Unit 4 Summary:

Kairos Christmas

Every kid wants to have the biggest, best Christmas ever. In this holiday-themed unit, kids will discover that having the

biggest Christmas isn’t about the number of gifts they receive, the cookies they eat, or the decorations on their trees. The biggest, best Christmas is a Kairos Christmas, a Christmas where kids learn to recognize God’s activity in their everyday lives and make the decision to do something about it.

Christmas reminds us that God loves to break into the world of ordinary people just like us. From Mary and Joseph to the shepherds to the wise men, this series looks at the major players of the Christmas story and how they responded when God showed up in some surprising ways.

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GAME ON: LESSON 14 (Large Group)

Key Concept: I can do anything God wants me to do.

Bible Story: An angel visits Zechariah and Mary (Luke 1:1-38)

Bible Verse: For nothing is impossible with God – Luke 1:37

3DM Principle: The Circle (Kairos)

Large Group Overview: Kids will hear the stories of Zechariah and Mary and see how each responded differently to the angel’s news.

Huddle Overview: Kids will play a game called Christmas Impossible and apply the Bible verse to seemingly impossible situations in their lives.

Lesson Outline

Game Ginormous Christmas quiz (5 min)

Bible Story Zechariah and Mary (15 min)

Application Big faith / big doubt (5 min)

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Hey Guys, welcome back to Kairos Quest. For the next few weeks, we’re going to gear up for one of my favorite holidays of all time. (Point to Christmas decorations.) Does anyone have any idea what it is? Of course it’s Christmas time!

You may have noticed that some of our Christmas decorations look a little bit bigger than others. That’s because we’re going to be talking about how we can have the biggest, best Christmas ever!

Opening Activity: Ginormous Christmas quiz

First let’s see how much you guys know about having a big Christmas. It’s time to take the Ginormous Christmas quiz.

Play upbeat Christmas music, such as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” or ”Jingle Bell Rock,” for this game.

You can find pictures of each of these big Christmas items at guinessworldrecords.com, except for the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, which can be found with a Google image search. If possible, display each picture as you reveal the answer.

I’m going to ask you about some big Christmas stuff, and I want you to yell out the answer if you think you know it.

1. How big was the biggest Christmas tree ever used at New York’s Rockefeller Center?

A. 10 feet tall

B. 45 feet tall

C. 100 feet tall

What do you think? (Kids answer.)

The answer is C, 100 feet tall. This ginormous tree was used in New York during the 1999 Christmas season.

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2. How many lights were on the tree with the world record number of lights?

A. 10,000

B. 50,000

C. 150,000

What do you think? (Kids answer.)

The answer is C, 150,000 lights. Those lights decorated a tree in Cologne Cathedral in Germany during the 2006 Christmas season.

3. How tall was the biggest snowperson ever made?

A. 12 feet tall

B. 52 feet tall

C. 122 feet tall

What do you think? (Kids answer.)

The answer is C, 122 feet tall. In 2008, people in the town of Bethel, Maine, worked together to build a 122-foot-tall snow woman. It was largest snow person ever built.

4. How long, from the top to the heel, is the biggest Christmas stocking ever?

A. 39 feet long

B. 100 feet long

C. 168 feet long

What do you think? (Kids answer.)

The answer is C, 168 feet long. Volunteers in Tuscany, Italy created the largest Christmas stocking in 2011 and stuffed it full of balloons and candy. That is one big stocking!

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Great job guys. You sure know your big Christmas facts. These ginormous Christmas decorations are pretty cool — but they aren’t what make the biggest Christmas. Having the biggest Christmas doesn’t come from having the biggest stocking or the biggest tree or the biggest snowman or the biggest presents. Having the biggest Christmas is all about following a big God.

Thousands of years ago, at the very first Christmas, this big God broke into the everyday lives of normal people like you and me, and He still breaks into our lives today.

This week we’re going to see that following a big God means that we need to have some big faith. Faith means that we trust God. It means that we trust that God is a good dad who always does what’s best for His kids. It means that we trust that God is powerful enough to do anything. It also means that we trust Him enough to do whatever He tells us to.

