1. Tech Que: “Shake It Up” Title Graphic

2. Hello everybody and welcome back for our second week of “Shake It Up”
Hello everybody and welcome back for our second week of “Shake It Up”! Are you ready to shake it up again?! (Kids respond) That was pretty good, but I’m not convinced. I think I need to see you do it.

3. Have the kids stand up. Sound: PLAY the “Shake It Up” music jam
Have the kids stand up. Sound: PLAY the “Shake It Up” music jam. Encourage the kids to do their craziest “Shake It Up” dance.

4. That’s more like it! During the “Shake It Up” series, we’re shaking up some presents (hold up one of the presents and illustrate) to help us figure out the next part of the Big Bible Story. Last week we shook it up and discovered that God spoke through His prophets and told the world about the coming Savior. Who was the Savior God was talking about?

5. Take answer from kids. ) That’s right—Jesus
Take answer from kids.) That’s right—Jesus. When Jesus was born, it shook the world! Jesus came to be a sacrifice for our sins so that we could once again have a relationship with our perfect God. And that is why we celebrate Christmas!

6. Actually, I’m getting a little bit ahead of myself
Actually, I’m getting a little bit ahead of myself. As much as we might wish, it’s not Christmas just yet and there’s more to happen in our story before Jesus is born. In fact, let’s take a look at the next part of the Big Bible Story right now.

7. Tech Que: “The Big Bible Story” Graphic Last week we learned that God gave prophecies to His people about the coming Savior. A prophecy is like a message from God about something that’s going to happen in the future. But look at what the Israelites had to do before the prophecies would come true.

8. 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 a watch. 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.

9. (Draw out and exaggerate this next line
(Draw out and exaggerate this next line.) The Israelites waited and waited and waited. In fact, the Israelites waited for over 400 years for God’s promise to come true. That’s a long time to wait! But God always comes through!

10. One day, God sent an angel named Gabriel to visit a girl named Mary
One day, God sent an angel named Gabriel to visit a girl named Mary. Can you imagine being Mary and having an angel of God standing before you? I want somebody to show me with your face how you think Mary reacted. (Choose a kid to stand up and show how they think Mary reacted.) Nice job! In fact, I want everyone to show me your best “freak out” face.

11. (Let everyone make a face
(Let everyone make a face.) Mary must have looked something like that, because Gabriel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, God is very pleased with you.” Let’s see what else he told her. Hold up present #2. Ask the kids what they think is in it. Present #2 contains a baby rattle. After taking some answers, remove the lid and reveal its contents.

12. Gabriel told Mary, “You will give birth to a baby boy, and you will name him Jesus.” Now Mary must have been confused. Can you all show me what you look like when you’re confused? (Let everyone make a face.) Nice! Mary said, “That’s impossible! How can this happen, there is no father?” But is anything impossible for God? (Kids respond.) No way! Look at what Gabriel told Mary…

13. Tech Que: “Nothing is Impossible with God” Luke 1:37 Gabriel then told Mary that the Holy Spirit would place the baby in her and that God would be his father. Now Mary was neither scared nor confused. Instead, she responded by simply trusting God. She also did something else. Let’s see what it is.

14. Hold up present #3. Ask the kids what they think is in it
Hold up present #3. Ask the kids what they think is in it. Present #3 contains a music CD. After taking some answers, remove the lid and reveal its contents.

15. Mary responded by singing a song of praise to God
Mary responded by singing a song of praise to God. Mary was incredibly grateful that God had chosen her to be the mother of the Savior. There’s was just one small problem, though. Let’s look in our last present to see what it was.

16. Hold up present #4. Ask the kids what they think is in it
Hold up present #4. Ask the kids what they think is in it. Present #4 contains some rings. After taking some answers, remove the lid and reveal its contents.

17. Mary was planning on getting married to a man name Joseph
Mary was planning on getting married to a man name Joseph. Before the wedding happened, though, Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant and decided to quietly break up with her. Sad story—right? Wrong! Fortunately, an angel of God visited Joseph in a dream and told him all about the special baby that was growing inside of Mary. He told Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. When Joseph woke up, he did exactly what the angel told him and got married to Mary.

18. 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: What was your favorite part of this story? Why? If you were Mary, how do you think you would have felt when the angel said you were going to have God’s baby? After a few minutes, draw their attention back to the teaching area.

19. Tech Que: “That’s (not) impossible” Slide Who remembers how Mary first responded when the angel Gabriel told her she was going to have a baby? (Take answers.) That’s right— she said, “That’s impossible! How can this happen?” Mary had a hard time believing it because she didn’t know everything that God knew. Let me show you what I mean.

20. (Hold up a piece of paper and scissors for everyone to see
(Hold up a piece of paper and scissors for everyone to see.) What if I told you that I could cut a hole in this paper big enough for me to fit my whole body through? Would that be a little hard to believe? (Kids respond.) It probably would be. Look at how small the paper is and how big I am. But I know something you don’t know. Take a look at this.

21. Follow the paper cutting instructions and template included in the Resource Folder. When finished, the paper will unfold into a big circle that you can pass your body through. Practice with the template ahead of time so that you are familiar with how it works, but when you do it live with the kids, try using a blank piece of paper. (Optional: play “Shake” by MercyMe while you’re cutting the paper.)

22. To most of you, passing through a hole in this paper probably seemed impossible, but I knew something you didn’t. That’s kind of how it is with God. In our story today, Mary couldn’t understand how she could be pregnant with a baby. But God knew something she didn’t. God knew that the Holy Spirit was going to place the baby inside of her and that God would be the baby’s Father. I

23. It might have seemed impossible to Mary at first, but not to God
It might have seemed impossible to Mary at first, but not to God. God knows everything and God can do anything. That’s why Gabriel told Mary, “Nothing is impossible with God.” (Encourage kids to open their Bibles to Luke 1:37. 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.)

24. Tech Que: “Nothing is Impossible with God
Tech Que: “Nothing is Impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 Have you ever needed God to do something for you that might have seemed really hard, if not impossible?

25. Take answers from kids. Consider sharing a personal story about a time or situation that seemed overwhelmingly difficult or impossible, but God came through for you. You may even want to share your story first to get the kids thinking.

26. Sometimes it’s hard to understand how God might do something or help us with something. Mary didn’t understand at first either, but she believed that nothing was impossible for God. Later in the story, Mary shared the great news with her cousin, Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard about Mary’s great faith, she said this: (open your Bible and read) “You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you will be done!”

27. Mary was blessed because she believed that God’s word would come true
Mary was blessed because she believed that God’s word would come true. And it’s the same for us. When we believe that God can do anything He says He’ll do, it’s a blessing to us. That means it will lead to happiness in our life. During Christmas time, we get to celebrate the most amazing gift ever given. For some of us, it might be hard to believe that God could love us so much that He would send His only son to this earth to die for our sins. But God says it’s true, so you can believe it!

28. Tech Que: “Shake It Up” Title Graphic