Bible Study – Fourth Sunday of Advent – Who Is This Child?
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
Advent extends an invitation. The invitation: don't just do something – stand, watch, prepare. Stand - Choose to believe that ours is a safe universe – a universe God chose to enter as an infant. Watch - Look for a coming that has already come and will come again. Prepare - Snatch moments from our busyness. Watching for wisps of awe and wonder to show up. Rediscover that God has chosen to dwell in us and we are invited to dwell in God.
What if – just what if – Jesus is already right here, standing silently with us, walking ahead of us, showing us we don't have to do it all? Could it be that we are called to be still, notice, listen – and then follow?
Advent Theme: Christ will come again: We watch, we prepare, we get ready
Mary has simply accepted the message the angel gave her. Now she goes to the one other woman on the planet with whom she can talk: her elderly cousin, Elizabeth, who is expecting a baby whose name will be John. Blessed is she who believes. But what does Mary make of the baby in Elizabeth's womb "leaping" at the sound of Mary's voice? Who is the baby John? Who is this baby Mary carries?
What if someone comes up to one of your friends and says, "You are so cool. You always seem to have just the right thing to say. "Which of these would your friend be likely to say: (1) "Thank you." Or (2) "Get outta here, I am not all that cool."
Opening Prayer: Dear God, help us to "wonder" today – at the people you choose to do your work, including us. Amen.
Please open your Bibles to Luke 1:30-45 and read or read the scriptures below.
Luke 1:30-45
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 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! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Questions: Answers are find at the bottom of the page.
- What is the first thing the angel says?
- What do we think this angel looked like?
- What are the words the angel uses to describe this baby to be born? (Verses 32 and 33.)
- What is this baby Jesus to be called? (Verse 35b)
- What is the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth.
- Who is the baby that Elizabeth will give birth to?
- Why do you think Mary decided to go visit Elizabeth?
- What do you think is the significance of the baby in Elizabeth "leaping" when Mary spoke?
Click here for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on url)
The angel visited Mary - Luke 1:26-38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uHZkNdSQ3Q
Birth of Jesus: Luke 1 – 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OLezoUvOEQ
Gospel of Luke Summary Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIb_dCIxzr0
Song: Greatest Gift Of All: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=napQjTZqWMQ
Activities:
Advent Candles
The first Sunday lit candle represents sorrow, repentance or a plea for pardon. The candle is called the “HOPE candle, a symbol of the preparations made to receive and to cradle the Christ child.
The second Sunday lit candle represents sorrow, repentance or a plea for pardon. The candle is called the “PEACE candle, a symbol of the preparations made to receive and to cradle the Christ child.
The third Sunday lit candle is pink and called “Gaudate” is Latin and refers to rejoicing or joy. This candle is the “JOY” candle that speaks of love and the actual coming of Christ.
The fourth Sunday lit candle represents a humble yearning and anticipation for the coming Savior. It is known as the “LOVE” candle and commemorates the act of sharing the good news of Christ’s coming.
In the center is the white candle known as the “CHRIST” candle. This is lit on Christmas Eve/Day and is a symbol of purity, perfection and joy.
Option 1: Take a large sheet of paper (perhaps light-colored sheets of 12” x 18” construction paper) and crayons or markers and draw what you think the angel looks like.
Option 2: Roll out some butcher paper/roll paper and create the scene of the Angel and Mary meeting and/or Mary/Jesus and Elizabeth/John meeting.
Angel Ornaments: the supplies you need are triangles, circles and folded circle doilies. Use glitter gel pens and sequins and glitter to decorate your angels for the tree ornaments. Add a piece of string or yarn to the top for hanging. Following is the website on angel ornaments ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/pstarkoski/angel-ornaments-ideas/
24 Days of Christmas Kindness Activities: Christmas is a time for giving and spending time with loved ones. Click on the 24 Days of Christmas Kindness Activities and print them out and enjoy activities.
An Angel Visits Mary - Crossword: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/an-angel-visits-mary
Mary Visits Elizabeth – Fill in the Blank: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/mary-visits-elizabeth-2
An Angel Visits Mary - Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/an-angel-visits-mary-2
An Angel Visits Mary – Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/an-angel-visits-mary-1
Visit From An Angel – Multiple Choice: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/visit-from-an-angel-2
Prayer: Thank you, God, for always finding ordinary people to do your work. Help us to see the important work you have for each of us. Amen
Answers to the above Questions:
- What is the first thing the angel says? (Do not be afraid. Angels always seem to have to say that.)
- What do we think this angel looked like? A soft pretty girl with golden curls? A huge, kinda scary guy who looks like he could play football? (We don't know, but probably more like the second.)
- What are the words the angel uses to describe this baby to be born? (Verses 32 and 33.) 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
- What is this baby Jesus to be called? (Verse 35b: Son of God.)
- What is the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth. (They are probably cousins.)
- Who is the baby that Elizabeth will give birth to? (John the Baptist.)
- Why do you think Mary decided to go visit Elizabeth? (The angel had told her that Elizabeth was going to have a baby and that might have been the first Mary heard that news. Perhaps she realized that Elizabeth could give her some good advice about taking care of babies.)
- What do you think is the significance of the baby in Elizabeth "leaping" when Mary spoke? (It was understood as a sign by the writer of this Gospel that Mary had a special job to do for God.)
