Bible Verses

Work with your child and your students to learn each verse. Then, discuss the meaning of the verse and how it can be applied to our everyday lives. On Sundays during class, riding in the car, or at dinner, it's fun to share stories of how the children have used the verse in their lives that week.

We provide memorization verses for each week. You can add your own.

Sunday Dec. 3
I Tim 6:12
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

• What is the good fight?
• How do we lay hold on eternal life?

Sunday Dec. 10
I Tim 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

• Why is “the love of money…the root of all evil?”
• Why would money bring “sorrows?”

Sunday Dec. 17
Matt 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

• Where else in the Bible so we find this prophecy?
• What’s it like to have a “with” it God?
• How do you see God “with” you?

Sunday Dec. 24
Isa 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

• Who fulfilled this prophecy?
• Describe Jesus’ life as “the prince of peace.”

Sunday Dec. 31
II Cor 9:15
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

• What is God’s “unspeakable gift?”
• Why is it “unspeakable?”
• How do we show God our thanks?

Bible Stories

This month we are telling one of the most important stories in the Bible. You should know the story of Jesus’ birth by heart. If you don’t, read one of these stories every night until you can tell the story of Jesus’ birth.

• Prayer of Jabez: Read I Chronicles 4:10  [Shep and Lily Prayer of Jabez]
• The angel talking to Zacharias: Read Luke 1:5-25 The Angel by the Altar
• The angel talking to Joseph Read Matt 1:18- 25
• The angel talking to Mary Read Luke 1:26-38 Mary and the Angel
• Elisabeth and the birth of John Read Luke 1:39-80
• Jesus’ Birth Read Luke 2:1-7 Jesus Is Born, The Manger of Bethlehem
• The shepherds Read Luke 2:8-20 The Shepherds and the Angels
• Simeon and Anna Read Luke 2:21-38 Taking Jesus to the Temple
• The wise men Read Matt 2: 1-12 Visitors from the East
• Jesus and family flee to Egypt Read Matt 2:13-15;19-23 The Escape to Egypt
• Herod’s hatred Read Matt 2:16- 18

Exercise:
Read the Prayer of Jabez from I Chronicles 4:9-10. On a white board, have the students list the four principle aspects of the prayer. Help the students create a pneumonic for remembering the fourth request to ask God to keep them from evil. Discuss what “evil” is and why we don’t want to be part of it.

Draw a picture as a reminder.

Exercise:
Christmas is more than making “What-I-want-for-Christmas gift lists.” Here is an exercise Caryl Krueger prepared for BibleWise. Make copies of it to give to your Sunday school pupils so they can prepare for this important event.

  Print/Download Christmas Vacation List

Christmas Vacation List
It is vacation time, but God never takes "time off." He is always keeping you safe as you have holiday fun. Make this vacation time also prayer time. Here is a list of things that you could do this week.

1. Tell the Christmas story or read it from Matthew 2: 1-12 and Luke 2:1-14.
2. Do something helpful without being asked!
3. Look at your possessions and find something (in good shape and working order!) you would like to give to someone else. Then do it.
4. Say or do something to promote peace in your family.
5. Attend a church service as well as Sunday School this week.
6. Pray for peace in the world and for the safety of everyone.
7. Put a short love note under your parents' pillow on Christmas Eve.
8. Think about Jesus' life as you fall asleep Christmas Eve.
9. Christmas night, look up at the stars and think of the star of Bethlehem.
10. Talk about the real meaning of Christmas with your family. And, listen for angel thoughts! Remember, God loves you very much!

Exercise:

While working on the Prayer of Jabez, use the Jabez Unscramble for the fourth request in the prayer.

