Nativity play

Scene with people running around before Christmas in a Mall on the overhead

Song:  Jingle bells –only music first and then children sing song:  Christmas bells on tune of Jingle bells:

Christmas bells, Christmas bells ring them out today

Christ was born in Bethlehem to take our sins away

Christmas bells, Christmas bells ring them out today

Tell the world of Jesus love

This happy Christmas day

Reporter in a busy mall – everybody runs around to do last minute shopping:

Reporter:  “Good morning everyone! My name is ………. from TV channel 7.  Welcome to our special program where we are interviewing people just before Christmas time.   The people in business want to sell as much as possible and want to beat last year’s Christmas shopping income!  We as Christians however celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  These days people often wonder whether Jesus is really the Son of God.  This morning we want to talk to some of the people in the Mall and hear what their ideas are about Christmas.”

Reporter to boy: “Good morning – I am a reporter of SABC 7 and want to get your opinion about Christmas.  Do you know why we celebrate Christmas?  Do you believe in Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate?

Boy:  “I think Jesus is meant to be for adults.  I heard that He was born as a baby in Bethlehem and that we think of Him over Christmas, but I like Father Christmas, because he brings me gifts!! I have already sent in my wish-list to Father Christmas.”

Reporter to  lady: “Good morning madam, may I ask you a question? what is your opinion about Christmas.  What is it all about?”

Old lady:  “Christmas is for the young people who want to have parties and pleasure.  I just came to the shops to buy a turkey and a few odds and ends, because we like to have a feast of a meal with my children and grandchildren!!”

Reporter to poor man with a few children: “Good morning sir, can you tell me what you think about Christmas and the Lord Jesus Christ whose birthday we celebrate?”

Poor man:  “No sir, don’t ask me.  Christmas is only for the rich people.  Jesus is not taking care of me.  My children and I sleep in cardboard boxes at night on the verandah of the post office.  We get some soup at the soup kitchen.  Sorry, I do not have money that I can give you.”

Reporter to rich man and his 2 children:

“Good morning sir, can you tell me what you think of Christmas and the Lord Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate?

Rich man:  “Christmas is a wonderful time for me and my family.  We are on our way to Switzerland for a ski-holiday.  We have everything we need and do not have time for church and Jesus.  This is for weak people and the “holy-huddle”!

Reporter:  “It is really shocking to see and hear what people think of Christmas.   Christmas is not for  young or old or poor and rich, why did He come?  Let’s look back at history.

Girl:  Yes, history is really  HIS STORY, God’s story.  I know God spoke to a young person, Mary……

1      Mary and Joseph:

Mary:  “When the angel came to me I was afraid.  I was still very young. The angel told me that I will have a Son who will be the Messiah.  I immediately started to praise and worship God:       “My soul magnifies the Lord,    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name………..”  

Reporter:  So it is important to know that Jesus came for young people!

 Boy:   Yes, and God also spoke to some very poor people….

2.  Shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem:

First shepherd:  “What a very cold night”  - rubbing his hands

Second shepherd:  “Something warm to drink will be wonderful!”

Third shepherd:  “I will get some more wood to make a fire, you can get us some water.”

Fourth shepherd:  “I wonder what it is like to be rich and sleep without any care at night in a warm house and bed?”

First shepherd:  “The only difference between the rich people and us – they have to count sheep at night to fall asleep and we have to count sheep to stay awake!!”

Second shepherd:  “It is going to be a very loooong, cold night!”

All shepherds frightened and shout together:  “What is going on in the air?” 

Angel:  “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”

Shepherd:  “How will we know and  find Him?”

Angel:  “You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Shepherds:  “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.”

Song:   Hark! the herald angels sing

Reporter:  After the poor shepherds saw Jesus lying in the manger, they returned to the fields glorifying and praising God!  So we realize that Jesus also came for the poor!

