to reveal this event to kings, emperors, or even the religious leaders that night. He chose humble shepherds to be the first to know about the birth of Jesus. News traveled, and kings, emperors, and religious leaders learned about the birth of Jesus later.
That crisp autumn night an angel suddenly appeared to shepherds who were watching their flocks on the hills near Bethlehem. The glory of God brightly lit up the sky. It was a most unusual occurrence and frightened the shepherds.
An angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid because I’m here to give you good news of great joy! It is for everyone. Today in the town of Bethlehem a Savior has been born for you. He is Christ the Lord. Here is how you will know that I am telling you the truth. You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”
A large group of angels suddenly appeared to the shepherds. They celebrated by singing praises to God. You’ve never heard such beautiful music as the heavenly choir sang:
“Glory to God in the highest and may peace be to men on Earth that He is pleased with.”
What a celebration! We’ve never seen anything like it. The angels returned to heaven. But the shepherds were never quite the same.
This was wonderful news! The shepherds wanted to see their Savior with their very own eyes. So they hurried off to Bethlehem. And, just as the angel said, they found baby Jesus lying in a manger. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. His mother, Mary, and Joseph were in the stable with Him.
Why was the birth of Jesus so important? Jesus Christ was the one who created the heavens, the earth, and all that is in them. He was very God! He came to earth as a baby because Adam and Eve, and every person after them have sinned. A Savior was needed to pay the penalty for our sins, or we would all die and never live again.
You know, it was much, much better being God than giving up all that glory and becoming a mere human being. But Jesus was willing to do it. He knew He had to come as a flesh and blood man to be our Savior. Jesus was willing to be born in a stable and lie in a manger where cattle are usually fed. He lived a perfect life and died in your place, for your sins. He deserved much better than to be deprived of His glory and die for you. But He did it because He loves you so much. Talk about celebrating – this is really something worth celebrating!
The way Jesus wants you to celebrate His birth is by showing you love Him. How can you do that? By obeying His Word and by treating others the way you want to be treated.
The shepherds knew Jesus came to be our Savior. They saw Him lying in the lowly manger. They were thankful He was willing to give up living in heaven to be born in a stable. They couldn’t keep this good news to themselves. They went everywhere praising God and telling everyone what they saw.
Christmas, with all of its false representation of Santa Claus, overlooks the real point of Jesus’ birth. He came to be our King and our Savior. Praise God and be thankful every day of the year, not just on one day. We have Something Worth Celebrating because Jesus Christ was born to be our Savior!
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
The birth of your Son was such a wonderful event. Thank you that Jesus was willing to give up His glory and come in the flesh to be my Savior.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Isaiah 9:6
Monday - Isaiah 7:10-16
Tuesday - Matthew 1:20-23
Wednesday - Luke 1:26-27
Thursday - Luke 2:8-11
Friday - Luke 2:14
Saturday - John 7:42
YEAH — At-Home Activity
1. Role-Playing with Puppets: Using craft sticks, markers, paper, scissors, and glue, make puppets to retell the story of Jesus’ birth. If you have several students, have them each make one of the characters. If you only have a couple of students, you can work with them to make the puppets, or you may wish to have constructed several prior to class.
2. Mapwork: Using the REACH activity (Word Meanings: Bethlehem) as a springboard, find out more about where Jesus was born. Locate Israel and Bethlehem on a map. Determine where Israel is in relation to you. Figure out how big Israel is and compare its size to your present location.
3. Music Extension: What songs do you associate with Jesus’ birth? Which ones are totally Christmas songs (i.e. “Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer”)? Some people associate some songs with Christmas when they are winter songs, i.e. “Jingle Bells” or “Winter Wonderland” or “Frosty the Snowman.” Other songs are completely about the birth of Jesus and there is nothing in them we would disagree with. What is not accurate in some of the songs which seem to be just about Jesus’ birth? Hint: Look for words like “snow” or “winter.” Challenge: look up the history of “Joy to the World.” Was it written as a Christmas song? Sing, play, share your favorite song from your research.
4. Birth Prophecies: Use the REACH activity (Did You Know?) as a springboard (the prophecy of Jesus’ birth in Micah 5:2-5). Find other Bible prophecies about Jesus’ birth. Have the students make a list. This can be laminated and turned into a bookmark. (Clear contact paper makes a quick and easy laminate.)
