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Asa-Ministries
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Bringing The Good News Of Jesus Christ
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The Gift of Jesus
Good Questions: This Lesson is Designed to Have Groups
Talking.
Isaiah 9:2 - 7; Matthew 1:18 - 2:11
ACCOUNTABILITY
OPEN
- Let's begin by each sharing our
name and one Christmas that was really meaningful to you.
DIG
- This passage
talks about enjoying God. Look for what this passage teaches us about
enjoying God.
- What is the light spoken of in
verse 2?
- Verse 6 is a prediction of Jesus.
What words are used to describe Jesus?
- How has Jesus been to you a
wonderful counselor? How has God counseled you?
- Can you think of a time when God
has been to us a Mighty God?
- When has God been to you the
Prince of Peace?
- How has Jesus been like a good
father to you?
- Let's look at this passage in
Matthew. The verse says, in the NIV, that they were pledged to be
married. What is this about? Were they engaged, or what?
- What did Joseph have in mind to do
when he found out Mary was pregnant, since he
was a righteous man?
- Is it ever the right thing to
divorce someone?
- Does righteousness include things
like being sensitive to not hurt people's feelings, or does it only
include things like not lying or stealing?
- What does the name
"Jesus" mean?
- What does "Immanuel"
mean?
- How important is it that we
believe what this passage teaches, that Jesus was born of a virgin?
Can you be a Christian and not believe in the virgin birth?
- What is a Magi?
- How many wise men were there?
- It seemed surprising that Jesus
would be born in Bethlehem, small town Israel. This surprised
everyone. Why did God do it this way? Why not have Jesus born in
Jerusalem?
- There is a tendency for this
story, the actual story of Christmas to be shoved aside during this
season, due to our busyness. What do you do with your family to keep
Christmas focused on what it is really about?
- What distracts you from keeping
Jesus birth as the centerpiece of Christmas?
- How are you doing this year, in
terms of enjoying God this Christmas season?
- Let's use this passage as a
reminder to keep Christ as our centerpiece this Christmas. Let's pray.
1. Isaiah 9:2-7
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of
the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
[2] You have enlarged the
nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at
the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
[3] For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their
shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
[4] Every warrior's boot used
in battle
and every garment rolled in
blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
[5] 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.
[6] Of the increase 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.
Matthew 1:18-2:11
This is how the birth of Jesus
Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but
before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy
Spirit. [19] Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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. [21] 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."
[22] All this took place to
fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: [23] "The virgin
will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him
Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
[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 had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And
he gave him the name Jesus.
[2:1] 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 in the east 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 Christ 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 be the shepherd of my people
Israel.'"
[7] Then Herod called the Magi
secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. [8]
He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for
the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and
worship him."
[9] After they had heard the
king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went
ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. [10] When
they saw the star, they were overjoyed. [11] On coming to the house, they
saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and
of incense and of myrrh.
3. If everyone knows
everyone's name, do some outreach. Have some
recent visitors into your home for an informal time of coffee cake, Diet
Coke and laughter.
4. A great way to pray by the way, is to worship God according to his various names.
5. We think of Jesus the Son.
It is interesting that this verse refers to Jesus as the everlasting
Father.
6. Explain a little about
Jewish betrothal. It is beyond the scope of this work to duplicate the fine
work of commentaries and quarterlies.
7. A curious verse: because he
was righteous, he was going to divorce. I think the point is that he would
do so quietly. It was assumed and expected that since she had obviously
broken their betrothal vow that he would divorce her. Because he was
righteous, he would not make a stink about it.
8. This question could be
skipped, or could take over the whole lesson, depending on the needs of
your group.
9. We are commanded to be
gentle, a trait that does not come easily for me. Philip. 4:5
Let your gentleness be evident
to all. The Lord is near.
10. Savior. Same name as
Joshua.
11. God with us.
12. Probably. But, who would
want to?
13. Sunday School is more than
a pooling of ignorance. Your job is to bring the meat of fresh information
to the table. I trust you read your quarterlies.
14. A trick question. We
assume there were three based on three gifts. The text doesn't say.
15. God delights in
surprising. He delights in using ordinary things and small cities to bring
glory to himself. He enjoys using normal, bread
and butter laymen and women to great things for him. As we double our
classes ever two years or less, we magnify the Lord.
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