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Articles and Specials in this Newsletter Christmas Resources Christmas Lessons Christmas Gifts for Children Candy Cane Story Mouse tells the Christmas Story Gift of Salvation Illustration Gospel Illusion Real Meaning of Christmas Happening Holiday Christmas Music CD Happening Christmas Carols Music CD Mary Had a Little Lamb Christmas Musical
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Don't Let the Wrapping Fool You For this skit you will need a lamb and a mouse. By changing the dialogue slightly you can use any farm animal for the mouse that you may already have. If you want to add to your menagerie, we have great prices on the lamb and the mouse. I would take the vest off the mouse and pin a bow on her head. The lamb should do most of his dialogue in a whisper.
Lamb: Shhh! Mouse: Don’t shhh me! I need my beauty sleep…what in the world is all this racket about? Lamb: Shhh! Mouse: What part didn’t you understand? I said,
“Don’t shush this sister.
Lamb: The baby… you’ll wake up the baby. Mouse: Uh huh and what turnip truck do you think this sister fell off? Da ya think I’m stupid? There ain’t no baby in this here stable. Lamb: If you don’t be quiet you’re gonna wake it up. Mouse: Why don’t ya stick a sock in it? Lamb: (whispering) Over there... in the manger. See the baby? Mouse: Oh, it’s a people baby! (shocked, growing louder and louder) A people baby? But what are people doing in a stable… no wonder I couldn’t sleep. And boy wuz I ah sleeping good too. I wuz dreaming about cheese… Lamb: (Sticks a sock in the mouse’s mouth) Mouse: (Spitting) What are you doing? Is that a sock? Did you stick a nasty sock in my mouth? Lamb: I said, “Shhh” and I mean it! If those people see you, they’re not going to be happy about a nasty rat being in the stable. Mouse: Rat! Did you call me a rat? I’m a cute little mouse, not a nasty rat. Lamb: Mouse, rat, whatever you are…you gotta be quite because this baby is really special. Mouse: Yeah, right! All babies are special. Lamb: No really, this baby is special special! Mouse: And what makes this baby special special? Lamb: He is the Messiah. This baby is the Son of God. Mouse: You’re making this up. Lamb: No, I’m not making it up. I was sleeping when suddenly a bright light woke me up. It was as bright as daylight, but it was still night. I was frightened. The shepherds were frightened, then the angel . . . Mouse: Angel. You want me to believe you saw a real angel? There ain’t no angels round these parts. Lamb: I saw a real angel in the sky over the fields where we were. The angel said “Don’t be afraid.” Mouse: You didn’t see an angel. Lamb: I did so! Just ask the shepherds. They saw them too. Mouse: Yeah, right. Like a shepherd is gonna talk to a mouse. Uh Huh, I can really see that happening. Lamb: (continuing without missing a beat) …the angel said, “I have wonderful news. The Messiah, the Lord, is born in Bethlehem.” And then suddenly the sky was filled with lots of angels. Mouse: No, way! Lamb: Yes, way! I’m telling you the truth I saw it with my own two eyes. The shepherds were so excited. They wanted to see the baby and so did I. So I followed them to this stable. We found the baby lying in a manger just like the angel said. Mouse: Don’t look like anything special to me. Lamb: The angel said he would be wrapped in swaddling clothes… Mouse: He swallowed his clothes? You don’t think this sister is gonna swallow that tall tale do ya? Lamb: No! Swaddling clothes. That’s how his mother wrapped him. In long, narrow strips of cloth, around and around like the shepherd bandage a wound. It’s called swaddling clothes. See. Mouse: And that’s the Messiah? Lamb: (sheep nods) Mouse: …here in this stable? Lamb: (sheep nods) in that manager. Mouse: A baby wrapped in a poor woman’s meager swaddling cloth. He don’t look so special to me. Lamb: Don’t let the wrapping fool you… Mouse: Here comes somebody, gotta go. Lamb: Don’t let the wrapping fool you… Have an adult puppet come onto stage holding a piece of wrapping paper at this point and begin where the animal puppets left off. We live in a visual society. Presentation is very important in our society. We want our houses to look good, our cars to look good, our clothes to look good, our food to look good and yes even our gifts to look good. Thousands of dollars are spent every year on gift wraps, bows and gift bags. We want to wrap the gift beautifully. But don’t let the wrapping fool you. Just because God’s gift was wrapped in a little package didn’t diminish the greatness of God’s gift. God’s plan of salvation was sent into the world in a little package. God had big plans for his little gift. Don’t let the wrapping fool you. God’s gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes. He wasn’t wrapped in the clothes of royalty. He came humbly so anyone could approach him. He came to give His life for everyone, not just the rich and famous. Don’t let the wrapping fool you. He looked like an ordinary baby, but there is nothing ordinary about what He would accomplish. He was the Word made flesh. He was the son of God come in the form of a man to redeem all man kind. Don’t let the wrapping fool you. He was wrapped in humanity so that you could be wrapped in His kingly robe of righteousness. Don’t let the wrapping fool you. Christmas is not about a baby. It is about peace, love, joy, redemption. Not the kind that is expressed through human emotion but the God kind that keeps on loving, that keeps on giving even in the midst of trouble, turmoil and hatred. Don’t let the wrapping fool you. Christmas is not old news. It’s new news. His mercies are new every morning. Every day God wants to walk with you and talk with you and help you be an over comer and winner in every area of your life. So next time you see a piece of wrapping paper or you open a gift be sure to remember, “Don’t let the wrapping fool you.”
