2026-11-22 Christmas Series #1: Promises About Jesus
Introduction
This week begins our Christmas series. Children will learn that God makes promises and always keeps them. Long ago, God gave the prophet Jeremiah a message for His people: "The days are coming... when I will fulfill the good promise I made" (Jeremiah 33:14). God promised to send a righteous King from King David's family who would save His people. God's people had to wait a very long time, more than 500 years. Then God kept His promise when Jesus was born. Matthew tells us that Jesus' birth happened "to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet," and that Jesus would be called Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:22-23).
People sometimes break their promises, and that makes it hard to trust them. God never breaks a promise. Jesus is the proof: God promised a Savior, and God sent Jesus. We can trust God completely.
Teachers: This lesson is adapted for ages 4-6 from a preteen lesson. Keep the idea of "500 years" simple: it was a very, very long wait, longer than anyone could remember. Matthew 1:23 quotes the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14). Jeremiah 33 is another prophet's promise about the same coming Savior. With children, it is enough to say, "God told His prophets what He would do, and He did it." The source uses uninflated balloons; this plan uses blocks or cups instead, because balloons are a choking hazard for young children.
Before Class:
- Prepare ten large stacking blocks or plastic cups for the introduction.
- Bookmark Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Matthew 1:22-23 in your Bible.
- Prepare a long ribbon or string (about 3-4 metres) for the "long wait" walk.
- Fold one sheet of construction paper per child into a card.
Main Ideas:
- God Makes Promises: God told the prophet Jeremiah that He would send a righteous King from David's family.
- God's People Waited: They waited more than 500 years, but God did not forget.
- God Keeps Every Promise: When Jesus was born, God kept His promise.
- Jesus Is Immanuel: Jesus' name tells us something wonderful: "God with us."
- We Can Trust God: Because God always keeps His promises, we can trust Him completely.
Lesson Overview
| Lesson Title | Christmas Series #1: Promises About Jesus |
| Service Date | November 22, 2026 |
| Key Attribute of God | Faithful (God keeps His promises) |
| Main Idea | God promised to send a Savior, and He kept His promise by sending Jesus, Immanuel, "God with us." |
| Memory Verse | Matthew 1:23 (NIV): "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). |
| Bible Passages | Jeremiah 33:14-16; Matthew 1:22-23 |
| Age Group | Suggested for ages 4-6; adjust language and participation for your class. |
| Bible Story | 10 minutes: Introduction (1), Storytelling (5), Wrap-up & Discussion (4) |
| Craft & Game | 10 minutes: Craft (5), Game (5) |
| Source | Adapted from "Preteen Christmas Sunday School Lesson: Promises About Jesus," childrensministry.com (from FaithWeaver NOW Sunday School). Bible text: NIV. |
| Teacher Resources | Source PDF: physical pages 1-2 (God's promises), 2-3 (Jeremiah), 4-5 (Immanuel and line-up), 5-6 (promise cards). Bible passages (NIV). Activities below are simplified adaptations; no extra printable is required. |
Praise and Worship (15 mins)
Parents: The parent and child scheduled for this week will lead us in singing on Sunday. Please take time to practice the songs together at home, helping your child feel confident and joyful as they prepare to lead.
https://youtu.be/X3o2exCprxo?feature=sharedhttps://youtu.be/X3o2exCprxo?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/1Yl3Kaxx2gk?feature=shared
Prayer and Offering (5 mins)
Parents: Please encourage your children to bring an offering to church. You may help your child prepare by setting aside a coin for them to bring on Sunday. This is a great opportunity to teach them about giving to God with a thankful heart and trusting Him to provide.
What is Offering?
Offering is when we give something to God to show our love and thankfulness. In church, we often give money as an offering, but we can also give our time, talents, and kindness to God and others.
Why Do We Make an Offering?
To Thank God – Everything we have comes from God! Giving back is a way to say, “Thank You, God!”
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7,
To Trust God – When we give, we show that we trust God to take care of us.
To Help Others – Offerings help the church teach about Jesus, help people in need, and share God’s love.
"God loves a cheerful giver!" That means God is happy when we give with a joyful heart!
Prayer for Offering
Dear God, thank You for giving us everything we need. We want to give back to You with joyful hearts. Please use our offering to help others and share Your love. Help us to always trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Review Verse from Last Week
(Review from the November 8 lesson. November 15 is scheduled for Christmas Shoe Box, prepared by Shelley; no review verse has been supplied for that service.)
