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WEEK OF DECEMBER 3-9, 2007
The
Announcement
M ONDAY
READ LUKE 1:26-38
An angel visited Mary. At first, Mary thought the angel was
bringing bad news, but the angel told her not to be afraid, he
to Mary and had good news! He told her she was going to have a child. This
child, Jesus, was going to save the people from their sins.
Jesus is the Messiah that God, in the Old Testament, promised
would come. Everyone had been waiting for the Messiah. The Messiah
Joseph was a special leader from God who would bring salvation to everyone.
Today we are going to make an angel to represent the angel
Gabriel that visited Mary. This angel will remind us that God had
by Eric Wright
a special purpose for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.
To make your angel:
INTRODUCTION 1. Cut a 1/4 (6 mm.) pie-shaped section out of the paper plate.
It was believed that the Messiah would bring 2. Pull the edges of the remaining 3/4 (2 cm.) of the paper
the “Day of the LORD” and free the Israelites from plate together to make a cone shape. Staple or tape the
their bondage to Rome. The Messiah would be a edges together.
fierce warrior in line with King David, and he would 3. Cut the 1/4 (6 mm.) section into two, pie-shaped sections
punish all those who oppressed Israel. to be used as wings.
No one, however, expected God to choose an 4. or tape the wings to the back of the cone to make wings.
unwed mother to bear the child and a poor carpen- 5. Decorate the angel and put it away for later in the week.
ter to help her raise Him. Both Mary and Joseph Close with prayer. Thank God for sending His special messen-
were considered good people. This implies that they ger to Mary and for sending Jesus to rescue us from our sins. Ask
were faithful in adhering to the Torah and lived lives God to help your family to follow Mary’s example of obedience.
pleasing to God. But being chosen to parent the
T
Messiah brought shame rather than glory and honor.
For the entirety of their lives, Mary and Joseph UESDAY
carried the stigma of an illegitimate child. READ LUKE 1:39-45
This week your family will be looking at
the birth announcements to Mary and Joseph. The angel reported Elizabeth’s good news to Mary, remind-
This young couple endured some hardships as ing her that “nothing is impossible with God.” She went to see
a result of their obedience to God. But their her relative Elizabeth. Mary saw Elizabeth was pregnant just like
obedience led to the fulfillment of God’s prom- the angel had said.
ise of a Messiah that would “save his people ½ Who would you really like to see that you haven’t seen in
from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). a long time?
When Elizabeth saw Mary she was very excited. At the sound of
This week you will need: Mary’s voice, Elizabeth’s baby “leaped in her womb . . .” Elizabeth
knew Mary was going to give birth to the Messiah, and could not
½ Monday: a 9" paper plate for each person, wait to see “the mother of [her] Lord.” Elizabeth was very happy that
scissors, pens, markers, stapler or tape, che- Mary was obedient.
nille wire (optional), white fluff ball (optional) Elizabeth and Mary were able to help each other. Their unborn
children were going to do something great for God. Elizabeth’s baby,
½ Tuesday: a piece of paper for each person, John, would grow up to “Prepare the way for the Lord,” announcing
pens or pencils, envelopes, postage stamps to the Jewish culture that Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, has come.
Handwritten letters are rarer than they used to be. Write a let-
½ Thursday: the angel from Monday’s activity, ter to the friend or relative you mentioned earlier that you have
markers or crayons not seen in a while. Mail the letter to the person.
Close with prayer. Thank God for close friends and family
½ Weekend: two Popsicle sticks for each per- members who support you. Ask God to help them during this
son, black permanent marker, and glue Christmas season.
W EDNESDAY
READ MATTHEW 1:18-19
Joseph was engaged to Mary, but found out that she was preg-
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nant. He knew the baby was not his baby, and he probably after waking up, Joseph went and did what God told him to do.
felt angry and hurt at the thought of Mary betraying him. ½ What are some ways we can show our obedience to
Joseph also knew people were going to say some very bad God and others?
things about Mary, and that she was going to be rejected by Ask God to help you to live a life of obedience. Pray
the people around her. In those days, Joseph could have Mary silently for a few minutes about your own personal struggles
punished for becoming pregnant with a baby that was not his. with obedience.
½ Have you ever been made fun of, called a name, or
rejected? How did it make you feel?
½ What did you do?
Joseph was a good man. He followed God, and wanted
to live a life that pleased God. Joseph decided to break off
the engagement in private so Mary would not face addition-
W EEKEND
READ ISAIAH 7:14
The angel told Joseph that Jesus would be called,
al embarrassment.
“Immanuel.” The name Immanuel means, “God with us.”
But Joseph’s decision was to protect Mary from being
Through Jesus, God came to be with us. God, through the
hurt by others even though he was hurt and confused.
Holy Spirit, continues to be with us.
Ask God to help you respond in a way that is pleasing
½ What does it mean to you to say that God is with us?
to Him.
½ How do you know that God is with you? (You may
want to share a story about a time God’s presence
T HURSDAY
READ MATTHEW 1:20-21
made it clear that He was with you.)
1. Give each family member two Popsicle sticks.
2. Have them glue the Popsicle sticks in the shape of a
cross.
Give each family member the angel that was made on 3. On the cross write the phrase, “God with us,” to
Monday. Have each person write, “He will save his people symbolize that God is always with us.
from their sins” across the bottom of the angel. Help any 4. Have your family members put the cross some place
family member that is unable to write this phrase. where they will see it each morning.
Joseph had a tough decision to make. He felt hurt because Ask God to help you to know He is with you. Thank
Mary was pregnant. He had planned to break off the engage- God for being with your family as they go about each day.
ment in private so Mary wouldn’t suffer more embarrassment.
But before Joseph did anything, an angel appeared to
tell him that Mary’s baby was a very special child. Joseph
learned that Mary had done nothing wrong. Unit Bible Verse
Tell a story about a time you thought someone had
done something wrong, but later learned they hadn’t done
“In those days Caesar
anything wrong.
½ How did you feel toward the person after you
Augustus issued a decree
learned you were mistaken? that a census should be
½ What did you do?
Close with prayer. Ask God to help you to believe the taken of the entire Roman
best of other people, and to help you not to jump to conclu-
sions about others. world.” (Luke 2:1)
F RIDAY
MATTHEW 1:22-25
½ Who are some of the people to whom you must be
obedient?
½ Why do you think it is important to be obedient?
Joseph and Mary had a very important task to do. They
were going to be the parents of Jesus, the Messiah. God had
chosen them for this very special task. Both Mary and Joseph
were obedient to God.
½ How was Mary obedient to God?
½ How was Joseph obedient to God?
Today’s Bible passage tells us, “When Joseph woke up, he
did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him . . .”
(Matthew 1:24). Joseph didn’t wait a few days. Immediately
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