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Inspiration, Teaching Illustrations

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

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Robert May worked in the advertising department of Montgomery Ward, the 2nd largest department store chain in America at the time.

In 1939, he was asked to create a children’s book for Christmas about an animal to give as a gift to their customers. But the year proved difficult, as May’s wife died from cancer. The future was bleak as he was forced to raise his young daughter alone. On September 1st, 1939 World War II broke out, bringing an uncertain future, and dark times for the whole world.

As Robert sat down to write, he was inspired by his daughter’s love for a deer at the local zoo. He created Rudolph, a shiny-nosed reindeer as a symbol for himself and his young daughter that happier times were coming.

When the story was released for Christmas, It was an instant hit. 2.4 million copies of the children’s book were given as gifts. They would have given away even more if there hadn’t been wartime restrictions on the use of paper.

The story of Rudolph the red-nosed reeindeer was made into a song, and then into a movie as well. The movie has been broadcast every year since 1964, making it the longest-running Christmas TV special in the history of television.

It is perhaps a fitting story for 2020, as the world struggles with Covid-19.

A terrible storm threatened to cancel Christmas. Rudolph, a young reindeer with a bright red nose, felt left out, alone, isolated. But in the midst of the gloom, Rudolph found his purpose and shined brightly in the darkness. And in doing so, he made a joyful Christmas possible for everyone.

If you are feeling alone, isolated.
If the future seems bleak.
Remember the story of Rudolph.

God created you with a purpose.
Embrace your special God-given talents.
You too can shine the light of His love this Christmas
And bring a little joy to the whole World.

As you remind everyone that they are not alone.
A bright future lies ahead
The “Light of the World” came
That all might have hope and future
In the accepting embrace of God’s Love.

Game Ideas

Christmas: An Unexpected Gift

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We are attracted by extravagantly wrapped gifts with red bows and colorful paper. In this game, participants will try to guess the objects that have been wrapped up as Christmas gifts. But the gifts are probably not what they will expect – they are simply things that are very ordinary. The gift of the first Christmas was not wrapped the way the world expected either. The Jews wanted a mighty warrior with a sword in one hand and King’s crown in the other. But instead, God sent an innocent, defenceless, vulnerable baby – just a seemingly ordinary baby boy.

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What You Need

  • Wrap up several Christmas gifts that are ordinary objects. Some ideas are toilet paper roll, box of tissue, toothpaste, a pencil, a comb, a bar of soap, an ordinary drinking glass, an ice cube tray, a battery, a can of food, etc.)

Preparation

  1. Get the gifts and wrap them up nicely. Wrap them well, maybe in more than one layer of paper so that they are not easily opened and so that the youth cannot easily take a peak.
  2. Place a tag with a number on each gift.

What to Do

  1. Give everyone a piece of paper and pass the gifts around.
  2. Have them write down what they thing each gift is according the numbers on each one.
  3. The youth who correctly guesses the most objects is the winner.
  4. You might choose to award the gifts to the winner.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Unfortunately, because of the world’s expectations, the gift of God was unnoticed by most! There was no special welcome, no special preparations, no grand entrance and in fact there wasn’t even room for him in the inn nor a real bed to sleep in.

This is still true today. We welcome the excitement, the expectation of wonderful gifts, the idea of Christmas cheer and celebrations, but most people are unwilling to welcome the Christ Child into their hearts. He’s not really what most people are looking for during the Christmas season.

The people God first told about the birth were shepherds. In general, the shepherds were the poor, the jobless, the powerless, the less educated, the uncultured, maybe even the outcasts. Often when we buy gifts for others, we reserve the best gifts for the special people, the ones who will surely give us something in return, the ones who are our favorites. But the gift of Jesus was first announced to the shepherds, those without titles, those who could return little.

God had given the world a gift it didn’t think it wanted or needed, and certainly not as expected, and he presented the gift to a group of people who weren’t the powerful, the rulers, or those most looked up to. It was a seemingly ordinary gift, in an ordinary wrapper, given to ordinary people.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

The Shepherds
Read Luke 2:1-20

  • Why do you think the angels appeared to the shepherds and not someone else?
  • Could the shepherds have chosen to accept or decline the angels invitation? What did they choose to do?
  • How long do you think it took them to decide?
  • Why do you think it was important to them to see the Baby Jesus first hand?
  • Why did the shepherds drop everything to go find out about some baby? Why were they so excited?
  • What does this baby mean to them?
  • What does this baby mean to us?
  • Why was the birth of Christ Good News?
  • What are some lessons, truths, attitudes, and responses can we learn from the shepherds?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Do you still find a sense of wonder when you consider God’s gift to the world, or has it lost its luster?
  • What are you hoping for this Christmas?
  • How can you have a deeper first hand experience with Christ this Christmas?
  • What can you do to help others see the true gift of Christmas this year?

SCRIPTURES

  • Luke 2:1-20

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