As kids leave, ask them about their ornaments and what the verse on them means!

Connect Time (15 minutes): Five minutes after the service begins, split kids into groups and begin their activity. Large Group (30 minutes): Begin 20 minutes after the service starts. Model what it looks like to be engaged in large group. Small Group (15 minutes): Keep kids in small groups until parents arrive. If you all have extra time at the end, you can review the video and songs together.

Get kids ready to talk about Christmas by asking them some relatable questions: What does your family do on Christmas? Why do we celebrate Christmas? What do you think is the most important part of this day?

For the month of December we’ll be talking about different aspects of the Christmas story. Today, we’re focusing on how God prepared us for the promised Rescuer in lots of special ways!

December 2-3, 2017

Isaiah 9 God prepares his family for Jesus

Preparing for Jesus

GOAL: Connect Time is all about engaging kids in an activity that allows them to connect with each other right away, while simultaneously piquing their curiosity for Large Group and preparing their minds for what they’re going to hear.

HUMAN CHRISTMAS TREE ● SAY: Stay in your group for the next activity. Here are your next clues as to what

we’ll do... (show everyone the following items: green streamers, set of bows, red dots, yellow paper).

● ASK: What do you think we’re going to do with these? (Let kids respond.) We’re going to have a competition to make the best human Christmas tree. Pick one person from your group to be the tree (You may want to pick a kid out yourself, or have kids decorate their leader).

● Give each group: ○ 1 roll of green streamers○ 1 page of dots○ 2 pieces of yellow paper○ 1 rolls of masking tape○ 1 bow per kid.

● Give kids about 5 minutes to do this, then judge and award a winning group.

Before you go to Large Group, you can ask kids how their week went. You can also remind kids of the expectations for Large Group behavior: (1) be kind, (2) listen when somebody speaks, and (3) follow the leader’s instructions.

Make sure you have the red gift bag ready as a prop.

Here’s a link to today’s videos:

The Promise of A Savior:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEpSXxL4Nn4

Mary and Joseph:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkEypzmHwCI&list=PL5aPdmniG3y_n7hXEKTV4qQnIeCe-p6Ws&index=26

*Click to play intro music.● Ask: Hey everyone, welcome to Kids’ Club! Did you have

fun decorating your human Christmas trees? Who here has a Christmas tree up already? (Let kids share.) When I gave you the items, did you know what you were going to do with them? (Let kids respond.) Yep, I bet you did! They were like clues as to what you would be doing.

● Say: Today we’re talking about some “clues” God gave to his people about a rescuer he would one day send! He gave us those clues through a guy who lived a long, long time ago named Isaiah. He even lived a long time before Jesus was born! We call those “clues” prophecies.

● Ask: Do you like surprises? Me too! God had a great surprise for his people, a plan that he started from the beginning of time. But he didn’t show them the plan all at once. He gave them clues along the way!

● Say: Let’s watch a video that talks about the people waiting for something. While we sit and watch this music video, I want you to use your smart brains to think about this question, “What were they waiting for?”

● Music Video: Love Crashed Into the World● Ask: So what were they waiting for? (Let kids respond.) yep,

their rescuer, Jesus! What is something you’ve had to wait for? (Let kids respond.) Why is it hard to wait?

WELCOME AND INTRO

Main Goal: Review Connect Time and introduce the lesson.

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THE PROMISE OF A SAVIOR

Main Goal: Kids will understand that God had planned long ago and spoke through the prophets about sending a savior.

INTRO: ISAIAH

Main Goal: Kids will learn what a prophet is.

● (Share a short story here of a time you waited for something.)

● Say: Today we are talking about a group of people who had been waiting a very long time. Those people were called the Israelites. They were God’s special people, a family that he would one day send the rescuer through. Let’s check out a video to hear more about how prophets gave the people clues about the rescuer that was coming.

● Video: The Promise of a Savior

● Say: So Isaiah was this guy that lived 600 years before Jesus was born. He was what we call a prophet. Anyone know what that is? (take answers)

● Say: A prophet is someone who listens to God, and then tells people what God is saying. Isaiah was one of these prophets, and God chose HIM to give people hope that one day, he would send them a special gift

● (Hold up gift bag). He told Isaiah the prophet a little about this special gift. He told him:

○ That an unmarried young girl would have a baby○ That he would be a son of David, who was a King

from God’s family○ That there would be a special messenger

announcing his arrival and preparing the way○ That he would rescue us from all the wrong things in

the world, so that we could be close to God● Say: Now fast forward 600 years. The people are STILL

waiting. They still aren’t free–they are now ruled by the Romans, and they’re wondering when this rescuer will come. Here are some things they have been waiting for and were expecting in their savior and king:

● Slide: “Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

● Say: These are all things that God told his people through Isaiah. So people had some clues about who God was sending, but they still didn’t know exactly who he would be, or what he would be like. They didn’t know when or where he would come!