3.  An old man Simeon and an old prophetess, Anna, were waiting for the Saviour of the world, Jesus, to come to earth.  When they saw Jesus with his parents, they started to worship God.  Simeon praised God, saying:  “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Reporter:  So  we see in the Bible that Jesus also came for the old people.

4.  Play Arabian or Eastern Music and wise men appear with gifts in their hands.

Reporter:  Many days after Jesus was born, magi from the East came to Jerusalem.  They saw a star in the east that showed them that a king was born in Bethlehem and they came to worship Him.  When they found Him with Joseph and Mary, they bowed down and worshipped Him.  Then they opened their  gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

So the Bible teaches us very clearly that Jesus came for everyone: the young, the old, the poor and the rich. 

Song: Joy to the World 

Reporter:  Before we close our program and wish you a blessed Christmas time with your family and friends, we have a question for you.

Boy:   Do you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour?  Only Jesus can take your sins away and give you the gift of eternal life.  If you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour, have a blessed Christmas time and share the Gospel message of Jesus our Saviour this Christmas to young, old, poor and rich.

Girl:   Those of you who do not know Jesus as your Saviour, make sure you know Him and accept the Gift of Jesus this Christmas and  give your life as a gift to Him!

Song:  John 3:16 on tune of silent night.

“John 3:16 (2x)

For God so loved the world that He

Gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him

Shall not perish but have everlastingl life.”

Spiritual growth in children's lives

You are the "nurse", the Bible is the "milk", the Holy Spirit is the "doctor".....

I trust that God will enable you to help Christian children to grow as you feed and nurse the new born babes He has committed to you.

You are the nurse. Nursing a child (both physically and spiritually) is often difficult and frequently inconvenient, but it can be very worthwhile and rewarding both in this

world and the next.

“Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child away and nurse

him for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the

child and nursed him. And the child grew. . .” (Exodus 2 v9, 10a).

The Bible is the food or milk which helps the child to grow. But it needs to be given in an attractive and drinkable form. “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may

grow thereby” (1 Peter 2 v2).

The Holy Spirit is the supervisor, the helper, “the doctor” and the One who gives power and ability to the “nurse.”

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;

and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1 v8).

And we pray that the result will be—growth.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus

Christ.” (2 Peter 3 v18).

The danger is that if the child is not nursed properly he might “stumble and fall” and become, spiritually, like Mephibosheth, the child who was dropped by his nurse and was crippled in both feet for the rest of his life.  (2 Samuel 4 v4).

As we pray and work we trust God that the children will grow up in Christ and become mature believers. Let us join Paul in saying -

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all

wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To

this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” (Colossians 1:28,29)

(Mr. Sam Doherty - CEF)

The Proverbs 31 woman

Stick to the recipe to be “the wife of noble character” – Proverbs 31:10-31

INTRODUCTION:  Women love recipes.  I like to make a recipe called “Makarolletjies” because my children and grandchildren like it so much.  You use ½ cup of milk, 1 ½ cup of sugar, ½ cup of margarine, 3 tablespoons of cacao and cook it for 5 minutes.  Then add 1 cup of coconut, 3 cups of oats and 1 teaspoonful of vanilla essence.  Stir well and put spoonsful on waxed paper to dry.  If I use vinegar instead of milk, the whole recipe will be unsuccessful.  We have to stick to the recipe!

The Christian woman’s recipe book is the Bible and we have to stick to the recipe of the Bible of how to be a dedicated Christian  woman.  The best discription of a woman who live according to the Bible standards, we find in Proverbs 31.  Lemuel took the Hebrew alphabet and next to each letter he wrote down something about a God-fearing woman.

In the Bible we find all the ingredients of a God-fearing woman and also the method how to be like that.

