Lesson Cont...

Note that each time the angel appeared to someone, their first reaction was to be afraid. But the angels quickly calm them.

The Angel Appears to Zechariah

Zechariah was a priest who worked in the temple and was married to a woman named Elizabeth (who was a relative of Mary). Zechariah and Elizabeth did not have any children because they were well along in years (meaning "really old").

The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the temple to tell him that he and his wife would have a son, and that they were to call him John. Gabriel told him that John would be special and that he would prepare the way for the coming Messiah.

Zechariah questioned the angel, not believing that this could happen since he and Elizabeth were so old. Because of his unbelief, Gabriel made him unable to speak until John was born.

The Angel Appears to Mary

Six months after the angel appeared to Zechariah, Gabriel went to Nazareth to visit Mary. Gabriel told Mary that she had found favor with God and that she would be giving birth to the Messiah.

She didn't understand how this could happen since she was a virgin, but the angel told her that Jesus would be conceived by the Holy Spirit. Notice that Gabriel did not rebuke Mary for asking the question as he did Zechariah. We can't exactly know why, but it is apparent that they received this news with different hearts. Gabriel then told Mary that Elizabeth was also pregnant. So Mary went to visit Elizabeth.

The Angel Appears to Joseph

Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. When she was found to be with child, Joseph planned to divorce her quietly. During those days, an engagement was as binding as a marriage. No on would have questioned Joseph terminating his relationship with Mary under those circumstances.

An angel appeared to Joseph to reassure him and tell him not to divorce Mary as she would give birth to a baby named Jesus who would save his people from their sins.

• What was Zechariah's role in temple? (he was a priest)

• What was Zechariah's wife's name? (Elizabeth)

• What was the name of the angel that appeared to Zechariah? (Gabriel)

• What did the angel tell Zechariah? (his wife would have a baby boy)

• Why didn't Zechariah believe the angel? (he and his wife were very old)

• What happened to Zechariah because he didn't believe what the angel said? (he would be unable to talk until after the baby was born)

• What was the name of the angel that appeared to Mary? (Gabriel)

• What did the angel tell to Mary? (she was going to have a baby and was to name him Jesus)

• Who did Mary go visit after this? (her relative Elizabeth)

• What was the name of the angel that appeared to Joseph? (the Bible doesn't tell us)

• What did the angel tell to Joseph? (not to divorce Mary)

• Angels appeared to these humans (Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph) to tell them that Jesus was going to be born (and John the Baptist). This helps us understand that there was something very special about Jesus - that he was God himself coming down to earth in the form of a man.

• Do you believe that there is something special about Jesus? That it was God sending his only Son to the earth for us?

Directions

1. Children trace hands on white construction paper and cut shapes out. Assist where necessary.

2. Children cut triangle out of white paper. Assist where necessary.

3. Children cut circle out of construction paper. Assist where necessary. (You may wish to match the color to your child’s skin tone).

4. Glue handprints onto blue (or other color) construction paper and then triangle just over the hands. (Hands will form the wings, and the triangle with form the angel’s body)

5. Glue the circle at the top of the triangle, just covering the tip.

6. Glue the gold cord just above the circle to form a halo. (optional)

Directions

Click here for directions with pictures

1. Select pieces of colored cardstock and trace the shapes for making Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, and a star from the provided template. Carefully cut out the traced shapes.
2. Grab the pattern cutouts for the Mary and Joseph stick puppets. Stick the hair pattern on one of the round cutouts and the beard cutout on the other round cutout.
3. Cut a slit along the line along the headscarf pattern. Stick the head cutouts (the round-shaped papers) on the top side of the body cutouts.
4. Slide the top end of the head through the slits you cut in the scarf patterns. Apply glue to attach and fix them in the correct positions.
5. Use a black sharpie to draw the eyes, nose, and mouth on the Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus stick puppet dolls.
6. Finally, attach the finished Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus crafts, as well as the star, on craft sticks (or popsicle sticks) using craft glue to complete the Nativity stick puppets.

Directions

1. Students must line up in the order of their birthdays without talking.

2. January birthdays are first in line, December birthdays are last, etc.

3. You can play again with other requirements... for example, line up based on your height, number of pets, number of siblings, etc...

Directions

TWO WAYS to play

WAY 1

• Have the kids take turns acting out things from the story: angel, mary, joseph, baby Jesus,. And other items such as:
• deer

• hamster

• clock

• balloon

• elephant

• swimming pool

• hot dog

• pizza

• skateboarding

• piano

• fishing

• watching a movie

• building with legos

WAY 2

• Have kids act out the story as a group!