Christmas - Sunday School Class
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https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/christmas/a-matter-of-time/
The Christmas Story
The Christmas Story
The New Testament begins with the birth of Jesus Christ. 400 years of silence is broken by John the Baptists’ announcement that the Savior had come.
Over the course of these next several weeks, we’ll be doing an in-depth study of the Christmas story; Jesus’ birth. The Christmas story is actually told 2 times in the New Testament; one in and 2 and another one in and 2. They have some points in common, but there are actually a lot of differences in their characters, plot, messages, and tone.
The Christmas story is actually told 2 times in the New Testament; one in and 2 and another one in and 2. They have some points in common, but there are actually a lot of differences in their characters, plot, messages, and tone.
In the familiar version of the Christmas story....
Mary and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlemen
There was no room for the inn, and baby Jesus is born in a stable and placed in a amanger
His birth is celebrated by angels and shepherds, and 3 wisemen followed a star and gave precious gifts to Jesus.
You may have realized this if you’ve studied both of these stories before, but this is actually a blend of the 2 biblical accounts found in Matthew and Luke. We’ll look at these Scriptures throughout these 3 weeks to grasp the importance of this story.
Matthew and Luke tell the story of Jesus’ birth, where as the other 2 gospels (Mark and John) don’t. This shouldn’t bother us, though, because there is a specific audience for each gospel and no where in their 2 gospels do they disagree with the story of Jesus’ birth.
Over the course of these 3 weeks, we’ll be looking at the story of Jesus Christ’s birth.
Christ
But before we study the birth of Jesus Christ, we need to understand who He is.
Jesus - Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which means “Yahweh saves”. The angel who appears to Joseph explains this in .
Christ - So, who is Christ? Some mistake it for Jesus’ last name, but Christ is a title that comes from the Greek (pronounces Christos), which is translated from the Hebrew word Messiah which means “anointed one”.
So, who is Christ? Some mistake it for Jesus’ last name, but Christ is a title that comes from the Greek (pronounces Christos), which is translated from the Hebrew word Messiah which means “anointed one”.
Jesus “Yahweh saves” Christ “anointed one’
The Christ of Christmas is the long-awaited Messiah who fulfills the Old Testament. This means that in order to understand the significance of Christ’s messianic role, we must recognize the OT passages that points to Him. When we look back to the Old Testament, we’ll actually find that Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection, and ascension (all things that we believe are crucial in our beliefs) is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
What Matthew is trying to accomplish here is to help us
And while Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, we need to be aware that He existed before becoming human.
We believe that Jesus was fully God AND fully human.
We believe that Jesus was fully god and fully human.
Fully God:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Fully Human:
The Old Testament being Fulfilled
The Old Testament being Fulfilled
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
We believe that Jesus Christ had both godly and human attributes, but he voluntarily refrained from exercising certain attributes of deity while on earth.
So if Jesus is fully God, why did He become human?
Why did Christ become human?
Why did Christ become human?
Messiah will be born a virgin
PROPHECY
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
It’s incredible to consider that when Isaiah, the holiest man in Israel prophesied this 700 years prior, that he was literally predicting that God would become human; become flesh. But this is exactly what the word Immanuael means “God with us”
Why a virgin birth? The short answer is that there was a need for a Savior that wasn’t like a human. Every normal human birth produces another sinner, just as a Adam who was a sinner produced a race of sinners. Our Savior had to be genuinely human and truly sinless in order to be our perfect substitute to pay our penalty of guilt.
FULFILLMENT
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
We
This is one of the best known prophecies in the Bible. It’s incredible to consider that when Isaiah, the holiest man in Israel prophesied this more than 700 years prior, that he was literally predicting that God would become human; become flesh. But this is exactly what the word Immanuael means “God with us”
Why a virgin birth? The short answer is that there was a need for a Savior that wasn’t like a human. Every normal human birth produces another sinner, just as a Adam who was a sinner produced a race of sinners. Our Savior had to be genuinely human and truly sinless in order to be our perfect substitute to pay our penalty of guilt.
Messiah will be born in Bethlehem
PROPHECY
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Micah was a prophet in the 8th century B.C. He describes a wonderful future where Bethlehem will give birth to a ruler greater than David.
FULFILLMENT
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Messiah will be born in Bethlehem
PROPHECY
5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
It’s increbe to consider that when Isaiah, the holiest man in Israel prophesied this, that he was literally predicting that God would become human; become flesh. But this is exactly what the word Immanuael means “God with us”
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
He became human because we are human. God’s desire is to have a family of human children that Jesus, the eternal son, is one of them.
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
Jesus became human so that he might die.
Jesus became human so that he might break the power of death
There was a span of roughly 400 years between the final book of the Olt Testament (Malachi) and the first book of the New Testament (Matthew). This has traditiaonlly been called the 400 years of silence. Although we don’t have any books in Scripture that cover this time period, we can still be certain that God was continuing to work.
Jesus became human to free those who are in slavery because of the fear of death
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Now that Jesus was born, died, and resurrected, Christians get to look into the face of death and say.
55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
No more fear and no more slavery to sin. We get to live a fearless life full of joy and hope all because Jesus chose to become human.
