Locations & Times

Harold is so excited to be an angel in the Christmas play. He learns all about the Christmas story from his teacher Mrs. Tannenbaum. Kids will hear what Harold hears, and see that Christmas is a story of how much God loves us.

WORSHIP

BIBLE VERSE

“God loved the world so much he gave his only son," John 3:16.

GROUP Q&A

What did the wise men follow to get to baby Jesus? (a star)
What did the wise men bring baby Jesus? (gifts)
How did God show the world his love? (by giving his only son)

PARENT BIBLE STUDY

Read: Luke 2, John 3:16-17

Christmas changed everything. The beautiful truth in Christmas is that God came to us.

He loved us deeply, from the beginning, but we were separated from him by our sin. Our mistakes disconnected us from God, because he is set apart; holy. So, from the beginning—Eve’s first bite of fruit and forward, God had a plan to show us that he still loved us, and would come to us to reconnect.

God coming to us is unique. It separates God from any other god in any other religion. God made the first move, because he knew we couldn’t. He saw that we were hopelessly headed towards death because of sin, and he came down to us to bring us back to him.

It’s difficult to always believe that God is loving toward us. Our limited view of our lives can stretch us to doubt that. We can see him as apathetic toward us, or capricious. In our guilt and shame, we can project hatred onto him. We can get caught in wrong thinking and believe we are working our way toward God’s perfection, or love.

But Christmas reveals God’s heart. It shows his unconditional love for us. It fulfills his plan to rescue us from our sin, to restore us to connection with him by redeeming us through Jesus. He sent his only Son into our mess to save us. He was showing us his great love. He came to us.

That’s Christmas. That’s love. That’s hope. That’s the news a weary world needs to hear.

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons,” Galatians 4:4-5.

Knowing that God came to you, instead of the other way around, what does that change about who you think God is? Are there any ways you’re trying to work your way toward God?

In what ways are you living out of the love God showed you in sending Jesus? How can you share from that love this season?