Children’s Message: Sing of Love Luke 1:39-55 on Music and the Magnificat
Main Objective: Music is one of many gifts that God gives us to praise and worship Him. We can use instruments, vocal songs, and prayers to recognize His love and thank Him for His blessings. This message considers how Mary praised the Lord with word and song after learning that she would be mother to the Messiah. Just as Mary and her cousin Elizabeth rejoiced at the news of Jesus, we can worship and thank God through music and other means.
Law/Gospel Theme: This story features a remarkable and joyous family visit. Mary, miraculously pregnant with Jesus, travels to see her relative Elizabeth, who is also miraculously with child (John the Baptist). The child within Elizabeth’s womb recognizes who is in his presence, even though he’s not yet born! Elizabeth also understands the significance of this, and in response Mary bursts into song. All of these reactions remind us of the wonder behind Christ’s coming and His saving work. If infants and teens and elderly women give praise, so should we! God’s gift of His son is something that we can remember with delight and joyful thanksgiving, every day!
Luke 1:39-55 Children’s Sermon- The Mary’s Song of Love
Optional Materials: Musical instrument, songbooks or hymnals, Bibles.
Bible Passage: Luke 1:39-55
Message: Note: As with most messages, the details of how you choose to communicate this are adaptable and should cater to timing as well as to your audience and student needs.
Greet children and discuss music…
Hello, children of God!
Well, Christmas is almost here! There are a lot of great things that happen during this special season, but one of my favorite parts of Christmas is the music. I love Christmas songs and carols. Do you like Christmas songs? Do you have a favorite? Do you sing in church? Music is a wonderful way to express joy and thank God for His love and blessings. There are many ways we can do that. Hold up books and examples as you describe. Maybe you sing with a special book of songs, or with a hymnal in church. Perhaps you’ve been part of a concert or caroling group. Or maybe you don’t like to sing much, but you’ve played an instrument. What sort of instrument do you play? Hold up some examples or pictures. Music is a great way to worship. And you know, not everyone likes music, but we can still use words and prayers in special ways to praise the Lord.
Did you know that the Bible is full of music? In the Psalms, we see special songs and instructions to sing God’s praises. We also see God’s servants sing. Sometimes people used songs to thank God when wonderful things happened, like answered prayers, battle victories, or miraculous blessings. Sometimes songs were used to deliver messages, or as a response to a delivered message. One of these cases is Mary, who learned that she was to be the mother of Jesus, the savior. God’s angel came and told that news to Mary, and then told her that her relative Elizabeth was also going to have a special baby. Mary went to visit Elizabeth, and Elizabeth knew that something wonderful had happened because the baby inside of her jumped for joy. Mary was so happy that she sang a song praising God for His marvelous deeds and for letting her be part of His plan. Of course, there were a lot of challenges that would come along the way. Mary didn’t have it easy, but she was still able to sing and rejoice at His faithfulness.
What about us? How do we sing and praise God? We can do this at all times. Maybe it’s through words that we sing or instruments that we play. Maybe it’s just in the things that we say, prayers we offer, and the way we live our lives. Worship happens in a lot of different ways, and God adores it. Even if you can’t sing or play in tune, God knows your heart and sincerity. He loves us. We can celebrate His love and show Him ours when we worship. And this is something that we can (and should) do every day! Singing for the Lord isn’t just for Christmas, but for anytime we remember His love—which should be always!
Let’s pray and thank God for His love, asking for His help as we praise and glorify His name and blessings.
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for sending Jesus
Thank you for your many blessings
Please help us to praise you for all that you do
And to give you glory every day.
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!
Bible Verses/story to Reference:
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”-Luke 1:39-55