The New Testament
The New Testament
The New Testament begins with the birth of Jesus Christ. 400 years of silence is broken by John the Baptists’ announcement that the Savior had come. The 400 Years of Silence was a span of roughly 400 years between the final book of the Old Testament (Malachi) and the first book of the New Testament (Matthew). Although we don’t have any books in Scripture that cover this time period, we can still be certain that God was continuing to work.
There was a span of roughly 400 years between the final book of the Olt Testament (Malachi) and the first book of the New Testament (Matthew). This has traditiaonlly been called the 400 years of silence. Although we don’t have any books in Scripture that cover this time period, we can still be certain that God was continuing to work.
The 400 Years of Silence was a span of roughly 400 years between the final book of the Olt Testament (Malachi) and the first book of the New Testament (Matthew). This has traditiaonlly been called the 400 years of silence. Although we don’t have any books in Scripture that cover this time period, we can still be certain that God was continuing to work.
In the familiar version of the Christmas story....
Mary and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlemen
There was no room for the inn, and baby Jesus is born in a stable and placed in a amanger
His birth is celebrated by angels and shepherds, and 3 wisemen followed a star and gave precious gifts to Jesus.
3 Wisemen followed a star
You may have realized this if you’ve studied both of these stories before, but this is actually a blend of the 2 biblical accounts found in Matthew and Luke.
Matthew and Luke tell the story of Jesus’ birth, where as the other 2 gospels (Mark and John) don’t. This shouldn’t bother us, though, because there is a specific audience for each gospel and no where in their 2 gospels do they disagree with the story of Jesus’ birth.
Over the course of these 3 weeks, we’ll be looking at the story of Jesus’ birth; the Christmas story; in these 2 books.
We believe that Jesus was fully god and fully human.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
We know Jesus existed before He became human
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ had both godly and human attributes, but he voluntarily refrained from exercising certain attributes of deity.
Why did Christ become human?
Why did Christ become human?
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
He became human because we are human. God’s desire is to have a family of human children that Jesus, the eternal son, is one of them.
Jesus became human so that he might die.
Jesus became human so that he might break the power of death
Jesus became human to free those who are in slavery because of the fear of death
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Now that Jesus was born, died, and resurrected, Christians get to look into the face of death and say.
55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
No more fear and no more slavery to sin. We get to live a fearless life full of joy and hope all because Jesus chose to become human.
Matthew ()
Matthew ()
Matthew is a Jewish Christian writing for primarily other Jewish Christians. The Jerusalem temple had been destroyed by the time he wrote this Gospel, and the Romans were gaining more and more control over the Jews, begging them to ask the question; how is the heritage of Israel as God’s people going to be carried on? For this reason, Matthew stresses the Jewishness of Jesus. One of the ways he does this is by beginning with a genealogy that traces Jesus all the way back to Abraham.
Begins with a geneaology of Jesus (from Abraham to Jesus
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Genealogy - - 14 generations from Abraham to David; 14 generations from Davit to the deportation to Babylon, 14 generations from the deportation to Christ
generations from Abraham to David; 14 generations from Davit to the deportation to Babylon, 14 generations from the deportation to Christ
Jesus’ Birth - (8 verses)
Matthew 1:
Wisemen - (12 verses)
Flee Egypt - (6 verses)
Return to Nazareth - (5 verses)
19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, 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.
18 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. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
As we get to know Jesus, we’re invited to get to know ourselves even better. (Example of myself as a dad; as a youth pastor). I’m getting to know myself as much as I am getting to know them. This is true for all of our closest relationships. Somehow the people bring out character in us. This is exactly what Matthew is doing. He’s telling us that as we get to know Him, we will grow in the knowledge of ourselves. And who Jesus is helps us learn about ourselves as much as him.
Genealogy (1:1-17)
Genealogy (1:1-17)
Begins with a genealogy of Jesus (from Abraham all the way to Jesus). Couple things to point out....
The Greek word for genealogy comes from the word “genesis”
Jesus is identified as Christ.
The “Son of Abraham” implies that just as Abraham was the father of national Israel, Jesus will be the founder of a new spiritual Israel.
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Verses 2 through 16 take us through the genealogy from Abraham to Jesus. Within this, there are 5 women that are mentioned. An article I found on Focus on the Family does a great job at helping us reflect on what these 5 women have to do with our advent season.
V
erses 2 through 16 take us through the genealogy from Abraham to Jesus. Within this, there are 5 women that are mentioned. An article I found on Focus on the Family does a great job at helping us reflect on what these 5 women have to do with our advent season.
https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/the-women-in-jesus-genealogy-an-advent-reflection
Tamar: Hope (v3)
She disguised herself as a prostitue, slept with her father-in-law, and bore him twin sins. (One of these twins is Perez, who is also mentioned in the genealogy) An example of someone that Jesus came to save.
2. Rahab: Peace (v5)
Unlike Tamar who had pretended to be a prostitude, Rahab was one. She lived in Jericho who was destroyed by the Israelites. She sheltered the spies and helped them escape asking that her family be spared in return. She saved herself and her family, eventually joining the faith community of Israel by getting married and boring a son named Boaz (also mentioned in the genealogy).
