Sunday School Lesson: An Angel Appears to Mary
Use this Christmas Sunday school lesson “An Angel Appears to Mary” to teach kids that God uses ordinary people. This lesson comes from the award-winning Hands-On Bible Curriculum.
Before the Lesson: Teacher Enrichment
If you’re reading through Luke 1, you find that today’s story of the foretelling of Jesus’ birth to Mary interrupts the story of John the Baptist. At the end of today’s story, Mary runs off to visit Elizabeth. After Mary’s song of praise (Luke 1:46-55), the story of the birth of John resumes.
We’re told very little about either Mary or Joseph in this passage. We only know that they were pledged to be married (a pledge that’s more binding than an engagement today), that Mary was a virgin, and that she apparently was chosen to be Jesus’ mother by virtue of being “highly favored” by God. Of all the Jewish people of all time, God chose Mary and Joseph to be the earthly guardians of his Son. These were humble, ordinary people who must have had an extraordinary relationship with God. They were willing to be used by God in whatever way he saw fit. And God used them in an extraordinary way!
Use this lesson to help your students see how God uses ordinary people—like them—who are committed to serving him.
Other Scriptures used in this lesson are Matthew 1:18-21 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
Prayer
- Read Acts 4:13.
- In what ways did God use these ordinary men? What made them different?
- How willing are you to be used by God in whatever way he sees fit?
- Pray: Lord, use me. Help me be the person you want me to be in the lives of the kids I encounter at church so that they will…
Welcome
Supplies:
- “Will You Risk It?” handouts (text can be copied from the bottom of this post)
- scissors
- envelopes
- treats (simple snacks—keeping potential food allergies in mind)
- rubber bands
Easy Prep:
Before class, make copies of the “Will You Risk It?” handout. Cut the assignments apart. Make enough copies so that each child will have an assignment. Put each assignment with one rubber band in a separate envelope. Seal the envelopes.
Say: You’re invited to take a risk today. You don’t have to take the risk, but if you do you must agree to do whatever the instructions inside the envelope ask you to do. If you take this risk, you may also be rewarded. I have an envelope for each of you. Who wants an envelope?
Distribute the envelopes. Have kids open their envelopes, complete their assignments, and then give you their rubber bands. As kids turn in their rubber bands, give each one a treat.
Will You Risk It? Debrief
Ask:
- What thoughts went through your mind when you took an envelope?
- If you took an envelope, why did you decide to take a risk?
- If you didn’t take an envelope, why did you decide not to take a risk?
- What other risks do you take sometimes?
Say: In our activity, you had to take a risk before you got a reward. At first, some of the opportunities we have to serve God may seem a little risky to us. But the rewards of doing what God wants us to do can be wonderful. God uses ordinary people like you and me to do important things for him. Today we’ll learn how God used an ordinary young woman to bring his Son into the world.
Bible Exploration & Application: Musical Verses
Supplies:
Musical Verses Introduction
Set chairs in a circle. Place a Bible with a bookmark at Luke 1:26-38 under one chair. Have kids stand inside the circle of chairs.
Hold another Bible, and say: You don’t have to be rich or famous for God to use you. Listen while I read Luke 1:26‑27. This passage tells about Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Read Luke 1:26-27 aloud.
Say: Jesus’ mother, Mary, wasn’t very old—possibly a young teenager. Most people didn’t know Mary or her family. But God chose Mary for the special purpose of giving birth to Jesus.
An angel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus. Let’s play a game to find out more about Mary.
While the music plays, walk around the inside of the circle. When the music stops, sit down in the nearest chair.
Playing Musical Verses
Play some music, then pause it.
Say: If you have a Bible under your chair, you can choose to be the reader or invite another willing person to read. Pause while kids sort out who will read. Open the Bible to the marker, and read Luke 1:28-29 aloud.
Say: When Mary first saw the angel, she was confused and wondered what was going on. Imagine that an angel just appeared to you.
Ask:
- What’s the first thing you might think if you saw an angel?
Place the Bible under a different chair and play another round. Repeat the process for identifying a willing reader, and invite them to read Luke 1:30-33 aloud. Then ask the class:
- How do you think Mary might have felt after hearing the angel’s message?
Place the Bible under a different chair. Continue playing music as kids walk around the inside of the circle. Push “pause,” identify the willing reader, and have that person read Luke 1:34-38 aloud.
Ask:
- Do you think you would have agreed to do what the angel said as Mary did? Explain.
