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This web-site is for everyone interested in learning more about the Bible.
This section helps Sunday school teachers find new ways of teaching familiar materials. Our goal is to augment lessons you may already have in your Sunday school curriculum.
In December, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus.
The entire Activities section is divided into Memory Work, Activities, and Discussion Questions. You can go to any of these sections and select what best works for your pupils.
You can now download all three sections for ease in using these materials for teaching. |
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MEMORY WORK |
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Teachers and Parents
It is so important to encourage our little ones as well as ourselves to memorize Bible verses and stories – to become so familiar with the passage or story that its timeless relevance appears to us more and more clearly with every retelling. A major difference was evident between Sunday school pupils required to tell the story versus those who gave nodding recognition to the same story. We can not overlook the significance of memorizing a verse or story.
Consider sharing with your Sunday school pupils and parents ways to help little ones learn the verse and understand the impact of the message on their lives.
- Write out or type this week’s Bible verse on a card and place it on a mirror the child uses each day.
- Place the verse for the week in his/her lunch box.
- Ask the child to recite the verse before or after grace at the dinner meal.
- Practice as a family at dinner, going around the table with each one saying a word until the verse is complete.
- Put the verse to music. Create your own tune for each Bible verse. Create pictures to help remember the verse.
- Write it in a Bible verse notebook as many times as you can.
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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 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.
December 2
(KJV) Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
- What is being read?
- What is the prophecy?
- What prophecy is read at the Christmas season?
- Who fulfilled that prophecy?
December 9
(KJV) Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
- What do you think represents “waters” and “thunderings”?
- How do you know that God’s reign is omnipotent?
December 16
Luke 2:10,11 … the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
- To whom was the angel talking?
- Where were they?
- Who was born in the city of David?
- What would you do if an angel told you God’s great news?
December 23
II Cor 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
- What is God’s unspeakable gift?
- Why is God’s gift so special?
December 30
Eph 4:23,24 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
- What is the “old” man?
- What is the “new” man?
- How do we put on the “new” man?
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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 without any prompting.
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ACTIVITIES |
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Bible Overview begins a four part series on the book of Revelation.
This month’s Hot Topic deals with Christmas Peace.
Make a Difference reminds us not to forget giving gifts to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Teen Time Questions and Answers handles feeling loved when we mess up.
Kids Korner offers puzzles, games, and stories celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Parenting with the Bible looks at Gifts for the Christ Child. |
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This month, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus.
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. |
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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. |
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Exercise:
Print the download of the Nativity story and give a copy to each pupil in your class the first week of December. The story includes prophecies, angels, gifts, the birth of Jesus, shepherds, and other characters. Help the children become familiar with every aspect of the story. Ask them to read the story with their families on Christmas Eve. You might have them decorate a folder to put the story in. This way they will be able to use it every Christmas. |
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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.
- Tell the Christmas story or read it from Matthew 2: 1-12 and Luke 2:1-14.
- Do something helpful without being asked!
- Look at your possessions and find something (in good shape and working order!) you would like to give to someone else. Then do it.
- Say or do something to promote peace in your family.
- Attend a church service as well as Sunday school this week.
- Pray for peace in the world and for the safety of everyone.
- Put a short love note under your parents' pillow on Christmas Eve.
- Think about Jesus' life as you fall asleep Christmas Eve.
- Christmas night, look up at the stars and think of the star of Bethlehem.
- Talk about the real meaning of Christmas with your family. And, listen for angel thoughts! Remember, God loves you very much!
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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?
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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.
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Exercise:
Make a Christmas card for God. Find a Bible verse that would be perfect to celebrate Jesus’ birth. |
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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
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Exercise: What’s in the Stable?
For younger children – have them identify the things that might have been in the stable where Jesus was born.
Print/Download What’s in the Stable?
Print/Download What’s in the Stable? Answer Sheet
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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
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS |
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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 prophesies 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)
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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?
- Who was her famous cousin?
- Describe the kind of son Elisabeth and Zacharias were going to have?
- What did the angel tell Zacharias to name him?
- What was their son to do with his life?
- When did Zacharias speak again?
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The angel talking to Joseph Read Matt 1:18- 25
- Who is Joseph?
- What did the angel tell him?
- Why do you think Joseph was asleep when the angel spoke to him?
- What did it mean to be betrothed?
- Would you have married Mary?
- What kind of a person was Joseph?
- How do you know he took responsibility for Mary and her baby?
- Why did Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem?
- What happened while Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem?
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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)
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Elisabeth and the birth of John Read Luke 1:39-80
- Who is Elisabeth?
- What kind of a family did she come from?
- What is special about her?
- How many children did she have?
- Who is related to her?
- How did she help Mary?
- What was her son’s relationship with Mary’s son?
- What did people want to name her son?
- Why did she stop them?
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Jesus’ Birth Read Luke 2:1-7 Jesus Is Born; The Manger of Bethlehem; The Story of a Wonderful Baby’s Birth
- Where were Mary and Joseph traveling?
- How far was Bethlehem from Nazareth? (80 miles)
- Figure out 80 miles from your home – how long would it take you to walk that distance?
- Why were they going to Bethlehem?
- Do we have to do anything like that today?
- Where did they stay when they arrived?
- Where was Jesus born? [in the stable under the second floor of a house]
- What did Mary wrap him in?
- What are swaddling clothes?
- Do we wrap babies in anything like that today?
- What did they use for a bed for Jesus?
- Who sang at Jesus’ birth?
- Why was it important for anyone to sing at Jesus’ birth? [customary for neighbors to sing at a boy’s birth, not girls]
- Who came to visit Jesus?
- Why were these visitors important?
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The shepherds Read Luke 2:8-20 The Shepherds and the Angels; Shepherds Visit Baby Jesus; The Shepherds
- What were the shepherds doing before an angel appeared?
- What kind of a night was it when the shepherds saw the angel of the Lord?
- Were the shepherds frightened? Why?
- If you had been a shepherd, would you have been frightened by the angel's message?
- What did the angel tell them?
- Who joined the angel after the message was given to the shepherds?
- Why do you think they sang?
- Which Christmas carols do you know that mention the shepherds?
- Why do you think they were selected to visit Jesus? [shepherds know a pure lamb]
- How important are the shepherds to the story?
- If you were a shepherd, would you visit the baby Jesus?
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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?
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The wise men Read Matt 2: 1-12 Visitors from the East; Wise Men Bring Gifts for Jesus; The Wise Men Who Followed a Star
- 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? [helped them survive in Egypt]
- Why didn’t the wise men return to Herod?
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This is a good time to talk about gift-giving
- What makes a gift special?
- What was so special about God's gift?
- 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 church bulletin board.
- 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?
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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?
- Why was Herod a kill joy?
- Do you know people who try to rob you of joy?
- What is meant by “the Herod mentality”?
- In what ways is our world still dealing with the Herod thought?
- 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.
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