Does anyone remember the word we use to talk about those special moments when God shows up in our lives? (Kids answer.) We call these moments Kairos moments. On that first Christmas in Bethlehem, God pulled the ultimate Kairos. He showed up in the flesh as a baby boy named Jesus.

Before that happened, though, God sent an angel to tell two people what he was about to do. One person had big faith in a big God. The other person? Not so much. I want you to pay close attention this story to see if you can tell me which is which.

Bible Story

Set up two stools, each with an open box that is wrapped in fun, colorful wrapping paper. Wrap the boxes in different colors of paper and leave the lids off so that you can pull the appropriate props out of each one.

Step to the first box, which represents Zechariah.

The story starts with a guy named Zechariah. Let me give you a little info to bring you up to speed. The Bible tells us that Zechariah and his wife

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Elizabeth were really good people who always did what they knew God wanted them to do. But they were also sad because they were never able to have kids, and now they were too old.

The Bible also says that Zechariah worked in God’s temple in Jerusalem. That was the place the Jewish people went to worship God in those days.

Prop #1: Candle

Zechariah’s job was to go in to the most special part of the temple and refill the incense. Incense is sweet smelling stuff the priests would burn as they worshipped God. This was a really big job, because not just anyone got to do it. Only one person did it, and it happened only one time each year. Zechariah got picked for the job this time, so he was probably excited and nervous. But as big of a deal as this job was, it was nothing compared to what was about to happen.

Prop #2: Halo

When Zechariah stepped into the temple, he looked up and saw something amazing. An angel of God stood beside the

altar. This angel didn’t look anything like the sweet little angel pictures you see around Christmas, with cute little wings and

a halo. No, this was a real angel of God, a majestic warrior filled with God’s awesome power. When Zechariah saw the angel, he totally freaked out. The Bible says he was startled and gripped with fear.

Prop #3: Baby Doll

The angel told Zechariah, “Don’t be afraid. God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth is going to have a baby, a son. You’re going to name him John, and he’s going to do some special work for God. He’s going to get everyone ready for the Lord!”

Think about this. Zechariah and wife had wanted kids for years, but did they have any? (Kids answer.) No, and now they were getting really old. Do old people have babies? (Kids answer.) No way.

So to Zechariah, this sounded totally unbelievable. Sure, this was angel. Sure, he spoke for God. But a baby? Now? After all this time? Get real.

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So Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” The funny thing is that even though Zechariah was a good man, even though he loved God a lot, he had trouble believing that God was really going to do this incredible thing.

Prop #4: Doubt sign

The angel was blown away. How could Zechariah doubt what he was saying? So he said, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this

happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

From that moment until just after his child John was born, Zechariah could not speak a word because he refused to believe what God had said.

Step to the second box, which represents Mary.

Prop #5: Wedding Veil

Meanwhile, God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth to visit a young girl named Mary. Mary was engaged to marry to a guy named Joseph. It was just an ordinary day for Mary. She was probably excited about her upcoming wedding, excited about her future, excited about her new life with Joseph. The last thing she expected was a visit from an angel.

Prop #6: Halo

“Greetings,” the angel said. “You are highly favored by God. He is with you.”

The Bible says that Mary was greatly troubled and wondered what was going on, but the angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You’re going to have a son, and you are to call Him Jesus.”

Doubt

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Prop #7: Baby Doll

Remember that Mary was just a young girl. She wasn’t even married yet. It seemed pretty unbelievable that she could have a baby.

She didn’t even have a husband. What the angel told her sounded absolutely crazy!

In that split second, Mary had to make a choice. Would she be like Zechariah and not believe God? Or would she choose

to trust God and believe that He could do anything He wanted to?

Prop #8: Faith sign

Mary chose to have faith. Mary chose to believe. She didn’t ask the angel, “How can I be sure?” She knew God could do anything. So she just said, “How can this be?” In other words, how is this going to work? I believe you God. Just tell me what comes next.

The angel told her to relax because God would handle it with His power, and that this baby was going to be the Son of God. He told her about Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, who would have a baby even though she was old. Then the angel said, “For nothing is impossible with God.”

