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Good Tidings to All People

Shepherds hurried, Simeon and Anna waited, wise men traveled far: very different people found their way to the Christ child

  • 📖 Adult Sunday School
  • Week 2
  • 📅 Sunday, January 10, 2027
🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

From the first night, very different people found their way to Jesus Christ: shepherds in a field, an old man and a widow in the temple, travelers from the east. The good tidings were “to all people,” and each of us can come to Him, worship Him and help someone else find Him.

I can come to Jesus Christ as the shepherds, Simeon, Anna and the wise men did, seek Him in His house, act on the guidance He gives, and help someone else find Him.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 2; Luke 2 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 2; Luke 2)
Know the chapters

Luke 2 is so familiar that we can stop seeing it. The manual invites us to slow down and ask why things happened as they did. Bethlehem means “house of bread,” and the word manger comes from a Latin word meaning “to eat”; the One laid there would call Himself the bread of life (John 6:35). The first to hear were shepherds, and the newborn would become the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11). A new star marked His birth (Matthew 2:2), and He is the light of the world (John 8:12).

The story today moves from the fields to the temple. Forty days after the birth (see Leviticus 12:2–4), Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem and offered “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24), the offering the law allowed for a family who could not afford a lamb (Leviticus 12:8). They were carrying the Lamb of God. Simeon, “just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel,” had been promised by the Holy Ghost that he would see the Lord’s Christ before he died, and he “came by the Spirit into the temple” at that very moment (Luke 2:25–27). Anna, a prophetess and a widow “of about fourscore and four years,” served God “with fastings and prayers night and day,” and spoke of Him “to all them that looked for redemption” (2:36–38).

Matthew 2 adds wise men from the east who followed a new star to worship “the young child” in a “house” (Matthew 2:11), probably some time after the birth. When Herod asked the chief priests and scribes where the Christ would be born, they answered at once by quoting Micah (Matthew 2:4–6). Bethlehem was only a few miles away, yet the record never says any of them went. Joseph, warned in a dream, took Mary and Jesus to Egypt by night (2:13–14), and later, guided by more dreams, settled in Nazareth (2:19–23). The manual teaches that parents, and all of us, can receive revelation to protect those in our care. Keep Herod’s cruelty (2:16) brief.

With 25 minutes, let the story carry Luke 2, then use the discussion to compare the witnesses and to talk about Joseph’s revelation. Luke 2:40–52, Jesus in the temple at twelve, is ready as a bonus step.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Luke 2:8–38 and Matthew 2:1–14 once. Open by holding up a piece of bread and asking why the Bread of Life would be born in the “house of bread.” Read the scenes, study Luke 2:10–11 together, and give most of the time to comparing the witnesses: shepherds, Simeon, Anna and the wise men. Close with Matthew 2:11, one or two testimonies, and an invitation to bring the Savior a gift this week.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read Luke 2:1–38 straight through, then Matthew 2. Mark Luke 2:10–11, 19, 25–27 and 37–38, and Matthew 2:4–6 and 11.
  2. Ask three people ahead of time to read: a Shepherd (Luke 2:15), Simeon (Luke 2:29–32) and a Reader for Anna’s verses (Luke 2:36–38). Invite an older class member to read Simeon if one is willing; it lands beautifully.
  3. Bring a small loaf or a roll. You’ll hold it up for the first minute of class.
  4. Decide which witness you relate to most right now, and why. If the room is quiet, you’ll go first.
  5. Pick the two or three discussion questions you most want to reach. You won’t have time for all of them, and that’s fine.

Discussion tips

  • “We’ve heard this a hundred times”? Ask the class to hunt for one detail they have never noticed before. Adults who have known the Nativity since childhood often find the most in the small words: “with haste,” “by the Spirit,” “another way.”
  • Honor the older members of your class. Simeon and Anna are both elderly, and their long faithfulness is the point. If someone in the room has served in the temple for years, their perspective will enrich the discussion.
  • Quiet class? Give a minute of silence to scan the verses before asking anything, and use the small-group moment in Many Kinds of Witnesses: people who won’t speak to the room will talk to a neighbor.
  • Matthew 2:16 is hard to read. If it comes up, acknowledge the grief of those families plainly and briefly, and point to the Savior who came to redeem even that sorrow. Don’t dwell on it.
  • Visitors and new members: say that everyone knows parts of this story, invite them to share what Christmas means in their own culture or family, and never ask someone to read aloud without checking first.