Print/Download Jabez Unscramble
Print/Download Jabez Unscramble Answer Sheet

Exercise: Quiz –Angels
After reading Matthew 1:1-25; ask the students to answer the following questions:

1. How many generations passed from Abraham to King David?
   (Matt 1:17)
   a. 2 b. 3 c.12 d. 14
2. Who was Jesus’ mother?
3. Who was Jesus’ father?
4. What was the name of the angel who spoke with Mary?
5. When Joseph found out that Mary was going to have a baby, what happened next?
6. Who came to see Joseph?
7. What does Immanuel mean? (Matt 1:23)
8. What did the angels tell Mary and Joseph to name the baby?
9. When speaking with Joseph, what did the angel say Jesus would do?
10. Where was the baby Jesus born?
    a. Jerusalem b. Bethlehem c. Galilee d. Nazareth

Exercise: Quiz – Jesus’ Birth
Read Luke 2:1-19

1. Why were Mary and Joseph going to Bethlehem?
   a. enlist in the army b. celebrate Passover c. celebrate Christmas
   d. pay taxes
2. Where did Mary and Joseph stay in Bethlehem?
3. Where was Jesus born?
4. What did Mary wrap around him?
5. Who sang at Jesus’ birth?
6. Who were the first guests to see Jesus?
7. Who told the shepherds about Jesus?

Exercise: Quiz – Herod and the Wisemen
Read Matthew 2:1-12; You can use this quiz as a game. Divide your pupils into teams. Let them work on the answers together and give points for correct answers.

1. Who was the ruler of Jerusalem when the wise men searched for Jesus?
   a. Caesar b. Herod c. Philip d. Augustus
2. What did the wise men follow in their journey to Bethlehem?
   a. a comet b. a star c. a map d. a caravan
3. How did Herod know where the child would be born?
4. Who did the prophet say would come from Bethlehem?
5. What did Herod ask the wise men?
6. Where did the star lead the wise men?
7. What gifts did the wise men bring?
   a. Gold b. Frankincense c. Myrrh d. All of the above
8. Why didn’t the wise men return to tell Herod where Jesus was?

Exercise:
Let the Christmas carols inspire a new song about Jesus’ birth.

Help pupils create a Christmas carol, or take a familiar Christmas carol melody and put new words to it, about God’s wonderful gift to us. They can take the poem they wrote in the previous exercise and put it to music.

• Some themes to write about:
  • Gifts
  • Angels
  • God’s love
  • What the shepherds saw (angels, star, the baby Jesus)
  • No room in the inn
  • Wise men
  • Simeon and Anna
  • A mother’s love – Mary
  • What Jesus thought of his special day

Exercise:
I asked Caryl Waller Krueger, Bible scholar and author of 15 books about successful family living, to share one of her family traditions.

When our children were young, we took them to Bethlehem one Christmas and each chose an olive wood nativity set as their memento of the trip. They have treasured these through the years, and in a desire to emphasize the true meaning of Christmas, we decided to extend this tradition to the grandchildren this year.

We selected a nativity set for each grandchild and found them in various catalogs priced between $8 and $14. For little children, we chose ones made of fabric or wood; for older children, they are made of resin or pottery - each one charmingly distinctive.

Our plan is to gather everyone around a large table and present each set. Then, we will read the Nativity story from the Bible starting with the prophecy:

Micah 5:2
Isaiah 40: 1-5
Isaiah 9: 2, 5-7
Matthew 1:18-23
Luke 2: 1, 3-7
Luke 2:8-18, 20
Matthew 2: 1-12
Luke 2:40
Matthew 4:23-24
Matthew 5:2, 16
Matthew 10:8
John 13:34
John 21:25
Revelation 19: 6, 16

[Chronological translations -- King James Version, The Message]

Print/Download King James Version of the Nativity Story
Print/Download The Message Version of the Nativity Story

These citations tell the story in order, and as we read it, the children will put the characters in place as they come into the story: Mary, the angel, then Joseph, next the shepherds and sheep, then the stable with animals, the baby Jesus, and the three kings.

This establishes a memorable tradition of love that can continue for generations.

Exercise:
Following the above exercise, use a wooden puzzle and let the children tell the story of the Nativity. Hand each pupil a puzzle piece and allow them all to tell the story and put the pieces into place. You may want to repeat this with them, placing different characters into the story each time. Work with it until they can comfortably relate the full story of Jesus' birth. Encourage them to share this story with their relatives and friends on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Exercise:
Have the students look at a map of Israel. [Make copies for each pupil]

Print/Download Map of Israel

• Circle the city where Joseph and Mary lived.
• Place a square around the city where Jesus was born.
• Put a triangle around the city where Herod lived.
• Show them a map of where you live and figure out how far 80 miles would be from home or church.
• How long might it take you to walk it, ride a bike, or drive in a car?
  

