Читать книгу Nourishing Seeds of Faith - Virginia H. Loewen - Страница 9

Theme: The story of Jesus is the greatest story ever told.

Scripture: . . . go and make followers of all the people in the world. —Matthew 28:19a (NCV)

Preparation: Read Matthew 1:18–2:15, Matthew 28:19–20. Obtain a Nativity Set or artist’s rendition to display.

Who likes to hear stories? Do you know what the people in a story are called? They are called characters. Sometimes animals are characters in stories, too. Are the characters in your favorite stories real or make-believe?

I know a story that is the most important story that was ever told or written. Do you know what it is? It’s the story of a person named Jesus.

In a story, each happening is called a scene. Here is a scene from Jesus’ life story. (Refer to Nativity scene). Can you name the characters? What is happening in this scene? Where is it happening?

The story of Jesus says that God is his father. He was born to Mary and Joseph and laid in a manger in the little town of Bethlehem. Angels came to shepherds in the fields who then went to see the baby. Wise men followed a star to find him and bring him gifts. Then Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Egypt to escape the ruler who wanted to kill him.

That’s the story we hear at Christmastime. But it’s not the end of the story. What else do you know about Jesus? Did he remain a baby? . . . The baby Jesus grew to be a man. He taught people to love God and to love one another. He made sick people well. He did many miracles so that people would believe he is the Son of God.

Do you think everyone believed him? . . . No, they didn’t. Because he claimed that God is his father, Jesus was put to death on a cross.

But Jesus’ dying is still not the end of the story. What story about Jesus do we hear at Eastertime? . . . On Easter we celebrate Jesus’ leaving his grave! He lives and, even today, he sits beside God the Father in heaven. He gave his life so that, if we believe in him, we can live forever with him in heaven. That’s why the story of Jesus is the greatest, most important story ever told. And Jesus is real. He’s not a make-believe character in a made-up story.

But he hasn’t left us alone. He sends the Holy Spirit to live inside us. Jesus said, (Matthew 20:b) “You can be sure I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of the world.” He will be with us until the end of time! What a wonderful promise!

And Jesus gave us a job to do. Do you know what that job is? It is to obey his teachings and to tell his story to those who haven’t heard it. Jesus said, (Read from Bible Matthew 28:19–20a ) “So go and make followers of all people in the world. . . . Teach them to obey everything I have told you.”

How can you help others to learn about Jesus? (Invite playmates or classmates to participate in Sunday School, Summer Bible School, Christmas programs, children’s choir, etc.)

Let’s pray.

Dear God, thank you for Jesus. Let us never get tired of hearing his story. Help us to tell it over and over again. Amen.

Stretching Further:

Jesus also told his disciples to “baptize (the followers) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19b). Do you know if you have been baptized? You can talk about it with your parents.

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