Nothing is impossible with God.

Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen just like you said.” And it did.

Step between the two stools.

Two stories about Zechariah and Mary. Two announcements about special babies. Two people visited by an angel. One who believed God, and one who didn’t.

God may not send an angel to you this week, but if you’re watching for Him, He will talk to you. Sometimes it happens when you are reading your Bible or praying; sometimes it happens through a song or a lesson or the things other people say other people say to you. Sometimes He’ll even talk to you through thoughts He puts right into your head. We call this kairos.

Faith

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And when God tells you to do something or tells you about something He’s going to do, you have to make a choice. Am I going to be like Zechariah and doubt God? Or am I going to like Mary and choose to believe that God can do anything?

If you want to have the biggest Christmas ever, you don’t need a big tree or a big gift or a big snowman. You need big faith like Mary had. Big faith means you take that kairos that stuff God tells you — and not just think about it or talk about it but actually do something with it.

Application

Pull out a third box.

I have one more box that tells one more story. It’s not Zechariah’s story. It’s not Mary’s story. It’s your story.

Teacher pulls out two signs, one that says Big Faith and one that says Big Doubt.

You can choose to have big faith in a big God or have big doubt. Big faith doesn’t mean you understand everything. Mary sure didn’t understand how she was going to have a baby when she didn’t even have a husband. Instead, big faith means trusting in God’s power and going along with God’s plan.

So this week, let’s say that God tells you to help someone even though you don’t know them very well, and you do it. Does that take big faith or big doubt?

Kids answer “big faith.”

Or let’s say someone hurts your feelings, and even though you’re still hurt you pray and ask God to help you get over it and forgive and love that person. Does that take big faith or big doubt?

Kids answer “big faith.”

Or what if God tells you to give something you love away, like a toy or some money to someone who needs it more than you do. Does that take big faith or big doubt?

Kids answer “big faith.”

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Our Bible verse for today comes the words the angel said to Mary in Luke 1:37: “For nothing is impossible with God.” That means you can do whatever God tells you to do, because nothing is too big or too hard for Him.

Let’s pray.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for showing up in our lives just as you did for Mary and Zechariah. Help us have big enough faith to do whatever You tell us to do. Thank You for Jesus. Thank You for Christmas.

Amen

GAME ON: LESSON 14 (Huddle)

Key Concept: I can do anything God wants me to do.

Bible Story: An angel visits Zechariah and Mary (Luke 1:1-38)

Bible Verse: For nothing is impossible with God — Luke 1:37

3DM Principle: The Circle (Kairos)

Large Group Overview: Kids will hear the stories of Zechariah and Mary and see how each responded differently to the angel’s news.

Huddle Overview: Kids will play a game called Christmas Impossible and apply the Bible verse to seemingly impossible situations in their lives.

Supplies

6 Christmas Impossible cards6 Situation cards6 Bible Verse cards

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Welcome / Large Group Review

Gather kids in a circle either on the floor or around a table.

Welcome back to Huddle. How many of you guys are ready for an awesome Christmas? What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had for Christmas? (Kids answer.) In today’s Bible story, a couple of people got a pretty big surprise too. An angel visited them!

6 Who were the two people? Zechariah and Mary

6 What did the angel tell them? They were going to have children

6 How did they react? Zechariah had big doubt, Mary had big faith

6 Why do you think Mary had big faith?

6 Why do you think Zechariah had a hard time believing the angel?

Because Mary trusted God’s plan, she got to be a part of the biggest Christmas ever, the night Jesus was born. She was able to trust God because she knew that God was good and that He loved her. Remember that God is our Dad in heaven, and He is also the King of the universe, which means He can do anything — even things that seem impossible.

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Huddle Group Outline

Welcome / Review Questions to review lesson (5 min)

Activity 1 Christmas Impossible (5 min)

Activity 2 Situations / Bible Verse review (5 min)

Huddle Discussion (10 min)

Prayer (10 min)

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Huddle Activity 1: Christmas Impossible

The purpose of this activity is to help kids distinguish between things that are possible and impossible.

