1. Welcome everyone to Large Group worship! Introduce the Connect Question
What is one thing you use every day? (examples: shoes, toothbrush)
Turn to the person next to you and share with them your answer!

2. We have a new Remember Verse starting this week
We have a new Remember Verse starting this week! Let’s see what it says and say it together! Read the verse as a group and then maybe a second time for the kids.
Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to his people and purchased their freedom.
Luke 1:68

3. WORSHIP TIME

4. Select six kids to find the boxes hidden around the room
Select six kids to find the boxes hidden around the room. Have them bring their boxes back to their seats, and keep them closed until called upon.
God is our provider. He does this because He loves us very much! Long ago in The Big God Story, God promised He would send His Son, Jesus, into the world to be our Savior, Redeemer, and King. Remember how Israel asked for a king in last week’s part of The Big God Story?

5. The Big God Story is all about God and how He sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Redeemer who saves His people from their sins.
It’s as if God laid out a huge red carpet for Jesus—preparing the way for Him. Stand on the red “carpet.” As I tell this part of The Big God Story, I’m going to walk on this “carpet” to show how everything you’re about to hear leads to God’s plan to send Jesus to earth. Before we begin, let’s pray and ask God to teach us. Lead children in a Prayer of Release.
Tech: Cue Timeline Video & Slide after prayer.

6. 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, including grapes, pomegranates, milk, and honey.
Pull these items from the basket, set them on the carpet, and take a step forward.

7. God gave the Israelites all they could ever need in their new home
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.
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.

8. When God’s people did repent, God raised up judges (pull out hammer) to deliver them from their enemies.
Set hammer on carpet; take a step forward. 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 slide.
Lead children in reciting the words.

9. After years and years of repeating this cycle, the Israelites looked at the nations around them and decided they wanted something the other nations had: (Pull out crown) a king.
Although God was the Israelites’ true King, they wanted a human king. So they began to beg and beg and beg (hold out your hands like you’re begging): “God! Give us a king!”

10. The first king was Saul, and after him came King David.
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 doing this, God was preparing His people’s hearts to receive Jesus.

11. Though some of the kings were good, most of them were evil
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.
Set down the crown, and take a step forward.
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).

12. Take the chains out of the basket.
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.
Set down the chains, and take a step forward.

13. 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 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.

14. He would do away with captivity, with pain, and with suffering
He would do away with captivity, with pain, and with suffering. But suddenly, God did something unexpected.
He did something no Israelite thought would happen … He was silent.
Place your hand over your mouth, and stand in silence for a few seconds. And God remained silent, but still always present, for 400 years.
For a long time the Bible doesn’t record any accounts of judges, kings, or prophets. It doesn’t record any angels or miracles.

15. This was probably a very hard time for the Israelites
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. Ask if any children want to share their own stories.
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.

16. Take a few steps forward.
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 angel, who spoke to a priest named Zechariah.

17. If you brought your Bibles, turn with me 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 (NEXT SLIDE) Tech: Cue Slides

18. Luke 1:8-14:
Zechariah was serving as a priest in God’s temple. He was chosen to go into the temple of the Lord. There he was supposed to burn incense. All who had gathered to worship were praying outside.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah.  When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified. But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid. Your prayers were heard. Your wife Elizabeth will have a baby boy!”

19. 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!

20. The angel said John would tell everyone that the Redeemer was coming
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 angel said. Read Luke 1:19–20 aloud.
Tech: Cue Slide
“I am Gabriel. I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will not be able to speak until after John is born. That’s because you did not believe my words. They will come true at the right time.”

21. How do you think all the worshippers felt when Zechariah came out of the temple and wasn’t able to speak?! Allow answers.
Well, Zechariah’s wife became pregnant and gave birth to John—the one who would prepare the way for God’s promised Messiah.
Take a few steps forward on the path until you’re at the end.

22. Now, I’m at the end of this path—the path that represents how 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. Next week, you’ll hear the next part of The Big God Story—about how God showed His love even more fully to His people by continuing to prepare the way for them to meet His Son through a young woman named Mary.

23. God still prepares the way for us to receive His Son
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.
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 amazing that God loved His people enough to prepare the way to bring His Son, Jesus, to earth—and that we can know Him!

24. Tech: Cue Worship Response Slide
Through the Bible, through the words of friends, through things that happen in our lives, God works everything together to prepare us to receive His Son, Jesus.
In what ways has God prepared you to meet with Him? Maybe you read a story that reminded you of how good God is. Maybe you’re going through a hard time and that’s prompting you to ask Him for help.

25. Let’s spend a moment praying about how God might be preparing our hearts to experience Him. Then you can write or draw a word, phrase, or picture on an arrow. The arrows will point us to the cross.
The cross is the place where God’s Son, Jesus, died for our sins because He loved us so much and wants to be in relationship with us.

26. After you write or draw, you can tape your arrow to the wall around the cross, pointing TOWARDS the cross.
This will help remind us that God prepares the way for all people to experience Him and receive His Son.
Close in prayer, then release the group to the tables to work on their arrows. Have Small Group leaders help kids put their arrows on the wall. After they’re done, they should sit in the chairs & worship. Dismiss by grade.