December 10, 2017 Jesus Is Savior DATE PONDER POINT The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. Luke 2:8 20 Savior Is Born THE BIG GOD STORY Zephaniah 3:17a REMEMBER VERSE Welcome (6 minutes): Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and to worship in song. Worship & Connect (17 minutes): Establishes community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God s word. The Big God Story (15 minutes): Creates space for children to hear God s word. Small Groups (20 minutes): Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. Remember Verse & Bless (3 minutes): Allows children to practice their memory verse and be sent out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. 1
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 - 3 minutes (Host) IMAGE: Welcome We are so glad you are here at Critter Land today. Personalize your welcome. Relate to what s happening such as holidays, school year, church camp, etc. Pique the curiosity about today s Ponder Point/Story, tell a joke, do something to draw in the attending of the kids and mention any announcements! RULES VIDEO: Sherriff Hawk with Kids Church Rules MAIL TIME - 3 minutes (Host) VIDEO: Mail Time Intro IMAGE: Remember Verse The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. Zephaniah 3:17a MOTIONS The LORD your God: Make letter L with right index finger and thumb at left shoulder. Move L diagonally down to right hip. is with you: Put both hands in front of body and pull close to chest. the Mighty Warrior: Make fists and flex to show muscles. who saves: Make fists and fold arms across chest, then open arms. 2
GOAL: Establishes community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God s word. Kids get to participate in various worship elements such as offering, scripture memorization and their curiosity is peaked as they discover what will be in the wardrobe of wonder. WORSHIP - 7 minutes (Worship Leader) If you brought offering, go put it in the squirrel feeder while we worship! VIDEO: (9:00 & 11:30) It s Christmas Time (10:15) Emmanuel VIDEO: (9:00 & 11:30) Joy to the World (10:15) Celebrate (Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down) SMALL GROUP CONNECT QUESTIONS - 5 minutes (Host) VIDEO: 4 minute countdown What do you think it would be like to be a shepherd and watch sheep all night when it is dark outside? How do you think the shepherds felt when all the angels showed up in the sky to tell them about the birth of Jesus? Do you think about Christmas being Jesus Birthday? How do you celebrate? WARDROBE OF WONDER - 5 minutes (Host) What sit: 9:00 - blue balloon 10:15 - baby Jesus VIDEO: Wardrobe of Wonder Intro Choose 1 volunteer. Volunteer picks two hats from wardrobe one for himself, one for host. Tell other kids to put on their imaginary thinking caps. Volunteer peeks in the What s It box. Host gives 3 clues, kids get to vote on what they think it is. Then as host you say. If you think our clue is a If you think our clue is a If you think our clue is a, raise your hand., raise your hand., raise your hand. Let the child volunteer tell which answer is correct! ASK: 9:00 Blue Balloon ASK: 10:15 Baby Jesus 3
Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. 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 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. The Big God Story: STORYTELLING - 15 minutes (Storyteller) Video: The Big God Story Intro Since the very beginning of The Big God Story, God has had a plan to send the Savior to earth to save people from their sin. Who is the promised Savior? Children respond. Jesus, that s right. There were many people God used to help others get ready for Jesus. Before Jesus was born, God sent an angel to give a priest a very special message. Tech: image #1 (Zechariah and Angel) Refer to the image. Hmmm who knows the priest s name? Pause for responses. Zechariah, that s right. The angel told Zechariah that he and his wife were going to have a baby. The baby s name would be John. Tech: image #2 (New Family) John s special job would be to get people ready for the Savior to come. Next, an angel came to visit some people with another special message. Tech: #3 (Angel Visits Mary) and #4 (Angel Visits Joseph), Who did he see? That s right! Mary and Joseph were going to have a baby named Jesus. After lots of planning and lots of waiting, the time came for Jesus to be born. One night, some shepherds were sitting up on a hill watching their sheep and keeping them safe. Tech: image #5 (Shepherds). All of a sudden, there was a bright light shining all around them and an angel of the Lord appeared. Tech: Cue Angel Arrives sound effect. The shepherds were so scared! Do you think the men needed to be afraid? Children answer. No! The angel said, Do not be afraid. I 4
bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord (Luke 2:10 11). Do you think the shepherds were happy the promised Savior was finally here? Children answer. Show me your happy face. Children respond. Those are some pretty happy faces! The angel told the shepherds to go look for the baby. He gave them important instructions to help them find baby Jesus. Here s what the angel said: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths (verse 12). Okay a baby, wrapped in cloths. The angel also said the baby would be lying in a manger. These were all very good instructions for finding Jesus! Let s close our eyes for just a moment and imagine looking up at the night sky. What do you see? Children answer. The moon, yes. What else do you see? Imagine seeing a beautiful angel. But wait. There isn t just one; the sky is filled with so many angels you can t even count them all. Open your eyes. Tech: image #6 (Multitude of Angels). You see, after the angel told the shepherds what to look for, more angels appeared and started worshipping and praising God, saying, Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men with whom God is pleased! The angels and the shepherds were so excited. They knew this was a very special day! Jesus is the Savior, and He is here! After their announcement, the angels left the shepherds. They hurried off to Bethlehem. What were they looking for? Children answer. That s right! A baby, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. What was His name? Yes, His name was Jesus. When the shepherds arrived in Bethlehem, they found Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Tech: image #7 (Jesus in Manger). God s people waited a long time for God to send the Savior, and now, Jesus was here! What do you think the shepherds did next? Do you think they kept this very special news to themselves? Children respond. No way! After they saw baby Jesus, they went and told everyone, Jesus is here! We saw Him! He is the Savior of the world! Turn to your neighbor and whisper, Jesus is here. He is Savior. Children whisper. Great, now turn to your neighbor on the other side and say, Jesus is here. He is Savior. Whispers spread. The shepherds knew God had shown them Jesus for a very special reason. Now they were to take this news to everyone. Everyone who heard the news was amazed. The people had waited for a long, long time for the Savior of the world to come. God kept His promise to send His only Son to the world. Jesus is here! 5
GOAL: Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. Baby Jesus Ornament SUPPLIES Blue template with folding lines (one per child) Baby face (one per child) Christmas Bible verse sticker of Isaiah 9:6 String/yarn RELATE We just learned about Jesus being born. Let s make an ornament of baby Jesus to take home and put on your tree or in your room. Directions: Punch a hole in the top of the paper with your hole puncher. Pull your yarn/string through the hole punched into the top of the paper and tie at the top. Glue head to the top of the blue paper allowing the edge of the face to line up with the curve marked head. Fold blue paper on dotted lines, starting with the #1, going then to 2, #3 should fold behind to the back, and #4 should fold up from the back. See example* Place your Bible verse sticker on the front of Baby Jesus, make sure the kids have their name on the back. *note: we are using paper as the blanket instead of the paper plate, the folding was much easier. I wonder..what would it be like to be Mary? I Wonder..What do you think it would have been like to be Joseph? I wonder...what would it be like to see an angel? 6
GOAL: Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. Candy Cane, Wreath, or Spiral Ornament SUPPLIES Pipe cleaners Beads Yarn Today we are learning about the real meaning of Christmas. Jesus being born! It is so fun to celebrate Christmas! In keeping with the Christmas Season, We are going to make ornaments to take home and put on your tree or in your room! Show the different shapes of the pipe cleaners and all the kids to choose which one they want to make. Spiral: Pick 2 pipe cleaners. Have the kids place the beads on the pipe cleaners then allow them to wrap the pipe cleaners around a pencil or marker. Twist the pipe cleaners around the piece of yarn. Wreath: Pick 2 pipe cleaners. Place a couple of beads on each pipe cleaner half way up. Add the yarn to one of the pipe cleaners then finish with beads. Twist the pipe cleaners together and circle them up and connect them by twisting both ends together. Candy Cane: Pick 2 pipe cleaners. Place beads all most all the way to the top, add yarn, finish beads. Twist the beaded pipe cleaner with the plain pipe cleaner, form into a candy cane. While kids work on their ornaments, ask the wonder questions. In this part of The Big God Story, we heard about the angel telling the shepherds that Jesus, the Savior, was here. The shepherds knew God showed them Jesus for a very special reason. They were so excited to take this news to everyone. I wonder What did the shepherds think when they first saw baby Jesus? I wonder Why were the shepherds so excited about Jesus? I wonder Whom do I know who needs to hear Jesus is here? I wonder What would God like me to say to others about Jesus birthday? 7