Exercise:
Ask your pupils to draw a picture of a gift they would have given to the baby Jesus. Also have them explain why they would gift Jesus this gift. Children are very inventive and have wonderful explanations.

Exercise:
Make a Christmas card for God. Find a Bible verse that would be perfect to celebrate Jesus’ birth.

Exercise: The Christmas Mural.
Give each child five precut frames. Precut patterns of Joseph and Mary looking at the baby Jesus, star, shepherds, three wise men, angels. Put all the pieces in an envelope. Let each child create the scene with the precut patterns. Put glitter on the star. Have children put one picture inside each frame. Have the children color the pictures and draw in animals or anything missing from the story sequence. Then have them tape their picture frames together in the correct order and tell the story of Jesus’ birth. [You can just have them draw the pictures to place on the wall and then relate the story.]

Exercise: Coloring Pages
If the above mural exercise is too hard for the younger children, there are six coloring pages. Five of them would work perfectly for creating a mural. Have the children color these pictures and tell the story of Jesus’ birth.

Print/Download Gifts For the Baby Jesus
Print/Download Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus
Print/Download Angel Telling the Shepherds the Good News
Print/Download The Three Wise Men Following the Star
Print/Download Stable where Jesus was Born
Print/Download Mary and Joseph with the Inn Keeper

Exercise:
For younger children – have them identify the things that might have been in the stable where Jesus was born. What’s in the Stable?

Print/Download What's in the Stable?
Print/Download What's in the Stable? Answer Sheet

Exercise:
For younger children – help them guide the three wise men through the maze to baby Jesus. Wise men

Print/Download Wise Men
Print/Download Wise Men Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Make copies of The Birth of Jesus crossword puzzle and help them fill in the blanks.

Print/Download The Birth of Jesus
Print/Download The Birth of Jesus Answer Sheet

Exercise:
To Bethlehem is for 6-8 year olds. Help them color the even numbered stones and then read the uncolored stones for the message.

Print/Download To Bethlehem
Print/Download To Bethlehem Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Answer the questions in Mary’s Song and find the hidden words.

Print/Download Mary's Song
Print/Download Mary's Song Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Unscramble the letters and discover the Angels’ Message.

Print/Download Angels' Message
Print/Download Angels' Message Answer Sheet

Exercise: Col 3:10 put
…put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

As we ring in the New Year, we can help our pupils see the differences between the old person we were in the past year and the new person we want to be in the new year.

Ask the students to make a list of the past year’s mental garbage they are willing to throw away and what new qualities or concepts they want to replace it with for the new year. Find the labels that seem to fit the “old you” and pull them off and replace them with your goals for the new year – what will the “new you” do instead?

In the past, middle school and high school students have shared the following ideas:

Fear – I was afraid of being alone at night, but now I want to trust God more.

Jealousy – My best friend has all the guys in school drooling over her, but I want to be grateful for who I am.

Comparisons – I want to stop comparing my life (body, complexion, grades, clothes) with my friends and be grateful for how God made me.

Criticism - I sometimes find more things wrong with life than is right. This next year, I want to find the good and be less critical.

Gossip – I have a tendency to share bits and pieces of information about people without really knowing what’s true. I want to stop spreading gossip and only tell the truth about people.

Complaining – I complain about everything -- my teachers, my parents, sister, brother, friends, classes, food at school, my allowance (what allowance?) no car, you name it. This is going to be a tough one to stop, but I want to see how much more I can praise the people in my life.

Stupid mistakes – I want to totally forget all the dumb things I did this past year trying to be someone I’m not. I really want to be happy with being me.

Cheating – I want to quit thinking someone else has better answers and trust what I know.

You might also work on making a list of goals for the new year.