Psalm 92:4 (ESV)
For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
Bible Story (10 min)
Introduction (1 min)
Purpose: Help children notice that a promise is only as good as the person who makes it.
Props Needed:
- Stacking blocks or plastic cups
(Hold up a few blocks.)
Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Today our Christmas series begins. Do you think I can stack all ten blocks? I will try, but I cannot promise they will stay up!"
(Try stacking the blocks. Let children watch what actually happens; do not deliberately knock the tower down.)
Teacher: "Did the blocks stay up?" (Notice the result together.) "I did not know what would happen. People cannot always do everything they want to do. That is why we should think carefully before making a promise. God is different. He can always do what He promises."
Teacher: "Today we will learn about Someone who has never broken a promise. Not even once. Who do you think that is?" (Pause.) "God! Let's hear about a very big promise God made."
Story Telling (5 min)
Props / Visuals Suggested:
- Bible
- A long ribbon or string laid across the room
- Optional: a picture of baby Jesus in the manger
Part 1: God Gives Jeremiah a Promise (Jeremiah 33:14-16) (2 mins)
Teacher: "A long, long time ago, there was a man named Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a prophet. A prophet is someone God gave messages to, so he could tell God's people. Can you cup your hand by your ear like you are listening to God's message?" (Children cup their ears.)
Teacher: "One day God gave Jeremiah a very special message. Listen to what God said." (Read Jeremiah 33:14-15a.)
"'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line.'"
Teacher: "God said a new 'Branch' would grow from King David's family. That means a special baby would be born in King David's family. He would grow up to be a King who always does what is right. And God said, 'Judah will be saved.' He would be a Savior!" (Children make a little sprout: hands together, then slowly open them upward like a plant growing.)
Teacher: "That is God's promise. Let's say it: God made a promise!" (Children repeat and hold up one finger.)
Part 2: A Very Long Wait (1 min)
(Point to the long ribbon on the floor. Invite the children to stand at one end.)
Teacher: "This end of the ribbon is when God gave Jeremiah the promise. The other end is when the promise came true. Let's walk slowly along the ribbon. Slowly... slowly..." (Walk together. Keep going.) "Is it here yet? Not yet! Keep waiting..."
Teacher: "God's people waited and waited, more than 500 years! That is longer than your grandparents' grandparents' grandparents could remember. Some people may have wondered, 'Did God forget?' But God never forgets His promises."
Part 3: God Keeps His Promise: Jesus Is Born (Matthew 1:22-23) (2 mins)
(At the end of the ribbon, hold up the baby Jesus picture or your open Bible.)
Teacher: "Then one day, God did exactly what He said! A baby was born in King David's family. His name was Jesus! Let's cheer: God kept His promise!" (Children jump and cheer.)
Teacher: "The Bible tells us about it in the book of Matthew." (Read Matthew 1:22-23.)
"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')."
Teacher: "'Fulfill' means God did what He promised. And look at Jesus' special name: Immanuel. It means 'God with us.' God did not just send a message. God came to be with His people in Jesus! Let's say, 'Immanuel, God with us!'" (Children point up for "God," then hug themselves for "with us.")
Review with Actions
- Teacher: "God gave Jeremiah a message." (Cup hand by ear.)
- Teacher: "A Branch from David's family." (Hands grow upward like a sprout.)
- Teacher: "God's people waited a long time." (Walk slowly in place.)
- Teacher: "God kept His promise: Jesus was born!" (Jump and cheer.)
- Teacher: "Immanuel, God with us." (Point up, then hug yourself.)
Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)
(Gather the children close. Use the questions below selectively so there is time for the central teaching.)
Teacher: "Remember my block tower? I did not know if all the blocks would stay up. People do not know everything, and sometimes we fail to keep our promises. But God is different. God is so much greater than we are. When God says He will do something, He does it."
Teacher: "God promised to send a Savior from David's family. His people waited more than 500 years, and then God sent Jesus. Christmas is when we remember that God kept His promise."
Discussion Questions:
Question: "Who was Jeremiah?"
Teacher Key: A prophet. God gave him messages to tell God's people.
Question: "What did God promise through Jeremiah?"
Teacher Key: That a righteous King would come from King David's family to save His people.
Question: "Did God forget His promise during the long wait?"
