baby Jesus in a manger

Safe in a Stable, by Dan Burr

December 16–22

Christmas

“Good Tidings of Great Joy”

This lesson is an opportunity to help the children you teach celebrate the Savior’s birth, life, and mission at Christmastime. Keep this thought in mind as you prepare to teach.

Record Your Impressions

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Invite Sharing

Display the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and invite the children to share what they know about the Savior’s birth.

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Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Matthew 2:1–12; Luke 2:1–14

Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby.

The story of Jesus Christ’s birth appeals to children. What doctrinal truths do you see in this story that you feel the children should understand?

Possible Activities

• Read Luke 2:1–14 to the children, or describe the events in these verses by referring to “Chapter 5: Jesus Christ Is Born,” New Testament Stories, 13–15, or the corresponding video on LDS.org. Invite the children to draw pictures of these events and use the pictures to tell the story themselves. Why are you happy that Jesus came to earth as a baby?

• Ask the children to tell you the story of the Wise Men following the star to find Jesus. If they need to be reminded of the story, see Matthew 2:1–12 or “Chapter 7: The Wise Men,” New Testament Stories, 18, or the corresponding video on LDS.org. Hide a picture of Jesus in the room. Draw or cut out a paper star and hold it in the air. Invite the children to pretend to be wise men carrying gifts, and lead them around the room to find Jesus. What are some gifts that we can give to Jesus in our lives today?

• Sing a few Christmas songs with the children, such as “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night” (Hymns, nos. 201, 204) or “Stars Were Gleaming,” “Away in a Manger,” and “Oh, Hush Thee, My Baby” (Children’s Songbook, 37, 42–43, 48).

John 3:16

Jesus Christ made it possible for me to live with Heavenly Father again someday.

Do the children you teach understand why Jesus Christ came to earth? Take time to ponder what the Savior has done for you personally and how you can help the children understand what He has done for them.

Possible Activities

• Bring a wrapped gift to class with a picture of Jesus Christ inside. Put a tag on the gift with “John 3:16” written on it, and tell the children that this is a clue about what the gift is. Read John 3:16 with the children, and invite them to guess what the gift is and open it. Why did God send us His Son?

• Select pictures from the Gospel Art Book (such as nos. 1, 30, 35–66, 84) that illustrate some of the ways Jesus blessed other people while He lived on the earth. Let the children hold the pictures while you tell the stories. You may want to select pictures that go with the words to “He Sent His Son” and “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 34–35, 57) and let the children hold up the pictures as they sing these songs.

• Invite the children to share their favorite stories about Jesus. After each story is told, help the children finish this sentence: “Jesus Christ came to earth to .” Then show pictures related to the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, death, and Resurrection (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 56, 57, 58, 59) and briefly tell about these events. Bear your testimony that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for us and be resurrected so we can return to Heavenly Father.

  Jesus kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane

  Gethsemane, by J. Kirk Richards

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Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Matthew 1:18–25; 2:1–12; Luke 1:26–38; 2:1–20

Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby.

How can you help the children focus on Jesus Christ at Christmas?

Possible Activities

• Invite one of the children to read about events related to the Savior’s birth in Matthew 1:18–25; 2:1–12; Luke 1:26–38; 2:1–20. Ask the other children to take turns drawing pictures on the board of what the scriptures are describing. What do these stories teach us about Jesus Christ?

• Show the video “Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ” (LDS.org). Ask the children to write down anything they hear that will help them focus on Jesus Christ at Christmastime. After the video, invite them to share what they wrote.

• Invite the children to write on several slips of paper things they could do to help them focus on the Savior during the Christmas season. Put their papers in bags or other containers for the children to take home. Some ideas may include reading the scriptures, singing Christmas hymns, and doing sincere acts of love.

• Sing Christmas songs about the Savior (see Children’s Songbook, 36–54; Hymns, nos. 201–214), and invite the children to share a favorite line or phrase from the songs.

John 3:16

Jesus Christ made it possible for me to live with Heavenly Father again someday.

How can you help the children review what they have learned this year and understand why they need Jesus Christ in their lives?

Possible Activities

• Label two pieces of paper Who is Jesus Christ? and Why did He come to earth? and attach them to different walls of the classroom. Invite each child to read one of the following scriptures: Matthew 16:15–16; John 3:16; 1 Nephi 10:4; Mosiah 3:8; Alma 7:10–13; 3 Nephi 27:14–15. Ask the children to look for answers to the two questions on the walls in the scriptures they read. Invite them to write their answers on pieces of paper and attach them to the wall next to the appropriate question. How can we show our gratitude for what Jesus Christ has done for us?

• Invite the children to list on the board all of the names or titles of Jesus that they can think of (see Bible Dictionary, “Christ, names of”). What do these names teach us about Jesus Christ and His mission? Why do we need Jesus Christ in our lives? To help answer this question, show the video “Why We Need a Savior—A Christmas Message about Our Savior Jesus Christ” (LDS.org).

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Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to find at least one way to serve someone else or come closer to Jesus Christ this Christmas.

Improving Our Teaching

Children like to share what they are learning. Even young children can strengthen their family members. Encourage the children you teach to share with their family something they learned in Primary. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 30.)

activity page: Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby