Lesson 3: Simeon and Anna See Jesus

Welcome

            Thank preschoolers for coming.

            Just for fun, have kids link arms with a partner and swing each other in a circle.

            Make announcements.

            Introduce new kids.

            Celebrate birthdays by shouting “Happy birthday!”

            Collect the offering.

Introduce the Lesson

            Say: Today we’ll learn about a man named Simeon and a woman named Anna. They waited a long, long, long time for God’s gift—Jesus. Jesus is God’s gift! When Simeon and Anna saw Jesus, they praised God.

Share

            Say: Simeon and Anna knew that God had promised the gift of his Son—Jesus—and they were ready to receive that gift. Let’s think for a minute about gifts we’ve received.

            Tell about a memorable gift you received.

            Have preschoolers take turns telling about gifts they received.

Summarize

            Open a Bible, and say: Today we’ll talk about how Jesus is God’s gift. We’ll learn about it from the Bible. The Bible is God’s special book. God can talk to us through the Bible. God is here right now, ready to talk to you.

            Pray, thanking God for the gift of his Son, Jesus.

Tip 

Sing Songs to God

          Sing the three songs in any order. 

Talk About Gift-Giving

            Ask: • Who do you love to give gifts to? Why?

            Share your own example first to give preschoolers time to think. Then let kids share.

            Say: We give gifts to people we love or people who need something. God wanted to show us how much he loves us, so God gave us a perfect gift. Jesus is God’s gift.

            Hold up a Life Savers candy. Explain that this candy is called a Life Saver. Mention that the candy can’t really save your life but it’s the same shape as a floating ring that lifeguards use to save people in water.

            Say: In our Bible story, Simeon knew that Jesus had come to save people. Jesus is really and truly our life (pause for emphasis) saver because he can save us from the wrong things we do. Jesus is God’s gift!

            Show children a finished example of the craft.

            Say: You’ll get to make a gift bag like this and add a Life Savers candy to it. Then you can give it to someone special and tell that person Jesus is God’s gift who came to save us.

Make the Craft

            Hand each child half of an envelope. Let preschoolers use markers and stickers to decorate the envelopes. Help each child wrap a Life Savers candy in tissue paper and then put it in the gift bag. Children can stuff another piece of tissue paper on top so it puffs out of the envelope.

            Say: [Child’s name], Jesus is God’s gift, your lifesaver.

            Gather children around the gift bags, and pray a blessing over the gifts. Ask God for the people who receive these gifts to feel his mighty love.

Follow Rules

          Ask: • What is a rule?

          Say: Let’s play a game. I’m going to give you some instructions to follow. The only rule of the game is you have to do what I say. Call out the following instructions:

• Stand up.
• Take three baby steps toward me.
• Turn around.
• Put your hand on your heart and say, “Jesus loves me.”
• Skip all the way around the room.
• Clap your hands three times.
• Sit down.

          Say: You did a great job following the rules of the game! Give your neighbor a high-five.

          Ask: • What are some rules that your parents or grandparents have for you? Let children share some of their family rules such as eating what’s on their plates, picking up toys, or feeding the dog.

          Open your Bible, and say: When Jesus was born, there was a rule that said parents had to bring their babies to the Temple. The Temple was kind of like a church. It’s where people worshipped God and brought gifts to thank God.

Take a Trip With Jesus

          Say: Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and the Temple was in a city that was far, far away. So Mary and Joseph packed up baby Jesus to take a trip. They didn’t have a car or van like your family might have. They had to walk or ride on a donkey. Let’s take a trip together right now. Since Jesus was a baby, Mary or Joseph had to carry him. We’ll pretend this doll is Jesus for our trip. We’ll take turns carrying him.

          Stand up and follow me. As we walk, we’ll say this rhyme: “We’re going on a trip with baby Jesus on our hip.” Demonstrate how parents sometimes hold a baby on a hip.

          Lead preschoolers around the room saying the rhyme. As you “travel,” pass around the doll so everyone has a turn to carry Jesus. Pause every so often to ask, “Are we there yet?” or “How much farther do you think we need to go?” Bring children back to your story area to sit down.

          Ask: • How do you think Mary and Joseph felt when they got to the Temple after such a long, long trip?

Bring Baby Jesus to the Temple

          Say: When Mary and Joseph got to the Temple, a man named Simeon greeted them. He took Jesus in his arms and praised God. Let’s praise God right now. Lead children in cheering “God is awesome!” and pumping a fist in the air. Simeon knew Jesus was the Savior of all people. He knew that Jesus was the gift God had promised a long time ago! He believed that Jesus is God’s gift. Then Simeon blessed Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

          An old woman named Anna lived at the Temple. She prayed to God every day. When Anna saw baby Jesus she thanked God, too. She told everyone in the Temple, “This is God’s Son, the Savior of the world. He is the light to show God to the nations.” Anna knew that Jesus was the gift God had promised long ago. She believed that Jesus is God’s gift.

