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A Christmas Gift – Personally Wrapped in Love!

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by The UKI Territory Evangelism Department

Preparation:

Personal

He came right down to me
He came right down to me
To condescend to be my friend,
He came right down to me.

While they were there (Bethlehem), the time came for the baby to be born, and Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2: 6-7)

He came from splendour to be born in poverty. He left the presence of angels, for the company of me. He laid down a sceptre in heaven to be laid in a manger, and exchanged the worship of angels, for the praise of lowly shepherds.

Share briefly how this truth impacts your life.

Expected

Come, thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.

Christmas is a time of expectation. What are your expectations in your walk with the Lord?

Remember each other as you pray.

O God, help us to prepare our hearts for Christmas. May we not be so busy preparing everything else that we barely have time for reflection. May we kneel at the manger and experience the real meaning of Christmas. Help us to realise that Christmas is not only about the giving of material gifts but that it’s about the gift that cannot be bought, the gift of your Son whose birth we celebrate with the shepherds of old. It’s about the giving of ourselves. Give us loving hearts where the spirit of Christmas lives every day of the year. As we sing and listen to the old familiar carols again, may we reflect on the meaning of the words and commit ourselves anew to you.

We ask this as we bow in adoration before the Christ Child, the greatest gift of all.

Sing some of those carols. Perhaps one or two people could share the significance of the words for them.

Ornaments. Either just contemplate the manger scene while some music plays quietly considering the part each person played that first Christmas or ask someone to remind everyone of the part they played.

Noel. The word Nowell comes from the French word Noël meaning’Christmas’, from the Latin word natalis (‘birth’).

Angels. Read Luke 2:8-14. Discuss the significance of the appearance of angels in the Christmas story.

Let’s ponder on God’s word and think specifically about Mary.

Play the song by Mark Lowery and music by Buddy Greene — Mary did you know? (very powerful lyrics)

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy
Would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will calm the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God.
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb.

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am .

What questions would you ask Mary? Here are some to consider?

  1. Mary, while you carried him safe in your womb, you sang a praise song for your role in God's drama. Later, in his ministry, when exposed to his hands-on way of loving others, did you marvel at being swept up in his cause?
  2. Did you perceive the world's greatest hope for calm came through the babe you laid in a manger? Later, when Jesus was twelve and said, ‘I must be about my Father's business,’ did you realise the magnitude of the endeavour?
  3. I suspect many events puzzled you, Mary. That you, like so many of us, didn't have all the answers. But, like you, our hope rests in Jesus. For ‘the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned’ (Isaiah 9:1.2).

FURTHER THOUGHT

Christmas is such a special time. It is God’s personal message of love for the world. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1:14). He didn’t send a messenger — he came to bring his personal touch to each of us.

Nothing compares with the wonder of seeing the baby in the manger (Luke 2:15-16). The fulfilment of prophecy brought salvation. Luke’s gospel records the story of Simeon. When receiving the Christ child he exclaimed: ‘My eyes have seen your salvation’ (Luke 2:30)

Throughout his earthly ministry we see so clearly how Jesus always brought the personal touch to people’s lives. As we again sing the familiar carols and hear the message afresh may we indeed experience that personal touch and pray that others will receive it too. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Children & Adult Ministry
Evangelism Department
United Kingdom Territory

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