The 25-minute plan25 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Each “On the screen” line is what the class sees on a shared screen in Teach Mode in the Gospel Sparks app; on paper, read it aloud or write it on the board. On the web you can play Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The House of Bread

3 min

Opens with a detail most adults have never noticed, so a familiar story feels new.

  1. Hold up the loaf or roll without explaining it.
  2. SAY“Bethlehem means ‘house of bread.’ And the word manger comes from a Latin word that means ‘to eat.’ A manger is a feeding trough.”
  3. Ask: “Why might the Savior, who called Himself the bread of life (John 6:35), be born in the house of bread and laid in a feeding trough?”
  4. Take two or three answers. Accept every thoughtful one.
  5. SAY“The Nativity is so familiar we can stop seeing it. Today let’s watch who came to the child, what brought them, and what they did afterward.”

On the screen: 🍞 Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Why would the Bread of Life be born there?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A small loaf of bread or a dinner roll

Born in the House of Bread

  1. Ask: “Can anyone guess what the name Bethlehem means?” Take a guess or two.
  2. SAY“It means ‘house of bread.’ And the word manger comes from a Latin word that means ‘to eat.’ A manger is a feeding trough.”
  3. Ask: “Why might the Savior, who called Himself the bread of life (John 6:35), be born in the house of bread and laid in a feeding trough?” Take two or three answers.
  4. SAY“Today let’s watch who came to the child, what brought them, and what they did afterward.”
2. Story

Read It in Context: Witnesses in the Field and the Temple

6 min

Reads Luke 2 as the experience of real witnesses, some who hurried and some who had waited for years.

  1. Open Teach Mode to the scripture scene. The shared screen shows one scene at a time.
  2. Read each scene’s context yourself, then let the assigned voices read their verses. You read the angel’s words.
  3. Keep it moving: context, verses, next scene. Save comments for the discussion.
  4. After scene 6, let a few seconds of silence sit before moving on.

On the screen: 🐑 Luke 2: shepherds in the field, and two faithful witnesses waiting in the temple · Follow along in Luke 2:8–38

3. Scripture

Unto You

4 min

Studies Luke 2:10–11 closely so class members hear the good news as both universal and personal.

  1. Put Luke 2:10–11 on the shared screen and read it slowly.
  2. SAY“With the person next to you, find the phrase that makes this message universal, and the phrase that makes it personal.” (“to all people” and “unto you.”)
  3. Ask: “Why does it matter that the good news is both?”
  4. Point out that the first to hear about the Lamb of God were people who spent their nights watching over lambs. Share Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s words (in “From general conference” below).

On the screen: 📣 “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” · Luke 2:10–11 · Find “to all people” and “unto you.”

4. Talk it over

Many Kinds of Witnesses

6 min

Compares the witnesses of Christ’s birth to see the many ways people come to Him, then and now.

  1. Divide the class into four small groups (or pairs in a small class) and give each one witness: the shepherds (Luke 2:15–20), Simeon (Luke 2:25–35), Anna (Luke 2:36–38) or the wise men (Matthew 2:1–12).
  2. Give one minute to find two things: what brought them to Jesus, and what they did afterward.
  3. Invite each group to share in a sentence or two, then ask one or two questions.
  4. If the room is quiet, share which witness you relate to most right now.
💬 Ask the class
  • Angels, the Spirit, years of faithful waiting, a star: what does the variety of ways these people came to Jesus tell you about how people come to Him today?
  • Which witness do you relate to most right now, and why? (Talk with a neighbor first.)
  • The chief priests knew exactly where the Christ would be born (Matthew 2:4–6), only a few miles away, yet the record never says they went. What keeps people who know the right answer from coming?
  • Simeon and Anna found Him in the temple. What have you found of the Savior in the Lord’s house?
  • The shepherds and Anna couldn’t stop talking about Him. What makes it natural for you to speak of the Savior?

On the screen: 🧭 Shepherds, Simeon, Anna, wise men: what brought each one to Jesus, and what did they do next? · Luke 2:15–38 · Matthew 2:1–12

5. Talk it over

Warned in a Dream

4 min

Uses Joseph’s example to talk about seeking and acting on revelation for the people in our care.

  1. Ask a volunteer to read Matthew 2:13–14, then point out that Joseph received two more dreams guiding him home and to Nazareth (2:19–23).
  2. SAY“The manual teaches that faithful parents, and anyone responsible for others, can receive revelation to protect those in their care.”
  3. Ask one or two questions, then move to the testimony on time.
💬 Ask the class
  • Joseph “arose” and left “by night” (Matthew 2:14). What does his immediate response teach about acting on revelation?
  • What physical and spiritual dangers do the people you love face today? How has God guided you to help protect them?
  • Whether or not we are parents, we all have people in our care: family, friends, ministering assignments, a class. How do you seek revelation for them?

