Free Bible lesson for kids · The Promise

Gabriel Visits Mary

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth to tell a young woman named Mary that she would have a Son, and she should call His name Jesus. Mary trusted God and said yes.

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: Luke 1:26–38
Big idea: Nothing is impossible with God.
Memory verse: For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth. He came to a virgin named Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, of the house of David (Luke 1:26–27). Gabriel said, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee.” Mary was troubled, but the angel said, “Fear not, Mary” (Luke 1:28–30). She would have a Son and call His name JESUS (Luke 1:31).

He would be called the Son of the Highest, and His kingdom would never end (Luke 1:32–33). Mary asked how this could be. The Holy Ghost would come upon her, so her holy Child would be called the Son of God (Luke 1:34–35). Even old Elisabeth was going to have a baby. “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:36–37). Mary answered, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).

Read it in the Bible: Luke 1:26–38 (KJV)

²⁶And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ²⁷To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. ²⁹And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. ³⁰And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. ³¹And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. ³²He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. ³⁴Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? ³⁵And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. ³⁶And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. ³⁷For with God nothing shall be impossible. ³⁸And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Questions to ask

What town did Mary live in?
Nazareth, a city of Galilee.
What name did the angel say to give the baby?
JESUS.
What did Mary say back to the angel?
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

What this story teaches

Jesus is the Son of God, born to a virgin (Luke 1:27, 35).
Jesus is the King whose kingdom will never end (Luke 1:33).
Nothing at all is impossible for our great God (Luke 1:37).
When the Lord is with us, we need not fear (Luke 1:28, 30).
Trusting God means saying yes to whatever His Word says (Luke 1:38).

Jesus Is God’s Son

Gabriel said Mary’s Child would be called the Son of God. Jesus, God’s own Son, became a baby and lived among us.

John 1:14

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us say yes to Him like Mary did.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Nothing is impossible with God.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Luke 1:37 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors or out · about 8 minutes

Yes, Lord!

You need: Nothing

The leader calls out good things to do: “Help a friend!”, “Pray!”, “Share!”. The kids shout “Yes, Lord!” and act it out fast.
Now and then the leader calls something wrong, like “Grumble!” or “Tell a fib!”. The kids shout “No way!” and freeze.
Speed up as you go.

Mary said yes to God: “Be it unto me according to thy word.” We can say yes to God too.

For youth group · game · indoors · about 15 minutes

Nothing Is Impossible

You need: For each team: six plastic cups, a rubber band with four strings tied to it

Each team must stack the cups into a pyramid without touching them with their hands. Each player holds one string, and together they stretch the band to grab a cup.
First team to build the pyramid wins. Then try it with no talking.
Talk: what looked impossible until you worked together?

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

Pray

Ask God to help us say yes to Him like Mary did.