Discuss

            Say: We usually learn about Jesus’ birth at Christmastime. But it’s exciting to think about Jesus coming to earth any time of year! Let’s think about Christmas for a minute.

            Ask: • Tell about a really cool Christmas display you’ve seen. Have kids turn to a partner to share. Then ask a few kids to share with everyone.

            Say: Christmas lights and displays can remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. He came to bring light and hope when the world felt dark and hopeless. And that’s a message we need to remember all the time, not just at Christmas!

Do a Shadow Play

            Say: Since Jesus is the light of the world, let’s do a shadow play where light helps us see what happened when Jesus was born.

            Open your Bible to Luke 2, and show kids the words.

            Assign roles: Flashlight Holder, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, an innkeeper, an angel, a couple of shepherds, and a couple of sheep. If you don’t have that many kids, stick with the basics—Mary, Joseph, an angel, and a shepherd or two. You can hold the flashlight. If you have a lot of kids, form smaller, mixed-age groups that each have those roles.

            Say: Mary was Jesus’ mom. And Joseph was his earthly father. Now, as I read what happened in the Bible story, you’ll act it out. Your Flashlight Holder will shine a light on you so that you make a shadow on the wall. Your shadows will become the play others will watch, so keep an eye on what they look like!

            If possible, dim the lights. Read this paraphrase of Luke 2:4-5: Joseph had to go to a different town, called Bethlehem. He took Mary along with him. Allow time for kids to act out their parts. Continue with the following sections:

• Luke 2:6-7
• Luke 2:8
• Luke 2:9
• Luke 2:10-12
• Luke 2:13-14
• Luke 2:15-16
• Luke 2:17-18
• Luke 2:20

            Collect the flashlights, and have kids sit down.

            Ask: • Think about the poses you made. Which ones felt joyful or hopeful?

            • Shadows helped tell our Bible story. How do you think shadows work?

            • What can shadows and lights teach us about Jesus?

            Say: In order for there to be shadows, there has to be light. Without light, there wouldn’t have been shadows for our play. The flashlights helped us see the story. And the light of Jesus helps us see God! Jesus is the light of the world.

Tip 

• Don’t have internet in your classroom? That’s okay! You can choose your own worship songs from our Best Of Dig In Music DVD here. 

Sing Songs to God

          Sing the three songs in any order. 

Tips

• Isaiah 9:1-7 paints an awesome picture of Jesus, the light of the world. As you prepare, you may want to read and reflect on these words.
• Post-it brand sticky notes will stick to the wall best, even after kids have touched the sticky part.

Put Notes on a Wall

            Say: Jesus’ birth was a great thing to celebrate! I wonder if his family had a birthday party for him every year after that. A game we sometimes play at birthday parties is called Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Let’s try a game that’s a little like that!

• Draw a heart on a sticky note, and stick it to a wall where all your kids will be able to reach it.
• Gather kids about 15 feet from the wall, then hand each person a sticky note.
• One at a time, have kids close their eyes and keep them closed, then spin around two times. (You might want to let older kids spin five times to make it more challenging.)
• Holding the sticky note out in one hand, they’ll take turns trying to put their note on top of the heart note. Kids should keep their other hand (not holding the note) behind their back so they’re not tempted to feel around for the right spot on the wall.
• You may need to remind kids to keep their eyes closed, or have younger kids keep a hand over their eyes. If you have more than 15 kids, form several groups around the room, each with its own heart note.
• After placing the note on the wall, kids can open their eyes to see how close they got to the heart note.

Thank God for Jesus

            Gather kids and have them sit down.

            Ask: • As a group, how well did we do at finding the heart note? Give your answer with a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down. Let kids express their answers, then ask a few kids to explain why they gave that answer.

            Say: Walking in darkness is hard! The Bible tells us that God’s people were walking in darkness, too. Their world wasn’t dark—like it is at nighttime. But times felt dark and hopeless. Things felt sad for them. They wanted a king and leader of their own.

            Ask: • Think of a time you felt sad or hopeless. Share a brief example of your own, then let kids share with a partner.

            Say: God’s people needed hope, joy, and light. God sent his Son, Jesus! Jesus came to guide people to God. He helped them see God’s love and power. Jesus is the light of the world. Let’s try our game a new way.

• Let kids each retrieve a sticky note from the wall.
• Have kids take turns spinning around and walking toward the heart note—this time with eyes open!
• Direct kids to put their note right next to the heart note and say, “God, thanks for sending Jesus—the light of the world!”

Share God Sightings and Pray

            Say: It’s true! Jesus is the light of the world. In our Bible story today, God brightened the world by sending his special Son, Jesus.

            Friendship with God still brightens our lives today! 

            Let’s pray a God Sightings prayer! We’ll each think of one way God has brightened our day today. For example… Share an example from your own life. You could talk about an answer to prayer, something beautiful you saw in nature, or something kind someone did for you.

            God Sightings are ways we’ve seen God’s light in our lives! Now it’s your turn. Turn to someone nearby and tell about a way God has brightened your day today. You’ll each have about a minute to share. Then we’ll pray and thank God for these reminders that he is with us.

            Ask: • How has God brightened your life today?

            Allow time, then have kids hold hands over their eyes like binoculars to show they’re looking for God at work. Have them hold that pose as you close in prayer.

            Pray: Dear God, we love looking for you in the world around us. Thank you for all the ways you’ve brightened our lives today! May we notice more ways you’re at work in our lives and in our world this week. Thank you that your Son, Jesus, is the light of the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Tips

• It may take a while for kids to find the Bible verse. That’s okay! This activity is primarily about building Bible navigation skills.
• If you have a lot of non-readers, have some picture Bibles on hand for them to flip through as older kids look up verses. They won’t look for anything specific, but they can look at the pictures to practice paging through Bibles.