On the screen: 🌙 Joseph arose, took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt. · Matthew 2:13–23

6. Testimony

Come and Worship

2 min

Ends with testimony of the Savior whose birth was good tidings for all, and an invitation to come to Him this week.

  1. Read Matthew 2:11: they fell down, worshipped Him, and opened their treasures.
  2. Invite one or two people to share, in a sentence or two, what helps them truly worship the Savior.
  3. Bear a short testimony that Jesus Christ is the Saviour born “unto you,” and that all sincere seekers who come to Him find Him.
  4. Invite: “This week, bring the Savior a gift: time in His house, a quiet hour in the scriptures, or help for someone who hasn’t found Him yet.”

On the screen: 🎁 They fell down, and worshipped him, and presented unto him gifts. · Matthew 2:11 · This week: bring Him a gift.

7. Talk it over

About My Father’s Business

5 minBONUS

Looks at the only scene of Jesus’s youth and the pattern of growth in Luke 2:52.

  1. Read Luke 2:41–52. Point out the Joseph Smith Translation footnote on verse 46: the doctors were hearing Him and asking Him questions.
  2. Read Luke 2:49 and 2:51 together: He was about His Father’s business, and He went home and was subject to His parents.
  3. Ask one or two questions.
💬 Ask the class
  • How would you describe “my Father’s business” in your own life right now?
  • Luke 2:52 names four kinds of growth. Which one needs your attention this year?
  • Mary “kept all these sayings in her heart” even when she didn’t understand (Luke 2:50–51). What are you keeping and pondering?

On the screen: 📏 Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. · Luke 2:41–52

8. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A light, friendly review if you finish early.

  1. Split the room down the middle into two teams.
  2. Launch Scripture Showdown on your phone or tablet and read each question aloud.
  3. After each reveal, read the reference so people can mark it.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

On the screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown: how well do you know Matthew 2 and Luke 2?

Read it together

Witnesses in the Field and the Temple

Luke 2:8–38 ↗

Reading parts

  • ShepherdReads Luke 2:15, the shepherds’ decision to go to Bethlehem.
  • SimeonReads Luke 2:29–32, Simeon’s words with the child in his arms.
  • ReaderReads Luke 2:36–38, the account of Anna.
  • The ClassEveryone reads Luke 2:14 together.

Scenes

  1. 🌌 Shepherds keeping watch by night

    Just outside Bethlehem, shepherds are watching their flocks through the night. Suddenly an angel of the Lord stands before them and the glory of the Lord shines all around. They are terrified.

    🎬 The teacher reads Luke 2:8–9.

  2. 📣 “Good tidings of great joy”

    The message is for all people, and yet it is personal: unto you is born a Saviour. The sign is humble, a newborn wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding trough. Then heaven fills with praise.

    🎬 The teacher reads Luke 2:10–13. The Class reads verse 14 together.

  3. 🏃 They came with haste

    The shepherds don’t debate it. They go now, find Mary, Joseph and the baby, and then they can’t stop telling people. Mary, meanwhile, holds on to every detail.

    🎬 The Shepherd reads Luke 2:15. The teacher reads verses 16–19.

  4. 🕊️ Two turtledoves at the temple

    Forty days later, Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. Their offering is two birds, the offering the law allowed for a family who could not afford a lamb. They are carrying the Lamb of God.

    🎬 The teacher reads Luke 2:22–24.

  5. 👴 “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation”

    Simeon, a just and devout man, has been promised by the Holy Ghost that he will not die before he sees the Lord’s Christ. Led by the Spirit, he walks into the temple at that exact moment, takes the baby in his arms, and blesses God.

    🎬 The teacher reads Luke 2:25–28. Simeon reads verses 29–32.

  6. 🙌 Anna gives thanks and spreads the word

    Anna, an elderly widow and a prophetess, has served in the temple with fasting and prayer night and day for years. She sees the child, gives thanks, and tells everyone who is looking for redemption.

    🎬 The Reader reads Luke 2:36–38. Let a few seconds of quiet follow.

Key verse

Luke 2:10–11 ↗
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
In plain words: The first announcement of the Savior’s birth was good news meant for everyone in the world, and at the same time it was personal: He was born “unto you.”

