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RADICAL BIRTH
In the year AD 1, a teenage virgin gave birth to the Son of God. She was instructed by an angel to call him Jesus and was promised that he would be King of the world.
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Read: Luke 1:26–38 26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you’. 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end’. 34 ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ 35 The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God’. 38 ‘I am the Lord’s servant’, Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.
MY RADICAL BIRTH ➔ The date of my birth was _______________. ➔ The country I was born in was __________________. ➔ My mum uses the word ‘__________________’ to describe my birth. ➔ The most radical thing about my birth was ____________________________________________________________________. 4
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FROM THE PASSAGE Circle the correct answer: 1. Mary was _______________ Joseph. a) b) c) d)
married to pledged (engaged) to sleeping with hiding from
4. What predictions did he make about the child Mary would give birth to?
2. Who came to visit Mary? a) b) c) d)
Her relative Elizabeth Jesus The angel Gabriel Joseph
a) b) c) d)
She invited him in for tea She was excited She ignored him She was afraid
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DIGGING DEEPER
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3. How did Mary respond to her visitor?
i) ii) iii)
3. How does your answer compare with the Bible’s answer in John 3:16?
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1. List three things about the events surrounding Jesus’ birth that were different to even the most radical birth you might hear about today:
These miraculous events demonstrate that Jesus was no ordinary man. Let’s face it: how many of us had an angel turn up and announce the news of our birth? Jesus was special! In fact, Mary was promised that she would give birth to ‘the Son of God’ (Luke 1:35).
4. Over the next nine lessons, we’re going to be taking a closer look at God’s Son, Jesus Christ. What is one question about Jesus that you would like to be answered before the end of the Radical Jesus unit?
2. Why do you think God sent his Son into the world?
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GET CREATIVE
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1. Imagine that you are a reporter and you have just interviewed Mary after this event. In the space provided, create the front page of a newspaper or blog article. Make sure you include a catchy heading, a tagline explaining the story and a picture.
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