Turn on your cookies for the best browsing experience.

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer.

These cookies are essential to make our site work. We use cookies for a variety of reasons, including giving and content preferences.

Instructions to turn on your browser cookies:

https://www.whatismybrowser.com/guides/how-to-enable-cookies/auto

  • Sign In
  • Locations
one family, many locations Menu
Visit
Connect
Grow
Watch
Care
Give
  • VISIT
    Visit

    We are one church in many locations. Whether you're from Orange County, Hong Kong, or somewhere in between, we have a campus for you. Check out a campus today.

    • Locations
    • USA
    • Anaheim, CA
    • Corona, CA
    • En Español, CA
    • Irvine North, CA
    • Irvine South, CA
    • Laguna Woods, CA
    • Lake Forest, CA
    • Los Angeles, CA
    • Newport Mesa, CA
    • Rancho Capistrano, CA
    • San Clemente, CA
    • San Diego, CA
    • South Bay, CA
    • Yorba Linda, CA
    •  
    • International
    • Berlin, Germany
    • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Hong Kong, China
    • Santa Rosa, Philippines
    •  
    • Extensions
    • Dana Point
    •  
    • Online
    • Live Service
    • About
    • New Start with God
    • I'm New Here
    • Our Pastor
    • Our Church
    • Join Our Family
    • Stories
    • Career Opportunities
    • Internships
    • Contact
    • Button
    • Spacer
    Get Directions
  • CONNECT
    Connect

    Life isn't meant to be lived alone. Connect with others through small groups, ministries, events, and more.

    • Event Calendar
    • Browse Events
    • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    • Baptism
    • CLASS 101 - 401
    • Celebrate Recovery
    • Adult Studies, Trainings & Gatherings
    • Care & Support
    • Kids, Students & Parents
    • National & Global
    • Local Community
    • Sports & Physical Health
    • Special Events
    • Small Groups
    • Explore Groups
    • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    • Find a Group
    • Start a Group
    • My Small Group
    • Ministries
    • Browse Ministries
    • Explore Serving
    • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    • Men
    • Women
    • Singles
    • Couples
    • Workplace
    • College
    • High School
    • Jr. High
    • Children
    • Mission
    • Explore
    • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    • Get Inspired
    • Get Involved
    • Get Equipped
    • Relief
    • Grocery Distribution
    • Button
    • Spacer

    Connect with Jesus

    Make a New Start

    Connect with others

    Find a Small Group
  • GROW
    Act

    Serving is a great way to grow, meet others, and discover your calling. Explore our signature ministries today.

    • Local Effort
    • Celebrate Recovery
    • HIV & AIDS Initiative
    • Mental Health Initiative
    • Orphan Care Initiative
    • The Daniel Plan
    • The PEACE Plan
    • Global Effort
    • Celebrate Recovery
    • HIV & AIDS Initiative
    • Mental Health Initiative
    • Orphan Care Initiative
    • The Daniel Plan
    • Mission
    • Highlights
    • On Campus
    • Food Pantry
    • Health Clinic
    • PEACE Center
    • Mission
    •  
    • Off Campus
    • Active Duty Families
    • Elder Protection
    • Good Neighbor
    • Motel Church
    • Button
    • Spacer
    Serve Your Community
  • WATCH
    Watch

    Browse our library of messages including weekend sermons, Civil Forums, seminars, summits, and more. Then watch and share!

    • Message
    • Live Service
    • Current Series
    • Sermon Library
    • iTunes Podcast
    • Church App
    • Media
    • Browse Media
    • Webcast Library
    • Women's Communities
    • Saddleback Kids
    • Resources
    • Apps
    • Daily Hope Radio
    • DriveTime Devotionals
    • Message Action Plan
    • Talk It Over
    • Button
    • Spacer
    Live Service
  • CARE
    Care

    Our church is a place where the hurting, helpless, and hopeless can find help. Find support through one of these ministries.

    • Care Ministries
    • Browse Ministries
    • Bulletin Board
    • Counseling
    • Hospital Visitation
    • Career Coaching
    • Mental Health
    • Personal Finances
    • Prayer
    • Programs
    • Celebrate Recovery
    • The Daniel Plan
    • PEACE Center
    • Retreat Ministry
    • Support Groups
    • Browse Support Groups
    • Medical
    • Relational
    • Button
    • Spacer
    Get Help
  • GIVE
    Give

    Make an eternal impact through generosity. Sign up for online giving, manage your account, or give to a special project.

