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November 25, 2018 God Prepares the Way

Judges—Luke 1:25 (Mini Big God Story from Judges to Jesus)

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.

Luke 1:68

DATE PONDER POINT

THE BIG GOD STORY REMEMBER VERSE

Welcome and Worship (15 minutes)

Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and engage kids in worship through singing and communion.

The Big God Story (18 minutes)

Creates space for children to hear God’s word and prepare respond to the Holy Spirit in small groups

Small Groups (20 minutes)

Kids will build relationships with each other and their leaders, and respond to what they learned in the Big God Story as well as how to apply it to their lives

Bless & Dismiss (4 minutes)

Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

• The large group room will be divided into three sections. Please help kids find which section they should sit in according to their grade: 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th & 5th-6th.

• Toward the end of small group time, A/V Tech will play the 2 minute warning sound followed by a song. During or immediately following the song please regroup in the large group meeting space (not before).

• 5th & 6th graders can go directly to Snack Shack after small group time, rather than regrouping in the large group space.

Host Administrative To Do’s: • Make sure no group is too large • Make sure each group has enough supplies • Close curtains and divider wall for small groups

at 9:00 and 10:15 (and re-open after 9:00) • Cue the tech when to play the 2 minute warning

with song. • Call names for dismissal after blessing

SCHEDULE Large Group

Small Group

2 Min Warn.

Regroup/Dismiss 5th-6th

1st Service (9:00) 9:00 9:33 9:53 10:00

2nd Service (10:15) 10:15 10:48 11:08 11:15

3rd Service (11:30) 11:30 12:03 12:23 12:30

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GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting

them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear.

WELCOME (Host):

Stage Lights On VIDEO LOOPS: Welcome Loop, 5 Min Countdown, Welcome Image

We are so glad you are here today. Welcome the kids in your own words then say the following

to the kids: Let’s all stand and hear God’s word and sing our praise to Him…

OPENING WORSHIP SONG (Worship Leader):

Turn out main overhead lights REMEMBER VERSE VIDEO

WORSHIP VIDEO 1: Joy to the World

WORSHIP VIDEO 2: Oh What a Glorious Night

(Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down)

SMALL GROUP CONNECT IMAGE

CONNECT QUESTIONS (Host): 4 MINUTE COUNTDOWN VIDEO

• What is your favorite thing about Thanksgiving?

• What was the best thing you ate on Thanksgiving?

• What are you most thankful for right now?

TIMELINE VIDEO

(Storyteller)

The Big God Story: Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bi-

ble. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Sto-

ry. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the

Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day’s portion of The Big God Story.

The Prayer of Release: This allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet

their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms

up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy

Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and

pray with you.

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The Big God Story:

Big God Story Images

Storyteller Script

What is The Big God Story? Invite answers. That’s right! The Big God Story is the story of God’s

love for the people He created and His relationship with them. It tells us about Adam and Eve,

Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and many other people. Though God was with all of

these people, His story isn’t about them. Who is it about? Encourage the kids to answer. That’s

right, God! The Big God Story is all about God and how He sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Re-

deemer who saves His people from their sins. You see, it’s as if God laid out a huge red carpet

for Jesus—preparing the way for Him. Before we begin, let’s pray and ask God to teach us. Lead

children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds.

God gave His chosen people, the Israelites, their own land, the Promised Land. That’s where today’s part of The Big God Story takes place, in a beautiful land full of good food to eat, includ-ing grapes, pomegranates, God gave the Israelites all they could ever need in their new home. But after the Israelites lived in the Promised Land for a while, they forgot God’s first command—to worship only Him (Exodus 20:3–4). They started to worship the false gods of the people living in the nations around them. This made God sad and angry, so He allowed those other nations to conquer them. By doing this, God gave His people the opportunity to repent, or turn away, from their sins.

When God’s people did repent, God raised up judges to deliver them from their enemies. Under each judge the Israelites experienced a period of joy and peace. But after each judge died, the Israelites would again turn away from God and rebel. This happened over and over again. Tech: Cue RRR Cycle image. Lead children in hand motions.

After years and years of repeating this cycle, the Israelites looked at the nations around them and decided they wanted something they all had: a king. Although God was the Israelites’ true King, they wanted a human king. So they began to beg and beg and beg (get down on your knees like you’re begging): “God! Give us a king!” The first king was Saul, and after him came King Da-vid. God gave David a very special promise, called a covenant, that God’s Son, Jesus, would one day be born from his family line. He promised David that Jesus would reign forever. By do-ing this, God was preparing His people’s hearts to receive Jesus.

Though some of the kings were good, most of them were evil. Most of them led God’s people, the Israelites, to sin and turn away from Him. And because the Israelites continued to disobey God, He allowed them to be conquered and taken into captivity (which means they were captured by foreign countries). This scattered the Israelites around the world, making them less united. Plus, in captivity, they were no longer free to worship the one true God.

