Dec. 2nd and 3rd

The Amazing Baby (Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-20) Big Idea - The Amazing Baby

Key Verse - Matthew 1:23

Thoughts from Terry: What's so special about that baby in the manger? What's the big deal of his birth? Why was Jesus' birth any different than all the other people ever born? Let's focus on the key verses and predictions building up to his birth and the incredible,

supernatural story of his birth.

His birth was a very simple birth - He was born in a small town (Bethlehem), in a stable, in a

feeding trough, no doctor, hospital, Mary was an ordinary young Jewish girl, etc.. HOWEVER. It begins to be amazing when we realize

1.) People predicted His birth, the place, and His name (16 times in the Old Testament)

several hundred's of years before His birth.

a..) Birth - Isaiah 9:6, Luke 1:26-33

b. ) Place - Bethlehem - Micah 5:2, Luke 2:4-7 (You can talk about how they were not in

Bethlehem near the time for delivery, but how God moved them there because of the census.

c.) Name - Isaiah 7:14 Talk about what His name means.

Example of how incredibly impossible this would be for just 8 of these predictions to come

true about one person...

By chance alone has about the same mathematical probability as covering the state of Texas

in silver dollars with just one of those dollars marked with a spot, and then having someone

pick out the marked dollar the first try.

(This could be a great interaction time for all the kids and a powerful illustration of the

almost impossible fulfillment of the prophecy of Christ's birth). They could do a number of

different things either with money or cards or even blind fold the kid and let them pick.

2.) He is the Son of God - luke 1:35, John 3:16, I John 5:5

3.) He is God and man - Matthew 1:23, John 1:1, 14:6-7 Don't spend to much time here because this is what we will be covering next week.

November 25-26

Big Idea: God wants us to do good things for Him.

Key Verse: James 2:14 NLT "Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions?"

Thoughts: The reason faith without works is dead is because our purpose isn't just to be 'saved.' Our purpose is to show and model for the world what life could look like if we submit to the rule of Jesus, the world is to see our good actions, then they will gloify God knowing that our work really isn't ours, but God's work in us (Matt. 5:16; Eph 2:10). Our faith is in God that He will do His kingdom work in and through our actions. This is what saving faith is, faith that God is King and that He will direct our path (Psalms). Faith that only believes there is one God (Jesus) is demonic! (James 2:19). When Paul says in Romans 10 that "if you confess with your mouth and beleive in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord you will be saved" he doesn't simply mean "repeat this secrect formula so that you won't go to hell," he's means to put you life under the universal Lordship of Christ, which is another way of saying "if you confess Jesus is Lord, then you will do what he says because He is the one in charge" (Rom. 1:5; John 14:15, 15:14). Having faith and living in faithfulness are the same thing (Hab. 2:4"live by his faith"). Terry put some examples of people living our their faith below.

It is really important that the children don't think when they are in Jr. High or High School that whatever they do is ok because they 'got saved' when they were younger because they said that they believed in Jesus. They need to understand the truth that if you love Jesus you will obey what He says, which is essentially to love others (John 13:34)!

Additional thoughts from Terry: "Story of Abraham and Issace-Gen. 22; Story of Rahab-Joshua 2."

November 18-19

BIG IDEA:

“Everyone is created equal by God”

KEY VERSE:

James 2:1b NCV “Never think some people are more important than others.”

Thoughts from Terry: (James 2:1-13)

Good Samaritan

Woman at the well