Here is a Sunday School lesson I wrote for my 1st graders at the Grove City Vineyard. Much of it is adapted from the Gospel Light Primetime, Winter A book.

The Best Promise
Thesis: God is with me wherever I go!
Memory Verse: Matthew 1:23
Story Verse: Isaiah 7:14; 9:2-7; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:5-56
Audience: 1st Grade
Total Estimated Time: 47-50 minutes

Craft - Where do you go? (10 minutes)
Materials: Butcher paper, markers.
Prep: Draw some roads.
Activity: Where are some places that you go? Draw pictures of places and scenery.
Segue: Today we’re talking about how God is with us wherever we go.

Prayer - Jesus, teach us about you in your Word today. Amen. (30 seconds)

Bible Story - Immanuel means “God is with Us” (9 minutes)
A. Isaiah prophesies
1. Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, there was a man named Isaiah.
2. Isaiah was a prophet. Do you know what a prophet is?
3. A prophet is a man of God who told God’s people special messages from God.
4. Isaiah said to God’s people, “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’).”
5. God was making a promise to His people that day. Have you ever made a promise before? God was promising that one day He would send His son to us and that he would be called Immanuel!
6. Immanuel is a special name and I would like your help with this word. Every time I use this word, we’re going to say “God is with us” together! Let’s practice. “She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘GOD IS WITH US’).” Great!

B. Angel visits Mary.
1. Hundreds of years passed and God decided it was time to fulfill His promise.
2. He sent an angel to Mary and the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! You will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of God.”
3. God was fulfilling the promise he made to His people through Isaiah when he said, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, (which means ‘GOD IS WITH US.’)”

C. Angel visits Joseph in a dream.
1. When Joseph found out Mary was pregnant, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, the child within Mary was conceived by power of the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
2. All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through the prophet Isaiah when he said, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, (which means ‘GOD IS WITH US.’)”

D. Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth and sings a song.
1. Shortly after Mary became pregnant, she visited her cousin Elizabeth who was also pregnant with a special child.
2. Mary was so happy about God using her to fulfill His promise that she sang a song!
3. The song went like this, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”
4. What promise do you think Mary was singing about? It was the promise God gave through the prophet Isaiah when he said, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, (which means ‘GOD IS WITH US.’)”
5. Why do you suppose Mary sang a song? Songs are a way we can show God how much we love Him. Today we’re going to sing a song called “Jesus is my Friend”

Song - Jesus is my Friend (5 minutes) (Fruit of the Spirit DVD, Vineyard Music)
Jesus is my friend, is He Your friend too (x4)
In a crazy mixed up world, I will have no fear
In a crazy mixed up world, My savior is always near.

Jesus is my Lord, is He Your Lord too (x4)
In a crazy mixed up world, I will have no fear
In a crazy mixed up world, My Savior is always near.
In a crazy mixed up world, I will have no fear
In a crazy mixed up world, My Savior is always near.

Jesus is my friend, is He Your friend too (x4)

Prayer - Jesus, thank you for being with us wherever we go. Amen. (30 seconds)

Craft - God is with me. (15 minutes)
Materials: Construction paper, markers, tape/glue stick.
Prep: Cut construction paper to make doors.
Activity: In the door, kids draw a place where God is with them. Help them attach the door to the construction paper. They write “God is with me” at the top of the paper and they write their name at the bottom.

Memory Verse Game (7 minutes)
Materials: 10 flash cards, Markers.
Prep: Write each word of the memory verse to flash cards.
Matthew 1:23 - They will call him Immanuel - which means, “God with Us”
Activity: Break the kids into groups of 3. Mix up the cards and have each group put the words in the right order. When they order the verse ask them:
1. Why is it important to know that God is with you?
2. When are some times to it is important to remember that God is with you?