YEA Lesson Library
Two Great Women
About This Lesson
This lessons teaches the announcement to Mary of her pregnancy of Jesus. It covers the concurrent pregnancy of Elizabeth with Jesus’ cousin, John.
Using these events, the student is encouraged to remain morally pure.
CAUTION NOTE: This lesson contains a discussion of purity vs. sex before marriage.
Scriptures
Exodus 20:7
Daniel 2:44
Proverbs 5:3-11
Matthew 1:18-25
Matthew 13:55-56
Luke 1:26-56
Luke 1:46
The Lesson
The birth of John, and the events surrounding it, were miraculous. This was all part of God’s plan. John was the prophet who would prepare the people for the Messiah.
When Elizabeth, John’s mother, was six months pregnant, the angel Gabriel made another visit to earth. This time his stunning announcement came to a young virgin named Mary. She was Elizabeth’s cousin, and lived in a town called Nazareth. Mary was betrothed to a man named Joseph, who was also from the family of King David.
Gabriel told Mary God was pleased with her and the way she lived her life. God picked her out of all the women on earth to be the mother of His Son, who was to be named Jesus. He would be a great King and He would rule forever. God promised, “And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people” (Daniel 2:44). Mary was naturally disturbed and confused. She asked the angel how this could be, since she was still a virgin. But, Gabriel told her this baby would be God’s Son, not fathered by a man.
What do you think Mary must have been feeling? What would your reactions have been? Was this promise easy to accept? Despite her fears and questions, Mary trusted God and said, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
After Mary became pregnant, she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John. As soon as Mary greeted Elizabeth, an amazing thing happened. The baby inside Elizabeth recognized that Mary was the mother of the Messiah. Remember, Gabriel said John would have God’s Holy Spirit even before he was born. John jumped and moved so strongly that Elizabeth also knew for sure that Mary was carrying the baby who was the Son of God.
The two women spent three months together. The book of Luke says they praised and glorified God for what He had done for them.
Since Mary and Joseph were betrothed, this pregnancy created a problem for Joseph. He was sexually pure as well. How do you think he felt? Do you think he was in a quandary as to what he should do about it? Under the law he could have publicly humiliated Mary. But Joseph was an honorable man. He wanted to do the right thing, so he planned to put her away, like divorcing her, with as little scandal as possible. While he considered this, Gabriel appeared to him in a dream. The angel said Joseph should remain with Mary, because her baby was the Son of God. So Joseph did as the angel said.
God must have wanted His Son brought up in a clean family setting with a righteous father and mother. Joseph now had the honor and enormous responsibility of being the earthly father of the Son of God.
Mary and Joseph both showed incredible faith in God! They must have remembered the promises about the Messiah in Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” Mary and Joseph would have known this Scripture, as well as others that tell about the coming Messiah. They believed the promises God made and trusted Him to take care of them.
What lessons can you learn from this? If God selected you to do a job, would you accept the honor? God will take care of you, as He did in Mary’s and Joseph’s situation. As a matter of fact, who could have a greater honor than what He bestowed on them?
But there’s one more thing to think about. God didn’t select just anyone to be the mother and earthly father of His Son. Mary and Joseph were virtuous people with high morals, who kept themselves pure. Aren’t they examples worth emulating?
Student Prayer
Dear Father,
Thank you for Mary and Joseph setting an example of virtue and moral purity for me. If you should ever select me to do a job for you, help me to accept the honor as Mary and Joseph did. Grant me the courage to keep myself morally pure.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Matthew 1:18-25
Monday: Luke 1:27-31
Tuesday: Exodus 20:7
Wednesday: Daniel 2:44
Thursday: Luke 1:32-39
Friday: Matthew 13:55-56
Saturday: Proverbs 5:3-11
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Explain the events surrounding the conception of Christ.
2. Tell that John the Baptist had God’s Spirit before he was ever born.
3. State that Mary was favored by God and selected to be the mother of Jesus because she was a morally pure woman.
Topics & Themes
Elizabeth
Fulfillment of Prophecy
Gabriel
Holy Spirit
Jesus, birth of
Jesus, God the Son
Jesus, Messiah
John the Baptist
Mary and Joseph
Miracles
Purity
Virgin
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students and teacher’s books, 3 x 5 cards, pencils, newsprint pad, color marker pens, music player and CD/tape of song and songbooks
How to Teach This Lesson
By sequentially following the questions laid out below, you will be well equipped to stay on track, complete every section and meet the objectives of this lesson.
How did you feel when you read about Mary getting pregnant before her marriage to Joseph was consummated? Listen carefully without showing any disapproval or surprise. You may learn a lot about how your class looks upon sex before marriage.
How do you think Mary felt about it? Why?
How do you think Joseph felt about the girl he was betrothed to being pregnant with a child that was not his? What three choices did Joseph have? He could have had her stoned, put her away privately or marry her.
