Sunday school · Ages 7–9

Love: Mary says yes

Luke 1:26–38

Mainline Christian

Welcome!

Do you like getting mail? What is the best message you ever got?

The candle of love

Today many churches light the fourth Advent candle. It is the candle of love.

A young woman named Mary

Mary lived in Nazareth, a small town. She was going to marry Joseph.

God sent an angel.

God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary with a message.

The winged angel Gabriel, in a blue tunic and pink robe, strides toward Mary with his hand raised in greeting; Mary, in a blue mantle, stands holding red yarn before a gold ground, inside a twisted border of red, white, and blue.

“The Lord is with you!”

Gabriel said, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you.”

A golden-winged angel in a pink robe bows with crossed hands before Mary, who sits in a blue mantle under a slender colonnade with a book open on her lap.

Mary was troubled.

Mary wondered what this message could mean.

“Don’t be afraid, Mary!”

“Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
Luke 1:30

You will have a baby.

“Name him Jesus.” He will be God’s Son, and his kingdom will never end.

“How can this be?”

Gabriel said, “Nothing spoken by God is impossible.”

Mary said yes!

“Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38

A young Mary in rumpled robes sits on her bed and looks up calmly at a column of golden light in her room.

God’s love came close.

Jesus is God’s gift of love for everyone. God’s love is for you too.

I wonder…

I wonder how Mary felt when the angel came.

I wonder…

I wonder what message of love God has for you.

Question 1 of 7

What was the angel’s name?

Question 2 of 7

Where did Mary live?

Question 3 of 7

What did the angel say to Mary first?

Question 4 of 7

How did Mary feel when the angel came?

Question 5 of 7

What name did the angel give for Mary’s baby?

Question 6 of 7

What did Mary say to God?

Question 7 of 7

What does this story show us about God?

Great job!

You finished all 7 questions.

Our memory verse

“Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
Luke 1:30

Make a message angel

Cut the paper plate in half.
Roll one half into a cone and tape it.
Cut the other half into two wings.
Tape on the wings and glue on a head.
Add the message: The Lord is with you.

Good-news messenger

Gabriel carries the envelope to the chair.
Gabriel says, “Good news! God loves you!”
Open it, hold up the heart, and say, “Yes!”
Switch places and play again.

Let’s pray

Dear God, thank you for Mary, who said yes. Thank you for Jesus, your gift of love. Amen.