And maybe you think I am stretching things too much with the little joke about
“sticking a sock in it”. There must have been socks way before the time of
Christ because when the three Hebrew boys were thrown into the fiery furnace the
Bible says they were thrown in with their tunics, hosen and hats in Daniel 3:21
"Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their
other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace." A
modern day word for hosen would be socks. Use our curriculum to teach this Christmas. It will
save you time because it's all in there- stories, object lessons and puppet or
drama skits.
A great song
to use with this skit is from the "Mary Christmas" CD by Mary Rice Hopkins
I'm sure every child will agree that their favorite part of Christmas is the gifts. But sometimes the package under the tree with your name on it isn't what you want. Or sometimes we get that special gift but it breaks. Like one poor little boy who received only two gifts one Christmas. He loved his new shirt and especially the football. The shirt had a tag with metal prongs that went into the fabric and bent back to hold the tag in place. With a giggle he pulled the tag off and shoved it into the football and showed his brothers his football. His brothers didn't laugh because they realized quicker than he did that their football throwing would be done with a flat piece of leather because the air was seeping out of the ball through the puncture made by the tag. His great gift wasn't so great anymore. But can you imagine a perfect gift. A gift you would really love. A gift that would bring you great joy. Only God can give a perfect gift. Unlike so many gifts that will be discovered under the tree this Christmas, God’s gift cannot be broken, or lost or replaced with a new model. God has a wonderful gift, a perfect gift for you. His gift will keep on giving and giving and giving. His gift will bring you joy, peace, love and purpose in life. Have you ever had a friend tell you that they had a gift for you? You kept waiting and waiting hoping they would give it to you. No matter how good the gift was you couldn't enjoy the gift until you got it. If you have never received God's gift of salvation, it is time you got it! It is as easy as A, B, C to receive God’s gift. Ask him to forgive you of your sins. Believe that Jesus died on the cross and came back to life. Believe that He will forgive you. Confess Him as the Lord of your life. (Pick up the gift and open it. Pull out the trick .) If you choose the “Lotus Bowl” pour out the liquid into a bowl.) Some people think when they get saved that's that all there is and put their gift down, like a child tosses a toy they are tired of playing with. But please understand the gift of salvation is much more than a one time experience. There's more. His gift keeps giving. (Pick up the lotto bowl and pour out liquid and sit it down. Or pull more of the long silk from the thumb tip or gift box.) Jesus is the prince of peace. He doesn't want you to be afraid. Even when things are really bad He wants to give you peace. There's more. His gift keeps giving. (Pick up the lotto bowl and pour out liquid and sit it down. Or pull more of the long silk from the thumb tip or gift box.) He promised He would never leave you. He wants to be more than someone you think about when you go to church. He wants to be more to you than a church thing. He wants to walk with you and talk with you and be your very best friend. There's more. His gift keeps giving. (Pick up the lotto bowl and pour out liquid and sit it down. Or pull more of the long silk from the thumb tip or gift box.) He wants to talk with you. He wants you to know how very much He loves you. He wants to give you secrets that will make your life better. He wants to help you help others by using the talents He has given you. All this is in the Bible. He wants you to read it so you will know Him better. But wait there's more. His gift keeps giving. (Pick up the lotto bowl and pour out liquid and sit it down. Or pull more of the long silk from the thumb tip or gift box.) Maybe you're thinking I don't understand the Bible when I read it. He wants to help you with that too. Ask God to speak to your heart as you read the scripture. Ask God to show you how it applies to your life. There's more. His gift keeps giving. (Pick up the lotto bowl and pour out liquid and sit it down. Or pull more of the long silk from the thumb tip or gift box.) There's more in God's gift than I can describe in this lesson, or if I were to talk all day and all week and all month. Well, you get the picture. God's got more for you. He wants you to discover His gift. The gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving.
