December 17, 2023
K-3rd Grade
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4th-5th Grade
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Story Focus: In week three, we head to the familiar Christmas passage in Luke 2:1-7. On the surface, it might have seemed like nothing was going right for Mary and Joseph: a census, no room for them to stay, not to mention giving birth in place where a whole lot of animals were sleeping. In spite of all that, Jesus was born! God’s rescue plan to save the world was in motion, and as we remember how Jesus was born, we can always find joy!
Bottom Line: You can have joy because God sent Jesus. We all know that Christmas is about Jesus, but sometimes it’s just too easy to think Christmas is only about lights, decorations, and presents. Those things aren’t bad, but it’s important that we use those things to stay focused on the truth of what we celebrate at Christmas. God loved us enough to send Jesus to rescue us. Knowing that can help us find joy no matter what is happening around us this Christmas season.
Key Question: What makes your Christmas joyful? We sing songs like “Joy to the World” that can remind us why joy is such a huge part of Christmas. Beyond that, we want kids to start thinking about how they can personalize that joy through their own relationship with Jesus. That’s why we kick off Small Group with a question that gets them thinking about why they can have joy this Christmas. We pray this becomes a great conversation that leads them to a stronger relationship with Jesus, the most important reason we can find joy!