How It Works:

Divide your huddle into two teams. In each round, one player from each team will face off against one player from the other. Draw a card from the Christmas Impossible deck and read the action listed on the card. Ask, “Possible or Impossible?” The first player to slap the card and say the correct answer wins the card for his or her team. Play through all the cards and then declare a winner.

Supplies:

6 Christmas Impossible card deck (1 set per group)

Speaking of impossible, today we’re going to play a game called Christmas Impossible. Here’s how it works. I’m going to divide the Huddle into two teams: Team Reindeer and Team Elf. During each round someone from your team will face off against someone from the other team. I’ll draw a card and place it on the floor between you. Then I will read what it says and ask, “Possible or Impossible?” If you think you know the answer, slap the card and make your guess. The first person to slap the card and guess correctly wins the card for his or her team.

Play through the game. Declare a winner.

Christmas Impossible Cards and answers

6 Lick your own ear. — Impossible (unless you have a really long tongue)

6 Eat ice cream on the surface of the sun. — Impossible (it’s too hot)

6 Run a mile in under four minutes — Possible (the world record is under four minutes)

6 Eat 10 Saltine crackers in under a minute without drinking anything. — Impossible (crackers absorb saliva, making it impossible to swallow)

6 Train a cat to use a toilet. — Possible (at least for some cats)

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6 Jump more than eight feet high. — Possible (the world high jump record is higher than eight feet)

6 Lasso a unicorn. — Impossible (unicorns don’t exist)

6 Say the alphabet backward in less than three seconds. — Possible (the world record is under three seconds.)

Some of those things seemed impossible, but they really weren’t. Others, such as eating 10 crackers in under a minute, seemed like something you might be able to do but just aren’t possible.

In today’s Bible story, we discovered that even when things really are impossible for us, everything changes when God steps into the picture. It didn’t matter that Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were old and childless. If God wanted them to have a baby, they could have a baby. It didn’t matter that Mary didn’t have a husband yet. If God wanted to her to have a baby, He could make it happen.

Huddle Activity 2: Situations & Bible Verse Review

The purpose of this activity is to help kids apply the Bible verse to situations in their everyday lives.

Pass out Bible Verse cards to kids. Place the Situation Cards in front of you. Draw a card and read the situation.

You’ll then ask, “Possible or Impossible?” The kids will respond by reading the Bible verse, “For nothing is impossible with God.”

Supplies:

6 Situation cards (1 set per group)

Begin by passing out Bible Verse Cards to kids.

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Our Bible verse for today is from Luke 1:37. It says, “For nothing is impossible with God.” Say that with me. (Kids repeat.)

We’re going to play another round of Christmas Impossible. In this round, you’ll all be on same team. I’ll draw a card and read a situation that may sound difficult or impossible, and I’ll ask the question, “Possible or impossible?” Then, I want you to all answer together by saying our Bible verse: “For nothing is impossible with God.”

Draw a card and ask, “Possible or impossible?” Then prompt kids to respond by reciting the Bible verse. It doesn’t matter in which order you draw the cards.

Your dad loses His job. But instead of worrying, you relax and trust God to provide for the things your family needs. Possible or impossible?

(Kids respond, “Nothing is impossible with God.”)

A bully at school is always making fun of you. You decide to start praying for him every day. Possible or impossible?

(Kids respond, “Nothing is impossible with God.”)

You’ve been saving for months to buy yourself an awesome Christmas present, but instead you decide to use the money to buy some toys for some kids who don’t have much. Possible or impossible?

(Kids respond, “Nothing is impossible with God.”)

A new kid in your school hasn’t made any friends yet. Even though you’re really shy, you decide to talk to her at recess. Possible or impossible?

(Kids respond, “Nothing is impossible with God.”)

Huddle Discussion

Is there anything in your life that seems impossible right now? Maybe it’s a challenge you’re facing or something difficult that God wants you to do. Whatever it is, God will give you the strength and the courage to do the impossible, just as He did for Mary.

God might just want to use this impossible situation to get your attention. What do we call the moments when God breaks into our day? Kairos.

