First Thoughts: We're finally moving into the Christmas story on this Fourth Sunday in Advent. Here we see Joseph receiving the news of Jesus' birth as well as instructions about how the child will be named. Naming was a very powerful process in biblical times, since all names had meanings and blessings attached. The name you chose for your child not only shaped the direction of his life, but also communicated his and your relationship with God. It's important that God gives two names to this child: Jesus, which means "God rescues us" and Emmanuel meaning "God is with us." This is the central theme of good news for the holy-day season: God lives with us, among us, and knows our struggle. Because God is so intimately aware of the peril we face, God knows just the kind of help we need. For our lesson today we will focus on how God really is present to us, both in the world around us and in the people who love us. Consider your own role with the children this morning, how you meet them where they are, how you relate to their experiences and struggles of being young and growing up, how your support and love can help "rescue" them in difficult places. When you think about it, you're the image of Jesus and Emmanuel for them -- right here, right now. Spend a moment asking God to prepare you for the important task of teaching.
Teaching On Your Own: So just a few days before Christmas. How are things going with you guys? Things are going great for me. But I did have a bit of a scare the other day. There's a pond out in my neighborhood that froze over and a few friends and I decided we'd try ice skating on it. But once we were out there we heard a big cracking noise. What do you think it was? We were afraid it was the ice breaking. We weren't sure, but we were afraid to move. So we just stood on the ice and yelled for someone to help us. Luckily one of our neighbors came by. He told us not to worry, and he would check things out. Then he walked out on the ice himself and tested it for us. He told us that the ice was okay and maybe the cracking was the sound of a branch breaking or something. But he still took our hands and pulled us off the ice back to solid land. Don't you think that was brave of him? It reminds me of the names God chose for the Christmas baby.
In today's lesson, God talked to Joseph, the man who was going to be the baby's father, and told him that he would name the baby Jesus and that the world would call him Emmanuel. How many of you have heard those names before? Do you know what they mean? The name Jesus means "God rescues us" and the name Emmanuel means "God is with us." Just like my neighbor, who walked out on the ice to help us. Then he pulled us off the ice and rescued us! God wanted everyone to know that God was going to use Jesus' life to show us how God walks with us every day and that God knows the dangers we face and is ready to rescue us when we need it. Sometimes we might feel lonely, but we're never really alone. And sometimes we might feel scared, but we're not really in danger. God is with us, and God saves us. That's the best Christmas news of all!
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 1: So just a few days before Christmas. How are things going with you?
Leader 2: Great. But I did have a bit of a scare the other day.
Leader 1: Really? What happened?
Leader 2: There's a pond out in my neighborhood that froze over and a few friends and I decided we'd try ice skating on it. But once we were out there we heard a big cracking noise.
Leader 1: Oh no! Was the ice breaking?
Leader 2: We didn't know and we were afraid to move. So we just stood on the ice and yelled for someone to help us.
Leader 1: Did anyone hear?
Leader 2: Yes, one of our neighbors came by. He told us not to worry, and he would check things out. Then he walked out on the ice himself and tested it for us. He told us that the ice was okay and maybe the cracking was the sound of a branch breaking or something. But he still took our hands and pulled us off the ice back to solid land.
Leader 1: That was really brave of him. It reminds me of the names God chose for the Christmas baby. In today's lesson, God talked to Joseph, the man who was going to be the baby's father, and told him that he would name the baby Jesus and that the world would call him Emmanuel.
Leader 2: I've heard those names before, but what does it have to do with us being out on the ice?
Leader 1: Well, the name Jesus means "God rescues us" and the name Emmanuel means "God is with us." Just like your neighbor, who walked out on the ice for you.
Leader 2: Yeah, he walked out to help us.
Leader 1: And then he pulled you off the ice...
Leader 2: He rescued us!
Leader 1: Right. God wanted everyone to know that God was going to use Jesus' life to show us how God walks with us every day and that God knows the dangers we face and is ready to rescue us when we need it. Sometimes we might feel lonely, but we're never really alone.
Leader 2: And sometimes we might feel scared, but we're not really in danger.
Leader 1: Right. God is with us, and God saves us. That's the best Christmas news of all!
Closing Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the promise of the name Emmanuel, that you are with us; and the name Jesus, that you will rescue us from danger. Help us find your peace this Christmas and to share that peace with everyone around us. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, talk about different scenarios in which we might need rescue and ask the children to act out the scenarios. A few options might be being stuck in a fire and needing the help of a firefighter, being sick or injured and needing the help of a doctor, or being frightened and alone and needing the help of a friend. (Make a point of saying not all situations needing rescue are life-threatening.) Invite the children to take turns playing the roles of the one who needs help and the one who offers help. Note that in our world today there are lots of people who need someone to be with them and help them with difficult situations; thankfully there are also lots of people around who are caring. Explain that the job of being with others and helping them wasn't just a job for Jesus 2,000 years ago, because Jesus came into the world to show us how to be kind and helpful as well. That way, God's love is constantly growing and spreading to everyone in the world.
For a craft idea, print out one copy of the template for each child. Invite them to write these phrases over the ornaments, "God is with Me," "I am with Others," "God is with Us." Give the children a chance to decorate the template with glitter glue or little jewels. Remind them that the greatest gift of Christmas is when we participate in the Christmas Chain of Love. We are loved by God, and we share that love with others so they realize that they are loved by God as well. Close with a blessing for each child's Christmas.
