>>>Vantage Point: A Christmas Lesson Lesson Objective>> The point of the lesson is that your students would accept the responsibility of being faithful witnesses of Christ’s to those whom they encounter in their world. Scripture Focus>> Matthew 1:18-­‐25, Luke 2:8-­‐20, Matthew 2:1-­‐12 Overview>> The Christmas story is one that is probably very familiar to your students. We have to make sure that this type of familiarity doesn’t lead them to miss the wonderful truths contained in the account of Jesus’ birth. Through this lesson, your students will look closer at the details of the Christmas account, but will also see the various approaches to Jesus represented by the specific people mentioned in the story: the shepherds, the magi, and King Herod. Your students will be challenged to examine how they see each of these different “reactions” represented in the world in which they live. Jump In •
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Title: Name That Christmas Tune Goal: The idea is to play a little game to get your students in the Christmas spirit. Set-­‐Up: You’ll need a CD or mp3 player; a collection of Christmas songs; a dry-­‐erase board and something to write with; if you choose, use the “Name That Christmas Tune” slide on the PowerPoint slideshow. FIRST, divide your students into groups. Then, instruct each group to send one representative to the front of the room. Explain that you will be playing a slightly modified Christmas version of the classic gameshow, Name That Tune. Explain that the goal is to see who can name the tune in the fewest seconds. Explain that you will play a song. The student who is first to recognize the song is to yell “Jingle Bells.” The student will then be given the chance to name the song. If the student names the song correctly, his or her team gets a point and the round is over. If the student names the song incorrectly, the other student then gets to listen to five seconds of the song before making his or her own guess. Whoever names the song correctly wins a point for his or her team. NEXT, call on two new volunteers and repeat the process with a new song. Continue in this manner until you’ve gone through a number of songs. Award a winner and consider giving some sort of prize to the winning team. FINALLY, explain that today you will take a look at the Christmas story as told in Scripture. Explain that, just like many of these songs, the story might seem very familiar. Encourage students to listen with fresh hearts and minds, and to take notice of some of the details they might not have considered before. ©2010 youthministry360 youthministry360.com 2 The Big Idea •
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Title: Vantage Point Goal: The idea is to help your students understand how they can see different approaches to Jesus represented in the Christmas narrative. Set-­‐Up: If you choose, play the PowerPoint slideshow. There are several slides that correspond with points of the Bible Study. Instruct students to turn to Matthew 1 & Luke 2 in their Bibles. While they are finding the chapter, provide some brief context for the passage you will be reading. • The books of Matthew and Luke both bear the names of the men who wrote them. • Matthew was written by one of Jesus’ disciples, Matthew (also called Levi). • Luke was a Gentile (non-­‐Jew) physician who also wrote the Book of Acts. • Matthew and Luke are commonly believed to be written fairly close to one another, sometime in the late 50’s or early 60’s AD. o This would have been about 20 or 30 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. FIRST, instruct students to turn to Matthew 1:18-­‐25. Have students help you tell the Christmas story from memory. Then, read or have a volunteer read Matthew 1:18-­‐25. See if you missed any details. Then, explain that this story is probably pretty well known to all your students. Yet, there are some very significant elements that need to be mentioned. Ask: • As you hear this story, and have heard it in the past, what would you say are the most important or essential parts of the story? o Answer: Allow students to single out elements that are meaningful to them. • In your own words, why do you think they are essential? o Answer: Answers will vary. THEN, once you have discussed the basic story, move on to the heart of the lesson. Explain to your students that you are going to look at how three individual groups of people responded to Jesus’ birth. And by looking at these people, you will be able to actually identify ways some people today have of responding to Christ. NEXT, read or have a volunteer read Luke 2:8-­‐20. When the passage has been read, take a moment to summarize what is going on, if need be. Then, direct your students’ attention to verses 15-­‐20. Lead your students in a discussion to identify exactly how the shepherds responded to their encounter with Jesus. Ask: • How did the shepherds immediately respond to the angels’ message? o Answer: They believed it; or if they did not exactly believe it yet, they certainly accepted the general message. They acted on it in faith, leaving their sheep and going to see Christ. • What clues do we have about their overall attitude toward the news of this miraculous event? o Answer: They seemed excited; vs. 16 says they “hurried” off. • Describe their reactions upon seeing the baby, Jesus. o Answer: They spread the word about what they had seen. This seems to imply a certain level of belief about whom they had encountered. Certainly their understanding of all that Jesus was to become would not have been perfect at this point. But, they believed the words told to them by the angels and actively went out to spread the news to others. ©2010 youthministry360 youthministry360.com 3 NEXT, read or have a volunteer read Matthew 2:1-­‐12. When the passage has been read, take a moment to summarize what is going on, if need be. Then, lead your students in a discussion to identify exactly how the magi (or the wise men) responded to their encounter with Jesus. Ask: • How did the wise men come to know about Jesus? o Answer: They were knowledgeable, learned men. They somehow knew of a sign, a star in the sky, that they attributed to the birth of the promised