          Ask: • How do you think Mary and Joseph felt when they heard what Simeon and Anna said about Jesus?

Sing About Jesus

          Say: Jesus is God’s gift—not just to people in the Bible but to you and me today. Jesus is God’s gift because he’s perfect for everyone. God knew what we needed, and he loved us. Let’s remember the special gift God gave us when he sent baby Jesus.

          Lead children in singing this song to the tune of “Rock-a-Bye Baby.” Children may pretend to rock a baby as they sing.

          Rock-a-bye baby,

          God’s gift of love;

          Sweet baby Jesus,

          Sent from above.

          Rock-a-bye baby,

          God’s gift to you.

          God, we’re so thankful

          Your Word came true!

Tip 

Discuss and Watch "Waiting for Cookies"

         Say: In today’s Bible account, we learned that Simeon and Anna had waited a long, long, long time for Jesus. They knew that Jesus would be God’s gift to the world, and they kept waiting for Jesus. Waiting can be hard.

         Think about a time you had to wait patiently for something you really wanted. I’ll go first. Share your own story of a time you had to wait a long time for something. Keep your example to about a minute to model the type of sharing you want kids to do.

         Then say: Now it’s your turn. Find a partner, and talk about a time you had to wait a long time for something you really wanted.

          Ask: • Was it worth the wait once you got that thing? Why or why not? Allow two minutes for kids to share with their partners, and then invite a few kids to share their answers with the whole group.

         Say: Let’s watch a video about someone who has to wait a long time.

         Watch “Waiting for Cookies.”

         Ask: • Why did the girl think it was worth the wait for those cookies?

         Say: When we pray, we often ask Jesus to do something that is important to us, like heal someone, or help us with a friendship, or help us with a test.

         Ask: • What is something you have prayed about and are waiting for God to do in your own life? Share your thoughts with your partner.

         Allow about two minutes for sharing. Then invite children to silently pray for their partners for a minute, asking Jesus to help their friends as they wait for Jesus.

         Then say: When a friend prays for us, that is a gift to us. When Jesus helps us, it is a gift to us. Even greater than both of these is knowing that Jesus himself is a gift to us. It must have been hard for Simeon and Anna to wait for Jesus to come. The good news for us is that we don’t have to wait for Jesus—he’s already here with us and we can talk to him anytime we want. What a wonderful gift!         

Tip

• Before printing, turn on page numbering in Word to keep the pages in order (or simply hand-number each page after printing). You may also find it helpful to highlight your part and set the script on a music stand nearby during the skit.

Leader: It’s time for our puppy friend, Theo, to come for a visit. Let’s call him to our class with a “woof, woof.” Ready? (Leads kids to bark until Theo is brought into view.)

Theo: Hi, friends! My back is so itchy today. Would you scratch my back? (Circulates among kids so each child can pet him.)

Leader: Thanks for welcoming Theo, friends!

Theo: Yeah, thank you!

Leader: How are you today, Theo?

Theo: (Hops excitedly.) I’m great! My grandma and grandpa are coming for a visit this week!

Leader: Wow! That should be fun!

Theo: (Looks to kids.) Do you get visits from your grandma or grandpa? (Encourages kids to share about a fun time a grandparent visited. If they don’t have an example, they can tell about other visitors they’ve had.)

Leader: It’s nice to have visitors.

Theo: I’m so excited, I can hardly wait! (Hops excitedly.)

Leader: Theo, that reminds me of our Bible story today.

Theo: Really? Was someone waiting for their grandparents to visit? (Hops excitedly.) How did they do it!? Waiting is so hard!

Leader: A man named Simeon and a woman named Anna were waiting for God to send his special Son, Jesus, to the world.

Theo: (Shakes excitedly.) Was Jesus bringing gifts? My grandparents are.

Leader: Jesus is the gift. They had waited years and years—longer than you’ve been alive! And when God sent Jesus to be with them, Jesus was God’s gift.

Theo: Neat! Did God send us a gift, too?

Leader: Jesus is God’s gift to us, too. Jesus is the best friend we could ever have!

Theo: Jesus is a friend like Becky Beagle? (Looks to kids.) Who is your best friend? (Responds to kids as they tell about their best friends.)

Leader: Jesus is a friend like all the friends you told about, but he’s perfect. Jesus loves you more than anyone else! Jesus takes care of you, and Jesus is always, always with you.

Theo: Wow! I’m going to go tell my mom that Jesus is God’s gift.

