Wait for It: Advent 2020

Who doesn’t love a board game? Waiting for the the game to unfold is a part of the fun, but it can be frustrating if kids don’t know why they are playing or what they need to be a part of it. In, Wait For It, kids will learn how to watch for and put their hope in Jesus. Everyone will meet John, Mary, Simeon and Anna— people who waited for a Savior to change their lives. Kids will learn that everyone needs a Savior, that the Savior will change everything, that God will do impossible things, and that Jesus is the one they’ve been waiting for!

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Check Out the Christmas Bitmoji Classroom to find even more content for the season!

Week 1

Mark 1:1-8

Today, we’re going to be talking about John the Baptist, who made a way for Jesus. But first, let’s worship God for being the one who makes a way for us!
How has God made a way for you or kept promises to you?
Give the kids four small pieces of paper. Ask them to draw four different things in life that take a lot of their time. After writing down their four things, reflect on which of these things are must-dos (like homework and chores) and which are just for fun (like playing games or texting friends). Ask them to remove one thing and give them a picture of a cross to remind them to give up a bit of time dedicated to that hobby/activity to spend more time with Jesus. Finally, ask them to cross out one thing on their list and replace it with spending more time with Jesus.
Let’s think about how we can make room for Jesus. Put this in a place in your house where you will see it every morning as you get ready as a reminder to spend time with Jesus!

Family Discussion Questions

  • What message did John the Baptist have for the people?
  • Why did people come to see John? How do you think you would have responded to John’s message?
  • How did this prepare the way for Jesus?
  • Read Isaiah 40:1-8. Who is the one “crying out in the wilderness” and who is the one who will bring glory to God?
  • What are some ways we can remember we need a Savior?
  • How can you make room for Jesus this week?
  • Who in your family or circle of friends needs a Savior?

Words with Friends

  • INSTRUCTIONS: Find the Words with Friends printable in your advent kit. Ask the kids to cut out paper Scrabble tiles and glue them on the board, spelling out three names of the people on their list. Let them get creative in arranging the names by overlapping shared letters. 
  • Make a list of people you know. We talked about how everyone needs a Savior — that includes the names you just wrote down. And don’t forget to put yourself on this list, too!
  • Everyone needs a Savior and being kind to others prepares their hearts to feel the love of Jesus! Talk to God about helping you be someone who makes a way for others to know that they need a Savior, too.
Words With FriendsDownload
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Week 2

John 1: 19-28

In this video, you can see this game is set to a timer. At the perfect time, the whole board is changed around! Sometimes, it’s not easy believing that one person can change everything. Sometimes, we feel impatient when we don’t know what that change will look like. Instead, we can choose to wait with anticipation, just like the family in this video did! This is a reminder that if we wait, we might see great change. When have you experienced a positive change in your life? What was it like to wait for it?
Kid President reminds us the world is changed by “little people living out big love!” Which option to change the world is easiest? Does that mean it is the best option? If changing the world starts with you, do you think it happens right away? Why or why not?
There are many things that we can do to make good changes in our community. They will take time, but we can’t give up just because we don’t see the changes we want right away. Our world may not be perfect, and many people might be feeling hopeless sometimes, but wait and see, the Savior will change everything.

Family Discussion Questions

  • Who came to question John the Baptist?
  • Who are some people they thought John was?
  • Was John “the Messiah”? What will be different about the Savior when compared to John?
  • Read Psalm 126:3. What great thing has God done for us that fills us with joy, like this verse says? (Hint: What is today’s Big Idea?)
  • What change would you like to see in our world today?
  • Why do you believe Jesus cares about this?
  • How can you partner with Jesus?
Coloring PageDownload

Week 3

Luke 1:26-38

Easy DiY Paper Strip Angel Christmas Ornament Craft for Kids and Adults
Paper Strip Angel Ornament Christmas Craft (with Free Template)
Find the angel template in your advent kit. God used angels to announce that God would be doing impossible things with Jesus’ help. You can hang the angel you made today somewhere in your home to remind you that nothing is impossible with God!
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the UNO printable found in your advent kit. Give each kid a set of five random cards. Play “Angels We Have Heard on High.” When the kids hear their line in the song, they put that card face down in front of them. If they’re down to one card, they declare, “UNO!” and win! Angels were singing with joy in celebration of Jesus being born. What kind of announcements does God make in your life that remind you that God can do impossible things? What kind of “angels” or people who are a lot like angels tell you about Jesus?
UnoDownload

Family Discussion Guide

  • What was the name of the angel that God sent to tell about Jesus?
  • Why would Mary have thought that what the angel was saying would be impossible?
  • How did Mary respond to the message?
  • Read Psalm 89:6-8. What does it mean that no one can compare to God?
  • What is something that you are waiting on God to do in your life (or in someone else’s life) that seems impossible?
  • How can we be more like Mary while waiting?
  • Why do you think it is important for us to praise God while waiting for the impossible?
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Week 4

Luke 2: 22-40

This time of year brings a lot of anticipation. Whether we are waiting for gifts, time with family, or an amazing time at church, we all know something great is happening! 
What makes Jesus’ birth so different from any other we could wait for?

Away in the Manger Dice Game (Found in Advent Kit)

The Activity Mom - Away in a Manger Dice Game - The Activity Mom

Cut out the people. Choose one kid to come up and roll the die (or use online dice). Have kids reference their charts to see which character corresponds with that number and put that person inside the stable. Keep rolling until all of the people are in the stable!

The story of Jesus is filled with lots of important people, and most of them are talked about before Jesus is born. But we know the real reason for this season. Jesus is the one we’ve been waiting for!

Give each kid a pencil and paper, and have them write 2-3 trivia questions (and the answers) as they watch the video. They can be questions about the Bible story or questions specific to the scene (e.g., “What color is Simeon wearing in the video?”). Once they are done, split the group into two teams – and now each team has a bank of trivia questions. Have teams ask each other one question at a time about the video (you can moderate controversial questions), and the team who gets the most number of questions correct wins! 
What made Jesus’ birth so special to Anna and Simeon? Simeon and Anna obeyed God and they got to see God’s promises. When Anna and Simeon listened for God, they knew what to look for when the Savior came. They knew Jesus was the one they had been waiting for.

Family Discussion Guide

  • What was the name of the man in Jerusalem waiting for Jesus?
  • What was the name of the woman in Jerusalem waiting for Jesus?
  • Who promised Jesus would be coming?
  • Read Galatians 4:7. What does it mean when it says we are “God’s own child?”
  • Simeon listened to God and God guided him to the temple on the right day at the right time to meet Jesus. How can you listen for God?
  • Anna prayed and fasted while waiting for God. How can you spend time growing closer to God while waiting?
  • Who is someone in your life you can tell about God who doesn’t know about God yet?
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