Use this fun game to teach about the story of the priest Zachariah meeting the angel Gabriel

In our story today the angel Gabriel told Zachariah that he would have to remain silent for nine months.

It’s really hard for us to keep silent isn’t it?

It’s really hard for us to keep silent isn’t it? Today we’re going to play a game to see who can keep quiet the longest...

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas. 

What do you need:

- straws

What to do:

This is part 1 of our series of complete Sunday school lessons for advent and Christmas Day.

First advent Sunday – Zechariah meets the angel Gabriel who tells him that he and his wife Elisabeth are going to have a child, John.
Second advent Sunday – Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel who tells her that she will become pregnant and bear a child, who will be called the Son of God.
Third advent Sunday – Mary goes to visit Elisabeth.
Fourth advent Sunday – The birth of John the Baptist and the song of Zechariah.
Christmas Day – The birth of Jesus

The Sunday School lesson consists of the following ideas:

Discarded or valuable?

What number did you throw?- a Bible game / Icebreaker

YouTube video and discussion –One Day

Experiment – The Impossible Sum

No nice gift for Zachariah? - a creative activity

Who is the angel Gabriel? - a creative activity

Who can you trust? - a creative activity

What did you say? - a Bible game

I think God is really special, because...- a Bible game

Keep that straw under your nose! -a fun Bible game

Download the PDF booklet with all these ideas:

We have created an illustrated PDF booklet containing these creative ideas. Using this PDF booklet you can print all these ideas at home at your leisure: see below.

Use this fun game to teach about the story of the priest Zachariah meeting the angel Gabriel

Elisabeth had been given the cold shoulder for years because she was unable to have children. People thought that she wasn’t worth anything anymore. But she is so thankful! ‘The Lord has helped me to become pregnant. He is so good to me.’

Elisabeth thought that God was really special because he had helped her to become pregnant even when she was old. Why do you think God is really special?

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.

What do you need:

- A4 paper
- pens
- music

What to do:

Use this fun game to teach about the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel

Zechariah is unable to speak, at least for the next few months. How is he going to communicate and let people know what he means?

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
 

What to do:

Use this creative activity to teach about the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel

Zechariah is in the temple. Suddenly the angel Gabriel appears and tells him that he and his wife are going to have a baby. But wait a minute! That’s not possible! They’re both much too old! Can we trust what the angel Gabriel says?

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.

What do you need: 

- an bottle of medicine or a pot of pills

What to do:

Use this creative activity to teach about the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel

In the temple in Jerusalem Zechariah is visited by the angel Gabriel. But who is he?

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.

What do you need: 

- worksheet with the various illustrations of angels - download here: Angels-worksheet.pdf
- pens

What to do:

Use this creative activity to teach about the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel

Zechariah and his wife Elisabeth had prayed for a son. But nothing happened and now it’s too late. Now they’re too old to have children.

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.

What do you need: 

- a beautifully wrapped present

Using this secular YouTube film you can talk with the children about losing hope and go deeper into the meaning of the Bible story of Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel

An old man lives a lonely life. Sitting on a park bench he thinks back on his youth and his wife. He ends the day watching television. He wants to tell his wife something but realises she isn’t there any more. Sadly he strokes the arm of her chair.

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas. 

Why does this film go with today’s Bible story?

This film is about sadness, loneliness and lost hope. The man in the video has lost his wife. Zachariah is also a very old man who has lost his dream. He’ll never have a son, the son for which he has waited so long and prayed so hard. Or will he? Is there still hope? But surely that’s not possible?

Important questions:

It’s important to always watch the film yourself beforehand and to ask yourself:

- do I want to show this to the children?
- does this film work in the context and age-range of the children I am working with?

If you choose to show this YouTube video, we suggest you use the following steps:

You can use this as a fun Bible game about the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel in the temple

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas. 

What do you need: 

- a big dice
- an A4 with the name ‘Zechariah’ on it.

What do you do: 

You can use this as a children’s moment or an introduction to the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel in the temple

This idea is part of a complete Sunday School lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas. 

What do you need: 

- an old fashioned rotary telephone
- a modern mobile Phone

What do you do: 

Giving thanks

A creative prayer idea about praising God, which can be used with the story of Mary meeting Elisabeth, and the song that Elisabeth sang. 

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting Elisabeth as part of our series for advent and Christmas. 

What do you need:

- bottles of bubble mix
- food colouring
- paper hearts and pens

What do you do: 

Thankfulness

A creative prayer idea about being thankful that you can use with the story of Mary meeting Elisabeth, and the song that Elisabeth sang. 

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting Elisabeth as part of our series for advent and Christmas. 

What do you need:

- balloons

What do you do: 

An icebreaker as part of the Bible story where the pregnant Mary meets her pregnant aunt Elisabeth

Tell the children that everything’s going to start bubbling up in this weeks’ story. The baby in Elisabeth’s tummy jumps for joy, Elisabeth calls out that Mary is blessed, and Mary suddenly starts singing a song. Everything starts bubbling up and happening, just like the popcorn that starts jumping all over the place.

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting Elisabeth as part of our series for advent and Christmas.

What do you need?

- microwave popcorn and a microwave
- OR corn, oil, a pan. a camping stove and paper cups

What to do:

In the microwave:
- make the popcorn and give each children a handful op popcorn

On the camping stove:
Be careful! This activity is not without its own risks! Prepare it well beforehand and make sure you have enough leaders. The effect can be fun and exciting.
Make sure you create a safe environment by making sure that the children are sitting in a circle around the camping stove at a good distance. Make sure the camping stove is on a sturdy surface. Heat a little oil and get the popcorn popping, but don’t put the lid on. Then you will see it fly all over the place as it starts to pop! Maybe the children will be able to catch a bit in their paper cups as it pops out of the pan! You could always have made some earlier that you can give to the children to eat at the end if they haven’t been able to catch much.

A fun activity that will help you to start thinking about Advent.

Is there someone pregnant in the church or someone you know. Maybe it is a fun idea to invite her to the children’s program, Sunday school lesson or kids ministry.

Maybe she can share what it feels like to be pregnant. Has she even felt her baby kicking? Or even leaping, like Elizabeth? Maybe some children can feel the tummy and see if the baby moves.

How do think this would have been for Mary and Elizabeth? (10 - 15 min)

Scripture reference:

Luke 1:41-42  (NIV)

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

You can use this idea in a:

Sunday School lesson, Sunday school class, Sunday school curriculum, children's ministry, kids time

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