Noelle: Happy Christmas, children! Are you ready for our class?
Ethan: Oh yes, Miss Noelle!
Tessa: I’ve been waiting all week.
Dylan: Christmas always makes me feel happy.
Noelle: I love Christmas too! When we think about the first Christmas, we can praise Jesus for the marvelous gift He gave to us.
Noelle: That gift is Jesus. God sent Jesus to earth as a sign of His great love for us. And Christmas is that special time of year when we can remember God’s amazing love.
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NLT)
Noelle: On that wondrous night so long ago, the angels told the shepherds about the birth of God’s Son, and the shepherds happily rushed to worship the newborn king.
Noelle: They praised God for sending Jesus to earth, and we can do the same.
Noelle: We can praise and thank God throughout this Christmas season as we remember what Christmas is all about.
Jesus loves to hear our praises! It’s as if you smile at Him and your smile is as big as from one of your upraised arms to the other. That’s a BIG smile!
Noelle: There are many things that we thank Jesus for that remind us of the wonder of His love.
Noelle: We can thank Jesus for coming to earth as a little child. He left His home and His Father so that He could live among us and understand us better.
Noelle: Jesus’ life on earth was a gift for each one of us. It was a way that we could get to know and understand God better through Jesus.
Another way we can show our gratitude for Jesus is by looking for ways to pass that love on to others.
Noelle: Can you think of ways you can show God’s love to others?
Ethan: We can be superheroes of kindness and joy!
Dylan, thought bubble: What can I do to help Mom? Oh, maybe I can play with Travis, so that she can work on her special project.
Frankie: We can look for ways to bring happiness and cheer to other people.
Frankie: Here’s an invitation to our Christmas pageant, Mrs. Lin. I hope you can come!
Mrs. Lin: Thank you, Frankie. I’d love that!
Tessa: We can visit a friend who may be having a difficult time and do something special for them.
Tessa: How are you feeling today, Donnie? How about I read your favorite book to you?
Doing kind things for others is a wonderful way to show Jesus how much we love Him. We can also show Him love by praising Him for all He does for us.
Noelle: What are things you would like to praise Jesus for?
Ethan: Jesus is my best friend. He never leaves me, no matter what.
Annette: I’m glad that Jesus takes good care of us. He heals us when we are sick.
Frankie: Jesus’ love makes me so happy!
Annette: Jesus’ love for me makes it easier for me to show kindness and concern for others.
Noelle: Those are all terrific things to praise Jesus for. Why don’t we pray and ask Jesus to help us be all these things this Christmas season.
Noelle, praying: Jesus, thank You for Your magnificent love for us. Help us to be examples of Your love and kindness to others, so that we can make this time of year a memorable experience for all those we meet.
Noelle: Please show us ways that we can be superheroes of kindness and happiness to others! Amen.
Kids: Amen!
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. (John 13:35 NLT)
Authored by Devon T. Sommers. Illustrations by Zeb. Design by Christia Copeland.
Copyright © 2012 by The Family International