Ingredients	Method
FAITH  Prov.31:29-31	She is a woman who fears the LORD. She has faith because she believes in her Lord Jesus Christ and she has a relationship with Him and she lives according to the great command.  She loves God with all her heart, soul and mind. Matt. 22:37.  The main ingredient in her recipe is the Cross of Jesus Christ.  He helps her to run the race of life with the eyes fixed on Jesus – Hebr. 12:1-3.
MARRIAGE Prov.31:11-12; 23	As far as her marriage is concerned.  She shows respect to her husband and brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.  If you are single, you must remember that God is your husband and that you need to respect Him. (Isaiah 54:5)  Only the Lord can help you to be a loving wife – pray and ask Him to help you everyday.
MOTHER-HOOD                   Prov. 31:27-28	She is a woman who teaches her children to follow the rules of the Bible and follow in the ways of the Lord.  She disciplines her children in love and teaches them all the laws of the Bible – Deut. 6:6-7.  If you do not have children you can pray for the children of the world
OUTREACH TO MY NEAREST  Prov. 31:20	She is a woman with open hands and arms to the neighbours and poor and needy.  She follows in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ and her prayer for people around her, is the prayer of Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21.
HEALTH                    Prov.31:14-15	She is a woman who prepares healthy food for her family and is aware of the fact that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and need to be in good shape! 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
FINANCES   Prov. 31:16	She is in control of her finances and sees this as a gift from God.  She knows how to get money and also spend money wisely.  She knows about tithing.  Luke 12:15
DILIGENCE               Prov. 31:13; 17-19	She enjoys her work and works with eager hands.  She knows above all that she has to store up treasures in heaven. - Matt. 6:19-21.
HOME-MAKER    Prov.31:21-22	Her home is a harbour in the storms and not a storm in the harbour!  She has the ability to keep her household warm and happy and make it a happy place where everyone feels at home.  Sinclair Ferguson says the Holy Spirit is like a Homemaker – He prepares our hearts to be ready to meet our King.  Our homes and hearts need to be a place where the Lord dwells.  Are we ready to meet the Lord Jesus when he comes back to earth to take us to heaven or when we die?  We have to be ready like the 5 wise virgins to meet our King! Matt. 25:1-13
STRESS-FREE                 Prov. 31:25-26	She is a woman who gets her strength and inspiration from the Lord.  She finds time to keep her quiet time and brings all her problems and joys to the Lord.  She does not have stress, because she is clothed with strength and dignity and can laugh at the days to come! Matt. 6:31 - 34
BEAUTY Prov. 31:30	Her beauty is not on the outside, but inside.  She is like a tree planted at a stream of fresh water and she stays fresh and young because the Lord is her strengh and He gives her what se needs. Ps. 1. The fruit of the Spirit is obvious in her life:  Gal. 5:22

John Pijper says:  “Therefore, I think a sermon based on this passage of Scripture should aim to accomplish three things. It should aim to inspire women to fear the Lord and be like this woman in the way she fulfilled her role (and that is possible for all women, married or unmarried). Second, it should inspire others, especially husbands and children to praise women who fear the Lord. Third, it should contain praise for the godly woman.

May God help us as Christian woman to be conformed to be more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.  He made it possible for us to have life abundantly because He gave His life on the cross so that we can be more than conquerors.

Women's day prayer

Women’s day prayer based on Psalm 145:17-21

“The LORD, our God is righteous in all His ways,

Gracious in all His works.

The LORD is near to all women who call upon Him,

To all women who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desires of women who fear Him;

He also will hear their cry and save them.

The LORD preserves all the women who love Him,

But the wicked women He will destroy.

May all the mouths of the women, who love the LORD,  speak the praise of the LORD,

So that all flesh shall bless His holy Name forever and ever.”

Vrouedag - die resep vir die voortreflike vrou!

