| Outline - Flow of Meeting Welcome
- Greeters at door, give out nametags, have snacks and punch as people come in and
Christmas music in the background
Icebreaker Activity
MC - open's up the meeting, welcomes guests and explains Student
Venture the sponsor of this event.
Game
Testimony / Special Christmas Song (optional)
Gospel Presentation
Comment Cards
Wrap up - by MC, more music, fun and fellowship
Caroling (optional)
Ice Breaker
Activities:
*Guess the Christmas Character - Write
names of Christmas characters (Kris Kringle, The Grinch, Wise Man, etc.) on masking tape
and put them on people's backs when they come in. They are to ask only yes or no questions
to others at the party in order to figure out who they are. They are only allowed to ask
one question each person at the party (this causes them to have to mingle and meet
others). Goal is to figure out who you are.
*White Elephant Gift Exchange - everyone
brings a "gift" which is really an item you find in your home or garage that you
don't want and that you wrap up as a gift. You put all the gifts in a pile then people
line up. The first person picks a gift and opens it, the next person can either take the
first person's gift or pick a new one. This continues on down the line until you reach the
last person who has the choice of all the gifts or the last gift. Key: Everyone must bring
a gift so you might want to have some extra wrapped gifts on hand in case someone forgets
to bring their gift.
*Bring an Ornament and Decorate the Christmas Tree
Games: Choose
one or two
*Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest - Have baked cookies
available with stuff to decorate them and then judge who has the "Most
Christmassy," "Most Unique," etc.
*Human Christmas Tree - Have competitions between classes
where each group is given a bag that contains Christmas Tree decorations (lights,
ornaments, etc.). Each team chooses one person in the group to be the tree and everyone
else decorates him. After 10 minutes a judge or the crowd decides who has the most
creative/best "Christmas tree."
Gospel
Presentation Ideas:
1. Greatest Gift of All:
Four students volunteer ahead of time. The first student stands up and says: "If I
could give you one gift at Christmas I would give you unconditional love because . . .
" [student states why and sits down].
Second student stands up and says "If I could give you one gift at Christmas I
would give you joy because . . . ."
Third student stands and repeats "If I could give you one gift at Christmas I
would give you peace because . . . . "
Fourth student stands up and says: "If I could give you one gift at Christmas I
would give you the gift of a relationship with Jesus Christ because in Him we receive all
these other gifts - unconditional love, joy and peace."
First student stands up again and says: "In Jesus we receive unconditional love
because God said that 'while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Second student stands up and says: "In Jesus we receive joy because Jesus said
that He came that we might have a life that was meaningful and full of joy."
Third student stands and says: "In Jesus we receive peace because He said: 'Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let
your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.'"
Fourth student explains: "Not only do we have these gifts, but in Jesus we receive
the gift of eternal life for the Bible says: 'Now this is eternal life: that they may know
you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent' (John 17:3, NIV). Those who
are giving this party have each found this relationship with God that results in eternal
life and we want to give this to you as a gift this Christmas:" [Go into short Gospel
presentation]
Gospel Presentation - Can Follow Simplified 4-Laws Format
John 3:16 "God so loved . . . ." 2000 years ago God gave us the gift of His
Son at the very first Christmas. Why don't people have this gift?
Romans 3:23 "All have sinned . . . ." God created us to have fellowship with
Him, but we have turned away. Romans 6:23 "The wages of sin is death" Spiritual
separation from God.
Romans 5:8 "God demonstrates . . . ." Jesus died in our place on the cross to
pay the penalty for our sins. 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 Jesus rose from the dead proving he
could give us eternal life. This is why we celebrate another holiday -- Easter.
John 1:12 and Ephesians 2:8,9. God has given us a precious gift -- eternal life. That
gift comes to us by placing our faith or trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Just as
you have gifts under your tree at Christmas, there is nothing we can do to earn it. We
have a choice whether or not to receive that gift.
If you would like to receive the gift of eternal life by asking Jesus to come into your
life say something like this to God (remember that this is between you and God). For the
sake of those who desire to pray have everyone bow their heads and pray silently with you:
"Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my
sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for
forgiving me of my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. Take control of my life
and make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen."
Pass out comment cards
2. Read the Christmas Story (Luke 2:1-20)
Explain what this all means. Example: Over 700 hundred years before Christ's birth a
prophet named Isaiah wrote "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The
virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Isaiah 7:14. The word Immanuel means "God with us." 800 years later this
prophecy was fulfilled when God became a man in Jesus Christ. A later prophet, John wrote
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have see his glory, the
glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John
1:14
So we see that the real meaning of Christmas is the Birth of God's only Son, Jesus.
But, why did God become a man? John later writes: "For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal
life." John 3:16
God sent "Immanuel" - God with us, because He desired to have a personal
relationship with us. If that is true, why is it that we don't experience God in our
lives?
Romans 3:23 "All have sinned . . . ." God created us to have fellowship with
Him, but we have turned away from God. Isaiah says this also: "We all, like sheep,
have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;" Isaiah 53:6a
Romans 6:23 "The wages of sin is death." Spiritual separation from God.
God provided his Son as a way of taking away our sin. Isaiah goes on to say in verse 6b
"and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity (sin) of us all." (also see other
verses in Isaiah 53 you could use here). Jesus died in our place on the cross to pay the
penalty for our sins. Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-6. Jesus rose from the dead proving he could
give us eternal life. This is why we celebrate another holiday -- Easter.
Back to the Luke passage: The shepherds heard the good news about Jesus and searched to
find him. In the same way we can hear the good news about Christ, but we need to make a
decision. The shepherds and wisemen came and worshipped God's son. To worship God is to
allow him to come into our hearts and to make Him our Lord and Savior. To do so will
result in "exceeding great joy!"
This Christmas, why not experience the real meaning of Christmas?! John 1:12 promises
us that "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of
God, even to those who believe in His name." We receive Christ by faith. Read
Ephesians 2:8,9. The following is a suggested prayer (use prayer above to close).
Wrap up with comment cards.
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