Come to the Light

            Say: Jesus was born to be the light of the world. Let’s play a game to practice coming into the light.

• Give a flashlight to each adult or teen helper.
• Dim the lights if possible.
• Helpers will turn on the flashlights and shine them at the floor.
• Encourage kids to run to stand in the light.
• Have helpers move the light often, and direct kids to run to stand in the new spot.
• If time allows, give kids a turn to shine the lights.

            Say: It was fun to try to stay in the light of a flashlight. We use a flashlight to light our way in the dark.

            Ask: • Tell about a time you had to walk in the dark.

            Say: Jesus is the light of the world. When you follow Jesus, it’s like he’s the light on your path showing you the way, even in times that feel dark and we’re not sure what’s going to happen.

Explore John 12:46

            Say: Let’s see what Jesus had to say about being the light.

            Make sure kids all have Bibles. Younger kids can sit with older kids so they can observe the skills of using their Bibles even before being able to read.

            Say: Our Bible verse is in the book of John, chapter 12, verse 46. Let’s find the book of John. That’s in the New Testament—which is the later part of the Bible. Open your Bible kind of near the back. Allow time.

• Point to the book of John on the poster so kids can see the name and what books come before and after it.
• Mention that the chapter numbers are the big numbers, and help kids find the big 12 in John.
• Mention that the verse numbers are the small numbers, and help kids find the small 46 in John 12.
• When everyone has found the verse, ask someone to read John 12:46 aloud.

            Ask: • When this verse talks about being in the dark, it doesn’t mean having the lights off. What are some examples of times in life that could feel dark to people?

            • Think about our game and how you tried to get into the light. What might it look like to see Jesus’ light come to some of our dark times?

            Say: Jesus is the light of the world. We can trust him to be with us and help us in the dark times.

Tip

• WARNING! Don’t just print and distribute! Here’s why.

Older Kids: Do an Activity Page

            Say: We’re learning that Jesus is the light of the world. Let’s play a game where you’ll try to be the first to spot things I call out. Some of them light up!

            Distribute the activity pages. You’ll call out items from the page, such as an hourglass, a lightbulb, a spider, a flashlight, a cookie, a lantern, a teddy bear, and a campfire. The first child to find it will raise a hand and point it out.

            After several items, say: I think it would be easier if our light-up items actually lit up!

            Distribute highlighters, and have kids color the items on their page that light up. This will include the flashlight, lightbulb, sun, star, candle, lantern, moon, firefly, campfire, and lamp.

            Play some more rounds. This time kids should be able to find the items more quickly since they’ll know whether to look for an item that’s “lit up” or one that’s not.

            Ask: • Compare the first rounds we played to the rounds when the lighted things were highlighted.

            • What difference would it make if there was nothing in our world that gave off light?

            Say: Jesus is the light of the world. The things we highlighted give off light that helps us see. But Jesus’ light does more than that. When life feels sad, dark, and lonely, Jesus’ light helps us see hope.

Younger Kids: Color a Coloring Page

            Distribute the coloring pages and crayons. Say: Jesus is the light of the world. Let’s color him as a baby—all lit up!

            Allow time for kids to color. They can use highlighters to color the rays around Jesus.

            When kids finish coloring, three-hole-punch their pages and put them into binders, if desired.

Write to God

            Say: Today we’re celebrating Jesus’ birth! The angels celebrated by giving God praise, and his light shone all around them! Let’s learn the Bible verse with their cheer for God!

            In Luke 2:14, the angels said: “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

            Lead kids in repeating the verse after you, phrase by phrase.

            Say: The angels gave glory to God in highest heaven. It’s almost like “highest heaven” is God’s address! Let’s decorate envelopes addressed to our God in highest heaven. Then we can write prayers to give glory, or thanks, to God for what he’s done for us!

• Give each child an envelope, and let kids use crayons to decorate the envelopes any way they’d like.
• If they can write, show them where to write “God in highest heaven” in the center address spot of the envelope. Older kids can help younger kids write it on theirs.
• Allow time for kids to write or draw notes of thanks to God on slips of paper.
• Have kids take turns sharing about what they wrote or drew. After each child shares, lead everyone in saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven!”
• When everyone has shared, lead kids in saying the entire verse a few times.
• Have kids take some blank slips home to add to their envelopes throughout the week as they want to thank God.

Talk About It

            Ask: • How is prayer kind of like writing or mailing a letter?

            • How is it different?

            Say: We don’t actually have to send God mail for him to hear our prayers! But our envelopes are a fun way to remember that our God in highest heaven came down to earth when Jesus was born! We can give God glory by thanking him any time Jesus brings light into our lives. Jesus is the light of the world.

Move Toward the Lighthouse

            Say: Jesus is the light of the world. Sometimes our world seems dark, like it’s full of sadness.

            Ask: • What are some things that make you feel sad or worried?

            Say: Things like [some of the things kids shared] can make life feel dark. But Jesus is the light of the world! And Jesus’ light can help us go forward with hope! Let’s see how light can help us keep going.

• Have kids form a circle around the edge of your space.
• Ask a willing child to stand in the center of the circle to act as a Lighthouse.
• The Lighthouse will extend his or her arms straight out in front, with hands angled out. The space between those hands will represent a beam of light shining out at the circled kids.
• Ask the Lighthouse to spin in place. When the “beam” is on kids in the circle, they can move toward the Lighthouse, but when the “beam” moves past they must freeze in place.
• The first person to get to the Lighthouse takes on that role. Call out directions to your Lighthouse to keep things interesting, such as “Switch direction!” “Speed up!” or “Slow down!”
• Let the game keep going as long as needed to fill time until parents begin to arrive.

           Distribute a copy of the “Dig In @ Home” handout to kids as they leave, or email it to parents during the week.