Jesus Christ as God’s Gift to Us for Primary 1

God’s Gift of His Son

Performance Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. discuss the visit of the angel to Mary, and the angel to Joseph;
2. describe the birth of Jesus Christ;
3. explain the angels’ appearance to the shepherds;
4. discuss the visit of the wise men;
5. explain why we celebrate Christmas.

Memory Verse

The memory verse for this lesson is:

“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.” – Matthew 1:21

Bible Reading

The Bible passages for this lesson are:

1. Luke 1:26-38
2. Matthew 1:18-25
3. Luke 2:1-7
4. Luke 2:8-20
5. Matthew 2:1-12

God’s Special Gift

God loves all people very much. Because of His great love, God gave us a very special gift. This gift is His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus came to earth to save people from their sins and show them the way to God.

The Angel Visits Mary

Long ago, in a town called Nazareth, there lived a young woman named Mary. She was a good and kind person who loved God. One day, a special angel named Gabriel visited Mary. The angel told Mary that she would have a baby, even though she was not yet married.

The angel explained that the baby would be very special. He would be the Son of God, and His name would be Jesus. Mary was surprised, but she trusted God and said, “I am God’s servant. Let everything happen as you have said.”

The Angel Visits Joseph

Mary was engaged to a good man named Joseph. When Joseph heard that Mary was going to have a baby, he was worried. He did not understand how this could happen. One night, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.

The angel told Joseph not to be afraid to marry Mary. The angel explained that the baby inside Mary was from the Holy Spirit, which is God’s power. The angel also told Joseph that Mary would give birth to a son, and he should name Him Jesus. The angel said that Jesus would save His people from their sins.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

At that time, the government asked everyone to go to their hometown to be counted. Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, which was Joseph’s hometown. Mary was almost ready to have her baby.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room for them in any of the inns or guest houses. All the rooms were full. So, they had to stay in a place where animals were kept. It was there that Mary gave birth to her baby boy.

Mary wrapped the baby in cloths and laid Him in a manger. This baby was Jesus, God’s special gift to the world.

Angels Appear to the Shepherds

On the night Jesus was born, some shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were watching over their sheep. Suddenly, a bright light shone around them, and an angel of the Lord appeared. The shepherds were very afraid.

The angel told them, “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, many more angels appeared with the first angel. They were all praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests.” After the angels left, the shepherds quickly went to Bethlehem. They found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus lying in the manger, just as the angel had told them. The shepherds were filled with joy and told everyone what they had seen and heard.

The Visit of the Wise Men

After Jesus was born, some wise men from a faraway land in the East saw a very special star. They knew this star meant that a new King of the Jews had been born. So, they followed the star to find Him.

The star led them all the way to Jerusalem, and then it continued to guide them until it stopped over the house where Jesus was. The wise men were very happy when they saw the star stop. They went into the house and found the child Jesus with His mother, Mary.

They bowed down and worshipped Jesus. Then, they opened their treasures and gave Him precious gifts. These gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. After their visit, the wise men returned to their own country.

Why We Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is a very special time of the year. It is celebrated all over the world. The main reason we celebrate Christmas is to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. It helps us remember that God gave us His Son, Jesus, as a wonderful gift to save us.

During Christmas, people often:

1. Go to church to worship God and remember Jesus’ birth.
2. Share gifts with family and friends, just like God gave us the gift of Jesus.
3. Spend time with loved ones and show kindness to others.
4. Sing carols and decorate their homes.

Christmas reminds us of God’s great love and the joy that Jesus brought to the world.