Blanket Name Game

How to Play

Divide players into 2 teams.

You will need 2 helpers to hold up a blanket between the 2 teams.

Each team picks 1 player to stand on either side of the blanket.
(The 2 players will be facing each other, with the blanket between them.)

On the count of 3, drop the blanket. The first player who correctly shouts the opponent’s name scores a point.

The team with the highest score after a specified number of rounds wins.

Bible Lesson – Angel Gabriel Appears to Mary

Discuss
1. Did you enjoy this game? Why or why not?
2. Did you have difficulty recalling your opponent’s name?
3. Have you ever bumped into someone who knew your name, but you had no idea who that person was? What did this person say to you? How did you feel? Tell us more.

Say
Today we are going to read about someone who encountered a very surprising visitor…

Read
Luke 1:26-28

Discuss
4. Who appeared to Mary?
5. How did the angel Gabriel greet Mary?

Read
Luke 1:29-30

Discuss
6. How did Mary feel when she was greeted by the angel Gabriel?
7. What assurance did angel Gabriel give to Mary?

Read
Luke 1:31-33

Discuss
8. According to the angel Gabriel, what was going to happen to Mary?

Read
Luke 1:34-37

Discuss
9. What did the angel say about Mary’s baby?

Say
Jesus was born of Mary, but He was a very special baby. He was the Son of God!

Continue with this section for a lesson with believers. Alternatively, if you are having a lesson with pre-believers, skip this section and go to the next section.

Read
Luke 1:38

Discuss
10. How did Mary respond to the angel’s message?
11. Do you think it was easy for Mary to respond to the angel in this way? Why or why not?
12. If you were Mary, how would you have felt?
13. How would you have responded to the angel’s message? Why?

Conclude
God may not speak to us in the same way that the angel spoke to Mary, but God still speaks to us through the Bible and through the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes, it is difficult to accept the things God reveals to us. Sometimes it is difficult to do the things God wants us to do.

But we should have the same attitude and faith as Mary. We, too, are the Lord’s servants. And we can have the same confidence that God can do the impossible, and that His will is good and perfect. 

Use this section for an evangelistic lesson with pre-believers. Alternatively, if you are having a lesson with believers, you may skip this section.

Read
John 3:16

Discuss
10. According to this verse, why did God send Jesus to be born on Earth?

Say
Every year during Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus!
The Bible tells us that God loves us so much that he wants to be with us forever and ever!
But we cannot be with God because we have all sinned.

Discuss
11. Do you know what “sin” means?

Say
Sins are things that we do that make God unhappy.

Discuss
12. Do you think you have sinned?
13. What are some of the things you have done that may have made God unhappy?

Say
We have all done things that are wrong. Telling lies, fighting and stealing are examples of sins.
God sent his Son, Jesus, to come to earth to die on the cross so that all of our sins can be forgiven.
And on the third day, Jesus became alive again!

Jesus is God’s perfect Christmas gift to us!

If you choose to accept the perfect Christmas gift of Jesus, you can be with God forever and ever.

Discuss
14. Have you already accepted the gift of Jesus?
15. Would you like to accept this gift?

You can accept Jesus by:
1. Admitting that you have sinned and asking God to forgive you,
2. Believing that Jesus died on the cross to be punished instead of you, and
3. Inviting Jesus into your life to help you turn away from sin.

You can talk to Jesus about this right now:

Dear Jesus, I know that I have sinned. I believe that you died on the cross to take the punishment for my sins. Please forgive all of my sins. Please come into my life and help me turn away from doing wrong. Thank you that because you took the punishment for my sins, I can have a relationship with you now and will one day be with you in heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Conclude

Once you choose to accept the perfect Christmas gift of Jesus, you can be with God forever and ever!