Here is a 60-minute
classroom activity plan for teaching a catechism class about the advent of Jesus the Messiah. The
advent of Jesus was promised in the Old Testament and revealed in the New
Testament.
ADVENT OF JESUS THE MESSIAH
(60
minutes Classroom Activity Plan)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end
of this session, children should be able to:
- Understand
that Jesus is present throughout the whole Bible
- Know
that the advent of Jesus the Messiah was promised in the Old Testament and
revealed in the New Testament.
ACTIVITY:
1. Opening prayer and introduction: (5 minutes):
- Begin
with a short prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help the children learn and
understand God’s holy Word.
Opening prayer:
“Dear Jesus, thank You for loving us through all time. Help
us to see how You are in the stories of the Bible. Give us understanding of how
Your advent was promised in the Old Testament long ago. Help us to know how You
are working in our world today. Amen.”
2. Introduction & Whiteboard Activity: (10
minutes)
Objective:
Introduce the connection between the Old and New
Testaments regarding the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Materials:
- Bibles or printed handouts of
key passages
- Whiteboard/markers or chalkboard
- Timeline of Old and New Testament advent prophecies and events (poster or printout)
- “Old and New Testament advent figures”
flashcards or cut-outs
- Worksheet: “Old and New Testament advent exploration”
- Colouring or drawing supplies
(optional).
Activity Steps:
Stories of Old and
New Testaments regarding the advent of Jesus the Messiah: (10 minutes)
Mini-lecture
and visual aid:
- Use whiteboard or timeline
poster briefly to
explain the advent of Jesus
- Draw
two large columns marked Old
Testament and New Testament.
· Ask
the students: “What stories do you know from the Old Testament?” (Write answers such as King
David who had been a shepherd, Joseph who was sold as a slave and rose to
prominence in Egypt in the Old Testament, Joseph the husband of Mary in the New
Testament, Moses who parted the Red Sea, Mary who was asked by God to be the
Mother of Jesus, the Son of God, Noah who built the ark and saved his family
and the animals of the world)
· Ask the group: “What stories do you know from the
New Testament?” (Write
answers such as the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the miracles Lord Jesus
performed and names of the disciples of Jesus)
· Explain: “The Old Testament told us that Jesus would arrive.” The New Testament shows us that Jesus was
born in Bethlehem, as had been foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament
· Draw a simple bridge or cross between the
two columns, showing Jesus as the link between them.
3. Group Activity: Bible exploration: (10 minutes):
Objective: discover the Presence of Jesus in Old and New Testaments
Materials: Bibles or printed verses, paper,
pencils
Method: Allow students to work in pairs or small
groups
Pair of verses: Give each group a pair of verses to look up and discuss:
- Isaiah 7:14 → Matthew 1:22–23 (Jesus’ birth foretold and fulfilled)
- Micah 5:2 → Luke 2:4–7 (Jesus born in Bethlehem)
- Isaiah 53:5 → John 19:16–18 (Jesus’ suffering)
- Psalm 22:16–18 → John 19:23–24 (Details of the crucifixion)
Sharing: Each group shares briefly what they
found: proof that the Old Testament promised the advent of Jesus. Further, the
New Testament shows that the ancient promises were fulfilled.
4. Character match-up Game: (10 minutes):
Objective:
Connect Old
Testament figures to the way they pointed to the advent of Jesus.
Materials:
Printed
cards or paper slips with names and clues.
Instructions:
Create two
sets of cards:
- Set A: Old Testament characters: Adam, Noah, Moses, David, Jonah
and Isaiah
- Set B: How they point to Jesus:
·
“Saved
us from sin” (Adam → Jesus
is the New Adam)
·
“Saved
people through water” (Noah
→ Baptism)
·
“Led
people to freedom” (Moses →
Jesus leads us to salvation)
·
“A
shepherd king” (David →
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and King)
·
“Three
days in the fish” (Jonah →
Jesus’ resurrection after three days)
·
“Spoke
of the coming Messiah” (Isaiah
→ Jesus fulfilled prophecy).
- Make it fun: act it out, quiz style, or do a
quick “Who am I?” game.
5. Role Play: (10 minutes)
Objective: Help children understand how Jesus
fulfils Old Testament promises.
Instructions:
Choose children to act out short scenes:
- Prophet
Isaiah announcing the advent of a Saviour
- Angel
Gabriel explaining to Mary that God had asked her to give birth to Jesus
the Saviour
- John
the Baptist pointing to Jesus and saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
After each
role play, explain
how that shows God’s plan being fulfilled from the Old Testament to the New
Testament.
OR
6. Creative reflection: (10 minutes):
Option A (younger children): draw a story about the Nativity of Jesus from the New
Testament.
Option B (older children): write a short
reflection: “Why do you think God sent Jesus to earth as our Saviour?”
7. Closing prayer: (5 minutes):
Activity:
Gather the
children in a circle. They can close their eyes and clasp their hands together
in prayerful manner.
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, thank You for being with us from the beginning of time. Thank You
for keeping Your promises and showing us Your love. Help us to see You in all
the stories of the Bible and in our lives each day. Amen.”
HOMEWORK:
Ask each child to draw a picture showing a story from the Old
Testament that reminds them of Jesus (such as Moses parting the sea). Beneath
the picture, they can write one sentence: “This story reminds me of Jesus
because …”
Image designed by Chatgpt
