Tech Que: “Shake It Up” Title Graphic - PowerPoint Presentation

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Tech Que: “Shake It Up” Title GraphicSlide2

Can you believe it? The wait is almost over; Christmas is coming soon! In fact, let’s do a countdown to Christmas. Does anyone here know how many more days there are until Christmas day?

(Take answer from kid.)

You got it! Can you believe it’s so close? There are so many things to love about Christmas—the parties, the food, the PRESENTS! But this year we’re going to shake it up by celebrating the

best

part of Christmas, the greatest gift ever—Jesus! Slide3

For most of you, you’ve probably heard the Christmas story before. As you listen to the story again, I want you to pay really close attention and see if there’s anything new or interesting that you notice about the story. In fact, why don’t we pray and ask God to help us hear and see this story in a new way. Slide4

Lead the kids in a prayer asking God to help you encounter His story of incredible love with new eyes and new ears. If you have any kids who are open to it, you may want to have them lead the room in prayer instead. Slide5

Tech Que: “The Big Bible Story” Graphic

Many months had passed since the angel had visited Mary and the time was coming for her to give birth to her baby. At the same time, Caesar Augustus, the ruler of the land said that a census had to be taken. That meant that everyone had to be counted. There was just one catch. Let’s see what it was. Slide6

During the small group connect time, kids will have had a chance to shake different presents and guess what’s inside.

Hold up present #1

. Ask the kids what they think is in it. Present #1 contains keys. After taking some answers, remove the lid and reveal its contents. (Optional: after each reveal,

PLAY the “Shake It Up” music jam

and have the kids who guessed correctly do their crazy “Shake It Up” dance.) Slide7

In order to be counted, everyone had to travel to the town where they were born. For Mary and Joseph that meant the town of Bethlehem.

(Hold up key.)

And because there weren’t any cars at that time, it was going to be

quite

a long journey. Slide8

Choose 3 volunteers to help you illustrate the next portion of the story. Have one kid get on their hands and knees like a donkey. (You may want to choose a larger kid or adult volunteer to play the donkey.) Have another kid (preferably girl) sit on the “donkey’s” back. Instruct the third kid to follow along and help “Mary” keep balance. Direct the trio to work their way across the teaching area from “door” to “door.” Slide9

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, they were tired and looked for

a

place to rest. They knocked on the door of the first inn.

Have

“Joseph” knock in the air. Stomp your foot on the floor to make the knocking sound. Pretend to quickly open the door and deliver the next line. For added fun, you might want to wear a different hat or wig and do a different voice for each innkeeper. Slide10

“No room here!”

(Slam “door” quickly.)

They knocked on the door of the next inn.

(Have “Joseph” move over and repeat the above instructions.)

“All full! Scram!”

(Slam “door” quickly again.)

They tried one more place.

(Repeat above instructions.)

“Beat it! We’re all booked!” Every inn in all of Bethlehem was full. If Mary and Joseph were going to find a place to stay, they were going to have to get really creative. Let’s see what they came up with. Slide11

Hold up present #2.

Ask the kids what they think is in it. Present #2 contains some straw or hay. After taking some answers, remove the lid and reveal its contents. Instruct your three volunteers to return to their seats. Slide12

The Bible doesn’t say exactly where Mary and Joseph stayed, but we know there was a manger there. That probably means that Mary and Joseph stayed somewhere with the animals, like a barn or stable.

(Create a moment with these next lines by slowing down and speaking in a quieter tone.)

And then…shortly after settling down, the time arrived. The time that the whole world had been waiting for. The time had come for Mary to give birth. Slide13

Hold up present #3.

Ask the kids what they think is in it. Present #3 contains cotton balls. After taking some answers, remove the lid and reveal its contents. Slide14

(Hold the cotton balls in your hand for the kids to see.)

That night, there were some shepherds in the fields nearby, watching over their sheep. All of the sudden, the sky lit up and an angel appeared to them. What do you think the shepherds looked like when they saw the angel?