But God was still with them. Although the Israelites were in a very scary place because of their disobedience, God hadn’t abandoned them. In fact, He sent them many prophets—messengers

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of God—to remind them that He was their God and that one day He would send the Redeemer who would restore the world back to the way it was in the beginning. He would do away with captivity, with war, with pain, and with suffering. But suddenly, God did something unexpected. He did something no Israelite thought would happen … He was silent. And God remained silent, but still always present, for 400 years. The Bible doesn’t record any accounts of judges, kings, or prophets. It doesn’t record any angels or miracles. God stayed quiet for a very, very, long time.

This was probably a very hard time for the Israelites. They probably didn’t understand what had happened or what God was doing. Have you ever had to wait a really long time for something? Share a personal story of a time you had to wait for something. It’s really hard! But, all the while, God was still preparing the way for them to receive His Son. He was just waiting for the right moment.

After 400 years of silence, the right moment came, and God prepared the people to receive His Son, the Redeemer. First, He needed to let His people know what He was going to do. He would equip another messenger to prepare the way. So, God spoke again, but this time through an an-gel who spoke to a priest named Zechariah.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 1. Pause and help children find the passage. Zechariah was a very old man, and his wife was very old too. They’d never had any children. Let’s read how God used Zechariah and Elizabeth to prepare the way for Jesus to come. Read Luke 1:8–14 as the group follows along.

8 Zechariah was serving as a priest before God for his group. It was his group’s time to

serve. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he was chosen to go into the Temple of the

Lord and burn incense. 10

There were a great many people outside praying at the time the incense was offered.

11 Then, on the right side of the incense table, an angel of the Lord

came and stood before Zechariah. 12

When he saw the angel, Zechariah was confused and frightened.

13 But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. Your prayer has been

heard by God. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son. You will name him John. 14

You will be very happy. Many people will be happy because of his birth.

What great news! But Zechariah didn’t believe it. How could he and his wife have a baby? They were way too old! But the angel insisted that Zechariah’s wife would soon give birth, and not just to any baby—but to a very special boy named John. John would be a great prophet—the first prophet in more than 400 years!

The angel said John would tell everyone that the Redeemer was coming. Zechariah’s son would prepare the way! Zechariah didn’t believe, so he asked for proof. Let’s read what the an-gel said. Read Luke 1:19–20 aloud.

19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand before God. God sent me to talk to you and to tell you

this good news. 20

Now, listen! You will not be able to talk until the day these things happen. You will lose your speech because you did not believe what I told you. But these things will really happen.

Zechariah’s wife became pregnant and gave birth to John—the one who would prepare the way for God’s promised Messiah.

God loved His people so much that He prepared the way for them to meet His Son, Jesus. Along the way, God revealed to many people throughout The Big God Story that He would send Jesus. God still prepares the way for us to receive His Son! God shows His love to us by leading our hearts down a path toward Him. Share how God prepared you to be in relationship with His Son. Let’s respond today to this amazing gift of God’s Son. Let’s praise God that we don’t have to wait any longer to be in relationship with Him because He’s here with us right now. How amaz-ing that God loved His people enough to prepare the way to bring His Son, Jesus, to earth—and that we can know Him!

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Tell the kids we are going to close the Big God Story by worshipping him. Ask the kids to wait until they are asked to come forward to take communion.

WORSHIP VIDEO 3: O Come All Ye Faithful

After a time of worshipping have kids come and take communion if they have been baptized, and bring their offering.

Fade out song slowly at Worship Leader’s prompting.

(As the song comes to a close Worship Leader tells groups to head to their small group space. Say something like, “Let’s continue responding to what God is teaching us as we dismiss to our small groups. Please follow your small group leader at this time.”)

IMAGE: It’s time for small groups

Turn main overhead lights on

Dismiss for small groups—refer to map for small group locations

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the end of small groups...

Tech cue: 2 minute warning with exit song, using ceiling speakers, at the host’s prompting

Turn speakers back to wall speakers for blessing, closing song and dismissal.

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GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard

in the Big God Story.

Do You Believe It?

SUPPLIES Leaflet (one per child) Pens or pencils RELATE ASK: • What surprised you the most about the events that were a part of the birth of

John? Accept kids' responses. • If you had been in Zechariah's situation, what do you think you would have said to the an-

gel? • Why was Zechariah punished? (didn't believe the angel's message) • Was Zechariah's unusual punishment fair? Defend your answer. SAY: Zechariah the priest had served God for many years. He had studied God's Word. Yet when Zechariah had the opportunity to believe God and the message the angel gave him, Zechariah didn't do it. He doubted God. And he suffered the consequence. But God kept His promise to Zechariah and his wife and blessed them with a son. And they named him John just as the angel told them to do. And what a son he would be! John had a unique role in God's story and in God's sending salvation. Through it all, Zechariah discovered that he could believe what God says. Have kids turn in their leaflets to the Do You Believe It? activity. Ask for volunteers to read one of the three Bible verses in the orange banner. Ask kids to tell what God can't do. (He can't lie.) Then ask for five volunteers to look up one of the five Scriptures. SAY: God says, I sent my Son to save the world. Ask the student or group who has John 3:16, 17 to read it aloud.

