Especially for Younger Students: The Birth of Jesus

Learning Goal: Learners will examine the presence of God’s love in the circumstances of Jesus’ birth.

Divide the students into groups of two or three. Explain that while the facts surrounding Jesus birth don’t change, each gospel writer chose to describe the birth narrative a little differently in order to fulfill the purpose that God called each of them to in their writings. Say: It is interesting how God chose to share His message of love first to the shepherds here in the gospel of Luke. Let’s look and see how this compares with the other birth narratives. List these Scripture passages on the board: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-20, and John 1:1-5, 14-18. Instruct students to compare these birth narratives and to record how each narrative is similar and different.

After the students have compared the three passages, lead students to report what they found. Emphasize that God’s message of love did not change in any of these stories, but His method of sharing that love did. Say: Even though these narratives were different, the purpose of God was the same: to share God’s love with all people.