Who did the angel bring the good news to first?

Shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night.

Free Bible lesson for kids · Jesus Is Born

The Christmas Story

Jesus was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger. Angels told shepherds the good news, and the shepherds came with haste to find the baby, just as the angel had said.

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: Luke 2:6–20 · Matthew 1:21
Big idea: Jesus came to be our Saviour.
Memory verse: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

In Bethlehem, Mary’s baby was born. She wrapped her firstborn Son in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn (Luke 2:6–7). Nearby, shepherds were keeping watch over their flock by night. An angel came, God’s glory shone around them, and they were very afraid (Luke 2:8–9).

The angel said, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). A Saviour, Christ the Lord, was born in the city of David (Luke 2:11). Then many angels praised God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13–14). The shepherds hurried and found the baby in the manger (Luke 2:15–16). They told others and went back praising God (Luke 2:17, 20). Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Read it in the Bible: Luke 2:6–20 (KJV)

⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. ⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. ⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. ¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. ¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Read it in the Bible: Matthew 1:21 (KJV)

²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Questions to ask

Where did Mary lay baby Jesus?
In a manger, because there was no room in the inn.
Who did the angel bring the good news to first?
Shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night.
What did the multitude of angels say?
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

What this story teaches

Jesus came to be the Saviour, Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
The good news of Jesus is for all people (Luke 2:10).
Jesus brings God’s peace and good will to earth (Luke 2:14).
When we meet Jesus, we want to tell others (Luke 2:17).

Jesus Is Our Saviour

The baby in the manger was no ordinary baby. He is the Saviour, Christ the Lord, born in the city of David.

Luke 2:11

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Thank God for sending Jesus to be our Saviour.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Jesus came to be our Saviour.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Luke 2:11 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes

Shepherds, Come with Haste!

You need: A baby doll wrapped in a cloth, a box for a manger

The kids are shepherds “in the field” at one end of the room. Hide the baby in the manger while they cover their eyes.
An angel (a leader) announces, “Unto you is born this day a Saviour!”
The shepherds hurry to search. Whoever finds Him shouts, “We found Him!” and everyone gathers around to sing.

The shepherds came with haste, found the baby just as the angel said, and told everyone.

For youth group · game · indoors · about 15 minutes

Bible or Tradition?

You need: Bibles; cards with Christmas details

Read out details one at a time: “There was an innkeeper”, “There were three wise men”, “Mary rode a donkey”, “The baby was laid in a manger”, “Angels said ‘Glory to God in the highest’”.
Teams decide: Bible or tradition? Then check Luke 2 and Matthew 2.
Talk: what does the real story show us about God?

The true story is better than any tradition: God came to us as a baby to be our Saviour.

Pray

Thank God for sending Jesus to be our Saviour.