Goals To:

• Forgive
• Be a better athlete
• Use wisdom about what I eat
• Master the unsaid, rather than be a slave of the said
• Be kinder · Be more thoughtful
• Be a better student
• Be nicer to my siblings
• Tell the truth to my parents

Help them discover what states of thought they have outgrown. A poem by Samuel Longfellow concludes: “The Life that makes all things new.” Help them see how God is making them “new” moment by moment.

Exercise:
Ask your pupils to write or discuss what they would include in a thank you note to God for His gift.

• What are some of the important ingredients in a thank you note?
  • Greeting
  • Say something about the event (Christmas)
  • Mention the gift and why you like it
  • Express gratitude for the gift (be specific)
  • Say something nice about the other individual
  • Close
    

Exercise:
See other activities on Kids Korner Fun and Games

Prayer of Jabez
I Chronicles 4:10 [Shep and Lily Prayer of Jabez] “…keep me from evil that it may not grieve me.” [teachers see – Swap Shop ]

• What is the meaning of: “keep me from evil that it may not grieve me?”
  • The New International Version translates it this way: “…keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”
  • The New Revised Standard Version translates it: “…that you would keep me from hurt and harm!”
  • The New American Standard translates it “…that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!”
  • How would you paraphrase it?
• What kind of evil or pain do we want God to keep us from?
• Why would evil grieve you?
  • What is evil?
  • What does it mean to grieve?

The angel talking to Zacharias
Read Luke 1:5-25 The Angel by the Altar

• Who is Zacharias?
• What is so important about the story of Zacharias? (Luke 1:5-25)
• Why do you think the story of Jesus' birth starts with the story of Zacharias?
• What was Zacharias doing when the angel appeared?
• What did the angel tell him?
• What happened to Zacharias?
• Who was Zacharias’ wife?
• When did Zacharias speak again?

The angel talking to Mary
Read Luke 1:26-38 Mary and the Angel

• Which angel visited Mary? (Luke 1:26)
• If you were Mary, how would you respond to "the angel of the Lord?"
• What impresses you about Mary's response to the angel? (Luke 1:38)
• Why is it helpful to Mary to discover Elisabeth is pregnant?
• What happens when Mary greets Elisabeth? (Luke 1:41)
• Who is Jesus' famous cousin? (Luke 1:60; Matt 3:1)
• Who was Mary's husband? (Luke 2:4-5)
• Why didn't Mary stay home and have the baby in Nazareth? (Fulfillment of prophecy: Micah 5:2)

The angel talking to Joseph
Read Matt 1:18- 25

• Who is Joseph?
• What did the angel tell him?
• Would you have married Mary?
• Why did Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem?
• What happened while Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem?

Elisabeth and the birth of John
Read Luke 1:39-80

• Who is Elisabeth?
• What is special about her?
• Who is related to her?
• What did people want to name her son?
• Why did she stop them?

Jesus’ Birth
Read Luke 2:1-7 Jesus is Born and The Manger of Bethlehem

• Where were Mary and Joseph traveling?
• How far was Bethlehem from Nazareth? (80 miles)
• Why were they going to Bethlehem?
• Where did they stay when they arrived?
• Where was Jesus born?
• What did Mary wrap him in?
• What did they use for a bed for Jesus?
• Who sang at Jesus’ birth?
• Who came to visit Jesus?

The shepherds
Read Luke 2:8-20 The Shepherds and the Angels

• What kind of a night was it when the shepherds saw angels?
• Were the shepherds frightened? Why?
• What did the angels tell them?
• Why do you think they were selected to visit Jesus? [shepherds know a pure lamb]
• How important are the shepherds to the story?
• Which Christmas carols mention the shepherds?

Angels – this is a good time to discuss angels.

• What are angels?
• What do angels do?
• What role did angels play in Jesus' birth?
• If you had been a shepherd, would you have been frightened by the angel's message?
• How do we know when they are talking to us?
• Has an angel ever talked to you?
• If so, what did the angel say?
• Are you an angel?