- Why do you think God chose Mary to be Jesus’ mother?
Place the Bible under another chair. Continue playing music as kids walk around the circle. Turn off the audio player, identify the willing reader, and have that person read Matthew 1:18-21 aloud.
Ask:
- Why do you think God chose Joseph to act as Jesus’ father?
Debriefing Musical Verses
Say: God could have chosen someone famous, someone with a super important job, or someone wealthy to bring his Son into the world. But he didn’t. Instead, God chose an unknown young woman who was willing to be his servant. God knew ordinary Mary would be a wonderful mother for Jesus and that ordinary Joseph would be a good father for Jesus on earth.
God also welcomes ordinary people to be Jesus’ good friends. That’s right—Jesus was born on earth so that any ordinary person could become a child of God and have a relationship with him. Jesus loves ordinary me and ordinary you!
God Could Use Us!
Supplies:
Say: We’ve already heard how God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus. But how did Mary react to the news? Let’s look at Luke 1:28-29 again to find out.
Have kids follow along in Bibles as you read Luke 1:28-29 aloud.
Say: In these verses, Mary is confused about why God has chosen her and what the angel’s message might mean. Mary might have felt too young or unimportant for such a special task.
Ask:
- Tell us about a time you thought you were too young to have something special happen to you.
Say: God uses ordinary people, and his choices can be surprising. Let’s find out why.
Have kids turn in the Bibles to 1 Samuel 16:7b, and invite a willing volunteer to read the verse aloud:
Ask:
- What ideas does this verse give you about why God chose Mary?
Say: God uses ordinary people like Mary, people of all ages. That means God can do amazing things through kids, too!
Breaking News Activity
Form teams of no more than five. (Teams can be as small as three kids.) Give each team paper and a pencil. Have teams choose a Writer to record the group’s news story, a Reporter to present the story to the class, and one or more Encouragers to help team members come up with ideas.
Say: With your team, take about five minutes to invent a story that could happen to someone your age who wants to make a difference for God.
Have one person on your team begin with a sentence such as “Today a 9-year-old girl made the news.” Then take turns adding sentences to your story until everyone has had at least one turn to add a sentence.
After everyone has added to the story, you can agree to change the details if you want. Have the Writer in your group write down the main ideas of the story for the Reporter to share with everyone else.
Circulate among groups, and offer ideas to help kids get started. After five minutes, have teams present their stories to the larger group.
Breaking News Debrief
When the “newscast” is over, thank everyone for “tuning in.” Then ask:
- Do you think the stories you invented could really happen? Why or why not?
- Would you be willing to do something like the characters in your stories did? Explain.
Say: Like Mary, we may wonder why God would want to use us. We may feel awkward and nervous about doing something like [INSERT: the stories kids made up]. But if we’re willing to get involved, God can use us in amazing ways. We know that God uses ordinary people—people like you and me. Let’s explore how God might use ordinary you and me in his plan.
Just a Piece of Paper
Supplies:
- colored printing paper
- paper in various skin-toned colors
- pencils
- craft supplies
- markers
- glue
- scissors
Easy Prep:
Before class, draw a gingerbread-style person outline on pieces of paper of various skin tones. Make plenty of copies in each skin tone so that each child can choose one that best represents her or him. Cut out the person shapes.
Ordinary People Activity
Allow kids to choose their paper person cutout and a whole piece of colored printing paper.
Say: God used Mary, an ordinary young woman, to bring Jesus into this world. God uses ordinary people, including kids, to do great things for him.
You each have an ordinary paper person. This ordinary paper person represents you, an ordinary real person. Go ahead and glue your ordinary paper person to the middle of your piece of paper. Allow time.
Say: There you are, an ordinary person in the middle of an interesting world. Let’s add some features to make this ordinary person look more like you. Using the craft supplies, add facial features, hair, clothes, and anything else that would make this ordinary person look more like you.
As kids add their unique features, say: From the minute God created you, you were anything but ordinary. God had plans for the way you would look, act, feel, think, talk, and interact with others. You matter so much to God that he knows how many hairs are on your head! God made every aspect of you unique.
Give kids time to finish adding their features. Then say: But God has even bigger plans for you than just for your looks, thoughts, and feelings. God wants to use you to do amazing things for him: to encourage others, to help others grow closer to Jesus, or even to begin a brand-new friendship with Jesus.
Activity Debrief
Ask:
- What are some incredible ways God can use you in your everyday life?