Mary Rice Hopkins Family Christmas Album
Songs include: Glory We Three Kings
Little Baby Grandpa's Hands Best Gift Follow that Star Away in a Manger/ Silent Night Click here to see the scope and sequence for the Mary Rice Hopkins Christmas CD. Use Mary’s Family Christmas album, “Mary Christmas.” (The performance instrumental CD is sold separately.) Have your children sing the songs and do the hand motions. Hand Motions are found in the “Mary Christmas” songbook, complete with full sheet music. Song Ideas:
“Wrap It All Up”
This song is real cute when you have most of the kids doing the hand motions but assign some of the kids to “act out” the verses. I.e.: Boy & girl dressed like a mom & dad carrying shopping bags.
“Joseph & Mary Blues”
This is a great song to incorporate a fun set and some creative costuming.
I.e.: Cows, rooster, a moon, other various animals, a manger scene, a sun,
etc...
Mary Rice Hopkin's newest release. A Very Mary Christmas Great for Christmas gifts.
Because God loved He Gave God's gift wasn't cheap. It costs Him more than any of us can imagine. Your gift cost more than gold. God had plenty of gold. He could have stripped one of the roads and purchased you a gift with the tons of gold that would produce, but God's gift to you cost more than that. Food? God could have sent food. There are trees in heaven that have 12 kinds of fruit on a single tree and they produce fruit all year long. (Revelation 12:2) Food was no problem, but that would not solve the sin problem. Death was the penalty for sin. History records graphic stories of men, women and children that died triumphantly for their faith. But Jesus did more than just die. Do you remember in the garden of Gethsemane the prayer Jesus prayed? Remember the agony he experienced. It was not the agony of the fear of death. His agony came because He did not want to be separated from God. Sin separates us from God. His agony was so great that He sweat blood. The perfect, sinless Son of God took the sins of the world on his back. That was the only way you could be saved. He paid the penalty so you can walk in fellowship with God. Why would He do it? Why would God give you a gift that costs so much? Oh, yes, He looked at the price tag before He came. He knew the costs, but He still gave the gift of His life so you could have abundant life. Why? Because He loves you. Let's allow that to soak in for a minute. Close your eyes so you are not distracted. (speak softly) God loves you. It doesn't matter what you look like. God loves you. It doesn't matter how rich or how poor. God loves you. It doesn't matter how smart you are. God loves you. It's not a cute saying. It is the truest fact I can relate. God loves you. But the question I want to ask you is do you love God? I'm not referring to the "We're in church. The church answer is "Well, Yeah!" Jesus said, "if you love me you will keep my commandments." As I think about God's incredible love, my heart cries out to Him, "Help me love you more. Help me love you so much that I will live my life in a way that pleases you. Help me live my life in such a way that daily I will crucify my desires to do the things that are wrong in your viewpoint. I need your love. I need your strength. Help me, Father, to love the things you love and hate the things you hate".
Things to remember about God's gift God’s gift isn’t designed to be looked at. It is designed to be used. God’s gift comes with instructions. You must plug into the power for it to work.
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