The Gift of Hope

LeaderAdditional items may be needed for optional activities.

On one side of the room you should have the word “Darkness” and on the other side the word “Light”. If possible, have an empty manger by the word “Light”.

Print out the following words below on cards (at least 3x5 size):

• sin
• fear
• growth
• radiance
• hope
• Satan
• death
• night
• day
• wicked
• lies
• Jesus
• life
• truth
• lost
• confusion

As the children arrive, hand out one of the smaller cards to each student until they are gone. Instruct them to place it under either “Darkness” or “Light,” whichever one they think is more fitting. Have leaders available to help children in case they need assistance.

Make sure to have the four wrapped gifts in the front of the room, each with one of the following words inside: Hope • Love • Wisdom • Joy

LeaderGift words could be printed on a Christmas ornament, sign, or simply on a card.

Begin music videos now.

Do you get excited when your birthday is getting closer? How many of you like to count down the days ahead of time? Isn’t it fun when your family starts to plan for your party and asks what you want to do to celebrate? Don’t you just want to invite everyone? And of course, there’s those presents!!! (Grab the first gift with the word “Hope” in it and shake it as you say this.)

December marks a very special birthday. Although everyone is invited to celebrate, some choose not to and ignore how special this day is. Whose birthday do you think I’m talking about? Jesus! Many of us who are really excited about Jesus’ birthday start counting down the days about four weeks in advance. This special time is called Advent, which means “coming” or “arrival.” When Jesus came into the world, born to save us, it was the best gift any of us could have ever received.

Do any of you have an Advent calendar or wreath at home? These things help us as we count down the days to Christmas. We are going to use this Advent wreath as we prepare for our celebration of Jesus’ birth.

Can anybody tell me why the wreath is in the shape of a circle? A circle has no beginning or end so the wreath reminds us of God who has no beginning or end. He always was God and always will be God!

There are five candles on this wreath. The candle in the center represents Jesus. He is the center of everything!

The outer candles can represent different things. For some, each candle represents 1000 years. Altogether that’s 4000 years! That’s also an estimate of how long the time period was between Adam and Eve, at the very beginning of the Old Testament, until Jesus was born, at the beginning of the New Testament. To us 4000 years is a very long time, but not for God! This is how long God kept his promise of sending a Savior and this is where our story begins!

Included when you buyLesson 1 teaching video

LeaderGrab the gift that contains the word “Hope” and bring it to the front of the room.

Some of you received cards as you came in today, to place under the categories of darkness or light.

Our world is filled with many wonderful things that God created. However, our world is also filled with sin and darkness. Even when Adam and Eve were the only ones on the earth, they sinned. But God provided us with light. Turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 9:2 and I want us to read His words together. (Verses are from ESV)

Now skip down to verses 6-7. (Have four adult leaders designated to shout out in adoration the four names for the Savior as you read. “Wonderful Counselor”, “Mighty God”, “Everlasting Father”, “Prince of Peace”.)

I want you to put your finger on that verse. That is a promise from God! God’s Word is final, true and very real. Unlike the other stories that we hear at Christmas time: the Grinch, Rudolph, Frosty...this story is real! God sent Jesus to die for our sin so we didn’t have to. Instead of living in (walk over to the word “Darkness” and point to cards) the darkness with sin, confusion, the wicked, and being lost, God provided His light (walk over to the word “Light”) and gave us hope, truth, life, and best of all His Son, Jesus (point to the manger).

LeaderChoose a child to open the first gift and have them read: HOPE!

Our first candle (light candle) stands for hope and points to the Light that is coming, Jesus! He is our only hope of being rescued from darkness and the penalty of sin. What an amazing birthday we get to celebrate!!!

LeaderEnd in prayer and transition into small groups.

LeaderEven though the Scriptures are printed here, make sure you and the children are reading directly from the Bible. For leaders of younger children who will not be able to read on their own, have them follow along in their Bibles while you read. We recommend finding pictures for the children to look at as visuals while you are talking to them. For example: Adam and Eve, the serpent, Mary and Joseph, or the manger.

We heard earlier how serious our sin is to God. Eating from the wrong tree might not have seemed like that bad of a sin to us, but who determines what is good and what is evil — us or God? God is the judge because there is no darkness or evil of any kind in Him.

We also heard how Adam and Eve disappointed God, but someone else was involved. Let’s turn back to Genesis chapter 3 and read who else was there when Adam and Eve sinned.

There are many people who think they know better than God and choose to ignore His commands. Just like Satan tricked Adam and Eve, he also likes to trick people today into believing they can choose what is good or evil. That is why it’s so important to stay in God’s Word so we know the truth.