NT-04

"The Shepherds Visit Jesus”

Materials Needed

Tennis racket,   Old nylon stocking,   Hula hoop,   Mini marshmallows,   Piece of paper with a skull and cross bones drawn on it,   Masking tape

Setup
1. Use the tape to create a three to five foot line on the floor. Set the hoop on the floor about 10 feet from the line.  Place the skull and cross bones paper inside of the hoop. Cover the tennis racket's head with a nylon and cut off the excess.

Description

1. Explain the following:
    Our big idea is "Jesus came to save us from sin."  That's what the angel meant when he said, "Today in Bethlehem, the town of David, a Savior has been born to you."  Jesus was born as a baby to grow into a man who would die to pay the punishment for our sins.
    To help us remember that Jesus came to save us from our sins, were going to play a game.  This hula hoop represents the punishment for sin, which is death.  These little marshmallows represent people like you and me.  We've all sinned and disobeyed God, so we all deserve the punishment for sin, death. All these marshmallows deserve to be in the hula hoop of death!
    One of you is going to represent Jesus.  You'll stand in the hula hoop of death, because Jesus died to pay the punishment for our sin.  And you'll get a tennis racket to save these marshmallows from sin and death.  So, in our game, we have all the parts of our big idea: Jesus (one of you) came to save (tennis racket) us (marshmallows) from our sins (hula hoop).

2. Select a child to represent Jesus.  Have him/her stand in the hula hoop with a tennis racket.  Have the others form a line behind the tape and give each a marshmallow.  Say the big idea together, doing the motions as follows: Jesus (have "Jesus" wave his/her hand) came to save (have "Jesus" swing the racket) us (have the children hold up the marshmallows) from sin (have ever one point to the hula hoop).  And then, one at a time, have the children in the line try to toss their marshmallows into the hula hoop as a "Jesus" tries to swat them away.  When all have gone, count the number of marshmallows in the hula hoop.  Have the children pick up all the marshmallows and repeat this game with a new "Jesus," making sure to repeat the big idea, using the motions, as a group.