Teaching

Can you name some situations that seemed impossible in the Superbook video? The births of John and Jesus. Joy didn’t want to babysit Charlie.

Many times situations seem impossible, and maybe they are impossible for people—but not for God! Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “Nothing is impossible with God.”

Today, our SuperTruth is also our SuperVerse! This will make it easy to learn, right?

Have you ever created a great plan and then realized it was impossible to do it? That is never the case with God’s plans!

Read Jeremiah 32:19a (cev):

With great wisdom You make plans, and with Your great power You do all the mighty things You planned.

God has all wisdom to create plans and also the power and ability to complete them!

Elizabeth and Zechariah were quite old when Gabriel told Zechariah that God was giving them a son. And Mary wasn’t married to Joseph when Gabriel told her she would have a baby! In both cases, God was preparing them for a miracle!

Let’s discuss how Zechariah and Mary reacted to Gabriel’s news. First, how did Zechariah react? Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear. He also asked Gabriel a question.

Optional: have the children look up and take turns reading Luke 1:11–20.

¹¹ While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. ¹² Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. ¹³ But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. ¹⁴ You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. ¹⁶ And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” ¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” ¹⁹ Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was He who sent me to bring you this good news! ²⁰ But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

Now how did Mary react? Mary was disturbed, confused, afraid, and asked Gabriel a question.

Optional: have the children look up and take turns reading Luke 1:26–38.

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. ²⁸ Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” ²⁹ Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. ³⁰ “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus. ³² He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. ³³ And He will reign over Israel forever; His Kingdom will never end!” ³⁴ Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” ³⁵ The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. ³⁷ For the word of God will never fail.” ³⁸ Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Their reactions seem similar, don’t they?

So why was Gabriel disturbed by Zechariah’s response and not with Mary’s?

Let’s look closer at how Zechariah answered Gabriel. Read Luke 1:18:

“How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

When Zechariah asked how he could be sure this would happen, it seems that he was asking for a sign because he doubted God’s plan could happen. Instead of focusing on God’s limitless power and ability, Zechariah focused on human thinking, that He and his wife were too old to have a baby. Write “IMPOSSIBLE” on the board in large letters.

Now let’s look at Mary. She tried to understand Gabriel’s amazing news that she would give birth to the Son of the Most High! She asked Gabriel, “How can this happen,” not “How can I be sure?” There is a difference. Mary’s question was not based on doubt or unbelief. Gabriel answered that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of God would overshadow her—nothing was impossible with God! It was not about what Mary could do; it was about what God can do! Mary only needed to believe, obey, and allow God to work in her! And how did she respond?

Read Luke 1:38:

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Erase “IM” from the board, to reveal the word POSSIBLE. Mary did not ask how she could be sure; Mary accepted, believed, and submitted her life to God as part of His plan! She believed everything was possible with God!

What happened to Zechariah when he didn’t believe Gabriel? Zechariah was struck silent until the baby was born.

Why? He wasn’t sure God’s plan was possible.

See Luke 1:19–20. Add “IM” back to the word on the board.

Now let’s think about Elizabeth. What did she tell Mary?

Read Luke 1:45:

“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.”

Erase the “IM” on the board. Mary showed her faith in God’s promise by singing a song of praise BEFORE her child was born. See Luke 1:46–55. Zechariah praised God and prophesied about God’s mighty plan after John was born. See Luke 1:67–79.

God did what He said He would do for Mary, and also for Zechariah and Elizabeth. As God’s children, we will have doubts, fears and questions as we follow Jesus. We may hear others tell us something is impossible. Add the “IM” to the board. God has provided the Holy Spirit to us to teach, strengthen and assure us. This is the same Holy Spirit who came upon Mary and who filled Elizabeth, Zechariah, John, and Jesus! With God’s help, we can believe by faith that all things are truly possible with God. Erase the “IM.”

That reminds me of our SuperTruth! Let’s say it together: “Nothing is impossible with God.”

Gabriel told Zechariah that God heard his prayers. God hears our prayers today! Now, let’s learn more about our Discipleship Challenge, which is about prayer!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Display the Prayer Journal you made before class. Give each child a Prayer Journal cover and Prayer Journal Pages, plus hole punches and leather pieces, yarn, or twine to assemble them. Children should carefully cut apart the pages, then follow the instructions to assemble the pieces and write their names on the back cover. Assist as necessary, especially with tying the knots.

As the incense burned in the Temple, the people prayed. Read Psalm 141:1–2:

O Lord, I am calling to You. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to You for help! Accept my prayer as incense offered to You, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.

Have children open their Prayer Journals to the first page. Our challenge for the three lessons in this course is to keep a journal of your praises to God, your prayers, and how He answers your prayers so you can thank Him! Each day, your challenge is to write something in each section: 1. Praise God as Mary did, for being God and saving you! 2. Bring your needs and the needs of others to God. God heard Zechariah and He hears you! 3. Write God’s answers in this section, and also how He may speak to your heart as you listen. He did great things for Mary, Zechariah, and His people; He will do great and mighty things for you!

Next time we meet, you can share how God has answered your prayers, if you’d like to tell us.