While pregnant with Jesus, Mary visited her cousin Elisabeth and rejoiced with her in God’s goodness. This lesson will give you opportunities to recognize the goodness of God and to offer your praises for it.
Student preparation: Invite students to come to class prepared to share a line from a hymn that highlights God’s goodness.
Possible Learning Activities
Why do you think we sing hymns about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as part of our worship of Them?
What is a hymn or a line from a hymn that highlights Their goodness?
If students need help, consider listing a few hymns they can read, and encourage them to look for a phrase that highlights the goodness of God. Invite students to share what they found.
Take a minute to think about how you feel about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Reflect on the reasons you have to praise Them and how often you express your feelings about Them in some way.
In this lesson, you will have the opportunity to think more about why and how you might praise God and rejoice in the life and mission of Jesus Christ.
Mary and Elisabeth rejoice together over God’s goodness
While Mary was pregnant with Jesus, she went to visit Elisabeth, her elderly cousin whose pregnancy was also a miracle. Upon Mary’s arrival, Elisabeth’s baby, who would be John the Baptist “leaped in [Elisabeth’s] womb for joy” (Luke 1:44). This started a conversation between Mary and Elisabeth in which Mary rejoiced and praised God.
Consider inviting students to read the next group of verses on their own, looking for things they can relate to.
Read Luke 1:46–55. As you study Mary’s words, pause and reflect on the meaning of specific words or phrases. Pausing and reflecting can invite inspiration from the Holy Ghost to help you understand the scriptures more deeply. For example, you could pause at “low” or “handmaiden” in verse 48. These words could give insight into Mary’s humility and reverence toward God. The words in this verse could help you see that God knows and loves His children regardless of their circumstances. If helpful, consider looking up the meaning of words you do not understand using a dictionary or the Guide to the Scriptures, available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Which words did you stop to think about? What did you learn?
Which words or phrases do you still have questions about?
Help students feel comfortable sharing what they found while also inviting them to ask for help to understand difficult words or phrases. For example, if students have questions about the word “fear” in Luke 1:50, consider looking it up with them in the Guide to the Scriptures. This could help students understand that “to fear God is to feel reverence and awe for Him and to obey His commandments” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Fear,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
What truths about God do you learn from Mary’s testimony?
Students may identify many truths in the verses they studied, including some of the following:
We can rejoice in knowing that we have a Savior (Luke 1:47)
The Lord is mighty and can do great things (Luke 1:49)
God is merciful to those who honor and obey Him (Luke 1:50)
God humbles the proud and lifts the humble (Luke 1:52)
When we hunger spiritually, the Lord can fill us (Luke 1:53)
Consider inviting students to write on the board the truths they learned from Mary’s praises.
We can rejoice in God’s goodness
One truth we can learn from Mary’s experience is that as we consider God’s influence in our lives, we can rejoice.
Why do you think recognizing God’s blessings in your life can help you feel joy?
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared how remembering God’s goodness has blessed him.
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Elder Dale G. Renlund
As I have reflected on gifts from our Heavenly Father and from Jesus Christ, I have come to know of Their infinite love and Their incomprehensible compassion for all Heavenly Father’s children [see 2 Nephi 26:33]. This knowledge has changed me, and it will change you too.
Help students reflect on their blessings and reasons for expressing love to God. Give students time to think of meaningful ways to praise Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and to record them in their study journals.
Complete the following steps to help you recognize Heavenly Father’s blessings and praise Him for His goodness.
Step 1:
Display the following questions or read them aloud, giving students time for reflection.
Reflect on your answers to the following questions.
What are some blessings from Heavenly Father that you are most grateful for?
What do these blessings help you understand about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
When have you felt joy because of recognizing God’s blessings for you or someone you know?
What scripture story or verse helps you want to praise God?
Step 2:
Choose how you will praise God. Here are some ideas you could choose from:
Write a poem or song.
Draw a picture.
Offer a prayer of gratitude.
Bear your testimony to someone.
Write in a personal journal.
Share your feelings about God on social media.
You could also come up with your own idea. Once you have made your choice, begin taking action. If it is not possible to begin right now, write down a detailed plan of what you will do. For example, if you want to offer a prayer of gratitude, you could write down when and where you will pray and what you might express gratitude for. You could share your ideas with a parent or Church leader who can remind you to carry out your plan.
Give students time to begin carrying out their plans. If possible, students could share their experiences at the end of this class or in an upcoming lesson.
Verses 46–55 of Luke 1 are traditionally known as the Song of Mary. These praises associate the birth of Jesus Christ with Israel’s sacred past. The words celebrate the Lord’s mercy in once again reaching out to bless and honor His people—particularly those of “low degree” (Luke 1:52).
Luke 1:53. How does the Lord fill “the hungry with good things”?
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him and be filled:
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Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
I pray this morning that all who are hungering and thirsting, and sometimes wandering, will hear this invitation from Him who is the Bread of Life, the Fountain of Living Water, the Good Shepherd of us all, the Son of God: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, … and ye shall find rest unto your souls” [Matthew 11:28–29]. Truly He does fill “the hungry with good things,” as His own mother Mary testified [Luke 1:53]. Come, and feast at the table of the Lord in what I testify to be His true and living Church, led by a true and living prophet.
Elder Dean M. Davies of the Seventy taught the following about what happens when we recognize how God is blessing us:
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Bishop Dean M. Davies
Every day, but especially on the Sabbath day, we have the extraordinary opportunity to experience the wonder and awe of heaven and offer our praises to God for His blessed goodness and overwhelming mercy. …
When we worship, our hearts are drawn out in praise to our blessed God morning, noon, and night.
We hallow and honor Him continually—in our meetinghouses, homes, temples, and all our labors.
When we worship, we open our hearts to the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Our lives become the token and expression of our worship.
In addition to reading the words of praise from Mary, the mother of Jesus, consider inviting students to learn from the words spoken by Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. Students could read Luke 1:68–79, looking for how Zacharias praised God. Some of the class could read Mary’s words while others read Zacharias’s words. Students could then share with each other what they learned.
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
The message of the song “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”is that Israel should rejoice in Jesus Christ coming to save His people. Consider displaying or providing the lyrics to the song and listening to a musical rendition. Perhaps a student could play the song on a musical instrument, or the class could watch a video like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (The Piano Guys)” (5:27), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Invite students to ponder the reasons we rejoice that Jesus Christ came to earth.
