Sunday School at Home for December 4

Ready for the Christ of Christmas

Theme: John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus.
Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12
Complete Supply List:
● A bag of candy with a piece of candy for each child
● “John the Baptist’s Mom Has Questions” video lesson
● Something to play the video
● 3-inch celery stalks, washed
● Cream cheese filling or peanut butter
(depending on food allergies in your class)
● Raisins
● Paper plates
● Plastic knives
● Napkins

The Children’s Sermon
You’ll Need:
● A bag of candy with a piece of candy for each child
Get Ready: Make sure that by the end of the children’s sermon, every child has a
piece of candy.
SAY: Today we’re going to talk about what it means to be ready. To help us out, I
have a bag of candy. When I ask, “Are you ready?” the kids who can show me what
it means to be ready will get a piece of candy.
ASK: What does it look like when we’re ready? (Allow kids to answer.)
SAY: That’s right! Being ready means that we are patient, we wait, and we watch.
ASK: Okay, are you ready to start our lesson today? (Give a few kids who are ready a
piece of candy and say things like, “I see you’re ready because you are waiting
patiently” or “I see you’re ready because you are watching me.”)
ASK: Are you ready for Christmas? (Give a few kids who are ready a piece of candy
and affirm the way they’re ready.)
SAY: You will hear that question many times over the next several weeks. Let’s
find out what people mean when they ask that question.
Raise your hand if your Christmas tree is up and your house is decorated.
Raise your hand if you’ve finished your Christmas shopping.
Raise your hand if you’ve been practicing for a Christmas program.
There’s another question that we should be asking ourselves today. It’s more
important than "Are you ready for Christmas?" The more important question is "Are
you ready for the Christ of Christmas?" (Give a few kids who are ready a piece of
candy and affirm the way they’re ready.)
SAY: Many years ago, a man named John the Baptist preached about what it
means to be ready for Jesus. Are you ready to answer a question? (Give a few kids
who are ready a piece of candy and affirm the way they’re ready.)
ASK: What do you think it means to be ready for Jesus?
SAY: John the Baptist was a different kind of man. He wore clothes made of
camel's hair with a belt around his waist. His diet was rather unusual as well. He ate
a diet of locusts and wild honey. Do you know what a locust is? Many of us today
might call it a grasshopper. I'm not sure I would want to eat grasshoppers and
honey. How about you?
SAY: John the Baptist traveled throughout the wilderness of Judea. His message
to the people was to get ready for Jesus. John would shout loudly, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is near."
ASK: Are you ready for Jesus? (Give a few kids who are ready a piece of candy and
affirm the way they’re ready.)
SAY: Many people were ready for Jesus. So they came to John the Baptist. They
confessed their sins to God and were baptized by John in the Jordan River.
After John baptized the people, he told them, "I baptize you with water for
repentance. But there is one coming who is more powerful than I. He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit."
ASK: Are you ready for Jesus this Christmas? (Give a few kids who are ready a piece
of candy and affirm the way they’re ready.)
SAY: During this special season of the year as we get ready for Christmas, you
and I need to make sure we’re ready for the coming of the Christ of Christmas. We
need to look into our hearts and ask God to make us clean so we can walk with
Jesus each day of our life. Let's ask him to do that now.
PRAY: Dear God, we want to be ready for the Christ of Christmas. Prepare our
hearts for his coming. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

“John the Baptist’s Mom Has Questions”
Video Lesson
You’ll Need:
● “John the Baptist’s Mom Has Questions” video lesson
● Something to play the video


Do This:
SAY: We’re going to watch a video about John the Baptist that didn’t really happen.
It’s a video about what could’ve happened behind with his mom just for fun.
Show the video.
ASK:
● What did you learn about John the Baptist from this video?
● What questions do you have about John the Baptist?

Ants on a Log Snack
You’ll Need:
● 3-inch celery stalks, washed
● cream cheese filling or peanut butter (depending on food allergies in your
class)
● Raisins
● Paper plates
● Plastic knives
● Napkins
Do This:
SAY: John the Baptist lived in the wilderness. He was so interested in telling
people to get ready for Jesus that he ate bugs and honey. Today we’re going to
make an Ants on a Log snack to eat so we can imagine what John the Baptist might
have eaten.
Have kids each follow these steps:
● Fill the celery with the creamy filling.
● Place the raisins (ants) on the log of celery.
● Enjoy.
As kids eat, talk with them about what it would be like to eat like John the Baptist ate.