Description
Throughout the Bible God gave more than 300 prophecies that foretold the coming of Christ and what he would do. Looking back now, it’s easy to tell how to connect all the references together to get a picture of the birth of Christ. Use this connect-the-dots object lesson as a discussion starter to discuss some of the primary prophecies related to the birth of Christ being fulfilled.

Materials

• Find a connect-the-dots image with a Christmas Theme. You can find easily by searching Google. Click here to Find One.
• You can print a copy for each youth or simply show it on a powerpoint slide or OHP transparency if you still use those. This way everyone can see what happens as you begin to connect the dots.

Activity

• Show the Christmas connect-the-dots puzzle to the youth.
• Ask the youth if they believe that once all the dots are connected if they believe a Christmas picture will appear?
• If all the dots are connected what do you believe will appear?

Applications

Doing a connect-the-dots puzzle is a little like what happened with the birth of Christ.

As you’re explaining, start connecting the dots of the puzzle.

• You begin by believing that something special will appear. You might have a general idea what will appear, but you don’t really know all the details until everything is completed. You believe that there is a designer to everything on the page and if you just connect the series of clues you will be rewarded.In many ways, this is similar to what happened in Israel before the birth of Christ. God had given over 300 prophecies of a series of events that would mark the appearance of the Messiah. Even thought the Messiah had not yet appeared, there were many who believed that God would reveal what he promised. People had connected some of the events like the magi, but everything was not yet clear.
• If you don’t connect the dots correctly, or if you decide to stop connecting them, you’ll never see the full picture the artist has designed. There were some people, that even when the Messiah appeared, missed him. Some were connecting the dots in expectation that the Messiah would be a literal worldly king and Jesus did not fit the figure they expected.

The same thing happens to many people today

• Many people miss the Birth of Christ at Christmas because they make the wrong connections. Christmas is not about Santa Claus, shopping malls, and wonderful food. These things are nice, but the true reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of a Saviour.
• Many people believe that there is a greater power, a design to the universe – that there is a purpose to the things that happen. Blaise Pascal said that inside everyone of us there is a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill. But they don’t know how to connect the dots. They need someone who knows the true picture to help them see the real picture. As Christians we have a responsibility to help others see Jesus in the Christmas Story.

Discussion

1. Why can you trust that God has a picture perfect plan even if you can’t se it yet?
2. What happens to the picture when someone makes the wrong connections in life?
3. What things distract people in life and cause them to doubt God’s design? Seemingly missing numbers? Vague dots? Big gaps?
4. What is the next dot in your life? What connection do you think God has planned next for you? How is the Christmas Story important to you? How can you help others connect the dots this Christmas so that they can see God and connect to Him as Savior?

Here are some of the dots of the puzzle and how they connected together in the birth of Christ.

• Born of The Seed of The Woman – Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:4
• Born of A Virgin – Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18,24,25
• Son of God – Psalm 2:7, Matthew 3:17
• Seed of Abraham – Genesis 22:18, Matthew 1:1
• Son of Isaac – Genesis 21:12, Luke 3:23,34
• Son of Jacob – Numbers 24:17, Luke 3:23,34
• Tribe of Judah – Genesis 49:10, Luke 3:23,33
• Family of Jesse – Isaiah 11:1, Luke 3:23,33
• House of David – Jeremiah 23:5, Luke 3:23,31
• Born In Bethlehem – Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1
• The Star – Numbers 24:17, Matthew 2: 2b
• Presented With Gifts – Psalm 72:10, Matthew 2:1,11
• Worshipped – Isaiah 60:3, Matthew 2:11
• Children Killed – Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:16
• Travel to Egypt – Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14-15
• His Pre-Existence – Isaiah 9:6,7, Colossians 1:17
• Called Lord – Psalm 110:1, Luke 2:11
• Shall Be Immanuel (God With Us) – Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

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