Review the Remember Verse: The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. Zephaniah 3:17a The LORD your God: Make letter L with right index finger and thumb at left shoulder. Move L diagonally down to right hip. is with you: Put both hands in front of body and pull close to chest. the Mighty Warrior: Make fists and flex to show muscles. who saves: Make fists and fold arms across chest, then open arms. BLESSING Friends, one of the last things Jesus said to His friends before He went up into heaven was this, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15). Jesus wants us to tell everyone we know that He is the Savior! Let s practice telling our friends that Jesus is Savior. Turn to your neighbor and take turns whispering, Jesus is Savior in her ear. Children respond. Now turn to your other neighbor and whisper into his ear. Children respond. Now let s practice shouting it. On the count of three, shout out, Jesus is Savior! One, two, three! Everyone shouts. That was great! End with a blessing over your group. Encourage them to hold out their hands as if they re receiving from God. May God show you how much He loves you. May God help you share the good news that Jesus is Savior. VIDEO: In This Life 8
A few years ago after a miscarriage, my uncle and aunt came to my family with good news: They were expecting again. As the due date approached, I called my parents at least once a day asking if they had any updates. My heart swelled with joy as I learned of Sophie s arrival. I told everyone I knew that she was finally here! Sophie lives on the other side of the country, so I will rarely see her. Yet the love I have for this child is incredible. It s amazing to consider the love I will someday have for my own child. Meeting Sophie reminds me of the first time I met God. My family, friends, and Sunday school teachers had told me what God was like and how He made a way for me to be with Him forever. But until I chose to meet Him personally, I didn t really understand the love I would have for Him. I m thankful for those who shared the news of Jesus with me. Sharing this news is not others responsibility alone; it s also mine. I m an active participant in God s continuing story. God has impassioned my heart, and I can t help but share the news that Jesus is Savior! Natalie Lisk ROCKHARBOR Church The news that Jesus was here was what faithful men and women had been anticipating since the garden of Eden. In the second chapter of Luke, angels announced the birth of the Savior to shepherds not to kings, or noblemen, or men of religious virtue. Shepherds. These men who lived on the fringe of society were chosen to experience the most incredible testimony given by celestial beings. Shepherds were typically single men who didn t have families. Although their duties kept them from participating in religious activities with the community, these shepherds experienced the holy. Some scholars believe the shepherds who witnessed the heavenly announcement were not ordinary shepherds. During the time of Caesar Augustus, flocks of sheep around the city of Jerusalem would be used as sacrifices in the temple. It s quite possible the men tending sheep the night Jesus was born were in fact caring for the temple flock sheep meant for sacrifices. These men went on to be some of the first to meet the Lamb of God, who became the payment for our sin. God s promise had come to pass. Jesus is the Savior, Master, and anointed King. The prophesied royal leader had come to bring His kingdom. God came not for a select group of people, but for all, with the most common people being the first to receive the news. They were privileged to spread the message that Jesus is here! 9
Throughout His story God has used many ways to speak to His people. Whether a booming cloud or burning bush, through prophet or angel, He speaks so His people know His voice. The Lord continues to speak to us today. He is here and He is not silent. Spend some time thinking about the ways God has revealed Himself to you. It may be through nature, dreams, Scripture, music, or the people in your everyday life. Where and how have you seen Him? What has He said to you? 10