Children’s Christmas Resources 2016

Week Two – Shining Our Light

Children’s Message – Shining Our Light

For this message you will need:

A microphone

Two volunteers

A couple of slides of Christmas lights

SCRIPT:

‘I need two volunteers to come and talk about anything that they are passionate about for one minute. For example, you may be passionate about cars, we would love to hear your take on cars or you may be interested in playing a particular sport that we would love to hear about.’

(It may be wise to prepare two people beforehand to volunteer in case you don’t get any takers.)

Give each volunteer one minute to talk about their favourite topic. They need to cram as much detail into their allocated one minute as possible.

Once both volunteers have finished their one minute, emphasis how it was quite easy for them to talk about their favourite topic. Choose a couple of highlights from each topic that you loved hearing about.

Ask the two volunteers:

Did you find it easy to chat about your favourite topic, the thing that you are passionate about?

(Say)

‘Isn’t it interesting that we find it so easy to talk about the topics that we really love and feel passionate about but sometimes we find it really difficult to talk to our friends about Jesus.’

‘Just like we know heaps about our favourite topics we really need to know about what Jesus has done for us so that we feel confident and comfortable in telling our story to our friends and family about Jesus.Sometimes it is hard to know what to say.’

‘Jesus was a story teller and He wants us to share our story with our friends and family. We need to know our story and know what Jesus has done for us. That He forgives us for doing wrong things, that He loves us and that He wants to be our friend. That He wants to help us live our life and will always love us and be with us.’

‘A great activity to do is to write down your personal story about Jesus and then practice it with an adult who already loves Jesus. This way they can help make suggestions and give you guidance.’

‘In Matthew 5:14-16 in the Bible, it says, You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.’

I wonder who loves driving around looking at all the beautiful Christmas lights.

(Show the Christmas lights slides)

‘The lights are beautiful aren’t they? Every year I love driving around seeing all the lights and it helps me get into the Christmas spirit. It brings joy into our hearts when we see the effort that people put in to show their lights off to other people in the community. Some houses are so bright that you can see their lights as soon as you turn into their street.’

‘In the verse that I just read it says, ‘Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.’

What do you think this may mean?

‘This is another way that you can show your friends and family about Jesus. It is to let your light shine. They will see something different about you and may ask you about it. We need to be careful about what we say, think and do at all times but especially in front of other people as they may notice something different about us and ask what it is.’

‘For example, at school you could be kind and show love to the person who has no friends or you could say that swear word that all the others kids may say. There are many ways of shining God’s light so that our friends will notice something different in us.’

You may wish to end this message with the congregation singing ‘This Little Light of Mine.’

Children’s Activity:

For this activity you will need:

A fishing rod or line

Card stock

Textas

Christmas stickers

If you have not done the Christmas Message attached to this week during the main service, you may wish to place it in this activity as an introduction.

(Say): ‘We have just been talking about ‘telling our Jesus Story and ‘shining our light’ for our friends and family to see God’s love through us. Now we are going to explore ways of doing this.’

Ask the kids who has been fishing before?

Chat about fishing and how frustrating it can be. How you have to put the bait on the fishing line many times before you can catch one fish. Sometimes the fish just aren’t interested and sometimes you don’t have the right type of bait.

Let the kid’s tell some of their fishing stories.

(Say)

‘Sharing our story of Jesus is like fishing. Sometimes our friends or family just are not interested in hearing the story, just the fish are not interested in some types of bait. Sometimes we don’t have the right bait. That is why we really need to be prepared with our story of Jesus. It is like having the right attractive bait.’

Spend time with the children preparing their ‘Jesus Story’ by writing down or drawing:

  • How did you ask Jesus to forgive you for doing wrong things?
  • How did you ask Jesus to come and live in your life and be your friend?
  • How is Jesus helping you in your life now?

(The kids will need help and prompting with all of this).

You need to be aware that there could be some children in your group that have not asked Jesus into their life and to be their friend. Opportunity should be given to these children.

This activity may be intimidating for some leaders but as you may be aware for some children this could be the beginning of their ‘Jesus story’ and so therefore it is too important not to give this opportunity.

It is okay not to be able to answer all the kid’s questions. Just make sure that you have another adult available who can help you through this session if you feel you need support or that the child could go and talk to them after the session.

Next ask the children to write down a list of people that they think would be happy to hear their ‘Jesus story’.

‘One way that can help your friends understand your ‘Jesus Story’ is to invite them to come to church. A great time to invite them is at Christmas time. Think about someone on your list that you could invite.’

Make an invitation out of the card stock and stickers to invite one of the people on your list to church for a special Christmas event.

Finish by praying together asking God to help us be comfortable telling others our Jesus story and to help our lights to shine.

Home and Beyond:

Print out the following ‘Home and Beyond’ activity for each child to take home and do with their family.

Home and Beyond:

Practice with other members of your family telling your ‘Jesus Story’ to each other so that can feel comfortable telling it to your friends.

Send your invitation that you made to your friend and ring them a couple of days later to see if they received it and to encourage them to come to the special Christmas event.

Home and Beyond:

Practice with other members of your family telling your ‘Jesus Story’ to each other so that can feel comfortable telling it to your friends.

Send your invitation that you made to your friend and ring them a couple of days later to see if they received it and to encourage them to come to the special Christmas event.

Home and Beyond:

Practice with other members of your family telling your ‘Jesus Story’ to each other so that can feel comfortable telling it to your friends.

Send your invitation that you made to your friend and ring them a couple of days later to see if they received it and to encourage them to come to the special Christmas event.

Territorial Mission Resources Department Australian Southern Territory © 2016

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