Tech Que: “Hide n Seek” Title Graphic

Hello everyone and welcome to our very first week of “Hide-n-Seek Hello everyone and welcome to our very first week of “Hide-n-Seek!” Who loves playing “Hide-n-Seek?” (Kids respond.) Me too! (Tell a short personal story about playing “Hide-n-Seek” when you were a kid. Where did you play? What was your favorite hiding place?)

Here’s the really great part—for the next four weeks, we get to play a super-fun version of “Hide-n-Seek.” I’ve hidden some pictures and objects around the room and in just a little bit, you’ll have to seek for them. When you find them, they’ll help us tell today’s true Bible story.

Before we get started with today’s part of the Big Bible Story, though, let’s go back all the way to the beginning and see if you can remember what’s happened so far. (Look around as if you’ve misplaced something.) Umm…there’s just one problem. I seem to have misplaced my envelope of pictures. Does anyone see a giant envelope with a Bible on it? (When found, retrieve the envelope. In order, pull out one picture at a time and ask the kids if they remember what happened in that part of the story.)

Earth. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered the world.  Abraham. God made a promise to Abraham that there would be as many people in his family as there are stars in the sky. From Abraham’s family, the Israelites, would come a rescuer who would save us from sin.

Moses. While in Egypt, Pharaoh made the Israelites into slaves, but God used Moses to lead them across the Red Sea and out of Egypt.  King Saul. After wandering in the desert for 40 years, the Israelites finally made it to the Promised Land where they demanded to have a king just like all of their neighbors.  Prophets. Just like God had warned, the Kings led God’s people away from Him. So, God sent prophets to turn them back and to tell them about the coming Savior.  Baby Jesus. After 400 years of silence, Jesus, the Savior spoken of by the prophets, was born.

Tech Que: “The Big Bible Story” Graphic Ahead of time, hide the story pictures/props around the room. For the sake of time and group management, try to hide them in places that are at least partially visible from the seating area so that kids don’t have to get up and search around the room. Hide them in somewhat challenging, but not impossible, locations.

To get our story started for today, I need for you to find a boat To get our story started for today, I need for you to find a boat. (Retrieve the boat once it’s found.) One day, Jesus told a fisherman named Simon to take his boat to deeper waters and to throw out his nets to catch some fish. Simon said, “We’ve been fishing all night and haven’t caught a thing, but if you say so, I’ll do it.” So, Simon threw his nets into the water, and when he began to pull them back into the boat, there were a TON of fish in it!

Tech Que: “Fish in the Nets” Illustration Now I need you to find a net Tech Que: “Fish in the Nets” Illustration Now I need you to find a net. (Retrieve the net once it’s found.) The nets began to strain under all that weight. (If using a real net, stretch and strain it.) There were so many fish that the nets actually started breaking! Simon’s friends, James and John, had to help him pull all the fish into the boat. (Pretend to pull in a heavy net.) It was a miracle! Simon knew right then that Jesus was no ordinary man.

Now I need you to find a fishing pole Now I need you to find a fishing pole. (Retrieve the fishing pole once it’s found.) Simon thought Jesus was so special he told Jesus he shouldn’t even be around him. But instead of sending Simon away, Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” That was Jesus’ way of saying He was going to teach Simon and his friends how to catch people and teach them about Him. So, Simon and his friends began to follow Jesus wherever He went. These were Jesus’ first ever disciples. But Jesus didn’t stop there.

Tech Que: “12 Disciples” Graphic Now I need you to find some coins Tech Que: “12 Disciples” Graphic Now I need you to find some coins. (Retrieve the coins once they’re found.) Later, Jesus met a tax collector named Matthew. Tax collectors—bleh!! Nobody liked them! A lot of them would steal people’s money. But Jesus wasn’t looking for the most popular people, so He invited Matthew to be a disciple too! In all, Jesus invited 12 people to be His disciples. (You can read the list of disciples off of the graphic.)

There was Simon (whose name was changed to Peter), his brother Andrew, two brothers named James and John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, another James, Jude, Simon the Zealot, and Judas. These were 12 regular people who didn’t think they were anything special, but Jesus chose them to follow Him and change the world!

Tech Que: “Big Bible Story Questions” Graphic For Younger Kids: What did you find interesting about this story? Out of all the people Jesus met, why do you think he chose someone like Simon to follow Him?

Tech Que: “Hide-n-Seek” Title Graphic Were any of you surprised by who Jesus picked to be his disciples? Jesus could have chosen anyone he wanted—the smartest, the richest, or the most popular. Instead, he chose ordinary people to follow him.

Did you know that Jesus is still asking people to follow him Did you know that Jesus is still asking people to follow him? And guess what—He wants YOU! It’s true. Jesus wants YOU to follow him. He doesn’t care that you’re not the tallest kid around or that you haven’t made it to the 6th grade yet. Jesus doesn’t care if you’re the smartest kid or the most popular kid. Do you know what Jesus cares about? He cares about your heart! Jesus is looking for people who love Him and want to make Him the most important thing in their life. In fact, that’s what our Bible verse for today says.

Tech Que: “Come and follow me,” Jesus said, “I will send you out to fish for people.” Mark 1:17 Following Jesus means putting Him first, but that won’t always be easy. In fact, a lot of times Jesus asks us to do one of the hardest things ever. Do you know what it is? (Pause. Say the next line with intentional impact.) Jesus asks us to be different. Let me show you what I mean

Note: Choose a responsible kid or leader ahead of time to be in on a special part of large group. Ask them ahead of time to make a “boop” sound when you ask everyone else to make a “beep” sound. Tell them to do their sound quietly the first round, but more loudly the second and third round. They also need to know that this is a secret job; they can’t tell anyone what is going on! For younger kids, you may want to pick sounds that are easier to distinguish from each other. For example, you may have the room make a donkey braying sound while the mystery person makes a chicken clucking sound.

On the count of three, I want all of you to make a “beep” sound one time. While you do that, our secret sound effect person is going to quietly make a different noise. See if you can figure out who it is! Ready? 1, 2, 3…GO! (Kids make sounds)

Did you figure out who was making the mystery noise. No Did you figure out who was making the mystery noise? No? That’s interesting. You couldn’t really tell who was making the mystery sound because it wasn’t loud enough. Let’s try again. This time, I want my mystery sound effect person to be a little bit louder! Ok, everyone else, we’re going to make the same “beep” noise. Ready? 1, 2, 3…GO! (Kids make noise.) Did you figure it out?

Did you see what happened Did you see what happened? The louder the person was, the easier it was to tell they were different. And when that person was louder, more people heard the different sound. That’s kind of like what Jesus wants us to do with the people in our neighborhoods and schools. When all of the people around us are making bad choices, Jesus wants us to be different.

But not just in small, quiet ways But not just in small, quiet ways. Jesus wants us to be different in big and bold ways. So, how can you do that? Who can give me an example of how you can be different for Jesus in a good way? (Take answers.)

Those are some incredible ideas Those are some incredible ideas! This week, remember that Jesus is calling you to follow Him. Even though you might be a regular old kid, Jesus thinks your special! He wants YOU to follow Him in big and bold ways! Let’s thank Jesus right now for wanting ordinary people like us to follow Him.

Tech Que: “Hide n Seek” Title Graphic