SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 13 December 9, 2007

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 13 December 9, 2007
Joseph Listens to the Holy Spirit
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7; Isaiah 7:14
Optional: Matthew 1:1; 1:15-16
Memory Verse: "…an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'" Matthew 1:20b-21 (Pre-K to grade 3)
      Start with Matthew 1:18-19. Mary was betrothed to Joseph. That was legally binding and could only be broken by divorce even though they were not yet living together. The man used this time to prepare a place for his wife and then came with great ceremony to bring her to his house for a wedding feast. Mary was a virgin but not an "unwed mother". In that society young women were expected to be virgins until their husbands brought them home. Word received: Joseph was indeed a righteous man. This is why I chose him to be an earthly father to My Son. Joseph was not only righteous, he was kind and wanted to protect Mary but he planned to divorce her quietly--until God intervened.
      As Joseph was deciding what to do God spoke to him by an angel in a dream. Look at the Memory Verse. "…an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'"
Word received: I want My people to listen to Me, to harken to Me as Joseph did.

Word received: I want My people to let Me come into the center of their marriage decisions and of their marriages.

Word received: I took care of Joseph and Mary and I took care of Jesus. I will take care of you as well if you will receive Me into your hearts.

Word received: I want you to have a heart for My word. Joseph received My word. Listen, listen, My people, I AM speaking to you--who is listening? Pray for listening ears and listening hearts. Are we listening and obeying as Joseph did?

Word received: Joseph was more than just righteous, he was obedient and faithful to Me. I want you to be as obedient and faithful as Joseph.

      Note: Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, pronounced Yish-u-a. It means Yah(weh) saves.
      "Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn son. And he called his name JESUS". (Matthew 1:24-25) Word received: I want you to be obedient to My word and My Spirit as Joseph was. He believed and he acted.
      This birth fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. (I t was a greater fulfillment of a prophecy Isaiah gave for that moment. See Note for other prophecies fulfilled by Jesus birth.) Word received: I want to be Immanuel to you. I want to be with you and in you day by day. I want you to know My presence in your life--actively. I AM Immanuel.
      Look back at Matthew 1:18. Word received: My Spirit was there at the beginning with Jesus as he formed in Mary's womb. Just as My Spirit was with Jesus so I also was with each of you. I love you.
      Now look at Luke 2:1-7. Look at God's timing and how he arranged the circumstances of Jesus' birth to fulfill prophecy. (In Micah 5:2 it was prophesied that the promised ruler would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.) That didn't mean it was easy for them. ( The trip was about 80 miles as the crow flies.) Caesar wanted more taxes so Joseph had to go to Bethlehem and he took Mary with him. Notice how Joseph not only obeyed initially but followed through. The date is approximately 6-5 BC. "World" here refers to the Roman Empire. The place was jam-packed so Mary had to give birth in a stable (probably a cave) and laid the baby, the Lamb of God, in a manger. because there "was no room for them in the inn." Is there room in our hearts and lives for Jesus or are we too busy for an unexpected visit? Word received: Look at Joseph and Mary. They both trusted Me when they couldn't understand the earthly event of Jesus' birth. They trusted Me with everything they were and had. I want you to trust Me like that too. Notice that they were consistent as well as obedient. Prayer: Lord, help me be both obedient and consistent in following you.
      The genealogy in Matthew 1 is Joseph's line. He was the legal father. (Probably Mary was also in the same lineage.) Luke has a somewhat different list. Princess Diana could trace her connections to royalty by 8 different lines! The Matthew list emphasizes that Jesus was of King David's line and also a descendent of Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob and Judah). Luke traces the family line back to Adam to show that Jesus was a savior of the Gentiles too.
      Now look at the names that are given to Jesus in this lesson. Jesus (Yishua), Emmanuel, of the lineage of King David, and in Luke 2:11, Savior, Messiah(Christ) and LORD.
      NOTE: Some other prophecies about Jesus and his birth.

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.Joseph trusted and believed God when He told Joseph that Mary's baby was from the Holy Spirit. He obeyed God at once.
      2.God wants us to trust and believe Him when He tells us the truth and the wants us to act on it.
      3.God wants to be in every part of our lives, especially the day to day things. He wants us to LISTEN to Him and receive Him into our hearts. He loves you!
      4. God wants us to trust Him even when we don't understand what He is doing, like Joseph and Mary did.

      Some prophesies about Jesus and his birth
PROPHESY                        SUBJECT                        FULLFILMENT
Genesis 3:15                        seed of woman will bruise            Galatians 4:4
                              Satan's head
Genesis 12:3                        descendent of Abraham to             Matthew 1:1
                              bless all peoples
Genesis 17:19                        descendent of Isaac                  Luke 3:34
Numbers 24:17                  a star & scepter out of Jacob            Matthew 1:2
Genesis 49:10                        scepter in tribe of Judah            Luke 3: 33
Isaiah 9:7                        heir to David's throne                  Luke 1:32
Micah 5:2                        Bethlehem birthplace                  Luke 2:4-7
?(Daniel 9:24f                        time of birth                        Luke 2:1-2)
Isaiah 7:14                        virgin birth                        Luke i:26-31
Jeremiah 31:15                  slaughter of the innocents            Matthew 2:16-18
Hosea 11:1                        flight to Egypt                        Matthew 2:14-15