Leader: Okay, Theo! We’ll see you later. (Looks to kids.) Friends, give Theo a big “woof, woof, goodbye.” (Leads kids to say “woof, woof, goodbye,” and then places Theo out of sight.)

Tip

• When you add the second and third layers of gift wrap to the box, be sure to avoid taping to the previous layer so it will be easier for preschoolers to pull off pieces of only one layer of wrapping paper at a time.

Unwrap the Box

          Have preschoolers sit in a circle. Hold up the gift box wrapped in black paper.

          Say: This gift box doesn’t look very cheerful or happy. It reminds me of some of the sad or dark times we go through. Jesus is God’s gift who came to help us through sad, dark times. Let’s work together to get rid of this black paper!

          Tear off a small piece of the black paper, revealing the colorful paper underneath. Pass the box around, and let each child tear off a piece of the black paper. Each time a child tears off some of the black paper, lead kids in saying Jesus is God’s gift!

          When the box comes back to you, set it in front of you. Point out that the box is pretty, but it’s still wrapped—so we still have to wait to open the gift.

          Say: Simeon and Anna waited a long, long time to see God’s gift—Jesus. Let’s take our time and slowly take the paper off to see what’s underneath.

          Tear off a strip of wrapping paper to reveal yet another layer of paper. Pass the box around, and let preschoolers each tear off a piece. Each time a child tears off a piece, lead all the kids in saying Jesus is God’s gift. When the box comes back to you, set it in front of you. Point out that it looks as if we still have to wait!

Reveal the Surprise Inside

          Ask: • How did you feel when you saw another layer of paper underneath?

          Say: It’s so hard to wait! I think Simeon and Anna were excited to see Jesus, and this gift looks bright and exciting! Let’s peel off the last layer of paper. When it’s all off, I’ll open the box so we can see what’s inside.

          Pass the box around, and let preschoolers take turns tearing off pieces of paper. When the box comes back to you, open it and show children the picture of Jesus.

          Say: I’m so excited! We don’t have to wait for the gift of Jesus. Jesus has already come, showing each of you God’s wonderful, sweet, surprising love. Jesus is God’s gift to all of us. Jesus wasn’t just a special person—Jesus was God’s very own Son! There’s something else in here, too!

          Take out the Starburst candies.

          Give a candy to each child. As you do, pray: Thank you, God, for giving Jesus as a gift to [child’s name].

Look for the Heart

          Gather preschoolers in a circle on the floor.

          Explain that when Simeon saw baby Jesus, he praised God and said wonderful things about Jesus.

          Say: One of the things Simeon said was that Jesus was a light to show God to the world. Let’s see how a light can help us find something!

          Dim the lights, and ask children to close and cover their eyes. Hide the white heart somewhere in the room where children might see it (or a piece of it). Return to the circle and turn on the flashlight. Let preschoolers open their eyes.

          Shine the flashlight around the room. When the light shines on the heart, have preschoolers call out “I see it!” Then let a child run to get the heart, bring it back to the circle, and say, “Jesus is God’s gift!”

          Play a few times, and then turn on the lights.

          Ask: • How did the light help you find the heart?

          Say: Jesus was like a light, helping all people see God’s love! That’s why Simeon knew that Jesus is God’s gift. And Anna told everyone around her about Jesus. Let’s make a Bible picture that will help you share that great message with your family.

Make a Gift

          Give each child one “A Visit to the Temple” handout, and write children’s names on their pages. Let children color the picture. Then help preschoolers tape a square of wrapping paper on the picture of Jesus, taping just the top of the wrapping paper so they can lift up the square and see baby Jesus. Let children stick the bow on the square of gift wrap.

Finger Play

          If time allows, lead preschoolers in this finger play. Read and do motions for one line at a time, and have children repeat after you.

          Mary and Joseph, full of joy (make two pointer fingers “jump” up and down)

          Traveled with their baby boy (rock a pretend baby)

          To the Temple in Jerusalem (make a roof peak over your head with hands)

          Where they met old Simeon. (shake a friend’s hand)

          Simeon had prayed and prayed (palms together, praying hands)

          For days and days and days and days (count on fingers)

          He asked to meet God’s precious Son, (rock a pretend baby)

          So he could praise the Holy One! (wave arms overhead)

          He asked to hold the newborn boy (extend arms, as if receiving a gift)

          Then he turned and praised with joy! (arms up, palms out, twist wrists)

          “He’s a light to every nation (fling fingers wide)

          He’s God’s glory and salvation!” (raise arms high)

Remember the Bible Story

            Say: A little while after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, took him to the Temple in Jerusalem. They wanted to thank God for the gift of their son. Mary and Joseph took two birds with them to the Temple. The birds were a special thank-you gift for God, called an offering. Let’s help Mary and Joseph take their gift from Bethlehem to the Temple to thank God for sending Jesus.  

