Children’s Sermon

Luke 2:1-14

Surprise!

Lois Parker Edstrom

Objects suggested: If appropriate to your situation, offer a small wrapped gift to each child at the end of the lesson.

Merry Christmas. What a wonderful time of year – a time of surprises.

Do you like to be surprised? It would be a little boring to always know what would happen next. Perhaps a friend or a favorite relative drops in for a surprise visit. What fun!

Perhaps your parents plan a surprise trip to one of your favorite places – the zoo, a hike in the mountains, the museum, or an afternoon of baking cookies in the kitchen. Fun times!

Can you tell us about times you have been surprised? (Optional)

This season of year we see gifts beneath the Christmas tree and we can hardly wait to open them to see what’s inside. We like to be surprised.

Wow, were the shepherds, ever surprised! We read, in the Christmas story that they were out in the fields watching over their sheep. It was night; probably peaceful and quiet. Suddenly an angel stood before them and “…the glory of the Lord shone around them…” (2:9).

Imagine yourself camping in the wilderness. You’re in your sleeping bag looking at the stars when an angel appears and not only that, but a strong light, like a spotlight, lights up your campsite. What a surprise. You might be a bit frightened. The shepherds were.

The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy…” (2:10).

She told them that a child had been born that very day and that this special child would change the world with his love.

This Christmas Day let’s celebrate how God’s love can come to us in surprising ways. This is “good news.”

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2009, Richard Niell Donovan