Jesus Birth and the Shepheards

Rescue Mission Reverse Charades

Star Wars

Toy Story 2

The Martian

Pirates of the Caribbean

The Guardian

The Rescuers

Saving Private Ryan

Cast Away

Behind Enemy Lines

Hook

What makes a recuse movie so exciting to watch?

When rescuing someone why is important to be clear on who you rescue or what the purpose of your mission is?

What are some of the reasons people join rescues missions?

Transition

Throughout our study of the big-picture story of the Bible, we’ve discussed that God has promised to send a rescuer called the Messiah. Today we’re going to meet God’s promised rescuer, and discuss whom He came to rescue, and what He came to rescue them from.

· Our last lesson discussed prophesies concerning the coming Messiah, which God had first promised way back in Genesis 3:15, and continued to promise throughout the Old Testament.

· The time between the Old Testament and the New Testament (called The Intertestamental Period) is 400 years. During that time there is no record of God speaking to His people.

· Remember Israel was taken into captivity by the Babylons. The Babylons were defeated by the Persians, and the Persian King Cyrus allows the Israelites to return home. During the Intertestamental Period, rule of Israel changed hands a few times with Israel ultimately being occupied by the Romans. During the time of Jesus the Jews are under Roman rule.

Book

Luke 1:26–38 ESV

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

· What do we learn about Mary from this passage?

o Answer: She was a virgin. She was betrothed to Joseph. She was favored by God.

· What characteristics do we learn about Jesus in this passage?

o Answer: He will be great. He will be called Son of the Most High. He will rule an everlasting kingdom on David’s throne.

· The angel says that Jesus will be the true King of Israel, but it’s interesting that God doesn’t chose a king, queen or other ruler to be Jesus’ parents. What can we learn about God’s purpose in sending Jesus by His choice for Jesus’ parents?

o Answer: God’s plan is to build a different kind of kingdom. Jesus is not coming from a royal position, but instead He is growing up humbly. Humility, not entitlement, is a key to God’s kingdom.

Luke 1:34–38 ESV

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

· Look again at verse 34. What key problem in the angel’s plan does Mary point out?

o Answer: She is a virgin. It is biologically impossible for virgins to have babies. (Even 6th graders know this.)

· What, according to Gabriel, is the solution?

o Answer: God. God will send His Spirit to miraculously give Mary a child, even though she is a virgin.

· Gabriel says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” What does that say about God’s power?

o Answer: God is able to do things that we don’t even believe are possible.

· How does it make you feel to know that God can do the impossible?

o Answer: Answers will vary.

· How does Mary respond to God’s plan told to her by Gabriel?

o Answer: She says that she is the Lord’s servant. In other words, she humbly submits to God’s plan, trusting Him.

· Mary’s attitude is incredible. Remember, she still has to explain to her family, her friends, and to Joseph that even though she is pregnant, she is still a virgin, and the baby belongs to God. Even in those times, people were smart enough to know virgins don’t have babies. She knew people would think she was lying or insane, but she still humbly agreed to trust God. How can we follow Mary’s example in our lives?

Answers will vary.

Mary is betrothed (which was similar to an engagement but was legally binding) to a man named Joseph.

Matthew 1:18–25 ESV

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

· Obviously, Mary told Joseph she was pregnant prior to an angel appearing to him. What do we learn about Joseph from this passage?

o Answer: He was a just man, a respectable one who did not want to publicly embarrass Mary. Also, he must have been struggling to believe Mary and needed to hear from God Himself.

· Look at again at verse 21. What does the angel say is Jesus’ purpose? Why is His purpose important?

o Answer: Jesus’ purpose is to save His people from their sin. From the very beginning God’s plan was not to send a warrior to rescue His people, but a Savior who would pay the penalty of sin by His sacrifice.

· Jesus’ name is actually tied to His purpose. In Hebrew, the name Jesus means “God saves” or “God delivers.” During the time, many Jewish people believed they most needed to be saved from the Romans. But what does God believe they need to be saved from the most?

o Answer: God knows what they need most is to be saved from sin.

