Fulfilling Prophecy (Luke 2:22-40) Activities and Lesson

This free Bible lesson is based on Luke 2:22-40 where Mary and Joseph take baby Jesus to the temple to dedicate Him to God. It is designed for children’s church or Sunday School. Please modify as best fits your ministry.
If your church follows the Revised Common Lectionary, this teaching plan would correspond to Year B – 1st Sunday after Christmas, Gospel Reading – Luke 2:22-40.

Activity #1

Fulfilling Prophecy – True or False
Supplies – index cards, writing utensil, tape
Prior to class, write ‘TRUE’ and ‘FALSE’ on 2 index cards each, and tape the sets on opposite walls.  Then write A-Z on 2 sets of index cards.  Divide the class into two teams, assigning each team a set of A-Z cards and a ‘TRUE’ / ‘FALSE’ wall.
After each statement is read aloud, instruct each team to stick the corresponding A-Z card under the correct heading.

• Adam and Eve met at school – FALSE
• Beavers can cut wood with their teeth – TRUE
• Christmas is all about gifts – FALSE
• Dogs can fly – FALSE
• Eggplant comes from a chicken – FALSE
• Frogs start out as tadpoles – TRUE
• Giraffes are just sharks on land – FALSE
• Hippos grow a horn on their head – FALSE
• Igloos are houses made of ice – TRUE
• John the Baptist ate locusts and honey – TRUE
• Kites need wind to fly – TRUE
• Lazarus was brought back from the dead by Jesus – TRUE
• Mary was engaged to marry Joseph – TRUE
• Nintendo was around in Bible times – FALSE
• October comes right after November – FALSE
• Paul’s name used to be Saul – TRUE
• Quail are a type of flower – FALSE
• Rats only eat marshmallows – FALSE
• Squirrels have fluffy tails – TRUE
• Trees need pigeons to fluff their branches – FALSE
• Utah is a Continent – FALSE
• Vegetables come from chickens – FALSE
• Wallabies are similar to kangaroos – TRUE
• X-rays show your thoughts – FALSE
• You are important to God – TRUE
• Zebras make great indoor pets – FALSE

Children’s Lesson – Fulfilling Prophecy

*If you have readers, look up and mark the following before class,so the kids can read straight from the Bible.*

• Isaiah 40:3-5 – John the Baptist
• Isaiah 7:14 – virgin birth
• Micah 5:2 – born in Bethlehem
• Malachi 3:1 – come to the temple

Some of those were really easy and some were a little difficult.  It can be hard to figure what is true and what isn’t.  But did you know there is someone and something that is ALWAYS TRUE?  God and His word are ALWAYS TRUE.  Sometimes God says true things while they are happening, but sometimes His true words are a promise of something that is going to happen one day.
Have you ever heard of a prophecy or a prophet?  We don’t really talk about those things much anymore, but back in Bible times there were MANY prophecies and prophets.
A prophecy is a message from God about something that is going to happen in the future, kind of like a promise.  And since it’s God making that promise, we know He isn’t going to be broken; God’s promises are ALWAYS TRUE.  After that prophecy, or promise, comes true, we say it was fulfilled.
And a prophet is someone who delivers those promises from God to the people.
If we look in the Bible we will find a WHOLE lot of prophecies, and most of those are about Jesus.  Did you know that Jesus actually fulfilled more than 300 prophecies?  300?!?  That’s a whole lot of promises!
What holiday did we just celebrate?  Christmas!  And what is Christmas really about?  It’s all about baby Jesus being born.
Even before baby Jesus was born, when He was still growing inside Mary’s belly, He had already fulfilled some of God’s prophecies.  Do you want to hear some?
(If you have readers, invite a child up to read each one)

A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” – Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV

Does that sound like someone you know?  It’s John the Baptist!  John was born just before Jesus so that he could prepare people for Jesus.  He told the people to repent from their sins, and he even baptized them.  And just so you know how cool this really is, the book of Isaiah was written around 700 years before John the Baptist and Jesus were born!
And remember, this is just one of over 300 prophecies Jesus fulfilled!  Let’s try another one.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. – Isaiah 7:14 NIV

This time there are actually three promises that came true.
1. A virgin will give birth – and Mary was a virgin.
2. The baby will be a boy – and Jesus is a boy.
3. They will call Him Immanuel – and Immanuel was one of the many names used for Jesus.  It means ‘God with us’ which is EXACTLY who Jesus is!
That verse was also from Isaiah, so these were also written around 700 years before Jesus was born.
Let’s look at another verse, this time from the book of Micah.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” – Micah 5:2 NIV

Micah was also written 700 years before Jesus was born, and he told us where Jesus was going to be born.  How amazing is that?!?
And the last prophecy we will learn about today was actually fulfilled after Jesus’s birth.

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. – Malachi 3:1 NIV

40 days after His birth, Jesus was brought to the temple to blessed and dedicated.  There Jesus was recognized by Simeon who knew all of the prophecies.  Simeon was so excited to see Jesus, and praised God for fulfilling His promises.
And remember, this is just 4 of over 300 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled.  Just 4 of over 300 promises God made and kept.
Do you know why God made those promises?  Or why He kept them all?  God loves us so much and He wants us to know it.  He wants to save us from our sins, and give us hope for our future here on earth and in heaven.
700 years is a long time to us, but not to God.  God always keeps His promises.

Activity #2

– Fulfilling Prophecy – Bible Verse Challenge
Supplies – Bibles
Verse – Luke 2:28-32
Pass out Bibles to students. Bibles should be closed and sitting on the table face up in front of each child. When you say go, have the kids look up this week’s Bible verse. As each child finds the verse, have them stick one finger on the verse and quietly raise their other hand. The first one to find the verse gets to read it to the rest of the class.
Help younger kids and new kids find the verse by following these steps.
Look in the Table of Contents for the book you are looking for. Make an effort to show them if it is found in the Old Testament or New Testament to help them in the future. Then open the Bible to the page number listed in the Table of Contents.
Show them the large numbers in the text, known as the chapters. Flip through pages until you find the large chapter number you are looking for.
Then scan through the text with them pointing out the smaller verse numbers until the correct number is found.

Activity #3

B – Fulfilling Prophecy – Jesus Fulfills God’s Promises Craft
Supplies – plain white paper plates, construction paper, scissors, glue, markers, stapler

• Give each child a half of a paper paper plate, a 1/4 piece of tan construction paper, a 1/2 piece piece of blue construction paper, scissors, glue, and markers
• Cut a large circle out of the tan paper, and use the markers to draw a face on it
• Round out the corners (and trim if needed) of the blue paper, then glue the face to one end
• On the back side of the paper plate, write ‘Jesus Fulfills God’s Promises’ in large print, and decorate if desired
• Glue baby Jesus to the the inside of the paper plate (with his head facing the rounded end
• Lift the corners of the paper plate and fold them over baby Jesus, stapling to hold it in place

Closing Prayer – Fulfilling Prophecy
Ask for a volunteer to pray for the class before leaving, and encourage them to thank God for sending His son to save us, just as He promised.
More Sunday School Lessons for Kids

1. “Nothing is Impossible” Lectionary Lesson from Luke 1:26-38
2. Sunday School Lesson: The Birth of John (Luke 1:57-80)
3. “Preparing for Jesus” Lectionary Lesson from Mark 1:1-8
4. “New Testament Prophecy” Review Worksheets
5. “The Least of These” Lectionary Lesson from Matthew 25:31-46