God is Faithful- Jesus is born
Theme: Living by Faith in Christ Alone
Theme Verse: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 NIV
Readings: Luke 2:1-20
Optional Readings: Philippians 2:5-7, John1:14a
Memory Verse: "But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great jot that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
God's timing is perfect. At the time when God chose, he sent forth Jesus (who was the promised Messiah, Savior, King, God's Word become a man, God's unique Son). God arranged that the Roman Emperor, Augustus, would order an empire wide census to register for tax purposes at a certain time so that Mary and Joseph would arrive in Bethlehem for the baby's birth at a time when all inns were overfull, at a time when certain shepherds were grazing their flocks by night nearby. (How amusing that God uses something as mundane as taxes and a census to bring Jesus to Bethlehem. There is nothing God can't use!) See NOTE C on distances.
"In the fullness of time God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:45) The Roman Empire was at peace (established by force of course, but still peace), travel was relatively safe over the whole empire and the Romans built lots of great roads. Greek was widely spoken and in every major city there was a Jewish community.
The birth of Jesus is a historical event. It is the most important event in history. A boy, named Jesus was born is a particular place and time. The writers of the gospels and Paul's epistles were not far distant in time from the events (as some claim). Luke was not an apostle but he carefully researched the whole story to add to what had already been written (Luke 1:1-4) By comparison the earliest biographies in existence of Alexander the Great were written more than 400 years after his death! The dates are clear but approximate. See NOTE A. We know the place of Jesus' birth. We know that he was a descendent of King David from whose descendents God had promised a king-messiah.
God keeps his promises. See NOTE B. for some prophecies fulfilled by Jesus' birth. In Jesus, God's promise of Emmanuel, God with us, is fulfilled in a new way. (Isaiah 7:14 in Matt: 1:23)
Look at Mary and Joseph. They knew the old prophecies and what the angels had said to them but they did not know how things would work themselves out. They are both walking in trusting obedience to God. They trusted God's provision even of a stable and a manger for a crib. There was no room for them in the inn. This is also symbolic of how it was all Jesus' life. The poor and the notorious sinners heard him gladly but many of the religious leaders had no place for Jesus. Do we make room for him in our hearts? Do we restrict him to the guest room or do we allow him to be Lord and master of our lives and homes? How surprising that God would use such a simple place for such an important person to be born.
Shepherds God wanted to tell someone about this wonderful gift and he chose the "lowest" people on the social scale to be told first. Jesus said, "The first shall be last and the last first." Shepherds were not only lowly but they worked the night shift. God's first witnesses were quick to hear and respond with joy and action. They recognized good news when they heard it, checked it out at once and then told all the people they could in Bethlehem. A word received: I want you to share with all the willingness and excitement that the shepherds did. Are we willing to share with others the good news about what God has done? Are we excited about it? How do we know what happened to the shepherds? Because they told Mary and Joseph and people in Bethlehem what had happened to them and praised God afterwards. Often a good place to begin sharing about Jesus is with something that has happened to us. Prayer: Lord, make me ready to see you and listen to you. Make me humble, watchful, ready and willing to see you. I praise you for this good news of great joy, Jesus, the Lord of all the universe, has come to be with us and be our savior!
Look at the angel's words. First, "Don't be afraid." Fear can keep us from receiving what God has for us. God has kept his promise and sent a Savior, Messiah and Lord. God sent a sign to help them find the baby. A choir of angels start celebrating and praising God! All of creation is rejoicing! Then the shepherds rush to Bethlehem to see this.
What was the most exciting in all this excitement? Not just a baby born, even one in a feed trough, not even angels, which had happened before to others but the message of great joy for all people! A Savior and Lord for ALL people has come at last! This is in both present and future tense--even for us today and for all future generations. God's promise of a Light for all people is beginning to shine. "Today…a savior has been born. This is past tense. God has fulfilled and begun to fulfill his promises. All of this continues to be present tense for us today. A Savior has been born for US and for ALL people, who is Messiah and LORD. God's promise is peace to those who receive him. Through Jesus we have peace with God. That is the only way to deep and lasting peace. This is a peace that the world cannot give. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard. Do we remember to praise God for what we have seen and heard?
