Parents: Since this is the season of Advent when we focus most intently on God's promise to come to his people our Family Resources are going to shift away from the Gospel of Matthew to the Gospel of Luke. This book focuses on the events immediately before Jesus' birth so to build up some anticipation for the fulfillment of God's promise. The BYOB readings for adults will continue reading The Gospel of Matthew.
Sunday, December 13 -
What did the angel tell Mary she should name her baby? Jesus. Let’s hear who the angel says Jesus will be.
Luke 1:31-33
“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.’”
What did you hear? [Reflect based on responses.]
A throne is the seat where a king sits and a kingdom is the place that a king leads and takes care of. I
wonder what it means that Jesus’ kingdom will have no end?
Monday, December 14 — Luke 1:34, 35, 37
We’ve heard the angel’s amazing words about the baby that Mary will have. Let’s hear what he says when Mary asks how this will happen:
“Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no husband?” And the angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God...For with God nothing will be impossible.’”
What did you hear? [Reflect based on responses.]
By whose power did this new life start in Mary? The power of the Most High. And what will he be called? Holy, the Son of God. I wonder how Mary felt when she heard these amazing words about her baby?
Tuesday, December 15 — Luke 1:38
After everything the angel has told Mary about baby Jesus, he waits for her answer. What will she say?
“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’”
What did you hear? [Reflect based on responses.]
What does it mean to be the handmaid of the Lord? A handmaid is someone who serves another person and does whatever they ask. Does Mary answer yes or no when she says, “Let it be to me according to your word”? What a beautiful gift she is given when she says yes to God’s plan!
Wednesday, December 16 — Luke 1:39–41
After the angel spoke to Mary and Jesus began to grow in her womb, she decided to make a trip to visit her cousin, who was also going to have a baby.
“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted [her cousin] Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit…”
What did you hear? [Reflect based on responses.]
What happened when Mary called out her greeting to Elizabeth? Elizabeth’s baby leapt in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. They must have been filled with so much joy!
Thursday, December 17 — Luke 1:41b–45
Let’s listen to what Elizabeth says to Mary:
“Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.’”
What did you hear? [Reflect based on responses.]
Do these words sound familiar: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”? Who is the fruit of Mary’s womb? I wonder what made Elizabeth’s baby leap when he heard Mary’s voice?
Friday, December 18 — Luke 1:46–49
Yesterday we heard Elizabeth’s words of joy to Mary. Let’s hear how Mary replied with her own words of joy and praise, the Magnificat:
Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
What did you hear? [Reflect based on responses.]
What does it mean to magnify the Lord? What mighty things has God done for Mary?
Saturday, December 19 — Luke 1:50–52
Today we’ll hear more of Mary’s great prayer of praise to God:
“[God’s] mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree”
What did you hear? [Reflect based on responses. Older children may be struck by the contrasts between the mighty and the lowly.]
What does it mean for God’s mercy to be on us? I wonder how God shows strength with his arm?
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