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Have you given out all the Christmas presents?

Bible Study Posted  January 14, 2001

Have you given out all the Christmas presents?

This week's scripture:  
 Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Luke 22:19-20 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

  Christmas has been over a few weeks. How was it? Did you get some great toys? A new Barbie? Playstaion 2? Do you remember? Or has the newness already gone? Did you give a few presents, too? Dad a new tie, Mom some new slippers. Your little sister some candy, so she would quit talking for at least a few minutes. But did you give the most important person a present? I'm talking about the birthday boy, Jesus! Yeah, we were supposed to be celebrating his birthday. I know, I know. In school and stuff our courts have said we can't have Christmas, it's now a Winter Holiday. I went looking for wrapping paper and couldn't find any about Christmas. Snow men, Santa Claus, candy canes, wreaths, but no Jesus. We're supposed to be celebrating his birthday, but we are forgetting to. Some houses still have tiny mangers, and I hope some of you read the Christmas story. My favorite is in Luke. Did you give him a present? I did! Not a new tie, but something he can really use. You can, too! It's not to late. In fact, this lesson is coming now because I didn't want to do it on Christmas. I wanted you to get away from the holiday a little bit. Here is a list of things you can give Jesus. These are just suggestions, it is best if you can come up with your own.

1. Be nice to your little brother (or sister), for a whole year (not just 5 minutes!)
2. Read your Bible every day, yes every day!
3. Pray every day. If you already do that, pick someone in your family, school, or church to pray for every day.
4. Take over one chore your Mom or Dad hates (like cleaning the bathroom).
5. Pick one person you don't like, and start being nice to them.
6. Tell one person a week about Jesus!

 You might be thinking, hey, this is for someone else, not Jesus. Yes it is! Jesus said that when we do something good for others, we are doing it for him! And you know what? When we do things for others, it ends up being a good present for us. You will be happier. Don't believe me? Try it!

E-mail me at K4Gmail@cs.com what you are giving Jesus for Christmas. I'll give you an extra chance at the drawings, the best will get 5 extra chances!

 By the way, where in the Bible does it say to celebrate Christmas? It doesn't! Jesus said to remember him in a different way. A ceremony. Now we call it communion. Some churches do it every once in a while, some every week. Jesus told us to remember the blood he shed for us by drinking wine (we use grape juice, my favorite is Welches). He told us to remember his torn body by eating torn bread. You don't have to be in church (unless you are Catholic) to take communion, you can do it in your home. We have! It's a great way to remember Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection, any time of the year. Look for a whole lesson on communion soon.

Did you do anything for Jesus on his birthday? It's not to late! If you haven't accepted Jesus into your heart, that would be the best present you could ever give him!

This week's prayer:
Dear Jesus,
 Thank you for being born as a human so that you could die for me. Help me find a present to give you, so that you will be pleased.
 Amen.


The Christmas Present

This story includes Crazy Larry, Fred Red, Joey, and Elder Everett
(I know it's late for a Christmas story, but it fits the lesson!)

   Our story starts as Joey runs into Elder Everett and Crazy Larry.

 Joey spots them first. "Hi there Elder Everett!"
 "Hey Joey! It's good to see you. Do you know Crazy Larry?"
 Joey replies, "Yeah, we see each other at school. Hi Larry."
 "Hi fathead! I know you, you're one of those goody boys at school." said Crazy Larry.
Elder Everett was surprised, "Quit the name calling, Larry. And what's so bad about being good?"
 "Nothing if you don't mind being a fat head loser! HEH HEH!" laughed Crazy Larry.
 Joey said the first thing that came into his mind. "I would rather be a good fathead than a bad dumb head!"
 Elder Everett had had enough. "That's enough guys. Joey, you know better than to stoop to his level."
 Joey apologized. "You're right Elder Everett. I'm sorry Larry."
 Crazy Larry quipped, "You sure are."
 Elder Everett spoke, "O.K. boys, let's change the subject. What are you guys doing for Christmas?"
 Crazy Larry was excited, "I'm getting a Warrior Weasel action figure, the new video game, a baseball bat, a new glove, a warrior weasel remote control tank, a warrior weasel trading card set, a whole bunch of candy..."
 Joey asked, "How can your folks afford all of that?"
 Crazy Larry answered, "I don't care! I asked Santa for it and I'm gonna get it! If I don't my parents will be sorry and they know it!"
 Elder Everett said, "Well that's not very nice."
 Crazy Larry answered with, "Facts is facts old guy."
Joey was paying attention, "That's not what he asked us anyway. He asked us what we were doing, not what we were getting."
 Crazy Larry replied, "I'm going to playing with my new stuff while my mom watches football with her boyfriend, fathead. What else do you do on Christmas?"
 Joey answered, "My family always opens presents and sings Christmas songs. Then we have prayer and thank Jesus for coming to earth."
 Elder Everett thought for a moment. "That's good, Joey. After we open presents we light a special candle and read the Christmas story from Luke chapters 1&2."
 Crazy Larry sighed, "That sounds boooooring. When do you have time to play with your toys?"
 Joey explained, "Oh, we have time to play with our toys. We just spend time remembering Jesus’ birthday first."
 Elder Everett said, "And Larry, instead of thinking about all the presents your gonna get, you should thinking about what you will give Jesus for his birthday."
 Crazy Larry laughed, "He can have my warrior weasel tank if he'll come get it! HEH HEH!"
 Joey had a question. "Elder Everett, what can I get Jesus for his birthday?"
 Elder Everett had an answer, "A lot of things, Joey. You could do something nice for a neighbor, help serve food at a mission, wash the dishes for your Mom, help the pastor clean up the church one week, anything to help       someone in Jesus’ name."
 "I hadn't thought about that Elder Everett. I do need to give Jesus something."
 Crazy Larry thought this was dumb. "You people are nuts. I'm going home. By loser, by old guy!"
 Elder Everett still wanted to talk to Crazy Larry. "I’ll walk with you so we can talk some more. Bye Joey."
 Joey responded, "Bye Elder Everett."