- What’s it like knowing that God can use you in amazing ways?
- What are some big things God might be preparing you to do for him?
Say: On the outside of your person, draw or write ways you can serve God. These can be simple ways in your everyday world, such as at school, with your family and friends, or in your neighborhood. They can also be huge ways to serve God, now and in the future. No one knows exactly how God is going to use him or her, but remember that God can use you in extraordinary ways, so dream big!
Circulate among kids as they work. Offer ideas to get kids thinking of ways God can use and is using them in their current roles and in the future. After about five minutes, invite kids to share some of what they dreamed of and drew on their papers.
Say: Take your poster home with you and keep looking at it in the coming weeks. It can remind you that God can and does use anyone—including you! And when God uses you for something, however small or huge, draw or write about it on your poster.
Having these reminders can encourage us and remind us that we matter. Let’s find out more about encouragement.
That’s Encouraging
Supplies:
- Bibles
- scissors
- markers
- crepe paper
- gift ribbon
Easy Prep:
Before class time, cut a foot-long piece of the crepe paper for each person, including yourself.
Say: Mary wasn’t the only person who knew how special her baby would be. Listen to what Elizabeth, Mary’s relative, said.
Guide kids in looking up Luke 1:39-45. Invite a willing reader to read aloud the narration in verses 39 to 41 and another reader to read aloud Elizabeth’s words to Mary, beginning with verse 42 and ending with verse 45. Have other kids follow along in Bibles. When the readers finish, ask:
- How do you think Elizabeth made Mary feel?
- How do you feel when someone encourages you?
- What kinds of encouraging things could we say to each other?
Throw an Encouragement Party
Distribute the crepe paper pieces and markers, and have kids write their names on one side of their streamers.
Say: Let’s check out what the Bible says about encouragement.
This time, you read aloud 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
Say: We’re going to do what this verse says and spend the next five minutes having an encouragement party! Trade papers with someone else, and write a note of encouragement to that person on the blank side of the streamer. Keep swapping with different people until you hear the signal. Hold on to the streamer you have when time is called, even if it’s not your own.
At the end of five minutes, call for attention. Then give each person one piece of gift ribbon. Have kids roll up the streamers they’re holding and use the ribbon to tie them like diplomas. When kids have finished tying the streamers, ask them each to pray silently for the person whose streamer they’re holding. Then have them give the streamers to those people.
Give kids a minute or so to open their “diplomas.” Offer help with reading the notes, as needed.
Activity Debrief
Ask:
- What did you learn about encouraging others from this activity?
- What do you think God likes about us taking time to encourage one another?
Say: When friends or family members encourage us, they remind us how special and important we are. We go from feeling ordinary to feeling special. Just as God used Elizabeth to encourage Mary, God can use anyone to spread encouragement to others.
Closing: Oh, the Things God Can Do With Me and With You!
Supplies:
Say: We’ve learned today that God uses ordinary people. And that we might feel ordinary or say about ourselves that we aren’t anyone special, but the truth is that we matter so much to God.
God can use you and me to do extraordinary things for him. We only need to have willing hearts. Think about how God might use you this week.
Ask:
- How might God use you at school?
- How might God use you at home?
Have kids sit in a circle. Together practice saying, “Oh, the things God can do with me and with you.”
Say: I’m going to pass a ball around the circle as we recite this sentence together. If you’re holding the ball at the end of the sentence, you can name one way God might use you this week.
After everyone has had an opportunity to participate, say: When we choose to serve God, God can do extraordinary things in us and through us. As you look for ways to serve others this week, remember that God can work through you.
Will You Risk It? Handout
Cut on the dotted lines:
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Your assignment is to tell two or more people why you’re glad they’re here today. When you’ve completed your task, take the loop from your envelope and give it to your teacher.
Congratulations on taking this risk!
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Your assignment is to pat friends on the back and give them each a big smile. When you’ve completed your task, take the loop from your envelope and give it to your teacher.
Congratulations on taking this risk!
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Your assignment is to say to two, or three, or more people, “It’s a great day to be alive! Gimme five!” and give them each a high-five. When you’ve completed your task, take the loop from your envelope and give it to your teacher.
Congratulations on taking this risk!
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Your assignment is to shake hands with two, or three, or more people and say, “It’s a special day, and you’re a special person.” When you’ve completed your task, take the loop from your envelope and give it to your teacher.
Congratulations on taking this risk!
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