Jesus the Messiah is Born--Family Devotional with Object Lesson

(Plain and colored pencils provide us with the illustration of humility)

Weekly Scripture:
Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-7

Story:
“Jesus the Messiah is Born”

Precept:
Jesus was humble, are you?

Live the Lesson: Pretty Pencils
This week you need to a set of colored pencils and a plain pencil too. Sharpen all the pencils before the class or your family.

Show the children the colored pencils and ask each one of them to pick one to take to their seat with them. Ask the children which pencil is the best and to state their reason why?

After they discuss their favorites and why, show them some drawings done with only one color each. The drawings are pretty on their own, but when incorporating and blending all colors, the picture takes on a new dimension of beauty. They are each necessary for the resulting splendor. If you do not start out with what some may consider a boring color first for the outline, the picture does not stand out the same. The outline makes the picture remarkable.

In addition, share with them to manufacture a pencil takes a little bit of a lot of countries to put it together. The graphite comes from South America . The different colors come from all kinds of places around the world. The eraser comes from some islands. The wood may come from Oregon or Northern California for instance. It took people from different occupations (poor and rich) and from many different countries to bring all the products together required for these pencils.

Jesus resided in Heaven, came down and was born in a manger, and walked among the lowliest of sinners to bring us the greatest gift we can ever receive…Salvation. These pencils should serve to remind us to be humble, value others, and know that we all have a part to serve if we will just surrender to the working of God’s Masterpiece with our lives.

Memory Verse:
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us to have the same heart of humility that Jesus had when He came down from Heaven to be born in a manger and die for our sins.

Living the Life:
This week share with your children times you have had to fight the spirit of pride or prejudices in your own life and seek to have the heart of Christ.