DIE SPREUKE 31 VROU  -  DIEN DIE HERE

Ons vroue is oor die algemeen baie lief vir resepte.   Ek maak graag makarolletjies, omdat my kleinkinders baie lief is daarvoor en omdat ek dink dit is gesond!  Bestanddele is ½ kop. melk, 1 ½ suiker, ½ kop. margarine, 3 eetl.. kakao, 1 kop. klapper, 3 kop. hawermout en vanilla geursel. Metode:  Kook eerste 4 bestandele vir 5 minute.  Roer laaste 3 bestandele by en skep lepelsvol op waspapier. Wat sal gebeur as ek i.p.v. melk asyn insit, misluk!!                                                                                                                                      Die gelowige vrou se resepteboek is die Bybel.  Ons Bybel gee vir ons die resep hoe om te lewe.   Die beste resep van hoe om vrou te wees kry ons in Spreuke 31, waar Lemeul die Hebreeuse Alfabet geneem het en by elke letter geskryf het hoe ‘n volmaakte vrou lyk. (Miskien kan ons manne die alfabet neem en kyk of jul by elke letter ‘n deug kan neerskryf van jou ma of vrou of dogter – ek het by x geskryf – die soentjies waarmee die briewe wat my ma aan my geskryf het, ge-eindig het en by z geskryf zero tyd vir die duiwel!) Kom ons kyk na die bestanddele van die resep van ‘n voortreflike vrou!  
Dink aan jou eie vrou, jou ma, jou dogters of kleindogters en kyk of die bestandele in hul lewens teenwoodig is en bid dat die Here hul daarmee sal help!  Gelukkig gee ons resepteboek, die Bybel nie net die bestandele van ‘n voortreflike vrou nie, maar ook die metode hoe om so te wees! 

DIE RESEP VIR DIE GELOWIGE VROU:  Sit ‘n oggend opsy en gaan deur die resep en lees al die gedeeltes in die Bybel en vra die Here moet jou help om die vrou te wees wat leef volgens Sy resep in die Bybel.