    Tithe Online
  • Home
  • >
  • Connect
  • >
  • Articles
  • >
  • Message Action Plan
  • >
  • WISE WOMEN

Message Action Plan

The 3 Wise Women Of Christmas

You’ve probably heard of the three wise men — but have you heard of the three wise women of Christmas? Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna had different life circumstances, but during the first Christmas, all three of them overcame a specific hurt by making wise choices. In this message, Pastor Rick Warren will walk you through three wise choices you can make that will bless the rest of your life.

December 15, 2019 | Rick Warren
More from this series

1st WISE WOMAN OF CHRISTMAS: ELIZABETH

"When Herod was king of Judah there was a priest named Zechariah. . . and his wife was named Elizabeth. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous and godly people. Their lives pleased God because they always did everything God commanded and they lived with a clear conscience before God. But they had no children, because Elizabeth had been unable to conceive and now, they were both too old." Luke 1:5-7

Elizabeth's Story: The Miraculous Birth of John the Baptist
  Luke 1:5-25, 56-66

  • "Your persistent prayers have been heard."   vs. 13
  • "Every word I've told you will happen at just the right time."  vs. 20

"Some time later, Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months she never left her house. But she kept praising God saying 'The Lord did this for me!
He has shown his blessing and taken away my shame and pain.'" Luke 1:24-25

ELIZABETH WAS BLESSED BECAUSE SHE CHOSE: To trust God's plan instead of being bitter

Action Plan:  Continue to pray persistently and ask God for your heart's desire. To learn more about prayer, click here and watch this message from Pastor Buddy Owens.

2nd WISE WOMAN OF CHRISTMAS: MARY                   

"In the 6th month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a young virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph. The girl's name was Mary. The angel said, 'Greetings!  God has chosen you for a SPECIAL BLESSING and he is with you!' Mary was frightened and confused and tried to figure out what this greeting might mean. So the angel said to her, "Don't be frightened Mary, for God has decided to bless you in a wonderful way!"  Luke 1:26-29

Mary's Story: The Miraculous Virgin Birth of Jesus
Luke 1:26-56,

  •  "Mary was frightened and confused"         vs. 29           
  • "Nothing is impossible with God"               vs. 37
  • "I am the Lord's servant and I accept his plans for me. Let it happen according to your word."       vs. 38
  • Elizabeth to Mary: "God has blessed you because you believed that God would keep his word." vs. 45   

MARY WAS BLESSED BECAUSE SHE CHOSE: To believe God's word instead of her fears

Action Plan: Read Mary's Song of Praise this week in Luke 1:46-55.

 3rd WISE WOMAN OF CHRISTMAS: ANNA  

"After the birth of Jesus Joseph and Mary took the baby to the Temple in Jerusalem to dedicate him to God, because the law that God gave Moses said 'Every first born boy is to be dedicated back to God.'"  Luke 2:22-23   
             
"That day there was also a woman named Anna worshipping in the Temple courts. Anna was a prophetess and she was very old. She'd been a widow most of her life because her husband had died after being married only 7 years. Anna was now 84 years old and since she had no family, she never left the Temple courtyards. She stayed there day and night, worshiping God with prayers and fasting. Just as Simeon was dedicating the baby to God, Anna walked by and she paused to listen. Then Anna joined in praying for the baby and she thanked God for sending a Savior. From then on Anna talked about Jesus to everyone who was looking for redemption and freedom in Jerusalem." Luke 2:36-38 

ANNA WAS BLESSED BECAUSE SHE CHOSE: To focus on God's presence and talk to everyone about Jesus!

Action Plan:  Make a plan for who you are going to invite to Christmas services this year. Check out saddleback.com/Christmas for all info on Christmas at Saddleback.

Doable Discipleship: This week's special episode of Doable Discipleship continues a reading of the Christmas Story by Pastor Buddy Owens. New episodes release every Tuesday. To listen, click here.

Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week's Talk It Over, click here

Come and See
December 8 - December 15, 2019Watch Series
  • The Joy of Worship at Christmas
    December 8, 2019
  • The 3 Wise Women Of Christmas
    December 15, 2019
Back To Top
  • VISIT
  • Locations
  • New Start with God
  • I'm New Here
  • Our Pastor
  • Our Church
  • Stories
  • CONNECT
  • Small Groups
  • Ministries
  • Explore Serving
  • Event Calendar
  • GROW
  • CLASS
  • Foundations
  • Journey with Jesus
  • Doable Discipleship
  • WATCH
  • Live Service
  • Current Series
  • Browse Media
  • Apps
  • CARE
  • Care Ministries
  • Celebrate Recovery
  • The Daniel Plan
  • Support Groups
  • Bulletin Board
  • GIVE
  • Tithe
  • Beyond the Tithe
  • sign in
  • contact us
  • privacy policy
  • store
  • career opportunities
  • internships
  • tags
© 2021 Saddleback Valley Community Church