5. Celebration: The title of this lesson is “Something Worth Celebrating.” Brainstorm with the students why it’s called this. Do the students feel Jesus’ birth is worth celebrating? Do they feel guilty celebrating Jesus’ birth because of the world’s association with Christmas? What can they do as a family to celebrate Jesus’ birth in a God-honoring way? Why is it important to them? Brainstorm celebration ideas for this life-changing event.
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Explain the events surrounding Jesus’ birth, including the purpose, place, His earthly parents and the angels’ appearance to the shepherds.
Topics & Themes
Angels
Bethlehem
Christmas
Feast of Tabernacles
God’s love
God’s plan
Jesus, Birth of
Jesus, God the Son
Jesus, Savior
Jesus - Without Sin
Mary and Joseph
Obedience
Praise
Shepherds
Materials Needed
Bibles, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s books, attendance, memory verse and daily devotional charts, marker pens, poster of the birth of Christ, newsprint pad, songbook, cassette or CD, and music player
Preparation
Since this is the first YEA lesson in this book, make an assignment for the students to memorize the 12 Apostles and Matthew 6:9-13 to recite in ten weeks. There should be an award for those who love God and the Bible enough to do this.
Before class, prepare or purchase a chart to keep track of the student’s attendance, their memory work and their daily devotionals. Get poster board that is about three times as wide as it is deep. List the student’s names on the left side and put dates across the top for each of the three categories. Draw lines down from each date and across from each name to form squares. Use a different color marker pen for each category and put a check mark or star in the week’s square for those in attendance, those who can recite their memory work, and for those who read their devotional readings each day that week.
Arrive early enough to have the room set up. Disney World, television, movies, theme parks, etc. have made our kids accustomed to a very visual world. Sabbath School will be more effective when many visuals are used. A warm atmosphere can be created with posters representing the birth of Christ which can be purchased at your local Christian bookstore. Tack these to the wall or bulletin board along with the charts. Arrange the seats in a semicircle. As the students arrive, greet them warmly.
Many of your juniors may be making the transition from elementary school to middle school. Most of them will still look to their parents and teachers as mainstays in their lives. By the time they enter the fifth and sixth grade, their world can become a dog-eat-dog place. It may be more competitive than supportive. Such comparisons as my school, my grades and my friends are better than yours, are not uncommon. Students may mask their own insecurities. But a wise teacher will recognize this type of behavior and will do her part to encourage students to accept each other.
How to Teach This Lesson
After opening the class with prayer, begin with an icebreaker game. It can be used to great advantage in helping kids become accustomed to participating in class. First have each junior give his name. Starting with the first person again, have each one give his birth date. Then go around the class and let each one tell where he went to the Feast last year. The next get acquainted question could be what his favorite Holy Day is. After that, ask him to tell what his favorite holiday is. End with his least favorite holiday.
The birth of Christ is such a beautiful story and so essential to our salvation. Had Jesus not come in the flesh, we would have no Savior. He didn’t suddenly come on the scene as a 30 year old man, but was born in Bethlehem as a baby. Our children should be able to enjoy this story as much as any other person. Even though they don’t keep Christmas, they can love the story of Christ’s birth and share it with their friends.
As you teach the lesson, include other sections in the Bible and events related to the birth of Christ that are not covered in the Students’ book.
Today’s lesson subject: Ask: How did you feel about this lesson as you read it in preparation for today’s class? What holiday did it make you think about? If anyone said that Christmas was their least favorite holiday, ask: Why do you feel that way? Listen to the students and allow them to express their feelings. Help them to under- stand that it would be better to concentrate on what they have in common with their friends (that Christ was born to be our Savior) than to be judgmental about their friends keeping Christmas. Keep them focused on how blessed they are to have the Feast of Tabernacles to celebrate for eight days and not just one.
Jesus’ Birth: Ask: Have you ever thought that Jesus might have been born on the opening night of the Feast of Tabernacles? Jesus became flesh and tabernacled with man. He temporarily lived on this earth for a purpose. Ask: Have you heard a minister explain this on the opening night of the Feast? Let them express how they felt about hearing the story of the birth of Christ and the songs that were sung that night. Ask: Did you feel some of the joy that the shepherds felt when the angel appeared to them and announced Jesus’ birth?
Stress that the purpose of Jesus being born was to be our Savior. Because Adam and Eve and every person after them sinned, a Savior was necessary to pay the penalty for our sins or we would all die and never live again. This is something really worth celebrating.