Bestandeel	Metode
GELOOF  Spr.31:29-31	Wat geloof aanbetref is die gelowige vrou ‘n vrou wat die Here ken, ‘n verhouding met HOM het en Hom dien met haar hele hart, siel en verstand. Matt. 22:37; Spr. 31:29-31. Ps. 119:33 – 40 is haar gebed.  .  Die hoofbestanddeel in haar resep vir die lewe is die kruis van JESUS CHRISTUS.  Hy help haar om die wedloop te hardloop met volharding en met die oog op Jesus gevestig – Hebr. 12:1-3
HUWELIK Spr.31:11-12; 23	Wat haar huwelik aanbetref het sy respek vir haar man – sy bring vir hom voordeel en nie nadeel nie haar hele lewe lank  en haar man steun op haar.   As jy nie getroud is nie, moet jy weet Jes. 54:5 sê “Hy wat jou gemaak het, is jou man, sy Naam is die Here die Almagtige”.  Jou man die Here steun op jou om vir Hom voordeel in te bring en nie nadeel nie.  Omdat die huwelik ‘n instelling van die Here is, kan net Hy vir jou help om van jou huwelik ‘n sukses te maak – bid baie daaroor.
MOEDER-SKAP                   Spr. 31:27-28	Wat haar moederskap aanbetref – leer sy haar kinders in die weë van die Here en met die liefde van Jesus Christus.  Sy dissiplineer haar kinders met wysheid en liefde volgens die voorskrifte van die Bybel en hulle prys haar – Deut. 6: 6-7;   Vroue sonder kinders bid vir kinders van familie of vriende.
GESOND-HEID                    Spr. 31:14-15	Die deugsame vrou pas haar liggaam op.  Sy berei gesonde kos voor vir haar familie en doen moeite om dit goed voor te berei. Sy weet ook haar gesondheid is ‘n gawe van die Here en weet haar liggaam is ‘n tempel van die Here, daarom moet sy haarself oppas. – 1 Kor. 6:19-20.
DIENS-LEWERING Spr. 31:20	Die deugsame  vrou dien haar man, familie, vriende, bure met liefde en vriendelikheid.  Sy het ‘n oop hand vir die armes en behoeftiges en volg  in haar Leermeester – Jesus Christus se voetstappe.    Haar gebed vir mense om haar is Paulus se gebed dat hul God sal ken -  Efes. 3:14-21
FINANSIES   Spr. 31:16	Sy begroot en gebruik geld met oorleg - sy koop selfs grond en sit dit onder wingerd.  Sy weet dat haar begroting haar tiende vir die Here insluit en het ‘n oop hand vir die Heer se werk omdat alles wat sy besit van Hom af kom.
HARDWER-KEND               Spr. 31:13; 17-19	Sy geniet dit om te werk en haar hande staan vir niks verkeerd nie.  Sy kla nie omdat sy hard moet werk nie, want sy sien haar werk as ‘n gawe van die Here en doen alles om Hom te verheerlik.    Die van u wat nie meer hard kan werk nie, loof die Heer dat u kon hard werk en bid vir u kinders en kleinkinders dat hul hardwerkend sal wees. Joh. 6:27 – ons moet werk vir voedsel wat nie vergaan nie – skatte in die Hemel bymekaar maak!
TUISTE-SKEPPER    Spr.31:21-22	Haar huis is ‘n hawe in die storms vir haar man en kinders en nie ‘n storm in die hawe nie.    Sy sorg dat hul warm is in die winter en alles het wat hul nodig het en dat almal tuis voel en gelukkig is by haar.  Haar helpers in  en om die huis is gelukkig, want sy sorg goed vir hulle. Sinclair Ferguson sê die Heilige Gees is soos ‘n tuisteskepper – Hy berei ons harte voor dat dit ‘n heerlike tuiste moet wees vir die inwoning van die Here. Vra jouself af of die Heilige Gees in jou woon en jou help om jou lewe voor te berei vir die ewige lewe?
KOMMER-VRY                 Spr. 31:25-26	Die deugsame vrou se krag en inspirasie kry sy van die Heer.  Sy vind tyd om stil te word by die Here en al haar kommer en sorge aan Hom bekend te maak sodat sy geen kommer oor die toekoms hoef te hê nie. Die Here gee vir haar wysheid hoe om reg te praat en reg te handel.    Sy lag oor die dag wat kom, want haar visie is die ewige lewe wat reeds begin het toe sy vrygemaak is van sonde en in diens van God gestel is. Rom. 6:22-23
SKOONHEID Spr. 31:30	Die deugsame vrou se skoonheid is nie uiterlik nie, want dit vergaan.  Haar skoonheid is innerlik -  Spr. 31:30.  Sy is soos ‘n boom wat geplant is by ‘n waterstroom waarvan die blare nie verdroog nie - Ps. 1. Haar boom dra die vrugte van die Gees: liefde, vreugde, vrede, geduld, vriendelikheid, goedhartigheid, getrouheid, nederigheid en selfbeheersing. Gal. 5:22

Spr. 31:10 – “meer werd as edelstene”  John Pijper sê:  Spreuke 31 is geskryf asof die skrywer ‘n string pêrels inryg om vroue te inspireer om die voortreflike vroue te wees wat die Here begeer, vroue wat Hom dien en eer.  Dit is ook om ander mense aan te moedig om vroue wat die Here dien te prys en dit is om vir ons te wys dat gelowige vroue geprys moet word!                                                                                    
Kom ons sluit af met die Onse Vader gebed wat ons almal saambid en vra die Here dat die 7 bedes in ons waar sal wees: 

1. Sy Naam geheilig sal word deur ons  
2. Sy Koninkryk sal kom deur ons
3. dat die Heer se wil sal geskied in ons lewens 
4. dat Hy vir ons ons daaglikse brood sal gee 
5. ons sal vergeef van ons sondes en nie in 
6. versoeking sal lei nie en 
7.ons sal verlos van die Bose.  Amen

Sunday school teachers - Good advice

Mr Sam Doherty of Child Evangelism Fellowship says:

I trust that God will enable you to help Christian children to grow as you feed and nurse the new born babes He has committed to you.

