CHRISTMAS GAME: IMMANUEL “GOD IS WITH US”
Here’s a fun Christmas game that includes a Biblical lesson, based on Isaiah 7:14.
In this verse Jesus was referred to as “Immanuel”, which means ‘God is with us.’
At the center of the message of Christmas is a God of love who sent His Son to be with us because He wants to have a relationship with us.
Use this game to help drive home that point with your students.
– Nick Diliberto, Ministry to Youth
Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Check out the…
1 TIMOTHY 4:12 – New 4-week youth group series about how God uses teenagers and those who do not feel like they measure up to do amazing things!
CHRISTMAS GAME: IMMANUEL “GOD IS WITH US”
Bible: Isaiah 7:14 (NLT)
SUPPLIES
- Large candy canes for each player
- 3-4 plastic ornaments
- Masking tape
GAME PREP
The layout of this game will be similar to hockey.
You will need an ample amount of gameplay space for students to run around.
Use the masking tape to create a line on the floor at each end of your space.
Place a bucket on each line.
Divide students into two teams of equal size and have them face each other in the gameplay space.
Have each team choose a “goalie” that will stand on one of the masking tape lines.
There should be one person on each line.
Give each goalie a large candy cane to use throughout the game.
Then, give each player a candy cane to use as hockey sticks.
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
Say: This game will be very similar to playing a game of hockey, except our hockey sticks are candy canes and our hockey puck is an ornament.
Each team has been assigned an “end zone.”
The goal is to hit the ornament into the end zone of the opposing team.
Once an ornament crosses into the end zone, it will go into the bucket, and a new ornament will be placed in the center of the room.
To hit the ornament, everyone gets a candy cane.
You can only hit the ornament with the candy cane.
Once you hit it, you must pass it to someone else on your team.
When they hit the ornament, they will pass the candy cane again to someone else on your team.
We will play a few rounds of the game.
The team with the most ornaments in their bucket at the end of the game wins!
TEACH
Say: Candy canes are also known as peppermint sticks, Santa’s cane, or in the hard candy form as just, “peppermints.”
They are all referring to the same type of candy and taste exactly the same, but have different names.
We assign multiple names to people and things all the time.
Say: For example, tell me the names you call your grandma and grandpa.
Allow a few responses from students.
That was quite a variety of names!
Ask: What if I asked you to tell me the different names of Jesus?
Can you name a few?
Allow a few responses from students.
Read Isaiah 7:14.
All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign.
Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).
We know that Christmas is about so much more than presents, decorating Christmas trees, singing songs, and sending Christmas cards.
At the center of the message of Christmas is a God of love who wants to have a relationship with you.
The name “Immanuel” means, ‘God is with us.’
God sent His Son to us to be with us.
That has been God’s desire all along—to have a relationship with us.
We were created to have a relationship with God, but sin drove a wedge between God and us that we couldn’t fix on our own.
We can’t be good enough by performing good deeds or trying to be perfect
Thankfully, that’s not what God asks of us.
He knows we aren’t perfect, and it’s impossible to do enough good things to restore our relationship with God.
So, God sent Jesus, Immanuel, to be with us.
Jesus was the very first Christmas present.
Isn’t that cool?
Jesus provided the ultimate sacrifice to restore our relationship to God now and for all eternity.
Now, you may be asking yourself, “If His name was supposed to be Immanuel, then why do we call Him Jesus?”
In the Hebrew language, the word, “name,” could refer to a title as well as a proper name.
You call your parents, “Mom,” and, “Dad.”
That’s not their actual name, but whether you say, “Mom,” or whatever your mom’s name is, you are still addressing the same person.
“Jesus” was the proper name for the Messiah, but He has many other names.
The Bible also calls Him Wonderful, Counselor, Almi ghty God, Prince of Peace, and Immanuel.
This Christmas season, think about the relationship God wants to have with you.
He loved you so much that He sent His only son to be with us.
Now, you get to choose Him!
End lesson.
Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Check out the…
1 TIMOTHY 4:12 – New 4-week youth group series about how God uses teenagers and those who do not feel like they measure up to do amazing things!