Leader Guide
Prayer
- Bibles or the Superbook Bible App
- Gift box
- Christmas wrapping paper and ribbon, or substitute plain paper decorated with crayons or markers
- Scissors
- Tape
- Cross Pattern
Make one copy of the Cross Pattern.
Place the cross inside a gift box and wrap it with Christmas paper and ribbon.
Note: If a box and giftwrap are not available, wrap the cross in a sheet of paper and colorfully decorate it with a marker.
Listen closely as I read to you a clue about the most wonderful gift ever given.
Read John 3:16 (nkjv):
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Can you guess what that gift is?
God gave us His wonderful Son, Jesus. He came to Earth to show us God’s love, to die on the cross, and to offer us God’s gift of salvation. But there is still one thing we must do—we must accept this gift from God.
Hold up the gift.
What if someone gave you a gift, but you didn’t unwrap it—you just put it under your bed and forgot about it? You didn’t really receive that gift, did you? Allow a child to unwrap the gift holding the cross. God gave us the wonderful gift of His Son, who died on the cross so our sins can be forgiven, and we can live in heaven with Him someday. But it’s not enough to say, “Oh yes, I know about that gift.” We have to accept this gift to receive Jesus into our hearts!
Today, we are saying a Power Prayer to accept the powerful gift of Jesus into our hearts. Repeat this prayer after me:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I’m so glad God kept His promise and sent You into the world to show us God’s love.
Please forgive me for all the things I have done wrong.
Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins.
Come into my heart and help me live for You.
Today, I receive the gift of forgiveness,
the gift of salvation,
and the gift of eternal life.
Amen.
If you have never said a prayer like this before, please come up to me after class so we can talk more about receiving this special gift from God.