His Name Is John: Zechariah and Elizabeth
Luke 1:5-25; Luke 1:57-80 New Testament PrinciplePrayer
Zechariah the priest and his wife Elizabeth loved God, but they were old and had no children. One day, while Zechariah burned incense in the temple, the angel Gabriel told him, "Your prayer has been heard." They would have a son named John, who would get people ready for the Lord. Zechariah didn't believe it, so he couldn't speak until it happened. When baby John was born, Zechariah wrote, "His name is John," and right away he could talk again, and he praised God with a song about the Savior who was coming. God hears our prayers and keeps His promises, right on time.
Prayer is talking with God, who always listens. God hears every prayer, even ones we've prayed for years, and He answers in His own perfect time.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.”
Luke 1:13 BSB
Christ Connection · Promise
John was born to get people ready for Jesus. Zechariah sang that God was raising up "a horn of salvation" from David's family and that "the Dawn from on high" would shine on people in darkness. That Dawn is Jesus, and John would one day point to Him and say, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
Luke 1:68-79; Malachi 3:1; Mark 1:2-3; John 1:29
The Big Story · Redemption
For hundreds of years God's people waited for the Savior He had promised. John's birth meant the waiting was almost over: God was about to send Jesus to rescue His people.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- A map of where it happened
- Object lesson: No talking!
- Dasch’s Dig Site (bible-times history): Altars of incense
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Write it down
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
God hears my prayers!
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Shh, then praise!, Color baby John
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
Zechariah and Elizabeth loved God and prayed for a baby for many years. One day the angel Gabriel told Zechariah, "Your prayer has been heard." They would have a son named John, who would get people ready for Jesus. Zechariah didn't believe it, so he couldn't talk until it came true. When John was born, Zechariah wrote, "His name is John," and right away he could talk and sing praises to God. God hears our prayers and keeps His promises.
Memory verse
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard.”
Adapted from Luke 1:13
Start here
Ask, "Have you ever waited a really long time for something?" Let a few kids share. Say, "Today we'll meet an old man and woman who waited and prayed for something for years and years."
Bible story 6 min
Zechariah was a priest. He served God at the temple. His wife was Elizabeth. They both loved God. But they were old, and they had no kids. They had prayed for a baby for a long time.
One day Zechariah got a big job. He went into God's house to burn sweet incense. Outside, lots of people prayed.
All at once, an angel stood by the altar! Zechariah was scared. "Do not be afraid," the angel said. "God heard your prayer. Your wife will have a son. Name him John. He will get people ready for the Lord."
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
His name is John 10 min
You’ll need: A small whiteboard or paper, Markers
- Choose a narrator, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Gabriel and two neighbors. Everyone else is the crowd.
- Act out the skit. Zechariah may only use gestures and the whiteboard until he writes "His name is John."
- Switch parts so more kids get a turn.
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
Zechariah and Elizabeth loved God, but they were old and had no children. While Zechariah burned incense in the temple, the angel Gabriel told him, "Your prayer has been heard." They would have a son, John, who would prepare the way for the Lord. Because Zechariah doubted, he couldn't speak until John was born. On naming day he wrote, "His name is John," and his first words were praise, a song about the Savior God was sending. God hears our prayers and keeps His promises in His perfect time.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Zechariah's song, Write it down
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, with friends, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
Luke's Gospel opens in the temple with an old, faithful, childless couple and a prayer God had been hearing for years. Gabriel tells Zechariah his prayer has been heard and that his son John will prepare the way for the Lord. When Zechariah doubts, he is silenced until the promise is kept. At John's naming, Zechariah's obedient "His name is John" opens his mouth, and his first words are a Spirit-filled song about the "horn of salvation" from David's house and "the Dawn from on high." God hears prayer, keeps His covenant, and was about to answer the prayers of all Israel in Jesus.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Prayers God answered in His time, My Benedictus
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: online and on screens, at church, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Prayer
The same principle in other Bible stories.
The Lord’s PrayerMatthew 6:5-15; Luke 11:1-13When His disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray," Jesus gave them a prayer that begins "Our Father in heaven." Because of Jesus, we can talk to God as our loving Father about everything, from His glory to our daily bread.New TestamentPrayer
The Church BeginsPeter Escapes PrisonActs 12:1-19; Exodus 12:11King Herod put Peter in prison, chained between soldiers. The church prayed hard for him, and God sent an angel to lead Peter out. When Peter knocked at the door, the praying friends could hardly believe it!New TestamentPrayer
Kings and ProphetsHannah Prays1 Samuel 1:1-28; 1 Samuel 2:1-11; 1 Samuel 2:18-21Sad and longing for a child, Hannah poured out her heart to God in prayer, and God heard her and gave her Samuel.Old TestamentPrayer
Our Eyes Are on You: Jehoshaphat’s Singers2 Chronicles 20:1-30A huge army came to attack King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. Jehoshaphat was afraid, but he turned to the LORD. He gathered everyone, even the little children, and prayed, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." God answered through a prophet, "Do not be afraid. The battle is not yours, but God's." The next morning, Jehoshaphat sent singers out in front of the army, praising God. As soon as they began to sing, the LORD defeated the enemy armies. When we don't know what to do, we can pray and keep our eyes on God.Old TestamentPrayer
Kings and ProphetsDaniel and the LionsDaniel 6:1-28When a law made prayer to God a crime, Daniel kept praying as he always had, and God shut the lions' mouths and kept him safe.Old TestamentPrayer
With Building BricksNehemiah Rebuilds the WallNehemiah 1:1-6:16; Psalm 127:1Jerusalem's walls lay in ruins. Nehemiah prayed, and God opened the way for him to go and rebuild. He prayed at every step while the people worked, and in just 52 days the wall was finished. Everyone could see that God had done it.Old TestamentPrayer