More verses

Luke 2:19 ↗
“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”
In plain words: While everyone else was talking, Mary quietly treasured what she had seen and kept thinking about it.
Luke 2:29–32 ↗
“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
In plain words: Simeon had waited his whole life. Holding the baby, he said he could now die in peace, because he had seen the Savior of all people.
Matthew 2:11 ↗
“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
In plain words: The wise men’s long journey ended on their knees. They worshipped Him and gave Him their treasures.
Luke 2:52 ↗
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
In plain words: Jesus grew up in every way: in understanding, in body, in His relationship with God, and in His relationships with people.

Scripture Showdown7 questions

  1. What does the name Bethlehem mean?
    • A. House of bread
    • B. City of kings
    • C. Place of peace
    Show answer

    ✅ A. House of bread The manual notes that in Hebrew, Bethlehem means “house of bread.” See John 6:35.

  2. What sign did the angel give the shepherds?
    • A. A new star over the city
    • B. A babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger
    • C. A dove descending
    Show answer

    ✅ B. A babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger Luke 2:12.

  3. What offering did Mary and Joseph bring to the temple?
    • A. A lamb
    • B. Gold and myrrh
    • C. Turtledoves or young pigeons
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Turtledoves or young pigeons Luke 2:24, the offering the law allowed for families who could not afford a lamb (Leviticus 12:8).

  4. What had the Holy Ghost promised Simeon?
    • A. He would see the Lord’s Christ before he died
    • B. He would become high priest
    • C. He would travel to Egypt
    Show answer

    ✅ A. He would see the Lord’s Christ before he died Luke 2:26.

  5. How did Anna serve God in the temple?
    • A. As a scribe
    • B. With fastings and prayers night and day
    • C. By teaching the doctors
    Show answer

    ✅ B. With fastings and prayers night and day Luke 2:37.

  6. Where did the wise men find the young child?
    • A. In a manger
    • B. In the temple
    • C. In a house
    Show answer

    ✅ C. In a house Matthew 2:11: “when they were come into the house, they saw the young child.”

  7. Where did Joseph take Mary and Jesus to escape Herod?
    • A. Egypt
    • B. Babylon
    • C. Galilee
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Egypt Matthew 2:13–14.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“These roles and symbols are powerfully complementary—who better to succor each precious lamb than the Good Shepherd, and who better to be our Good Shepherd than the Lamb of God?”

— Elder Gerrit W. Gong, “Good Shepherd, Lamb of God,” April 2019

Share in Unto You, after pointing out that shepherds were the first to hear of the Lamb of God.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains Hymns, no. 212

    A hymn about the shepherds who heard the good tidings first. Find it ↗

  • O Little Town of Bethlehem Hymns, no. 208

    A quiet hymn for pondering the details of His birth, as Mary did. Find it ↗

This week’s invitation

Bring Him a Gift

The wise men traveled far and opened their treasures. This week, bring the Savior a gift of your own: time in His house, an unhurried hour in the scriptures, or a sincere invitation to someone who hasn’t found Him yet. And like Mary, keep one thing from Luke 2 and ponder it all week (Luke 2:19).

Take it home

In Sunday School we read Luke 2 and Matthew 2: shepherds hurried to Bethlehem, Simeon and Anna recognized the baby in the temple, and wise men traveled far to worship Him (Luke 2:10–11). Take it home: at dinner, ask which witness each person would most like to have been, and why.

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

📍 The Chief Priests Stayed Home · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 2:1–8 and Micah 5:2.
  2. Point out that the chief priests and scribes knew the answer instantly, and that Bethlehem was only a few miles from Jerusalem.
  3. Ask: “What’s the difference between knowing about Christ and coming to Him? Where might I be answering correctly but staying home?”

💔 A Sword Through Thy Soul · 4 min

  1. Read Simeon’s words to Mary in Luke 2:34–35.
  2. Ask: “Why might the Lord let Mary hear this so early? How could a hard truth be a kindness?”
  3. Connect to John 19:25–27, where Mary stands near the cross.

🔍 Symbols in the Details · 5 min

  1. Assign pairs one detail and a matching verse: Bethlehem (John 6:31–35), manger (John 6:48–51), shepherds (John 10:11–15), new star (John 8:12).
  2. Ask each pair: “What does this detail teach about the Savior’s identity and mission?”
  3. Invite the class to name any other detail from His birth that teaches something about Him.

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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