· What do students your age believe they need to be saved from the most?

o Answer: Various, but will probably include boredom, unhappiness, loneliness, insignificance, or singleness.

· What do you think God believes you need to be saved from the most? What did He do to rescue you?

o Answer: To reiterate, our greatest need is to be saved from sin. God sent His son Jesus to save us from sins as well.

· How does Joseph respond to the angel’s instructions?

Answer: He did what the angel instructed him to do. He took Mary as his wife and named the baby Jesus.

Luke 1:1–14 ESV

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

· Who does the angel say this baby is?

o Answer: He is a savior, the promised Messiah. The Messiah is the one who is coming to rescue God’s people.

· What will the good news bring? Who is the good news for?

o Answer: The good news will bring great joy. It is for ALL people, not just the Jews.

· Think back to Matthew 1:21. Why is Jesus’ birth good news? Why will it bring all people great joy?

Answer: He is coming to rescue people from their sins, which is our biggest need. Sin separates us from a relationship with God and hurts our relationships with other people.

Luke 2:15–21 ESV

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

· How do the shepherds respond?

o Answer: They quickly go to see Jesus.

· How does Mary respond to the events surrounding Jesus’ birth?

o Answer: Verse 19 says she “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

· How do the shepherds leave after meeting Jesus?

o Answer: They leave praising God.

· The shepherds respond to seeing Jesus by worshipping God. What can we learn from the shepherds’ response to Jesus?

Answer: Various, but the point is that meeting Jesus leads to worship. We, like the shepherds, should respond to knowing Jesus by worshipping God.

Transition

The purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to save people from their sins. Tell them that you’re now going to look at a verse that connects His purpose with our lives.

Look

Acts 4:12 ESV

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

· According to Acts 4:12, where does salvation come from?

o Answer: Jesus.

· Where else? Are there any other sources of salvation?

o Answer: Nowhere else, just Jesus and Jesus alone.

· When Acts 4:12 speaks about salvation, what is it talking about? What does Jesus save us from?

o Answer: Jesus saves us from sin by offering us forgiveness.

· Let’s unpack this some more. What makes Jesus a unique source of salvation? What makes trusting Him different?

Answer: There are numerous characteristics that make Jesus unique, but the one that is key to these passages is forgiveness. Other saviors want to help us do better, or overcome our issues. But Jesus offers us full and complete forgiveness for our sins.

Transition

Our greatest need is to be saved from their sins. While others may offer to save them from loneliness, boredom, unhappiness, or singleness, Jesus is rescuing them from sin. The Bible teaches us that sin is the root problem, and these other problems are symptoms. Many people claim to save us from the symptoms, but only Jesus can save us from the root problem of sin.

Took

People today look all over to find people or things to rescue them.

A lot of times we too to things like the party scene, popularity, relationships, video games, social media.

Then there are time when those things don't work that we turn to other things that do more damage than we can realize things like, Alcohol, drugs, pornography , sex and other things.

But Trusting these things is a problem.

· What is the problem with trusting these things for salvation?

Answer: The big problem is they don’t address the big problem: sin. Not only that, but they usually don’t work. Partying doesn’t really make people happy. A boyfriend or girlfriend doesn’t really make people feel less lonely for the long haul. And popularity doesn’t help people feel more significant.

So think about your friends and classmate, the ones you go to school with.

· When you see someone pursuing salvation from one of these sources, how do you respond? How does it make you feel toward that person?

Answer: Hopefully, your students will feel empathy, realizing that people without Christ are in great need.

· This means that even the people you know who seem to have it all, may not have the most important thing: forgiveness of their sins. While they may look complete on the outside, they are living with their greatest need unmet. They may be popular, have a great boyfriend or girlfriend, a cool car, or be instafamous. But they still have the problem of sin. What can you do for them? What do they need?

Answer: They need to hear that Jesus will forgive them of their sins. We can help by telling them about Jesus, the only name by which we may be saved.

Closing