Teacher Key: No. God never forgets. After more than 500 years, He kept His promise by sending Jesus.
Question: "What does Immanuel mean?"
Teacher Key: "God with us." In Jesus, God came to be with His people.
Question: "Because God always keeps His promises, what can we do?"
Teacher Key: We can trust Him, even when we have to wait or do not understand what is happening.
Closing Thought & Prayer
Teacher: "God keeps promises better than anyone ever has or ever will. He promised a Savior, and He sent Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. We can trust God completely. He never lies, and He always does what He says."
(Fold hands and bow heads. Children repeat each line.)
Prayer: "Dear God, thank You that we can trust You to always keep Your promises. Thank You for sending Jesus to keep the greatest promise of all. Help us keep our promises, too. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Memorizing Verse: Matthew 1:23
Matthew 1:23 (NIV)
"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").
Hand Gestures:
- "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,": Rock your arms like holding a baby.
- "and they will call him": Cup both hands around your mouth as if calling a name.
- "Immanuel": Clap once on each part: Im-man-u-el.
- "(which means: Tap your head as if thinking.
- "God: Point both hands upward.
- with us"): Hug yourself, then spread your arms to include everyone.
Teacher: "Let's say the verse together, phrase by phrase, and do the actions. Now let's say the whole verse together. I will do the actions while you say the words."
Teacher Tip: For younger children, start with the last part: "They will call him Immanuel, which means God with us." Repeat it several times, then add the first part. If a child asks what "virgin" means, keep it simple: "God did a miracle. Jesus is God's own Son."
Craft & Game (10 mins)
Craft: God With Us Promise Card
Adapted from the source lesson's "Promise Cards." Children remember that God keeps His promises and make a simple promise card to show someone God's love.
⏰ Time: 5 minutes
👧 Age Group: 4-6 years
🧩 Lesson Connection: God keeps His promises. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.
🪜 Setup & Materials Needed:
- One sheet of construction paper per child, folded in half like a card
- Crayons or markers; optional Christmas stickers
- Helpers to write words for children who cannot write yet
🎲 How to Do It:
Step 1: Teacher: "God always keeps His promises. On the front of your card, we will write: 'Immanuel: God with us.' You can draw baby Jesus, a star, or a heart."
Step 2: Teacher: "Inside, think of one small promise you can make to someone in your family, like 'I will help set the table' or 'I will share my toys.' A helper can write it for you, and you can draw a picture of it."
Step 3: Walk around and talk with children: "Who will you give your card to? Who always keeps His promises? Can we keep every promise like God does?" (No. We need God's help, but God never fails.)
Step 4: Teacher: "Take your card home and give it to that person. When you keep your promise, remember the One who keeps every promise: God!"
If time is short, children may decorate the front only and tell a helper their promise.
Game: Help Me Line Up!
Adapted from the source lesson's line-up game. Keep everyone's eyes open for ages 4-6. Children notice how much a helper can help; God is far greater than any human helper, and His promises are trustworthy.
⏰ Time: 5 minutes
👧 Age Group: 4-6 years
🧩 Lesson Connection: God is greater than we are, and in Jesus He came to be with us.
🪜 Setup & Materials Needed:
- A clear, open space with nothing to trip over
- One or two adult helpers; keep all children's eyes open throughout
🎲 How to Play:
Step 1: Teacher: "Keep your eyes open. Can we line up from shortest to tallest? Walk slowly and leave room for each other." (Let children try together for about 30 seconds. No pushing or pulling.)
Step 2: Teacher: "Now our helpers will help us finish the line." (Adults give calm directions. Children may choose to watch instead.)
Step 3: Teacher: "What helped us?" (We listened, and someone helped us.) "Our helpers are people, just like us. God knows everything and never fails to keep His promises."
Step 4: Teacher: "God sees everything, and He is much greater than we are. He promised to send a Savior, and He kept His promise. Jesus is Immanuel: God with us!"
Play a second round with different children as helpers if time allows.
Response Song
Closing Prayer & Snack Time (10 mins)
"Dear God, thank You that You always keep Your promises. Thank You for sending Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. Help us trust You while we wait, and help us keep our promises too. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Now, let us thank You for the snack we’re about to enjoy.
We fold our hands.
We bow our heads.
We thank You, God,
for this daily bread.
Amen.
No comments to display
No comments to display