Children & Teens - The Gift
“Christmas time is here, Happiness and cheer, Fun for all that children call their favorite time of year”
Christmas Time is Here, Charlie Brown Christmas
Yes, Christmas time is here and we’re sure many of you are casing malls and stores to find the perfect gift for your loved ones. It’s also a time to reflect on the greatest gift ever received, the person and work of Jesus Christ.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2: 8-11, NIV)
As a parent, you have the great privilege of helping your child find Jesus. Use Christmas time to engage with your child around spiritual truths. Below, read the responses of your IGNITE team regarding their greatest gifts. Share these responses with your children so they can know more about the ESC staff that ministers to them. Answer and share your responses as well. Having these kinds of conversations with your child will foster an environment where talking about Jesus in your home is normal and safe.
Percy Bland - Youth Pastor
Describe the greatest gift you have ever received.
I’d say the best material gift I remember getting as a kid was a basketball court our dad had built in our backyard when I was in seventh grade. I have three younger brothers and we all agree that it was the best gift we ever got. Our house became the place all the neighborhood kids would come to, and we’d be out there playing for hours.
Describe the greatest gift you have ever given.
I’m not sure the greatest gift I’ve ever given. I gave my little brother a car a couple of years ago so… I guess that was pretty cool of me ha-ha. I’ll take an out here and say the greatest gift I’ve given is my time, and I give it to young people liberally because I love them and believe in what God invested in them. I want to help them become all that God created them to be.
Christmas is about the greatest gift humankind has ever received, Jesus. Describe when you accepted this gift into your life.
I accepted Christ fully and with my whole heart a few days before my 13th birthday. Like the old preachers used to say, I’d been feeling him “tugging on my heart” for a while, even when I wasn’t at church. One week it was like I could feel him speaking to me and calling me to himself that whole week, I couldn’t shake it. That next Sunday the pastor of my old church (whose name was also Pastor Johnson) was giving the call and said, “I don’t know who I’m talking to, but God has been speaking to your heart and telling you it’s time to give your life to Him.” As soon as he said it something in me just erupted ha-ha. It was truly a God moment. I responded that day, got baptized, and everything about my life changed. We truly serve a mighty God.
Sandra Keith - Senior Coordinator, Children’s Ministry
Describe the greatest gift you have ever received.
One of the best Christmas gifts I ever received was a trip to Mexico. My high school was sponsoring a trip to Mexico City, Mexico and had raised some money but I was short $300. My mother wrapped up some pictures of Mexican food and activities and put it in a big box under the Christmas tree with my name on it. I thought it was a new beanbag chair for my bedroom. When I opened the box, my mother had layers upon layers of tissue paper then pictures and another small box inside with check for $500. This covered my trip and spending money. I was so happy! It was the best gift! This was the greatest gift because my mother was a single parent with four children. She made some sacrifices for me to go on this trip.
Describe the greatest gift you have ever given.
The greatest gift I was able to give was providing Christmas gifts to a family who didn’t have any money for Christmas. It was a family in my neighborhood that was going through difficult times. The father lost his job, and the mother just had a newborn baby and they had two other children. I shared with my family what I wanted to do, and we all decided that year not to give each other gifts but to give to this family. The children had plenty of toys and clothes and we were able buy food for their Christmas dinner and a gift for each parent. I also gave them Bibles. They were so grateful because they didn’t know how they were going to have Christmas for their children. This gift was the greatest gift because I was able to make a big difference in the lives of people truly in need.
Christmas is about the greatest gift humankind has ever received, Jesus. Describe when you accepted this gift into your life.
I accepted Jesus Christ in my life on Easter Sunday when I was 12 years old. The Pastor was preaching about going to heaven and hell and the only way to get there was to believe in Jesus Christ and accept him into your life. The Pastor stated God loved us so much He gave His only Son to die for my sins. He said if we did not believe in Jesus we would end up in hell. The best thing that happened to me was accepting Jesus in my life. I know, without any doubt, if I were to die today, I would spend eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ.
Pam Robertson - Teen Coordinator
Describe the greatest gift you have ever received.
The greatest gift that I have received was from God, my children. I always wanted to be a mother. I enjoy loving and nurturing them.
Describe the greatest gift you have ever given.
The greatest gift that I have given would not be just one gift. Instead, I strive to find ways to give to people that I love often. The gifts may be small or large.
Christmas is about the greatest gift humankind has ever received, Jesus. Describe when you accepted this gift into your life?
I was not raised in the church per se. I had a firm conviction as an adult to follow Jesus after watching the Passion of Christ at the movie theater. I am grateful that Jesus called me. I pray that I will forever live for Him.
Eastern Star Church is on hiatus during the month of December for programming. Along with sharing these stories, during this month also consider the following opportunities to engage your child with spiritual truths:
Read a chapter a day in the book of Luke. There are twenty-four chapters. By December 25th, you will have learned about the birth and life of Jesus Christ.
With children under thirteen, commit to watching one Children’s Church video every Sunday and discuss the content. Click here for access to all videos on our ESC Ignite Children YouTube channel.
For middle and high school children, commit to watching one Teen Church video every Sunday and discuss the content. Click here for access to all videos on our ESC Ignite Teen YouTube channel.