Single lesson
The Birth of Jesus: Welcoming the Good News
Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 2:1–20
This lesson helps children trace how Jesus’ birth was announced and how the shepherds responded. They will notice the good news, the sign the angel gave, and the way people reacted when they heard about Jesus.
Before you teach
Matthew says an angel told Joseph not to fear, explained that Mary’s child was from the Holy Spirit, and told him to name the child Jesus. Luke tells of the journey to Bethlehem, Jesus’ birth, the angel’s message to shepherds, and the shepherds’ eager response.
Students will be able to describe the angel’s announcement about Jesus and name at least two ways the shepherds responded.
Welcome: Hear the good news
5 minAsk children to listen for two things in today’s Bible reading: what the angel says about Jesus, and what the shepherds do next. Explain that this lesson focuses on the announcement of Jesus’ birth and the joyful response of people who heard it.
Matthew 1:21, Luke 2:10, Luke 2:17
Read and explain: Joseph, Bethlehem, and the baby
8 minRead selected verses aloud. Explain that Joseph was told not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, and that the child was to be named Jesus. Then trace Luke’s account: Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, and Mary gave birth and laid Jesus in a feeding trough because there was no room for them in the inn.
Matthew 1:20, Matthew 1:21, Matthew 1:24, Matthew 1:25, Luke 2:4, Luke 2:5, Luke 2:6, Luke 2:7
Discuss: What did the angel announce?
6 minTalk through the angel’s words to the shepherds. The message is called good news of great joy for all the people. The baby is identified as a Saviour, Christ the Lord, born in David’s city. The shepherds are given a sign so they can recognise the child: a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding trough.
Luke 2:10, Luke 2:11, Luke 2:12
Make and respond: Feeding trough scene
8 minChildren make a simple scene from the passage and then retell the shepherds’ response using the model. Emphasise three responses from the text: they went quickly, they told others what had been said, and they glorified and praised God for what they had heard and seen.
Luke 2:15, Luke 2:16, Luke 2:17, Luke 2:20
Closing: Kept, pondered, and praised
3 minReview the different responses in the passage. Some people wondered at the shepherds’ report. Mary kept these sayings and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God. Invite children to say one thing they learned about Jesus from the announcement.
Luke 2:18, Luke 2:19, Luke 2:20, Matthew 1:23
Questions to explore
What name was Joseph told to give the child, and what reason was given for that name?
Look at the angel’s words to Joseph and repeat the explanation given in the verse itself.
Matthew 1:21
What sign did the angel give the shepherds so they would know they had found the right baby?
Answer using the exact details the angel gave about the baby’s wrapping and where he would be lying.
Luke 2:12
After the shepherds found the baby, what three things did they do?
Follow the order in Luke: they saw the child, spoke about the message, and returned praising God.
Luke 2:16, Luke 2:17, Luke 2:20
Make, think or respond
Make a Feeding Trough Scene and Tell the News
What you’ll need
- paper
- pencils or crayons
- scissors
- glue
- small scraps of coloured paper
Try it together
- Draw a feeding trough, Mary, Joseph, the baby, and one or two shepherds on paper.
- Cut out the figures or fold the paper to make a stand-up scene.
- Place the baby in the feeding trough and add the shepherds arriving.
- Ask children to point to the scene as they retell what the angel announced and what the shepherds did.
This activity helps children picture the sign given to the shepherds and practise telling the good news they heard in the passage.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-draw simple shapes and let them colour while you retell the verses in short sentences.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to label parts of the scene with words from the text such as 'Jesus', 'Saviour', 'good news', or 'praise'.
An optional closing prayer
Suggested prayer: 'God, thank you for the good news about Jesus. Please help us listen carefully, respond with joy, and speak truthfully about what we learn from your word.'
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Matthew 1
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
Luke 2
1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.
7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
Source passages
Something to make together
These activities connect with the passage. Choose one that suits your group and the time you have.
