Family Connection – Christmas: The Angel

In the car...

Today’s lesson – The angel told Mary

Mary was told about her pregnancy. She was engaged to Joseph but not yet married. She was afraid when the angel told her that she was carrying God’s child. What a surprise! What a scary, positive, awesome surprise!

Discuss surprises. How have you been surprised and in what ways? Focus on the positive surprises but mention a couple scary ones, too. Point out the surprises that happen when we are in the car: people letting you go first at a stop sign, a house that has a spectacular light show, etc.

At home...

Read Luke 1:26-44

Crazy times are ahead for Mary and Joseph. Joseph, after hearing of Mary’s pregnancy, wanted to break their engagement. He was going to do it silently in order to not embarrass her, but then the angel explained it to him. What?! Discuss “best laid plans.” Sometimes we have a plan but God interrupts that plan with His divine glory. At first, Joseph must have felt angry, ashamed, hurt... But God revealed Himself and things changed.

Discuss a time or plan you had and how God intervened. God has a plan for our lives and it will work for His glory. Did you accept His brilliant plan or did you press through what you thought should happen? Share as a family.

Around the table...

Announcements are fun! When we announce dinner we all run to the table with the anticipation of eating! OR, maybe we get an invite to a birthday party. That’s always fun. We always go with anticipation of what’s to come! Mary went to Elizabeth’s house to surprise her with the good news. She probably had the anticipation of telling her and her being surprised, BUT Elizabeth’s baby (John) leapt for joy at the presence of Jesus and Elizabeth knew! How cool is that?!

Discuss a time when the Holy Spirit told you something previous to it happening. Talk about how we should be sensitive to the Spirit because we never know how big the news might be!

GO DEEPER: Talk about how you shared the amazing story of Jesus’ birth and how it’s the reason we celebrate Christmas. Practice telling one another, then share!