POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY. JESUS’S BIRTH FORETOLD – Christmas Concentration. Prophets told of Jesus coming to be our Savior hundreds of years before He came. Mary and Joseph, shepherds and wise men were told to follow the bright star. Youth can place the star over the manger and match the stars (with the messages given) to tell their story of the Son of God born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
GREAT FOR CHILDREN – Come Follow Me Lessons for Primary, family home evening, Bible Study
POST-AND-PRESENT Activity
Jesus’s Birth Foretold – The Savior Has Come – Christmas Concentration Game
OBJECTIVE: By matching the stars with the messages given, youth can learn about some of the prophets who were told that Jesus was coming to be our Savior.
TO MAKE print and cut out the manger scene and star puzzle pieces. You’ll need a large poster. Mount the manger scene in the center of the poster (as shown). Then laminate the entire poster. Laminate and cut out the Jesus in a manger, bright star, and star puzzle pieces separately. Mount the star puzzle pieces to the left and right of the manger (as shown).
TO PRESENT:
1. Tell youth, “Many prophets were told Jesus Christ was coming to the earth hundreds of years before He came. Close to the time, He was to be born, Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and wise men were also told He was coming. The shepherds and wise men were to follow the biggest, brightest star in the sky that would be over the manger where Jesus was to be born.” (Place the star over the manger.)
2. Tell the Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-21; Matthew 2:1-12) and place the Baby Jesus in the manger.
3. Then take Jesus out of the manger and tell youth, “Let’s play a CHRISTMAS CONCENTRATION Game to learn about those who foretold His coming. Point to the stars (puzzle pieces) next to the manger scene and tell youth that they will learn of those who foretold or prophesied that Jesus would come to be our Savior. The story is found on the scripture cards (point to cards).
4. Divide youth into two teams and have them take turns choosing a prophet’s name (small star puzzle piece) and a description on a prophet (large puzzle piece) TO MAKE A MATCH.
5. When a match is made, mount the star above the manger scene and have the leader or another child read the prophecy told about Jesus’ coming (found on the cards).
6. Then have the player who made the match place the baby Jesus in the manger with Mary and Joseph. Take Him out again before the next player, playing until all stars are posted.
Encourage understanding (reading scriptures): Divide the children into groups and give each group one of the following scriptures to look up: (1) Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; (2) 1 Nephi 11:14–15, 20–21; (3) Mosiah 3:5–8; (4) Mosiah 15:1; (5) Alma 7:10–12; and (6) Helaman 14:1–3. Ask the children to look for which prophet is speaking and whom he is prophesying about. Briefly tell about each prophet and what each said concerning the birth and mission of Jesus Christ.) Explain that each of these prophets foretold that Jesus Christ would come to earth. Sing “Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus” (CS, 36). Testify that Jesus Christ came to earth as the prophets foretold.
THOUGHT TREAT: Brightest Star Crackers or Cookies. To make it super easy make a star-shaped design on large crackers with processed cheese in a can. Or, frost a plain sugar cookie for each child with frosting in a tube (or fill frosting in a zip-close bag and cut the end to pipe the frosting out to design the star. Talk about the biggest star that shone bright that sacred night when Jesus was born.
See the SONG VISUALS for this song (to DOWNLOAD below).