Deliver Gifts

            Form four groups, and have them stand on one side of your room.

            Direct each group to stand in a straight line. One person in each group will stand closest to the wall, and everyone else in the group will line up in front of him or her going toward the center of the room.

            Say: I have two stuffed animals [or socks] for each of your teams. We’ll pretend the stuffed animals are the two birds Mary and Joseph are giving as presents to God. The other side of our room is the Temple—Mary and Joseph’s church. We want to deliver the birds there as quickly as we can.

            Demonstrate as you explain.

            I’ll hand the stuffed animals to the last person in line. That person will hand them to the next friend in line and then will run to stand at the front of the line. The animals will get passed down the line, with each person running to stand at the front after handing them off. Your line will slowly move toward the Temple. Keep passing the stuffed animals like this until you make it all the way to the Temple.

Talk About It

            After the game, gather preschoolers.

            Tell children that we usually don’t give birds as a way to say thank you today.

            Ask: • How do you usually thank someone for giving you a special gift?

            Say: Joseph and Mary took birds to the Temple to thank God for the gift of their son, Jesus. Jesus is God’s gift to us, too. God gave us Jesus to show us love and to save us from the bad things we do.

            Ask: • What are ways we can thank God for the gift of Jesus?

            Say: There are so many ways we can thank God for the gift of Jesus. We can draw him a picture, sing him a worship song, or even talk to him when we pray. Let’s thank God right now.

            Say today’s point—Jesus is God’s gift—and lead kids in responding with “Thank you, God!” Repeat a few times, and encourage kids to shout louder with each response.

Gift Guessing  

            Set out the two boxes on the floor a few feet apart.

            Say: I wonder what’s in each of these boxes. The small box doesn’t look very exciting—it’s not even wrapped. I bet it won’t be anything fun. But look at this other gift. It’s huge and has all this beautiful wrapping. I bet this box has something wonderful inside. Let’s have fun guessing what’s in each box.

            Form two groups. You join one group and have a helper join the other.

            Assign a box to each group, and have kids come up with an idea of what they think is inside the box.

            Then have each group act out what they think is in their box while the other group guesses.

            Say: Okay, we’ve made our guesses. Now it’s time to see what’s inside.

            Have a few preschoolers help you open the large, wrapped box. Build excitement as they unwrap it, saying things like “How exciting!” and “I can’t wait to see what’s inside!”

            Pull out the old socks, and say: Ew! Gross! Old, dirty socks. That wasn’t what I was expecting at all.

            Open the small box, and let preschoolers see the candy inside.

            Hand out one piece to each child as you talk about how unexpected this surprise was.

Talk About It

            Say: Getting gifts is fun and sometimes surprising. Jesus is God’s gift. People thought God’s gift would be someone big and important who’d help them.

            Ask: • How was opening the small box like God sending Jesus as a baby?

            Say:  Even though the small box didn’t look very exciting, it had the best gift inside. Jesus looked like a regular little baby when God sent him. Some people didn’t expect that he’d be the special person they were waiting for from God. But Jesus is God’s gift—the best gift of all!

Practice

            Say: Today we heard how Anna, Simeon, and all of God’s people waited for God to send a special gift—Jesus. It must have been really hard to wait for God’s gift!

            Show the timer.

            Say: Let’s use this timer to practice waiting.

            Choose a funny pose, and have kids imitate you.

            Say: I’ll set the timer. Hold your pose until the timer goes off. Set the timer for 15 seconds. Let kids relax from the pose when the timer goes off.

            Say: Waiting for the timer to go off might’ve seemed like a long time. God’s people waited a very long time, but God sent Jesus at just the right time. Simeon and Anna praised God for Jesus! Anna was so excited that she told everyone Jesus is God’s gift. We can do that, too!

Wait and Praise

            Have kids crouch down.

            Say: I’ll set the timer again, and when it goes off, you’ll jump up and cheer to celebrate Jesus.

            Set the timer for 10 seconds. When it goes off, say, “Jesus is God’s gift!” and have kids jump up and repeat after you.

            Say: We can also thank God for Jesus. He’s the greatest gift of all!

            Repeat the crouching process; when the timer goes off, say, “Jesus is God’s gift!” and then have kids jump up and say, “Thank you, God!”

            Say: Simeon and Anna also told others about Jesus when he arrived. We can tell others about Jesus, too.

            Repeat the process. This time, after you say “Jesus is God’s gift!” have kids jump up and give hugs or high-fives to friends to symbolize telling others about Jesus.

            Say: Thanks for coming today! This week, remember that Jesus is God’s gift to us.

           Distribute a copy of the “Dig In @ Home” handout to kids as they leave, or email it to parents during the week.