JESUS ARRIVES

Main Goal: For kids to hear what Isaiah wrote and see how it came true!

PRAYER AND WORSHIP

● Say: Let’s check out a video, and see if Isaiah was right about how the rescuer would come!

● Video: Saddleback Kids / The Story of Christmas (Mary and Joseph)

● Say: Can you believe it!? What Isaiah had told people about soooo long ago, what they had hoped for, was FINALLY coming true. But it sure wasn’t what they expected!

● Say: Everything written in the Old Testament was written long before Jesus was born (Show them in the book of Isaiah. Then turn to where the New Testament begins.)

● Say: and THIS is where Jesus comes into the story, and we see how he was God’s answer all along. He was the promised rescuer! Everything Isaiah said about the savior came true! Jesus was born, he lived a perfect life, and then he died for us. He came for all of us–people living a long time ago, AND people living today.

● Pray: God thank you for keeping your promises. Thank you that you loved us so much you sent your son for us. We love you. Amen

● Say: Let’s stand up and worship God with a song that’s all about being excited for the arrival of Jesus!

● Music Video: Savior Coming

Goal: Kids will (1) understand why we need a rescuer, (2) understand how God prepared for Jesus long before he was born, and (3) recognize that we can thank and celebrate Jesus!

Why? What better reason is there to give thanks than the fact that God loves us so much, he sent a rescuer to bring us close to him again!

Tip: There are lots of supplies for today’s activity, so make sure to prepare beforehand, if possible!

APPLY THE STORY1. Have every kid say their name (if kids don’t know each other), and favorite

Christmas song or Christmas movie/show.2. What/who were the people waiting for?3. Have you ever had to wait for something? What was that like?4. How did Isaiah know what to say about the savior?5. Was anything surprising about this story?6. If you were going to write Jesus a letter what would you say in it?7. Who did Jesus come to rescue? Why do we need to be rescued?

MAKE IT PERSONAL● We’re making a Christmas bracelet! First, give each kid 1 paper circle and 1 verse

sticker. Set out markers and a hole puncher. ○ Read the verse sticker together (it has the first half of Isaiah 9:6), then let kids

stick it on one side of their paper circle. ○ On the other side of the circle, let them decorate with markers. (As they work,

go around and punch a hole through each circle.)● Next, give each kid 1 pipe cleaner and 10 beads.

○ Let them string their beads on the pipe cleaner, along with the paper circle.○ Tell kids this can be an ornament, a decoration, or even a bracelet!

Extra time? Do a coloring sheet. Then get out some tear-off paper and have kids make a Christmas collage! They can draw pictures of all their favorite things to do/make at Christmas.

Tell me about Isaiah. How did God prepare people for the rescuer?

K-2ndDecember 2-3, 2017

Connect TimeItem Usage Details Provided by

Roll of green streamers 1 per small group Oriental Trading, Item #IN-70/51 KC National

Page of dot stickers 1 per small group Staples, Item #067075 KC National

Yellow paper 1 per small groupStaples, Item #491164

or Discount School SupplyKC National

Masking or painter’s tape 1 per small group site

Bow 1 per kid Paper Mart, item # 4411000 KC National

Small GroupItem Usage Details Provided by

Coloring Page - Christmas 1 per kid Page 8, 8.5x11 paper, B&W site

Markers1 set per group,

reusedsite

Paper circle 1 per kid Oriental Trading, Item #IN-13726728 KC National

Verse sticker 1 per kid Avery template 5294, color, Page 9 site

Pipe cleaner 1 per kid Oriental Trading, item #IN-41/1397 KC National

Beads 10 per kid Oriental Trading, Item #IN-48/7287 KC National

Hole puncher 1 per group, reused site

Large GroupItem Usage Details Provided by

Adventure Bible for Early Readers

1 per large group, reused

BiblesbytheCase.com site

Red Gift bag1 per large group,

reusedUline, Item #S-12519R KC National

Tell me about Isaiah.How did God prepare people for the rescuer?

Read more about this week’s story in Isaiah 9.

1. Song slide: for when kids enter the room (All that You Need instrumental; mp3 only; can be downloaded on website)

2. Music Video: Love Crashed Into the World (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRt8RGwLVDw)

3. Video: The Promise of a Savior (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEpSXxL4Nn4) 4. Slide: “Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will

be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

5. Video: Saddleback Kids / The Story of Christmas (Mary and Joseph) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkEypzmHwCI&list=PL5aPdmniG3y_n7hXEKTV4qQnIeCe-p6Ws&index=26)

6. Music Video: Savior Coming (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WV3nTsD_so&feature=youtu.be)

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