Scripture: for teacher background: Luke 2:22-40
Making
contact:
Play
a “name game” with the children.
E.g.
Game number 1. “Jolly hot Sausage.”
You bounce a cushion in your hands and say the
name of the person next to you –
E.g.
“ Jan, this is a jolly hot sausage!” They then bounce the cushion and turn to
the person on the other side of them saying, “Thebo, (addressing the new
person) -Angela says that this is a jolly hot sausage.” Thebo will address the
next person saying, “Sarah, Thebo says that Jan says that Angela says that this
is a jolly hot sausage.”
Game
number 2.
Go around the group and everyone says their name with an adjective in front of
their name beginning with the same letter and describing them.
E.g. “Angelic Angela”!……… “Ravishing Rosa !”……….
“Thankful Thebo”.
“Singing
Sarah”
And/or….
Discuss the meanings of names. If you are
meeting with the children previous to this lesson, ask them to find out the
meaning of their name before this lesson and the reason their name was chosen.
Exploration:
When
Jesus was 8 days old, He was given His name – “Jesus”. His name means “Saviour”
A few weeks later it was time to go to the temple of Jerusalem
There
was an old man there called Simeon who loved God and was very devout. God had
promised him that before he died He would see the Messiah.
When Mary and Joseph
and Baby Jesus were at the temple
Simeon
He took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God. He prayed a
beautiful prayer and thanked God for keeping His promise.
(Read
the prayer out of the Bible – Luke 2:29-32)
Simeon
knew this child was to be the salvation of the whole world.
He
spoke to Mary and Joseph and explained how this baby would be the Saviour, but
that a very sad thing would happen which to Mary would feel like a sword going
through her heart.
There
was another special person at the temple too that day – a very old lady called
Anna. She was 84 years old, but had only been married for 7 years.
Ever since
she was widowed she had stayed at the temple worshiping God and praying and
fasting.
She also realized that Jesus was the King and she told everyone who
was waiting for the Messiah that this was he.
Mary
never forgot Simeon and Anna, nor the shepherds and the wise men and as Jesus
was growing up she often thought about the wonderful things that happened when
Jesus was born.
Ideas
for Presentation of story.
Have
a baby doll wrapped in a blanket and hold it while telling the story.
Invite an
elderly man and woman to the lesson to represent Simeon and Anna.
Pass them the
doll and ask “Simeon” to read the prayer that Simeon prayed in the Bible.
There
is a lovely carol, which has been adapted.
I love You
Little
baby in the Temple
Giving
You the name of Jesus I
love You
Simeon
has waited to say I
love You
Anna
sees the Saviour and says I love You
Application
At
New Year, we often make New Year Resolutions. This year let us offer ourselves
to God, as Mary and Joseph dedicated baby Jesus. (Romans 12:1)
Let’s give the
year to God.
Another lesson we learn from this story is how
important the elderly are.
We must appreciate and respect them. Many of them
spend a lot of time praying for us and for the world.
Maybe
ask the 2 elderly visitors to Sunday school to pray for the children – at the
lesson, and also to pray for them the whole year.
Challenge to Mission
Mary
and Joseph sacrificed 2 doves. What sacrifice can we make?
We could sacrifice 2
hours a week to get involved with a mission project at our church, or do
something on our own, like visit the elderly or the sick.
We could give money
as our sacrifice and gift.
Let’s
appreciate our elderly and not just ignore them.
Consolidation
There
is a worksheet with a picture of Baby Jesus in the temple with Mary, Joseph,
Anna and Simeon.
There is a picture of a dove and inside the dove the children
can write or draw what they are giving to God – their 2 hour sacrifice per week
or their gift.
Memory verse
Matthew 1:21 “You
will name Him Jesus – because He will save His people from their sins.”
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