"Bedtime Bible Stories"

From the Book of Luke,
Chapter I, Verses 26-56

About a month after Zacharias had seen the
angel Gabriel, there was a young woman
living in the little town of Bethlehem. Her
name was Mary and she was the cousin of
Elizabeth.

Mary was very happy. She was engaged to marry
Joseph, a young carpenter who was also from Bethlehem.
Joseph was an honest man and everyone liked and
respected him. Mary loved him very much and was
looking forward to her wedding day.

One evening, when Mary was all alone, Gabriel
the angel appeared to her too! "Congratulations," the
angel Gabriel said to her. "The Lord God is with you!"
Mary was very upset and confused. She had never
seen an angel before and didn't know anyone else who had
either.

Gabriel then said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary. The
Lord has blessed you. You will soon have a baby boy.
You are to name him 'Jesus' He will grow up to be a very
great man. People will call him the Son of God. God will
give him the throne of his ancestor. King David! He will
be the King of Israel forever and his Kingdom will never
end!" "But how can I have a baby?" Mary asked. "I don't
have a husband yet!" "The Holy Spirit will
come over you," Gabriel explained, "and this is why
your son will be called the Son of God. And to prove my
words are true, listen to this. Your cousin Elizabeth,
whom everyone thought was too old to have a baby, is
going to have a son three months from now!"
Mary was astonished. She knelt down on one knee
and said, "I am the Lord's servant. I will do whatever He
wants me to do!"
When she looked up, the angel was gone!
Almost immediately, Mary began making plans to
visit her cousin Elizabeth and her uncle Zacharias.
When she arrived, she called hello to one of
Zacharias' servants. When Elizabeth heard Mary's voice,
the baby inside her jumped for joy! She knew what was
going to happen.
"You are the most blessed woman in the world,"
Elizabeth said to Mary as she bugged her hello.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth almost up until the time
came for her to have her baby. Then Mary had to go home
and prepare for her own wedding. A few days later,
Elizabeth gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, just as
Gabriel had promised.
Tradition in Jewish homes of the time said that
baby boys were always named after their father or a
favorite relative. But when it came time to name the
baby, Elizabeth said, "His name is 'John\"*
Her friends were astonished. They were sure her
husband wouldn't stand for this. They went to Zacharias,
who was still unable to speak, and told him what
Elizabeth wanted to name his son.

Zacharias motioned for something to write on.
When they gave it to him he wrote, "The baby's name is
John!"
Instantly, Zacharias was able to speak again. The
first words out of his mouth were praises for God!