(Let kids make faces. Possibly call on a kid to stand and show their reaction to everyone.) Slide15

After the angel told them the good news, the shepherds immediately hurried off to find the baby. And when they arrived, there he was—Jesus, lying in a manger, just as the angel had said. After spending some time with the new family, the shepherds left to do something incredibly important. Let’s figure out what it is. Slide16

Hold up present #4.

Ask the kids what they think is in it. Present #4 contains a flashlight. After taking some answers, remove the lid and reveal its contents.

The shepherds couldn’t keep the good news to themselves. They had to tell someone. In fact, they had to tell everyone they saw! The Bible says that everyone was amazed at what the shepherds were telling them. Slide17

Tech Que: “Big Bible Story Questions” Graphic

At

the end of the Bible story have the kids turn briefly to their small groups and discuss the following questions:

For Younger Kids: Was there anything interesting about this story that you noticed for the first time? Imagine that you were one of the shepherds. What do you think it would have been like to be the first people to visit with baby Jesus? Slide18

“Shake It Up” Title GraphicSlide19

(Hold up the flashlight from earlier.)

At the end our Bible story today, we used a flashlight to represent the shepherds telling others the good news of Jesus birth. What do you think a flashlight has to do with the good news of Jesus?

(Take answers from kids.)

Great answers! Let’s see what the Bible says.

(Encourage kids to open their Bibles to John 12:46. Be prepared to give younger kids more time and assistance in finding the verse. When ready, choose a kid to read it aloud or read it aloud yourself while the kids follow along.) Slide20

Tech Que: “I have come into the world to be a light. No one who believes in me will stay in darkness.” John 12:46

When Jesus was born, the “Light of the World” put an end to darkness. Let me show you what I mean. Slide21

Tech Que: Turn off room and stage lights

In the book of Genesis, at the very beginning of our Big Bible Story, the world was dark. But then God said, “Let there be light” and there was light

(turn on first lamp.)

God created the sun to shine during the day

(turn on second lamp)

. He created the moon and stars to shine at night

(turn on third lamp)

. God created the whole world, but his best and most beloved creation was what?

(Let kids answer.)

That’s right—people! When God finished creating, He looked at it all and said, “It is good!” And it

was.Slide22

That is, until Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and a new kind of darkness crept into the world. It wasn’t the kind of darkness that makes it hard to see where you’re going. It’s the kind of darkness that sin brings into your heart. People began to lie to each other.

(Turn off first lamp.)

They became jealous of each other.

(Turn of second lamp.)

They even killed each other.

(Turn off third lamp.)

The darkness of sin quickly took over the world and separated God from His people. Slide23

But God loves us too much to let the story end that way. From the moment that sin entered the world, God began working on a plan to push back the darkness. His plan was to send Jesus, the Light of the World

(turn on your flashlight and shine it around the room).

Jesus was born so that He could one day take the punishment for our sins and drive the darkness out of our lives. But here’s the best part—just like the shepherds did, we can share this light with others. Slide24

(Shine the flashlight on your face as you speak these next lines.)

When we choose to believe in Jesus and to live our lives the way he wants us to, Jesus’ light shines through us. And when people see Jesus’ light shining through us, it makes

them

want that light too. And then the people around them see the light and

they

want it. And so the light gets passed from person to person to person. Let me show you. Slide25

Hand each kid in the room a flashlight. If you don’t have enough flashlights for everyone, choose as many kids as you have flashlights to help you demonstrate. Tell them to keep their lights off until someone with a lighted flashlight touches their flashlight. When a lighted flashlight touches theirs, they can turn their flashlight on. Once theirs is lit, they can touch it to someone else’s flashlight that is still dark. Begin by touching your light to one of the kid’s flashlight. Encourage them to slowly pass the light throughout the room. Slide26

Look at the lights all around you. This is a picture of what Jesus’ light can do to the world when we let it shine through us. This is what we celebrate at Christmas time. We celebrate the light that Jesus’ birth brought to this world. It’s a light that has touched our lives and that now shines through us. Slide27

Optional: with the room lights still off and the flashlights still on, sing “Silent Night” together.

Tech Que: Play Silent NightSlide28

Tech Que: “Shake It Up” Title Graphic

Turn on room Lights