Prepare paper plate lifesaver rings (cut a hole in the middle of the paper plate) for about half the number of children in your class.
Divide the kids into 2 groups — each standing on each side of the room. One side is the shore. The other is the ocean.
Kids standing on the shore hold the lifesavers. And they have to throw the lifesavers like a Frisbee to those in the ocean. Whoever catches the lifsaver gets to be “saved” and come on shore. (practice with the plate to make sure it can fly etc)
How did the lifesavers help you play the game? <save us and bring us back to shore>
What’s the importance of lifesavers when you’re swimming? <help you to float and not sink>
Do you know you have a Life Saver who’s with you every day? <Jesus>
Jesus is our Life Saver. Our Saviour.
2. LESSON: Jesus Saviour (Matthew 1:18-21)
Matthew 1:18-2118 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
The angel told Joseph to name the baby Jesus. The name Jesus means “God is Salvation”, that means Jesus is the Lord who saves, our Saviour.
What is a Savior?A savior is a deliver and preserver. For example, if you were sleeping in a burning house, and a fireman comes in and carries you to safety, he is your savior.
The word “save” comes from “sozo”, which also means to heal, protect and make whole. When Jesus saves us, He doesn’t just save us from our sins but He also makes us whole in every way.
How can Jesus be our Saviour?
The angel told Joseph that Jesus will save His people from their sins. How is that possible?
Even though Joseph was his earthly father, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin — miracle birth. He was both man and God — a human birth through Mary, but divine nature through Holy Spirit.
Babies are born to have life. But Jesus was the only baby born to die. His sole aim in coming to earth is to give His life for you and for me.
In the Old Covenant, people would bring animals to be sacrificed at the temple for their sins. The animal had to be perfect without any blemish. Jesus was the perfect man … He lived a sinless life, and only He could save us from our sin. (If He had His own sin, He couldn’t pay for our sins; just like if someone can’t swim himself, he cannot save a drowning swimmer).
We all have sinned. We have all missed God’s mark of perfection.
<can play a simple target shooting game to illustrate, if time permits>
We deserve the punishment of death. But in His great love, Jesus, the perfect man, took our place in death and punishment on the cross.
But He didn’t stay dead. He rose from the death to show that He had final victory over death and sin. He paid the full price that we couldn’t pay!
Jesus saves forever!
Jesus’ work on the Cross was complete. He cried out, “It is Finished!”
Jesus’ death on the Cross paid for ALL our sins — past, present and future. What we did in the past, and what we do today and tomorrow and the years to come.
When we accept Jesus, His life and Spirit lives in us. We are a NEW Creation. We are born as a Child of God. And God never, ever lets us go. We are His children FOREVER.
This Christmas, let’s remember and celebrate the little baby Jesus that was born to save all of us from our sins and give us new life in Him forever!
