A child will be born to us. A son will be given to us. He will rule over us. And he will be called Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God. He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever and Prince Who Brings Peace.
—Isaiah 9:6 NIRV
This lesson preview is pulled from the newest 5-lesson Christmas from Wonder Ink. It is flexible and can be used in large group/small group and in classrooms. Download and view the full 75-minute lesson + the family event preview here.
LESSON AT A GLANCE: Elizabeth and Zechariah (Lesson 2)
WONDER TRUTH: God prepares the way for Jesus.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 1
GOD’S BIG STORY: After centuries of waiting for the King God had promised, Zechariah and Elizabeth have a son who is filled with God’s Spirit from a young age and prepares the hearts of God’s people for Jesus.
WORD OF WONDER: A child will be born to us. A son will be given to us. He will rule over us. And he will be called Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God. He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever and Prince Who Brings Peace. —Isaiah 9:6
CURIOSITY (15 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group
An object lesson, experiment, or activity that sparks curiosity, encourages exploration, and gets kids thinking about the wonder of God.
- Welcome Question: What are some of the ways your family prepares, or gets ready, for Christmas?
- Curiosity Questions
- Interactive Game: Winter Prep Relay
- Declaring God’s Wonder
BELIEF (25-35 MINS) | Large Group
A deep and interactive dive into Scripture that guides kids into knowing God more deeply, exploring His big story, and marveling at His wonder.
- Prayer of Invitation
- God’s Big Story: Hear It, Watch It, Experience It!
- Connecting the Wonder Truth
- In Awe of God’s Wonder
- Word of Wonder: Isaiah 9:6
FAITH (15 MINS) | Small Group
An intentional conversation that helps kids see the wonder of God’s story and how it connects to their own, emboldening their faith and fostering a deeper understanding of their place in God’s kingdom.
- Word of Wonder Activity
- Discussion Questions for Younger and Older Kids
- Small Group Prayer Time
IDENTITY (10 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group
An interactive worship response activity that creates space for God to remind kids of these core truths: I am known, I am loved, I am led, and my life can tell of God’s wonder.
- Responding in Worship: Call and Response with Song
- Blessing Your Kids
INVITATION FOR LEADERS
We invite you to pause, listen, and shift your gaze toward the Father …
During Advent and Christmas, I usually spend time thinking about what traditions will help my kids understand who Jesus is. Storybook Bibles. Family devotionals. Songs and carols. Wreaths and candles. What will point them to Jesus? If I’m honest, it all makes me a bit anxious.
What if I mess it up or say the wrong thing? Sometimes teaching them about God’s big story feels daunting. Read Luke 1:5–25. The story of Elizabeth and Zechariah—and the promised birth of John the Baptist— shows how God was preparing the way for Jesus. He was getting the world ready.
Perhaps God’s preparations feel as finished to you as the expected conclusion of the Nativity story, but God is still working. He is still preparing people to meet Jesus. He works through all kinds of things to kindle and nurture a person’s faith.
He might even work through a dad who sometimes says the wrong thing or a kids’ ministry volunteer who feels in over her head.
God invites us to be part of His big story as we follow Jesus day by day, year by year.
What does God have in store for you this week? How is He preparing you to know Jesus more? And how might He work in you and through you to nurture another person’s faith?
God prepares the way for Jesus, from ancient days until kingdom come. God is at work. He hasn’t stopped.
DID YOU KNOW? FOUNDATION BUILDING BLOCKS: Elizabeth and Zechariah
WHO?
Zechariah was a descendent of Aaron and a priest of the division of Abijah. Each division served at the temple for about two weeks every year, so Zechariah probably had another occupation while not serving. Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron, the first high priest and brother of Moses.
WHAT?
The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the temple to tell him his wife Elizabeth would bear a son, despite her old age. They were to name him John. John would be filled with the Holy Spirit and prepare God’s people for the coming Lord.
WHERE?
The angel appeared to Zechariah in God’s temple in Jerusalem. He appeared on the right side of the altar of incense, which was located in the part of the temple called the holy place. Zechariah and Elizabeth lived somewhere in the hill country of Judea.
WHEN?
This story takes place in the time of Herod, king of Judea, close to the end of his rule in 4 BC. Elizabeth became pregnant about six months before the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus.
CONNECTING TO GOD’S BIG STORY
Through the birth of John the Baptist, God was preparing the way for Jesus, the everlasting King. John spent his days spiritually preparing people for the appearance of Jesus, who then proclaimed the kingdom of God and defeated the powers of darkness.
DIVE IN: Elizabeth and Zechariah
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Wonder Ink’s 3-year, 52-week children’s ministry curriculum offers kids space to fully find their place in God’s Big Story. Children discover they are Known by God, Loved by Jesus, and Led by the Holy Spirit.