Mary and Joseph were surely remembering what the angels had said to them when the shepherds told them what they had seen and heard. Mary kept on pondering these things she has heard in her heart. God has reminded us over and over how important it is to remember and reflect on what he has said and done.
The Shepherds found things were just as they had been told. A word received: I AM. What I say and do is always reliable. You can always trust Me.
Now look at Philippians 2:5-7. "Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus who though he was in the form of God (see amplified Bible) did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped (retained) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross."
We need to stand in awe at the humility of God, the humility of the WORD of God that he divested himself of the prerogatives of the Godhead to be obedient as a man so that we might become sons and daughters of God! He rejected worldly power so that the power of God might become clear. Mary and Joseph mirrored this same attitude. They humbled themselves to be obedient to God and his ways. A word received: Walk out your life with Me on a day by day basis, just doing what I ask you to do, one thing at a time.
Think about how this story of Jesus' birth points forward to what Jesus says and is said about him later. I AM the Good Shepherd. God called David to be a shepherd-king. David called God, "My Shepherd". Jesus is the Lamb of God offered as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. "My peace I give unto you, not as the world give, give I unto you."
In John 1:14, Jesus is God's WORD. The "Word was with God and was God" and "the Word became flesh (like us) and tented among us." In Christianity Jesus is God's WORD. In Islam the book, the Quran is God's Word and Mohamed is only his prophet. In Christianity the Bible is also God's Word written but a Word that points us to THE WORD. It is a Word about the WORD.
Jesus said I AM the Bread of Life. Bethlehem means House of Bread. Jesus was born in a manger, where God's creatures were fed.
NOTE-A: (Different cultures had different calendars, some solar, some lunar and various adjustment have had to be made . Our calendar is a mixture of Roman and Egyptian The last major change was made by Pope Gregory. A monk in the middle ages also divided history into 2 eras, Before Christ (BC) and after Christ (AD). In recent years the politically correct terms have been changed to "BCE" or "CE" that is before or after the "Common Era". (Other calendars, like the Islamic one, sometimes put one of their events in the center.) Because they were using less accurate calendars now Jesus' birth falls between 6 & 5 BC. King Herod died in 4 BC and Caesar Augustus ruled from 27BC to 14 AD. See an encyclopedia under "calendar"& "era" for details. The earliest celebrations were not just of Jesus' birth but of the whole incarnation and included Jesus' baptism, and were celebrated on Jan.6 in Egypt.)
NOTE-B: Prophecies fulfilled at Jesus' birth. Isaiah 7:14 in Matthew 1:23 virgin birth. Micah 5:2 in Matthew 2:1 & Luke 2:4 Bethlehem. Isaiah 43:6 "a light to the nations". Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7 Jesus lived in Galilee. Isaiah 11:1 Jesus is a "branch" (Messianic term) from the stump of Jessie, David's father. 2 Samuel 7: 12-13, 16 God's promise to King David. Exodus 13:1, all first-borns were God's.
NOTE-C: Travel distances: (from Mark Chesnut) Nazareth was approximately 66 miles from Jerusalem. It would have taken at least 5 days each way of hard travel and then 7 more miles to Bethlehem (like walking from Schenectady to just past Colonie Center. The roads were not much more than walking trails or camel paths (unless they were Roman roads). The average man could walk about 15 to 20 miles a day. ( This was true of country men in Liberia.) We don't know if Mary walked or rode. There is no mention of a donkey in the Bible. She could have walked! (Mark's internet source says that when large groups of people were traveling as to a festival, the women would go on ahead because they walked slower and joined up each evening. Don't know if I'd like that arrangement. What about bandits?)
How to teach word for SS teachers: I AM the One who chooses the times and the seasons of My grace. Your choice is to respond or not.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 13
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.The birth of Jesus really happened in a certain time and place.
2. God used the shepherds to spread the Good News about Jesus birth and what the angels said about him. .
3. Jesus came to save people from their sins.
4. We rejoice and celebrate because sending Jesus shows God's love for us.
5. God's promises made hundreds of years before happened in Jesus' birth and life. We can trust God to keep his promises.
6. One of Jesus' names is Emmanuel which means "God with us".
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