Messiah, the King of the Jews. • What does this say about their attitude toward Jesus? o Answer: They sought out Christ; they were seeking Him from a point of men who valued knowledge and learning; they had an informed faith, as much as it could have been at that point. • Look at verses 9-­‐12. How do we see the magi reacting to their encounter with Christ? o Answer: They were overjoyed; they bowed down and worshiped; they presented Jesus with gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh; they obediently obeyed God’s leading not to go back to Herod. THEN, looking back over the same passage, lead your students in a discussion to identify exactly how the Herod responded to what he heard about Jesus. Ask: • How did Herod initially react to the Magi’s question? o Answer: He was “disturbed” • If you knew the back-­‐story, you would know that Herod was a ruthless, power-­‐hungry ruler. Knowing this, why might Herod be “disturbed” at the emergence of a new “King”? o Answer: He was worried that this new king might somehow overthrow his kingdom; he was holding on tightly to the way of life that served him the best. When you have finished, explain to your students that each of these groups represent different aspects of how people encounter Christ. Explain that the shepherds represent those who encounter Christ in an almost unexpected way. These people are not searching for Christ, but when they encounter Him, they are moved to belief by who He is. Ask your students: • Where do you see this occur in your world today? • How might someone unexpectedly find themselves hearing about Jesus and coming to belief? NEXT, explain that the magi, or wise men, represent those who are searching for Christ, those people who know there is truth out there, who sense there must be something more to this life. Like the magi, these people anticipate some sort of encounter with Christ. And when they encounter Him, many come to a belief in Him. Ask your students: • Have you ever known of anyone who came to know Christ this way? • If people are searching for truth, or for meaning, or to know more about Christ, what are some ways they might learn more about who Jesus is? THEN explain that Herod represents those people who have hostile encounters with Christ, those who doubt Jesus’ identity and are threatened by the message of love and grace Jesus brings. Ask your students: • Where in your world do you encounter people who are hostile to the message of Christ? • Why do you think some people reject Christ and the message He brings? • It seems that when it comes to Jesus, people are either compelled to worship or they reject Him outright. What is it about Jesus that causes such strong reactions in people? FINALLY, explain to your students that in their lives, they will encounter each of the people represented in the Christmas story. Their job is to be faithful storytellers, speaking the message of Christ regardless of who is ©2010 youthministry360 youthministry360.com 4 listening. But, there are some things they might consider when speaking to the various people represented by the characters they studied today. Wrap Up •
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Title: Say What? Goal: The goal is to help your students consider how the sharing of their faith might differ based on exactly whom they are speaking with. Set-­‐Up: You may choose to provide a dry erase board and something to write with. If you choose, play the PowerPoint slideshow. There are several slides that correspond with points of the Bible Study. FIRST, take a moment to review by listing the three groups of people represented in the Christmas narrative. Then, have your students name the three kinds of “Jesus encounters” represented by the three groups of people. Write these on the board. (Answer: Shepherds: unexpected encounter; Magi: anticipated encounter; Herod: hostile encounter.) THEN, read the following verses to your students: Romans 1:16 & Romans 10:14. Remind students that Romans 1:16 tells us that the Gospel, the “good news” of salvation through Jesus Christ, is the only sufficient source of life and purpose. People search for these things in many different places. But only in Christ is salvation found. Romans 10:14 tells us that this message has to be told! Remind students that Christ’s plan for spreading the Gospel is us, His church. Encourage your students to understand that they are in a unique position to be able to share the life-­‐giving message of Christ with their friends. NEXT, ask students to consider the groups of people represented by the different encounters listed on the board: unexpected encounters, anticipated encounters, and hostile encounters. Have students consider the one common role they play in the lives of the various people represented by these different categories. Lead students to see that regardless of how a person chooses to encounter Christ, there must actually be an encounter. Your students have the responsibility to share their faith, testifying to others about the difference Christ has made in their life. But, how they choose to talk about Christ might be different depending on the type of person they are talking to. THEN, using the categories of encounters you have listed on the board, briefly come up with some specific ways your students might interact with each of the people represented. For instance, you might say: • Let’s imagine you find yourself talking about your faith to someone who is really not expecting it. Let’s imagine some scenarios that might have lead you to this situation. Ask the same question for those people your students might now who are open to religious discussion (anticipating encounters), and even for those who seem completely closed off to talking about faith (hostile encounters). Write students’ answers on the board as they brainstorm possible ideas. FINALLY, remind students that the Christmas narrative is not to be limited to a once-­‐a-­‐year place of significance. Explain to them that people always need to hear the story of Christ. And though people may react to it differently, your students responsibility is to simply be open about discussing the role Christ plays in their lives. ©2010 youthministry360 youthministry360.com 5