Leader Guide
Craft
- Cardstock—one sheet per two children plus extras
- Scissors or paper cutter
- White crayons—one per child plus extras; or, children may share, if necessary
- Dark color crayons—one per child plus extras
- Bibles or Superbook Bible App
- Craft sticks—one per child plus extras
Cut the sheets of cardstock in half horizontally.
Read Luke 1:59b–64:
They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.
Elizabeth and Zechariah obeyed God’s instruction to name their son John. How did Zechariah tell everyone what the baby should be named?
The writing tablet Zechariah used was most likely a wax board. Today, you will write your name in wax!
Give a half sheet of cardstock, one white crayon, and one dark colored crayon to each child.
Have children completely color one side of their sheet with the white crayon.
Children then scratch/write their name on the white colored sheet; press firmly to make each letter!
Gather and mix up the sheets. Give one sheet to each child.
Children then use a dark crayon to color over their sheet and reveal the name. After everyone has finished, have each child hold up their card in turn and say aloud the name they discovered.
Conclusion: After Zechariah wrote John’s name on the tablet, he could speak again! This is exactly what Gabriel predicted! God’s Word never fails.