 Joey started talking to himself. "Now what could I get Jesus for his birthday? I don't have much money. Maybe I could give some extra to the building fund. Maybe I could take out the garbage for that old lady down the street. Maybe I could spend some extra time talking with my grandfather. I could always write a nice letter to someone in the hospital..."

 "Hello Human Joey!"
 "Fred Red, you scared me!"
 "Sorry human, Joey." said Fred Red.
  "What have you been up to?" asked Joey.
 Fred Red answered. "I have been investigating some strange lights I have been seeing around your world."
 Joey answered with a question. "What strange lights? Where?"
 Fred Red answered, "Everywhere! And trees are growing in humans houses!"
 Now Joey understood. "Oh, that's people celebrating Christmas."
 "What is this Christmas, human Joey?"
 "Why, that's celebrating the birth of God's son, Jesus. Do you know about Jesus?"
 Fred Red answered, "I just found out about God a few months ago. I asked Jesus into my heart, but I don't know about Christmas."
 Joey had an idea! "I know what I’ll do! I’ll ask my parents if you can come to our house for Christmas and we'll tell you the story of Jesus’ birth!"
 "That sounds like fun, human!"
 "And what a great Christmas present for Jesus. Telling someone else about him."
 "Sounds good to me, human."
 "Let's go ask my parents now!" Joey said.
And Fred Red spent Christmas with Joey's family learning all about Jesus' birth.


Just print out the game and play it on paper, or try to do it in your head!

X B R T Y U Z G S C X J I L H
W U I K S R C A C Q Y Y Y B Z
G E H R S I M T H P V G K H P
V B I O T T R A C L R J P U O
L Z W W S H P H K U D A X Y K
R P P I Q P D V C K O W Y P F
P E R C I S D A P E O B K N L
W H H E N Y C L Y Q L P F X Q
C I R N O I S S I M B R H F F
C O M M U N I O N E P E X J Y
B O D Y R W F R C C E S Z Q W
F V I E F L U I X W A E R X K
F Y Z T Q R U T V Q F N A O W
J E P T C J C O R H B T N Q V
B T I Y G O A W Y P B M D G P

Find these words from the Bible study and story!
BIRTHDAY
BLOOD
BODY
CHRIST
CHRISTMAS
COMMUNION
HAPPIER
JUICE
LUKE
MISSION
PRAY
PRESENT


Answer to the game!


+ B + T + + + + S + + + + + +
+ + I + S + + A + + + + + + +
+ + + R + I M + H P + + + + +
+ + + + T T R A + L R + + + +
+ + + + S H P H + U D A + + +
+ + + I + P D + C K O + Y + +
+ + R + I + + A + E O + + + +
+ H + E + + + + Y + L P + + +
C + R N O I S S I M B R + + +
C O M M U N I O N E + E + + +
B O D Y + + + + C + + S + + +
+ + + + + + + I + + + E + + +
+ + + + + + U + + + + N + + +
+ + + + + J + + + + + T + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

(Over,Down,Direction)
BIRTHDAY(2,1,SE)
BLOOD(11,9,N)
BODY(1,11,E)
CHRIST(9,6,NW)
CHRISTMAS(1,9,NE)
COMMUNION(1,10,E)
HAPPIER(9,3,SW)
JUICE(6,14,NE)
LUKE(10,4,S)
MISSION(10,9,W)
PRAY(10,3,SE)
PRESENT(12,8,S)








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Copyright 2001 by Gene Powell