Hi all!

This month we are learning about God, His son Jesus, and Jesus’ earthly family tree.

So after Abraham, he had a son named Isaac, and Isaac had a son named Jacob. Jacob didn’t always make great choices, he struggled with God, but God had BIG PLANS for Jacob. (Full lesson found here and in Genesis 35:9-15). One day, God came to Jacob and He gave Jacob a new name, “Israel.” God said, “Like I promised to Abraham and Isaac, I will give you and your family this land. You will be My chosen people. Your kids and their kids and their kids will all be MY people.” All of God’s promises would come true through Jacob and his family (and eventually Jesus would be part of that family too). God made Jacob “new.” God changed Jacob from what he had been, into something new and great.

God does that for us too! He makes all things new! (Rom 6:4, 1 Pe 1:3) We are sinners (people who make bad choices and disobey God) but GOD gave us Jesus to die for us, so when God looks at us now, He sees His son Jesus instead. We are new and clean and perfect because Jesus took our consequences for us.

(Luke 1) Now, Mary was pregnant with baby Jesus and she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah were very old and didn’t have any children. And they REALLY REALLY wanted to have a baby. One day, Zechariah went into the temple to pray to God and an angel came and told him that Elizabeth would have a baby!! But not just any baby, a baby named John (who would be Jesus’ cousin) and he would get everybody for Jesus! He would tell all the people “Get ready! Jesus, the Messiah is coming soon!” God had big plans for Jacob/Israel and for John too! God took Elizabeth who couldn’t have a baby and He made a brand new baby. God can do ANYTHING! And He makes all things new! God’s angel said John would get the people’s hearts ready for Jesus to change them. He would get all the people ready to listen and love God.

When Mary had baby Jesus still in her tummy and Elizabeth had baby John in her tummy, Mary went to visit Elizabeth and as soon as they said hello, baby John started dancing and moving all over the place! Even as a tiny, tiny baby he knew that baby Jesus was God and that this was really exciting! He knew this baby would change everything, God makes all things new…Jacob’s heart and OURS too! Isn’t it great to think of all the things God can do?! He controls all things and change them into anything He wants. He even takes our yucky hearts and makes them beautiful for him.

Bible story: Jacob’s new name

Attribute of God: He makes all things new

Jesus’ birth story: baby John leaps for joy

Craft:

Side one of our ornament is a hammer on a red circle, because God rebuilds us and makes all things new.

Our text reads: Jacob gets a new name. God makes all things new. Gen 35:9-15, Rom 6:4, 1 Peter 1:3

Side two is a dancing baby on a blue circle

Our text reads:

Baby John leaped for joy, Elizabeth and Zechariah would have a baby! Luke 1

Thanks for joining us today. Love to you all!