Do you think that sexually transmitted diseases were as widespread when Mary and Joseph lived as they are today? Go over the statistics you found .(See Background section.)
How do these statistics make you feel? All of you have heard a lot about AIDS in school and on TV. Did you learn that it is possible to become infected with AIDS from only one sexual experience with an infected partner? There’s no cure for AIDS.
Is it worth it to become HIV positive, which has no cure, for a short moment of weakness or pleasure? What steps should you take to keep this from happening? Have one of the students read Exodus 20:7 aloud. Tell the class that adultery means any wrongful sex act.
Girls, do you think your husband will love and respect you more if you’re a virgin when you marry? Ask one of the girls to read Proverbs 12:4 aloud. Have one of the boys to read Proverbs 5:3-11 aloud.
Does verse eleven sound a little like a sexually transmitted disease?
How do you think God would feel if you committed fornication? He would be very disappointed in you. However, you hurt yourself far more than you hurt God.
How important do you think it was that Mary was a virgin when she married Joseph? God chose Mary to be the mother of His Son because she was a God-fearing virgin.
How important was it to Joseph that Mary be a virgin? How important was it to Mary that Joseph be a virgin?
How important do you think it is to God that you say no to sex until you are married?
What steps can you take to ensure that you will be a virgin when you are married? Never be alone with a person of the opposite sex. Date in groups. If anyone should try to entice you to have sex before marriage, leave that place and person immediately.
Teacher-Directed Activity
Tape large sheets from a newsprint pad to a wall. At the top center, write: “Wall of Wisdom.” Have the teenagers turn the papered wall into graffiti by putting up reasons why they should abstain from sex until they are married and ways they can protect themselves from being tempted.
After they have finished, discuss their reasons and ways by asking such questions as:
Is this a good idea? Why or why not?
How do you feel this suggestion will help you to abstain from sex?
Give ways that you can apply this to your life.
Give each student a 3 x 5 card and a pencil. If the students are willing to make a commitment to abstinence, ask them to write on their cards, “I choose to say no to sex until I am married.” Then ask them to sign their name and keep it in a private place and look at it often as a reminder of their commitment.
Then tell them: To help you remember your commitment, hold your left hand in front of you with your palm facing you. Look at the lines on your index finger. Think of them as a connected set of points of your emotions. Imagine the line at the base to be where a romantic relationship begins. The line before the tip of you finger is where you are out of control. Now the line you’ve drawn where you’re still in control and going to stop is the middle line. Should you ever get yourself into a heavily intimate situation, look at your finger and think about where you are in relation to the line you have drawn. Quickly ask God for help and stop. God will be there to help you, but you must do your part.
REACH Activity
Memory Verse Spotlight
Where is the word “rejoice” first found in Scripture? There are other forms of the verb “rejoice” in Scripture: rejoiced, rejoices, and rejoicing, for example. What is the meaning of “rejoice” according to Strong’s Concordance? What are the Hebrew and Greek words for “rejoice”? Record this information for future use.
Where in the World?
Locate the town of Nazareth on a Bible map. What are the features and landforms of this town today? The word Nazareth, according to Strong’s Concordance, means sprout, branch, or watchtower. How do these words relate to what was happening in Nazareth in Lesson 3? Record your thoughts, and then find two other Scriptures where Nazareth is mentioned.
They Did What Back Then?
As stated in the YEA lesson, under the law of the day, Joseph could have publicly humiliated Mary for expecting a baby outside of marriage. In today’s culture this is not common. Why do you think it was humiliating then but not so today? What other circumstances or situations brought about public humiliation in the culture in which Mary and Joseph lived? (Hint: Check out Mary Magdalene.) What were the consequences besides public humiliation? Share what you find with your Sabbath School class or family.
Making It Mine
How do you like your lollipops? Fresh and clean? Or half-eaten and sticky? Do you prefer one all to yourself? Or do you prefer to share one with everyone on the bus? And, that’s a lollipop! Think about how much more important and intimate your moral purity is. Write about your convictions in your Bible notebook.
Worldview Collision (see introductory information for an explanation)
God’s standard, the biblical worldview, says intimacy belongs only in marriage. A secular worldview says, “If it feels good, do it” or “If it doesn’t hurt anybody, why not?” Using a concordance, find three to five Scriptures which talk about keeping the marriage bed pure, or refraining from fornication and adultery. We know how God felt about Mary’s choice to remain pure before marriage. Be sure you know how God feels about your choices about sexuality.
Questions
As you’re working through the YEA lesson, Daily Devotionals, doing the activity, or reading the Bible, be sure to write down any questions you have. That way you’ll remember to ask someone. Also remember to share the really interesting things you’re learning with family and friends.
Song
“When the Spirit Says Move” on page 92 of The Group Songbook.
Closing Prayer
Form a circle with all of the kids holding hands. Lead the class in prayer, asking for God’s help in keeping this class sexually pure. Ask for forgiveness when student’s fail to do His will.
Printable Pages