3. Ruth: Joy (v5)
Ruth in verse 5
Unlike the first two women, Ruth is one of the brightest and most appealing figures of Scripture. A young Moabite widow who had married into the Jewish family; she had lost everything with the deaths of her father-in-law and husband. Ruth was determined to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi. and throughout this story, she radiates joy. The story is full of kindness; kindness of Ruth to Naomi, of Boaz (who becomes her husband) to Ruth, and of God to all of them. Even in the worst circumstances, Ruth remained joyful. By faith, she became a woman of God whose character put most of the men in Israel to shame.
4. Wife of Uriah (Bathsheba): Love (v6)
If Ruth’s is the most heartwarming romance in Scripture, then Bathsheba’s is the most heartbreaking. She was the wife of Uriah, one of King David’s most trusted military officers. One day it went downhill when David spotted Bathsheba bathing, slept with her, got her pregnant, and had her husband murdered to cover up their affair. While Scripture doesn’t indicate that she did anything wrong, David was where he shouldn’t have been. After the affair, Bathsheba became one of David’s wives and gave birth to Solomon, David’s chosen heir and a precursor of the Christ to come. While David is the most significant name in the genealogy of Jesus, the inclusion of Bathsheba prevents him from being put on an unwarranted pedestal. Her presence shows the grace of the coming Messiah, who would redeem people caught in relationships of unequal power and tainted love and restore them in the true love and freedom offered by God.
5. Mary: Fulfillment (v16)
More than the other 4 women in Jesus’ geneaology, Mary’s place would have been obvious; She was the virgin who had given birth by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the Son of God made flesh. While Matthew tells the story of Jesus’ birth mostly in Joseph’s perspective, Luke actually devotes quite a bit of attention to Mary even before the birth of Jesus. He records her visits and conversations with the angel Gabriel and with her cousin Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Mary is portrayed as a humble younn woman of faith who saw herself as God’s servant and God as her Saviour. Luke actually includes a little bit of poetry from Mary...
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/the-women-in-jesus-genealogy-an-advent-reflection
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Matthew
Verse 17 is the summary of genealogy. Matthew knows Hebrew. Jesus is mentioned as the son of David in verse 1, obviously pointing to generations going back to David. Waht’s interesting here in this summary is that each letter of David has a numerical value, and the numerical value of his name is 14.
The story of the Old Testament is an unfinished story. You can see from Abraham to David, from David to the people in exile, and the people of exile to now Jesus who is called the Christ.
God calls one particular lion out of Israel;
Matthew is presenting Jesus as the one who is solving the problem of Israel’s sin, but this was already God’s plan all long.
Jesus’ Birth (1:18-25)
Jesus’ Birth (1:18-25)
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
Luke
Luke
Characters:
Begins with John baptizing in the wilderness, including Jesus’ baptism
Mary - was engaged and pregnant. She was engaged to Joseph, but the baby wasn’t his. She was pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph - was engaged to Mary, and although the baby wasn’t his, he didn’t want to put Mary to shame. He decided to to divorce her quietly.
Holy Spirit - Impregnated Mary
20 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. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:
So right away we see a prophecy being fulfilled.
And the angel said that Jesus will save his people from their sins.
Messiah will be born a virgin
PROPHECY
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
FULFILLMENT
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
This is one of the best known prophecies in the Bible. It’s incredible to consider that when Isaiah, the holiest man in Israel prophesied this more than 700 years prior, that he was literally predicting that God would become human; become flesh. But this is exactly what the word Immanuael means “God with us”
Why a virgin birth? The short answer is that there was a need for a Savior that wasn’t like a human. Every normal human birth produces another sinner, just as a Adam who was a sinner produced a race of sinners. Our Savior had to be genuinely human and truly sinless in order to be our perfect substitute to pay our penalty of guilt.
As Joseph was whether or not he was going to divorce Mary quietly, an angel appeared and gave him the reason this is happening. Couple things the angel reveals to Joseph
Don’t be afraid to take Mary as his wife
That Mary’s baby is from the Holy Spirit
That Mary will have a son, his name will be Jesus, and he’ll save his people from their sins. (When Matthew uses the word “people” he’ll always refer to all the people of Israel).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Joseph obeyed. And while we haven’t seen it yet, Mary will obey as well.
Wisemen (2:1-12)
Wisemen (2:1-12)
Messiah will be born in Bethlehem
PROPHECY
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Micah was a prophet in the 8th century B.C. He describes a wonderful future where Bethlehem will give birth to a ruler greater than David.
FULFILLMENT
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Luke (
Luke (
Luke wrote his Gospel around the same time as Matthew, but they wrote independently. Luke actually wrote 2 vlumes; one about Jesus’ lie and death, which is the Gospel of Luke, and the other about the spread of Christianity which is the book of Acts.
When Luke writes the story of Jesus’ birth, he writes a genealogy like Matthew, although it isn’t until chapter 23 and it goes back all the way to Adam, not Abraham like Matthew did. Luke wanted to highlight Jesus’ significance for all the people in the world.
John
John