In this series, I’ve challenged us to make sure our classes are ready to celebrate our Lord’s birth. I hope the series reminds us to give Jesus our best. I am suggesting twelve gifts this Christmas. Since Part 1, I have asked how you would fill in that day’s verse of this variation of the song, Twelve Days of Christmas (for a YouTubeof the original song to inspire you, press the link). Here is what I have offered for the first five verses:
- On the first day of Christmas, my Sunday School class gave to Christ…Love of God, neighbors, and self.
- On the second day of Christmas, my Sunday School class gave to Christ…Start of a second class.
- On the third day of Christmas, my Sunday School class gave to Christ…Prayer for three prospects.
- On the fourth day of Christmas, my Sunday School class gave to Christ…Four ministry calls.
- On the fifth day of Christmas, my Sunday School class gave to Christ…Five quiet times.
Take a moment to consider how you would complete the fifth verse:
On the sixth day of Christmas, my Sunday School class gave to Christ…
How did you complete the fifth verse? Ask for your class’ response. Turn it into a request for class members’ commitment. Give your response to Christ and to each other. Make Christmas special by giving Jesus twelve birthday presents this year!
Here is how I would respond to today’s verse:
Six acts of kindness.
Let the world know that we are His! Live out His love. Live out the fruit of the Spirit–which includes love, gentleness, and kindness. Be kind when it is easy and when it is not. Be kind to strangers as well as to your boss, children, and spouse. If you have not seen the movie, Fireproof, I recommend you do so. It is a great movie emphasizing the importance of daily expressions of love and kindness.
In a previous blog post entitled Sunday School: Take the Love Dare, I wrote:
What if we were to give our youth and adults a Sunday School “love dare?” What if we put together a four-week devotional journal and emphasis that challenged them to (1) pray for by name, (2) contact and care for prospects, (3) have a meal with them, and (4) invite them to Sunday School. What if this was done with absentees? What if this was done with church members not enrolled in Sunday School?
What if we took the “love dare” and committed six random acts of kindness this week or even this month? What if we shared the stories of what happened when we got back together? What if we did so not to pat ourselves on the back but so we could be encouraged to keep it up? What if the world really did know we were Christians by our love?
Love God. Love your spouse. Love one another. Love and show kindness to friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors. Love your world. Invite them to Sunday School. Enroll them. Care for them.Do more than sing the words to today’s verse! Commit to it! Live it! Do it! Pray. Read. Listen. Apply. Share. Grow. Make disciples. Be revolutionary!
Leave a Reply