1. Welcome everyone to Large Group worship! Ask them about their week as everyone files in to the room. Once everyone arrives… This month we’re going to be talking about “Living Out Loud!” does anyone know what it means to “live out loud”? Allow answers

2. Those are some great thoughts! When you live in a way that’s big and bold and pleasing to God, people around you notice and they’ll start to wonder why you’re acting so different. That’s what it means to “Live Out Loud”! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be hearing some of the earliest stories of Jesus life and we’ll be learning that when we follow Jesus’ example, we live out loud!

3. Okay… Lets review this month’s Remember Verse! We will learn other verses, but you’ll get a take home card with this verse, so you can practice it and learn it in your heart! Tech: Cue Remember Verse Slide Christ has been raised from the dead by the Father’s glory. And like Christ, we can also have a new life. -Romans 6:4

4. Today we’re going to learn a special verse that relates to the story we’re about to learn… Tech: Cue Verse Slide “Jesus became wiser and stronger. He also became more and more pleasing to God and to people”-Luke 2:52 Read it together a few times using motions

5. Worship Time

6. There’s something else we get to do out loud, though. Do you want to know what it is? Kids respond. Okay…that wasn’t very convincing. Say with more enthusiasm. I said, do you want to know what it is? Alright…drum roll please. Begin producing a drum roll sound by hitting your hands on your legs. Prompt the kids to do the same.

7. Bring the drum roll to an end and then say the next line with gusto! SOUND EFFECTS! Do you see what I did there? I actually had you make a sound effect! Sound effects make great stories even better! And the stories we’ll be tackling over the next few weeks are not only great—they’re true!

8. The last time we talked about Jesus, he was still a baby. Tech: Cue “Baby crying” slide. Prompt kids to make a baby crying sound. But in today’s story, he’s not a baby anymore. He’s actually a 12 year old now and he’s on one of the most exciting trips of the year!

9. You see, there were 3 huge celebrations every year that all the Jewish men traveled to Jerusalem for, but the biggest of them was the Feast of the Passover. During the Feast of the Passover, Joseph even brought Mary and Jesus with him.

10. Seven days later, when the feast was over, Mary and Joseph began the long walk home. Pat your hands on your knees in order to make a walking sound. They weren’t alone, though, because it was such a huge celebration, there would have been hundreds, even thousands of people walking with them back to their hometown of Nazareth. Have kids pat their hands on their knees along with you.

11. Mary and Joseph assumed that Jesus was somewhere in the crowd of travelers, but after a day’s journey the crowd got smaller (tell one group of kids to stop patting) and smaller (tell next group to stop) and smaller (tell final group to stop) until they realized that Jesus was not with them!!

12. Can you imagine Mary’s reaction? What kind of sound do you think Mary would have made when she realized Jesus was missing? Call on a kid to make her sound. If necessary, recommend a gasp or screech sound. Have the rest of the kids repeat the sound after her.

13. When they realized what had happened, Mary and Joseph raced back to Jerusalem to look for Jesus. One day passed. Tech: Cue “Snoring” slide for a moment, then quickly cue the “Rooster” slide. Two days passed. Tech: Repeat the previous THREE days passed! Tech: Repeat one more time.

14. After three days, Mary and Joseph finally found Jesus sitting in the temple courtyard listening to the Jewish teachers and asking them questions. (Tech: Cue Jesus in Temple Slide) Even though Jesus was only 12 years old, the teachers of the law had seated him in a place of honor and were treating him like he was one of them.

15. There was a crowd of people who gathered around and began to murmur. Tech: Cue “Murmur” slide. Prompt the kids to say “murmur” over and over to each. Everyone, including Mary and Joseph, were amazed at Jesus’ answers and how much he understood. Not only did Jesus know an incredible amount about God’s word, he wanted to be with people who could teach him even more.

16. When Mary finally reached her son, she let out a sigh of relief (Tech: Cue “Sigh” slide) Prompt kids to sigh Then she said this… Read Luke 2:48-49 (NEXT SLIDE) Tech: Cue Slide

17. Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried about you. We have been looking for you everywhere.’ (Verse Slide 2) ‘Why were you looking for me?’ he asked, ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’

18. After that, Jesus did go back to Nazareth with his parents. Tech: Cue Verse Slide Every day Jesus became wiser and stronger and he became more and more pleasing to both God and all the people who knew him.

19. Have the kids turn briefly to their small groups and discuss the following questions: 1. What do you think this story teaches us about God? 2. Jesus said to his parents, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” What do you think he meant by that? After a few minutes, draw their attention back to the teaching area.

20. Tech: Cue “Live Out Loud” Slide When Jesus said, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” who do you think he meant by his “Father”? Take answer from kid. That’s right! He wasn’t talking about Joseph. Joseph was something like a step-dad to Jesus. Jesus’ Father was God.

21. And more than anything else, Jesus wanted to be in the temple—His Father’s house—a place where he could hear God’s word, ask questions, and talk to others about God. And because Jesus did this, look at what happened: Tech: Cue Verse Slide Open your bible and Invite kids to read Luke 2:52 along with you.

22. Jesus grew because he spent time in the right place and filled himself with the right things. He became wiser and both God and other people loved him. Did you know that we can grow like that too? We can! But just like Jesus, we have to spend time in the right place and fill ourselves with the right things. Let me show you what I mean.

23. Place the 2 potted plants side by side for the kids to see. Begin by standing in front of the healthy plant. What kind of things does it take to keep a plant looking healthy like this? Answers may include: food, water, good soil, and light. Next, stand behind the dying plant.

24. This second plant doesn’t look so good, does it? It hasn’t been getting any of those things. Open a can of soda and pour some of it into the plant. Instead of water, I give it soda. Sprinkle pieces of candy around the plant. Instead of plant food, I give it junk food.

25. Place a box on its side with the opening facing the kids. Put the plant inside the box. Instead of placing it in the sunlight, I put it in the dark. What do you think is going to happen to this plant if I keep doing this? Take answers. That’s right—for a plant to grow, it needs to be kept in the right place and filled with the right things!

26. Pick up healthy potted plant You know what? We’re kind of like this plant. If we want to grow as Christians, we need to spend time in the right place and fill ourselves with the right things. What do you think that means for us? If we want to grow in our wisdom and faith, where do we need to spend time and what do we need to fill ourselves with? Take answers from kids.

27. Tech: Cue GO! DEEP Slide In our story today, Jesus grew because He spent time in His father’s house listening carefully as his teachers talked about God’s word. He asked really good questions and He shared what He was learning from God’s word with others. It’s the same for us…

28. When we come to church every week and listen to our teachers talk about the Bible, when we ask good questions, and when we share what we’re learning with each other, it helps us to grow in our wisdom and faith. And most of all, it helps us to “Live Out Loud” so that other people see the love and power of God in our lives. Close in prayer.

29. Introduce the GO! DEEP stations: Prayer Station Journal Station Art Station Tell the group to choose one station and read the instructions before beginning. Ask small group leaders to station themselves around the room to help if needed. Dismiss by grade after a few minutes Tech: Cue GO! DEEP Music Slide