Scripture: for teacher background: Luke 2:8-20
Making contact:
Discuss looking after animals. Ask the children if they have
ever had a pet and how they looked after it.
Exploration:
God has a lot of time for people who like animals. When He
made the earth, He put Adam in charge over the animals.
Adam had to name all of
them and rule over them.
Even though the world is different since the fall and
the curse, a lot of people are still very good with animals.
You can often
judge a person’s character by how they are with animals. People who kick dogs
are really hard-hearted and cruel.
People who look after sheep are very special people.
It’s a
lowly job and done by quite poor people usually. Its long hours.
You can’t tell
the sheep you going to the movies now – who will look after them and keep
wolves away and help them not to get caught in thorn bushes or fall down
cliffs?
Sheep are very stupid and really need shepherds to guide
them.
It was people like this – real salt of the earth people that
were chosen by God to be the first to hear the good news about Jesus.
The scribes and Pharisees had been studying for years about
where and when the Messiah would come, but God didn’t even bother to tell them
or the rich people, but it was the shepherds He chose.
They were outside at night, looking after their sheep,
probably feeling a bit sleepy and maybe struggling to stay awake.
Maybe they
took turns to have a sleep, leaning against a tree.
It must have been a huge
shock when the angel appeared to them.
There was a great light. These grown men
were so afraid! The angel told them not to be afraid, that he had good news for
them.
He said this news would bring great joy to all people.
This day, in Bethlehem
He then gave them a clue how to find the baby – in a food
trough, manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths.
Then for the first and last time that we’ve heard about in
history, a whole army of angels appeared and sang a song to God’s glory.
In the
book of Revelation, in his vision, John saw these angels singing. He said there
were thousands and millions of them.
How wonderful for these shepherds, just simple working class
people to have such a wonderful experience.
They just left their sheep and
rushed of to start looking for this baby. I wonder how long it took to go and
look in all the stables in the town of Bethlehem
The town was crowded with all the visitors for the census and maybe other
stables and barns were being used for the extra people.
Eventually they found
baby Jesus and they worshiped Him.
They told Mary and Joseph what the angels
had said and then they went back to their sheep.
We learn 2 very important things about these buddies of
Jesus.
They really were His buddies. Ordinary people are special to
Jesus!
Shepherds got this wonderful message and had the choir of
heaven – much grander than all the Olympic openings!
They were obedient and excited. They went to look and they FOUND HIM!
Are we
excited about Jesus? Do we obey what the Bible tells us? Do we look further
when we can’t find an answer?
Challenge to Mission
Are we excited about Jesus and do
we tell others or are we just waiting for Christmas presents?
Consolidation
Worksheet. There are pictures to colour in.
Another activity
is to use old Christmas cards showing the shepherds and making reconditioned
cards or a poster.
Memory Verse
"The angels sang: “Glory to God in the highest heaven and
peace on earth.” Luke 2:13
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