1. You are the nurse. Nursing a child (both physically and spiritually) is often difficult and frequently inconvenient, but it can be very worthwhile and rewarding both in this world and the next.

“Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child away and nurse

him for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the

child and nursed him. And the child grew. . .” (Exodus 2 v9, 10a).

2. The Bible is the food or milk which helps the child to grow. But it needs to be given in an attractive and drinkable form. “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2 v2).

3. The Holy Spirit is the supervisor, the helper, “the doctor” and the One who gives power and ability to the “nurse.”

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;

and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1 v8).

And we pray that the result will be—growth.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus

Christ.” (2 Peter 3 v18). 

4. The danger is that if the child is not nursed properly he might “stumble and fall” and become, spiritually, like Mephibosheth, the child who was dropped by his nurse and was crippled in both feet for the rest of his life.  (2 Samuel 4 v4).

As we pray and work we trust God that the children will grow up in Christ and become mature believers.

Let us join Paul in saying -

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all

wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To

this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in

me mightily.” (Colossians 1:28,29)

A few teaching tips:

1.     Get their attention -  start telling an interesting story to capture their imagination and then get to the next step.

2.    Show them a need -   why question and answer because they are eager learners

3.    Set a goal – “today our goal is to find God’s answer to a problem in the Bible.”

Build relationships with the children in your group.  “Kids don’t care what you know until they know how much you care”.  Cultivate Christian love for every child you teach – best way to do this is to pray for each child by name.  Ask God to help you and to help them to have a good attitude towards each other.

Study, pray and understand the passage you are going to teach and trust the Holy Spirit to use you and reach the hearts of the children.

Bible talk for children

Bible talk – Mr. Sam Doherty’s book

(Bible talks for children nr. 2)

STICK TO THE RECIPE

TRUTH: God’s Word shows us the way of salvation. Be sure to follow

and obey it.

VISUALS:

A cook book, recipe cards (if you have them). Something you have made

using a recipe in the book – preferably something which children really

like.

A Bible. Four cards with the words TURN, ASK, ASK, READ. Use one

colour (white) for first two cards and another colour (green) for second

two cards.

Put cards inside Bible and produce them at the right time.

LESSON:

Do you boys and girls like chocolate oats cookies? I made it

myself, but I needed to follow exactly a recipe in this book (Show book).

Or sometimes I use recipe cards like these. Listen to all the things I put

in it (1 cup of sugar, ½ cup of milk, 100g of margarine, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 3 tablespoons of cacao, 3 cups of oats and 1 cup of coconut). That sounds good, doesn’t it? Would you like to

have some? Perhaps you can do so afterwards.

But it was important for me to follow the instructions in the recipe book

exactly. What would have happened if I had left out the sugar? Or if I

had put vinegar in instead of milk! The result would have been a mess.

If I want the result to be good I must follow the recipe – exactly.

Did you know that God has given us a recipe book? It’s not a book with

recipes for food. It’s a book with the recipe for salvation – and recipes

for how we can live for the Lord Jesus. Here it is (Hold up Bible). And

we had better stick to those recipes or the result will be a mess for us –

not just in this life, but forever.

Do you know what God’s recipe is for salvation – to become a Christian?

It is very simple and has two ingredients. You can see them on these two

recipe cards (Show them):

1. TURN from your sin.

2. ASK Jesus Christ to save you.

Do you know what God’s recipe is for your life as a Christian? It is very

simple and also has two ingredients. You can see them on these two

recipe cards.

1. ASK Jesus Christ to help you live for Him.

2. READ your Bible and do what it says.

Don’t forget to read God’s recipe book and follow His instructions –

and the result will always be good.

The Bible says, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the

man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34 v8).