Hi everyone, it's Aunt Frenita, and we're studying Lesson 10:
"Don't Be Afraid"
The message is:
"Because God is our friend,
we are not afraid of Him."
Our memory verse this week is from Luke 2:10.
"Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people."
Were you ever afraid of thunder?
Of lightning?
Of the dark?
Of people who shout?
Jamie didn't like thunderstorms
especially when they came in the night.
But his mother knew that.
She always came to be with him.
"Don't be afraid," She would say.
"I'll stay with you."
"It will be all right."
And then Jamie could go back to sleep.
In Bible days, when God sent an angel to talk to someone,
He first made sure that they were not afraid.
Recently, we learned about an angel's visit
to Zechariah, a temple priest.
God sent an angel to stand by the altar
where he served.
Zechariah, the elderly priest, was frightened.
But not for long.
The angel immediately soothed Zechariah's fear.
"Do not be afraid," the angel said.
God has heard your prayer.
Then the angel told Zechariah some wonderful news!
His wife, Elizabeth, would have a baby
and they were to name the baby John.
Later, God wanted to tell Mary
that she would have a special baby boy.
Again, He sent an angel to carry the message.
To keep from frightening Mary,
the angel spoke softly.
"Greetings! You are highly favoured.
The Lord is with you!"
Now, greetings are friendly words.
Enemies don't send each other greetings.
They send threats.
But even so, Mary was troubled,
and maybe a little frightened.
So the angel spoke more plainly.
"Do not be afraid, Mary."
There it was again!
That special message from God!
"Do not be afraid!"
God sent the same message
to the shepherds the night Jesus was born.
When the angel messenger appeared,
glory and brightness shone
lighting up the night sky.
The shepherds were afraid.
The Bible writer Luke says that these brave men were terrified!
But then, the angel spoke.
"Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people!"
And the angel told them about the special baby
born in Bethlehem.
They would find him lying in a manger.
When at last the angel voices were hushed,
and the bright light had faded,
the shepherds were no longer afraid!
"Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing
that the Lord has told us about".
They said.
No longer afraid,
they hurried to look for Jesus.
So when God speaks, He doesn't mean to frighten us.
He wants everyone to hear the friendly message.
God is with us.
There is no need to be afraid.
God is our friend, we need not be afraid of Him.
www.gracelink.net
Close captioning by Bernice Leong.