Today we saw some major kairos action when God broke into Zechariah’s and Mary’s days by sending an angel. We’re probably not going to see a lot of angels this week, but there are plenty of other ways God gets our attention.

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Does anyone remember some of the ways God speaks to us? Through Bible verses or stories, circumstances (things that happen to us), things others say to us, thoughts, etc.

We’re going to take some time right now to give you guys the chance to share any ways God has been talking to you. Maybe it’s through something hard you’re facing or maybe it’s through a Bible verse or Bible story. Maybe it’s through something another person said to you. Maybe it’s through something that happened to you and made you wonder, “Is God trying to tell me something?”

Let kids share their examples. Some may be really obvious kairos moments where God is speaking to them. Others may be totally random thoughts. Do your best to affirm kids who share random comments while reining them in so that you can get to some genuine kairos examples in the group. For kids who share kairos, ask follow-up questions like,

6 How did that make you feel?

6 Why do you think God wanted you to notice that?

6 What do you think God wants you to do about it?

Remember that what we do with a kairos moment is huge. It shows the kind of faith we really have. Zechariah had a kairos moment and blew it. Mary had a kairos moment and fully embraced it. She believed God and cooperated with what He was trying to do in her life.

Pray through this time, asking the Holy Spirit to help you to know to respond to each child’s situation. Whenever possible, point the kids back to a Scripture and affirm that God loves them and loves that they are listening to Him in their lives.

Prayer

Take prayer requests. Write them down so that you can pray over them during the week. Take time to pray together as a group. Encourage kids to pray for each other during the group time. You may want to close out with a prayer like the following one.

God, we know that nothing is impossible for You. We know that we can do whatever you want us to do, even if it seems tough or scary. Please teach us to be like Mary and have big faith in you our big God.

Amen.

Lesson 14 Huddle

BibleVerseCards

For nothing is impossible

with God. — Luke 1:37

For nothing is impossible

with God. — Luke 1:37

For nothing is impossible

with God. — Luke 1:37

For nothing is impossible

with God. — Luke 1:37

For nothing is impossible

with God. — Luke 1:37

For nothing is impossible

with God. — Luke 1:37

Eat 10 Saltine crackersin under a minute without drinking

anything.

Eat ice creamon the surface of

the sun.

Jump more thaneight feet high.

Say the alphabet backward in less than

three seconds.

Run a milein under

four minutes.

Lickyour own

ear

Train a catto use a toilet.

Lasso aunicorn.

Your dad loses his job, but instead of worrying,

you relax and trust God to provide for the things your

family needs.Possible or impossible?

A bully at school is always making fun of you.

You decide to start praying for him every day.

Possible or impossible?

You’ve been saving for months to buy yourself an

awesome Christmas present, but instead you decide to

use the money to buy some toys for some kids

who don’t have much.Possible or impossible?

A new kid in your school hasn’t made any friends yet.

Even though you’re really shy, you decide to talk to

her at recess.Possible or impossible?

LESSON 14 (Family)

Today I Learned: I can do anything God wants me to do.

Bible Story: An angel visits Zechariah and Mary (Luke 1:1-38)

Family Challenge

This week your kids learned about how Mary had the faith to trust God to help her do impossible things. Get online this week and Google “world records” and talk to your kids about some of the things that people did that seemed impossible. Then talk about how some things are truly impossible without God no matter how much we try. Discuss challenges your family is facing right now and how you can trust God to help you to do hard things.

Plan • • Discuss

LearningCulture

Act • • Observe

Account • • Reflect

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* The four questions you are asking are ways offiguring out what your kids’ Kairos moment was

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Dinnertime Discussion

At dinnertime this week, ask one of these questions to get your family talking.

1. What’s your favorite thing about Christmas?

2. What is the biggest Christmas surprise you can remember?

3. Before the first Christmas, how did Mary react to God’s surprising news from the angel? How did Zechariah react?

4. Is there anything in our lives right now that seems too big for God to handle?

Use these questions to help kids develop faith in God to do whatever He says He will do and to help them to walk through difficult situations.

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