1. Lesson 32: Birth of Christ Memory verse: Matthew 1:23
Firm Foundations
Lesson 32:
Birth of Christ
Memory verse: Matthew 1:23
Goals
To show that God keeps His promises
To show that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour
3)Jesus Christ is the Son of God
4)Jesus Christ is God
5)Jesus Christ is holy and righteous
6)Jesus Christ is man
Memory verse:
Matthew 1 23"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,"[1] which is translated, "God with us."

2. Anno Domini Today is December 11th, 2005 A.D.
Do you know what “A.D.” means?
Do you know what B.C. means?
Jesus Christ is the center of history
A.D. = Anno Domini = “Year of our Lord”
B.C. = Before Christ

3. Joseph’s problem Matthew 1:18-19 Mary was engaged to Joseph
Joseph discovered Mary was pregnant
Not his baby
Joseph could have reported her publicly
Deuteronomy 22:20-21
Joseph did the loving thing
Matthew 1 Christ Born of Mary (1) 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
Deuteronomy 22 20"But if the thing is true, and evidences of virginity are not found for the young woman, 21then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel, to play the harlot in her father's house. So you shall put away the evil from among you.

4. God’s angel explained to Joseph
How did Mary become pregnant?
God wasn’t going to allow Joseph to separate from Mary
God sent His angel to Joseph
Wanted Jesus to have a good earthly father
Matthew 1:20-21
Matthew 1:22-23
Isaiah 7:14
Jesus Christ is God
Emmanuel – “God with us”
Coming to earth as a little baby!
God communicates with man
Matthew 1 20But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
22So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,"[1] which is translated, "God with us."

5. Joseph’s response Matthew 1:24-25 Joseph believed God
Took Mary as his wife
What do you think people said about them?
Matthew 1 24Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.[1] And he called His name JESUS.

6. The wise men looked for Jesus
Matthew 2:1-2
Born in Bethlehem, just as prophets said
Micah 5:2
Came to free people from sin
The Saviour came in the flesh
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,         Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,         Yet out of you shall come forth to Me         The One to be Ruler in Israel,         Whose goings forth are from of old,         From everlasting."

7. King Herod’s fear Matthew 2:3-4 Matthew 2:5-6 Matthew 2:7-11
Afraid of another king taking his position
Matthew 2:5-6
King would be born in Bethlehem
Matthew 2:7-11
Wise men found and worshipped the new king
Was it right for these kings to worship this baby?
3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
Matthew 2 7Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." 9When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

8. God’s warnings Matthew 2:12-15 Just as the prophecy said!
“Wise men: Don’t return to Herod”
“Joseph: Flee to Egypt”
Just as the prophecy said!
Hosea 11:1
God knew what Herod was planning to do
12Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. The Flight into Egypt 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." 14When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."[1]
Hosea 11 God's Love for His People 1When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt.

9. Return to Nazareth Matthew 2:19-22 Matthew 2:23
Angel told them to go back to Israel
Matthew 2:23
Nazareth was despised: John 1:46
Prophecy said He would be despised, rejected
Psalm 22:6
Isaiah 53:3
Matthew 2 The Home in Nazareth (1) 19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." 21Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

10. Jesus as a boy Luke 2:40 Jesus grew up He obeyed every command of God
He never sinned!
He was not separated from God
Only God is perfectly righteous and holy
Luke 2 40And the Child grew and became strong in spirit,[1] filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

11. Jesus grew into manhood
Luke 2:52
Grew up as a man in a real human body
Both man and God
A wise man
God was pleased with Him, people were pleased with Him.
Isaiah 11:2
Predicted what kind of man He would be
Luke 2 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Isaiah 11 2The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,         The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,         The Spirit of counsel and might,         The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

12. Conclusion This baby in a manager was the Son of God
He was to be the deliverer!
God came to earth as a man
The promised Deliverer had come at last!