ASK: Did God send His Son? (yes) Do you believe it? Accept kids' responses.

Ask students to circle either yes or no. Do the same for the rest of the Scriptures. SAY: When God says He will do something, He does it. As Zechariah found out—you can always believe what God says

BLESSINGS Close your small group time reading a final scripture and blessing your kids using the Blessing Card from your supply bin in your cart.

https://biblia.com/bible/niv/John%203.16https://biblia.com/bible/niv/John%203.17

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GOAL: Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

CLOSING REMARKS/ANNOUNCEMENTS (Host):

Wall Speakers On

TRANSITION ACTIVITIES (HOST):

The videos listed below are 12-13 minutes long. Please play as listed below and feel free to stop the video whenever it’s time to start the next service.

After 9:00 service play - Transition Compilation 1

After 10:15 service play - Transition Compilation 2

DISMISSAL (STORYTELLER):

Call names of kids as parent come to pick up and welcome kids who are being dropped off. En-

courage parents to enter the room and encourage kids and parents to exit out the middle door

(103)

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For about a year, I woke up nauseated every few mornings because of a recurring plane crash dream. I wasn’t able to

sleep for weeks prior to a scheduled flight. But my fears weren’t about flying, really. They wereabout deeper questions

concerning natural evil versus moral evil and why God allows bad things to happen.

Because God is loving and good, He gently massaged my questions and fears away. He smoothed them, one by

one, until they were as faint as an erased pencil mark. Over time, He made me feel freer and more at peace with these

questions so I could fly, even in the smallest plane, and feel relatively calm. Well, at least I thought I felt calm. The man

next to me during a flight obviously noticed that I was still a bit uneasy.

“What’s worse—the takeoff or the landing?” he asked.

“Both,” I joked.

He laughed and introduced himself. I don’t remember his name, but I remember his job: He was one of the few peo-

ple in the world hired to train commercial pilots in how to handle emergency situations. Though he reassured me that,

yes, planes were much safer than I thought, his words weren’t really what soothed me. What comforted me was the

fact that I knew God had placed this man next to me to be an agent of peace.

Little did I know I would soon be moving 500 miles away and flying to work, twice a month, for almost a year.

Through this encounter, God was preparing the way for me to feel safe on the planes that would be shuttling me back

and forth soon. I praise God for working so uniquely with my heart, soothing my fears, and placing people in my path to

prepare the way for my future.

Tori Funkhouser

Tru Team

The Israelites must have been wondering what God was doing when 400 years passed between the closing of the Old

Testament and the opening of the New Testament. During that time, God sent no formal word or declaration through a

prophet, priest, judge, or king. There are no biblically recorded miracles, signs, or wonders. Though His presence did

not leave His people, He did not speak. For 400 years the Israelites heard nothing but God’s silence.

Without tangible evidence of God’s presence, the faith of the people grew dry. Many forgot about the imaginative,

creative, and miraculous God they served. However, God did not change or forget about His people. After 400 years,

God spoke again through an angel. This angel spoke to the priest, Zechariah, in the temple. Fittingly, Zechariah’s name

means “God has remembered.” He is even mentioned in Luke as being a man of great faith. However, upon receiving

the news of his wife’s pregnancy, he did not believe. “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well

along in years” (Luke 1:18). Although Zechariah would have studied and known Scripture, somehow he forgot the mira-

cles of the Old Testament—how God had given other couples children in their old age.

Even so, God used Zechariah, and his miraculous son became known as John the Baptist—the one called to pre-

pare the way for the Messiah. His son was the long-awaited “voice … calling in the wilderness,” declaring, “Prepare the

way for the Lord” (Mark 1:3). So God had not abandoned His children. In fact, during the 400 years of silence, He was

preparing them for the coming Messiah.

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God prepared the way for a Savior because of His love for us. God’s love for us gives us great worth. Regardless of

your past, you’re not “damaged goods.” You were made in the likeness of the living God. You are precious in His sight.

Because of this, He has promised to complete the good work He has started in you. How does this change or shape

your outlook on God’s path for your life? Does this affect the way you relate to Him? If you have time this week, pur-

chase a pack of window crayons (or dry-erase markers) and write a reminder of these truths directly on the mirror you

use each morning. For instance, write “I belong to God” or “I am made in His image.”