Review Questions
On a newsprint pad, list the following questions:
1. Where was Jesus born?
2. What were the names of His earthly parents?
3. Who were the first people to know about His birth?
4. How did they find out about His birth?
5. Why was Jesus born?
6. What difference does His birth makes in your life?
Ask one of the students to volunteer to read the story they wrote to complete the Activity in their book. As the student reads it, have the other students listen carefully for answers to the questions on the newsprint pad and raise their hand as soon as they hear one. Let the student who raises his hand first give the answer.
Teacher-Directed Activity
Let the students act out the story in their lesson. Allow them time to brainstorm and choose which character each one would like to play.
REACH Activity
Word Study: Bethlehem
Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Bethlehem is the setting for the Book of Ruth (Ruth 1:1-2; 2:1, 4, 11). Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David. Many years after the events in the Book of Ruth, David was born in Bethlehem and was later anointed as the future king of Israel there (1 Samuel 16:1). It is the place from which David’s three heroes brought him water from the well (2 Samuel 23:15). It is the birthplace of Jesus (Luke 2:4). It is interesting that Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 8:35), would be born in a place that means “house of bread.”
Did You Know?
Micah 5:2-5 prophesied that the Messiah, Jesus, would be born in Bethlehem.
Music Notes: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
This hymn is on page 124 of the CEM Hymnal. It is one of more than 6500 hymns written by Charles Wesley. Charles Wesley was born in 1707 in Lincolnshire, England—the youngest of 18 children. His father was a poor country pastor. His mother instructed the children at home and taught them to sing Psalms and spiritual songs as they did chores around the house. Charles was very interested in poetry and even wrote some of his letters in poetry. The words to “Come, You Long-Expected Jesus” were first published in a book of poems called Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord in 1744. The tune was composed by Rowland H. Prichard, a 20 year-old Welshman, in about 1830. The tune “Hyfrydol” means “good cheer.” Many hymns have been set to this tune.
There are many prophesies throughout the Old Testament about the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. People knew these prophesies and were looking for Him. Simeon (Luke 2:25-35) and Anna (Luke 2:36-38) were two people who recognized who Jesus was when He was still a tiny baby.
Read the words to this hymn. Think how the words applied to Jesus’ first coming. Then think how they apply now.
(Sources: Amazing Grace, Osbeck, K, p.362; Hymns of Faith and Inspiration, Kennedy, P., p12).
Journal Jot
When you are eager for something special to happen, what do you do? You plan for it. How are you planning for Jesus to return again? Do you live your life waiting for the coming of the long-expected Jesus? If not, what can you do to change your focus? If you know Jesus needs to come back, and will come back, how has that made a difference in the way you live your life?
Back to the Bible
Many people you know may call the story of Jesus’ birth the “Christmas” story. Did you read about it anywhere in Matthew or Luke? Have you ever wondered about the origin or beginning of Christmas? You may have family members or friends who keep Christmas. You may have kept it yourself, but now celebrate God’s Holy Days. Christmas is hard to ignore, but what a blessing it is to go to God’s Word and find His Holy Days that He planned for us (Leviticus 23). We don’t have to wonder and guess at the origin of His days. You will find every one of the Holy Days in your Bible (Numbers 28-29). God gives us instructions on their names and times to celebrate them during the year. The Bible even gives us the history and meaning of each of the Holy Days (Exodus 12:24-27). God wants you to follow His instructions for your life because He knows what is best for you. When you celebrate God’s Holy Days you are pleasing God. Remember, Jesus Christ celebrated them too! (John 4:45). These are definitely days worth celebrating!
You may be surrounded every December by the holiday of Christmas, with decorated trees and houses, Santa Claus, and flying reindeer. But remember that God has given us the gift of His Holy Days. Look forward to them each year and celebrate them with joy! (Numbers 8:14-18).
Just Toolin’ Around
Using a Bible and a concordance, find God’s Holy Days (hint: start with Leviticus 23). While you were doing this, did you find Christmas in the concordance? To find the history and origin of Christmas, look it up in an encyclopedia. Remember, God’s way is the only way!
Stretch It Out
Create a comic strip story that pictures and tells of the birth of Jesus, our Messiah.
Questions?
Remember to write any questions that you have in your journal. That way you will remember to ask your parents, teacher, or minister.
Song
“Everybody Ought to Know” is on page 11 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead in prayer thanking God for such a beautiful story that shows how Jesus came in the flesh to be our Savior.
Printable Pages
