Joyful Moments in Christ

The Humble Birth of the King

This Sunday School lesson is intended for upper elementary students. All lessons on this website are protected by copyright, but you can use them for free in small groups or Sunday School classes. You may share a link to this page, but please do not copy these pages and put them on other websites.

The Big Idea

Jesus, the Son of God, was born in humble circumstances to fulfill God’s promises and bring salvation to the world.

Lesson Objectives

1. Understand that Jesus’ birth was the fulfillment of God’s promises in Scripture.
2. Recognize that Jesus was born in humble surroundings, showing God’s love for all people.
3. Learn that God works through ordinary people and places to accomplish his sovereign plan.
4. Reflect on how Christ’s birth invites us to trust God’s care and show kindness to others.

Class Setting Notes

1. Recommended for upper elementary Sunday School.
2. Lesson length: 45–60 minutes. Can be shortened or extended based on activities selected.

Opening Activity

“Journey to Bethlehem” Map Activity

• Show students a simple map of ancient Israel with Nazareth and Bethlehem marked.
• Briefly explain the distance Joseph and Mary had to travel (approximately 70–90 miles).
• Ask: What do you think that journey would have been like without cars, especially for a pregnant woman?
• Optional: Have students trace the route with their fingers or draw the path.

This activity helps introduce the physical and emotional hardship of Mary and Joseph’s journey, highlighting God’s provision through humble circumstances.

Bible Reading

Ask the class to read Luke 2:1-7 aloud together or have one person read it. You may want to read it slowly more than once.

• Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 2:1-7 (ERV)
• Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 2:1-7 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 2:1-7 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 2:1-7 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 2:1-7 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 2:1-7 (ESV)

Additional Reading: Choosing the Right Bible Translation: A Comparison of 7 Versions

Suggested prompts:

As the class reads aloud, consider asking some of these prompts:

1. What details stand out to you about where and how Jesus was born?
2. Why do you think Luke includes information about the census and the Roman Empire?
3. How does this story fulfill God’s promises in the Old Testament?
4. What does Jesus’ birth in a manger tell us about the kind of Savior he is?

Teacher Background Notes

1. The Roman census required citizens to return to their ancestral homes, placing Joseph in Bethlehem as prophesied in Micah 5:2.
2. Joseph and Mary were engaged but not yet formally married, and Mary was already pregnant by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), which likely added social pressure and difficulty to their journey.
3. Bethlehem, the “City of David,” was significant because the Messiah was promised to come from David’s line.
4. The manger, a feeding trough for animals, signifies Jesus’ lowly entrance into the world, a stark contrast to earthly kings born in palaces.
5. Though the passage is brief, it reflects the fulfillment of centuries of longing and prophecy.

Theological Insights

1. God sovereignly orchestrates time to fulfill his promises.
2. Jesus, though eternally God, humbled himself by being born into poverty (Philippians 2:6–7).
3. The simplicity of Christ’s birth reveals God’s heart for the lowly and forgotten.
4. Jesus is the promised Savior, fully God and fully man, who came to redeem his people.
5. God’s salvation comes not through worldly power but through humble obedience and grace.

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

1. Why did Mary and Joseph have to travel to Bethlehem?
2. What happened while they were in Bethlehem?
3. Why did Mary place Jesus in a manger?
4. What do we learn about Jesus from the way he was born?
5. How does this passage show us that Jesus is the promised Messiah?

Personal Reflection and Application

1. How might Mary and Joseph have felt when they could not find a place to stay?
2. What does Jesus’ humble birth teach us about how God views people?
3. Can you think of a time when something important happened in an unexpected or simple way?
4. How can we make room in our lives and hearts for Jesus today?
5. What are some ways we can show care for people who are in need, like Mary and Joseph were?

Suggested Activities

Manger Craft

• Provide small boxes, strips of paper for straw, and cut-out baby figures for students to assemble a simple manger scene.
• As they create, discuss how Jesus came into the world in a humble way and why that matters.

This activity helps children visualize the setting of Jesus’ birth and reflect on his humility.

Role Play: The Journey to Bethlehem

• Assign simple roles: Mary, Joseph, innkeeper, townspeople.
• Have students act out the journey and the moment they arrive at the crowded town.
• Encourage them to imagine and express how they might have felt.

This activity helps students engage emotionally with the story and understand the real challenges Mary and Joseph faced.

Kindness Cards for Guests or Neighbors

• Invite students to make “Welcome” or “You Are Loved” cards for visitors, church members, or a local shelter.
• Include a short Bible verse such as Luke 2:11 or John 3:16.

This activity encourages practical compassion and hospitality, reflecting the lesson’s message.

Memory Verse

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7 (ESV)

Closing Prayer

Father,

Thank you for sending your Son into the world in such a humble and loving way. Help us remember that your promises never fail, and that your grace is for all people. Teach us to welcome Jesus into our hearts and show kindness to others, just as you have shown kindness to us.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The ESL Version

I also create materials for adult English Language Learners (ELLs) and ESL students. You can find my ELL Bible Study on Luke 2:1-7 here:

ELL Bible Study: Luke 2:1-7 — The Birth of Jesus

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English Standard Version (ESV): Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.