Simeon and Anna
Read Luke 2:21-38 Taking Jesus to the Temple

• Where did they take Jesus 8 days after his birth?
• Why did they take him to the temple?
• Who saw him in the temple?
• Who was Simeon?
• Who was Anna?
• What did they say when they saw Jesus?

The wise men
Read Matt 2: 1-12 Visitors from the East

• Who were these wise men?
• How many wise men visited Jesus? [We don't know. People assume three because of the three gifts they brought. There is reason to believe there may have been as many as a few dozen wise men accompanied by guards and servants. The group was so large that it may have frightened King Herod. (Sandy Silverthorne. The Awesome Book of Bible Facts. Eugene Oregon: Harvest House Publishers.)]
• What happened to the star when the Magi visited Herod?
• How old was Jesus when the Magi arrived? (some say two years old or why else would Herod have the children under two killed?)
• What kinds of gifts did they bring?
• How useful were these gifts?
• Why didn’t the wise men return to Herod?

This is a good time to talk about gift-giving

• What makes a gift special?
• What was so special about God's gift?
• What would they have given the baby Jesus?
• Examine the Bible verse: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
• What is special about this gift from God?
• How have you accepted this gift in your life?
• Why did God give us this gift?
• Discuss the gifts of the wise men.
• What about those baby gifts? Weren't they a bit strange? Those gifts were so expensive that they might have been sold to help pay for Mary, Joseph and Jesus' escape to Egypt. Symbolically, the Gold represents royalty and Jesus was King of the Jews; the Frankincense was incense used in the Temple to express gratitude; and the Myrrh was a perfume that was later used on Jesus after taking him off the cross. [Sandy Silverthorne. The Awesome Book of Bible Facts. Eugene Oregon: Harvest House Publishers.]
• If you had been there when Jesus was born, what would you have brought the Christ child?
• Ask the younger classes to draw a picture of their gifts and post them on a bulletin board.
• Practice gift giving. Do you know anyone at school or in your church, or a neighbor who needs something? Think of a gift you could give to someone and discuss this with your family.
• What gifts would you give the world?
• What is the best gift you could ever receive?
• What are some of your favorite gifts and why?
• In what ways do these gifts help you show kindness, obedience to God, and praise?

Jesus and family flee to Egypt
Read Matt 2:13-15;19-23 The Escape to Egypt

• Who told Joseph to take his family to Egypt?
• Why did they have to leave the country?
• When did they return from Egypt?
• Where did they live after they left Egypt?

Herod’s hatred
Read Matt 2:16- 18

• Who is Herod?
• Was King Herod afraid? [some theorize he may have invited the astrologers because of the planet convergence; others suggest he didn't want anyone else to be king]
• What did Herod do when the wise men didn’t return?
• What is meant by “the Herod mentality?”
• In what ways is our world still dealing with the Herod mentality?
  • When greed, ill-temper, anger, or discouragement flood thought, it is time to discuss removing the "Herod influence." Herod tried to be a kill-joy to the great news of Jesus' birth. We can't let materialism be a kill-joy to the Christ in our lives.

Discuss the role of prophecy in the birth of Jesus.

• What specific prophecy does Matthew remind us is fulfilled? (Isaiah 7:14)
• What other passages can you find in the Bible that prophesy Jesus' birth? (Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9: 2, 5-7)
• What is meaningful to you about Jesus being the fulfillment of prophecy?
• What does Herod discover about prophecy when the wise men (Magi) visit? (Matt 2:4-6; Micah 5:2)
• Read Jeremiah 31:15 and Matt. 2:18. To what incident in the history of Israel does this prophecy refer? (Look at II Chronicles 36:15-20)

Discuss newness.
Why is it important to start fresh? Not just on January 1, but everyday?

• How do we make each day “new?”
• Why should we let go of the “old?”
• What are some of your goals for the new year?

Don’t forget to read Hot Topic on the 23rd Psalm; Make a Difference; the Guest of the Month, Teen Q & A ; Bible Overview's Books of the Bible and Bible Characters about 1 Timothy, and Question and Answer about the wise men.

Encourage your pupils to find ways to ask God to keep them safe.