SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON The Life of Jesus

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1 Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-20, 2 Corinthians 8:9 Elementary Lesson Year Two, Quarter Three, Lesson Two SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON The Life of Jesus AIM: to teach my class how Jesus left Heaven and became poor so that we can enjoy the riches of Heaven with Him some day. OBJECTS TO HAVE: Pictures of a palace, riches, jewels, a gold crown, and things that kings might have. A picture of a barn, a stable, a manger, and swaddling clothes. Your Bible. POINT OF CONTACT: Can you imagine having all the money in the world? Can you imagine having it be daytime all of the time, where the sun never goes down, you never get tired, and you never have to go to bed? Can you imagine having good food, all you can eat, all of the time, and being able to eat as much as you want without ever asking, and not getting fat if you eat too much? Can you imagine having a great big yard, where there are no bees to sting you, no snakes, no mean dogs? Or having all of the toys that you want, and nothing ever breaks or wears out? Can you imagine living in a place where you never get sick, you never get hurt, you never cry, and you never have a bad day? Can you imagine living in a place where you always get to go where you want to go and do what you want to do? And nothing is too hard or impossible for you! You can run as fast as you want, you can even fly!! Can you imagine a place where nobody is ever mean to you, where you never have to say good-bye to the people you love, where everybody is your friend, and where you never have to hear cursing, see violence, or listen to wicked music? There is only one place in the whole universe that is just like all of the things I ve described, and that place is Heaven. Now, here is a question: If somebody lived in a place like that why would they ever want to leave that place, especially since there is no other place anywhere that is even a little bit as good? Why would you want to leave a place where there is no death, and go to a place where people die all of the time? Why would you want to leave a place where there are no tears, to go to a place where people cry all of the time? Why would you want to leave a place where there is no pain, to go to a place where people get hurt all of the time? But there is Someone Who once lived in Heaven, Who decided to leave that wonderful place. Of course, I m talking about Jesus. Jesus left Heaven to come to earth for us. Let me tell you about it. STORY: For 4000 years after God created man, God had promised to send a Saviour that would deliver us from our sins. Many preachers in those days preached the message, Some day, a Saviour is coming. The great men of faith, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were told, Some day, a Saviour is coming. The great leader, Moses, told how Some day, a Saviour is coming. The great king, David, prophesied, Some day, a Saviour is coming. Prophets like Isaiah, Daniel, and Micah prophesied, Some day, a Saviour is coming. People did not know exactly what that meant, but they knew that God would keep His Word and send a Saviour and deliver us from our sins. The people watched, and waited, and hoped, and prayed that very soon the Saviour would come. One day, God sent His angel to a little town called Nazareth. In the town of Nazareth, the angel came to a sweet young lady named Mary. Mary was a good young lady who had worked hard all of her life to keep her life clean and pure for the man who would be her husband. Now, she was preparing for her wedding, and she was going to be married to a young man named Joseph. Mary and Joseph were very excited about their wedding. But the angel came to Mary one night and changed everything. He said, Mary, you are blessed among women. God has chosen you to do a very important job. You are going to have a baby boy. But that baby boy is not going to be the son of Joseph; He is going to be the Son of God. Mary could not believe what she was hearing. The Saviour that had been promised for 4000 years was going to be born very shortly, and she was going to be His mother! What a great responsibility! What a great honor!

2 For nine months Mary carried that precious baby boy in her womb. Every day she thanked God for the honor of being the mother of the promised Saviour. Every day she prayed and asked God to give her wisdom to know how to raise her boy right. Finally, after almost a year, the day was nearing for the baby to be born. Now, if God were going to send His Son into the world, I wonder how He would do it? Wouldn t He have Him to be born in a beautiful palace? And wouldn t He be surrounded by great riches? And wouldn t He be born with a crown on His head? And wouldn t He be surrounded by royal servants and princes and princesses who would wait on Him hand and foot, and care for His every need? And wouldn t He be dressed in beautiful, soft baby clothes, made just for a king? No, that is not how the Son of God was born. It just so happened that, at the time that the Son of God was due to be born, Mary and Joseph were in the town of Bethlehem, where they were required to go to pay their taxes. Bethlehem was many miles away from the town of Nazareth where Joseph and Mary lived, and in order to get to Bethlehem Mary had to travel there on the back of a donkey, when she was ready to have her baby at any time. While they were in Bethlehem, Mary knew that the time had come for the baby to be born. There were no hospitals in those days, so Joseph tried to find a room in which they could stay, but there were no rooms available, not in any motel around. But one man who owned a motel, called an inn, said, I have no rooms in my inn, but you may stay in my barn. Joseph took his wife into the barn with the animals. He made her as comfortable as he could, surrounded by donkeys and sheep and cows. Right there in the middle of a barn, called a stable, the son of God was born. There was no cradle to lay the baby in, so they took a manger, and laid the baby in it. A manger is something that is used to feed the animals, and that is where Jesus, the Son of God was placed after He was born. There were no fancy baby blankets there, so they took some blankets, called swaddling clothes, (swaddling clothes were just like old rags), and wrapped the newborn baby in them. As Jesus was being born, some shepherds were out in the nearby fields taking care of their sheep. Suddenly, out there in the middle of the quietness and the darkness, a heavenly choir appeared, singing praises to God! They were scared to death, but the angel told them not to be afraid, but to go the nearby stable and see the newborn Son of God. They were told that the baby would be wrapped in those swaddling clothes and lying in the manger. The shepherds left immediately, and found it exactly as the angel had said. There was that beautiful baby boy, in a stable, surrounded by animals, lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. The Son of God was born, and there was no palace, but a stable. There were no princes and princesses, but some animals. There were no royal robes or crown, just some swaddling clothes. There were no royal servants, just some simple shepherds. There was no golden cradle, just an old manger. And even more amazing than this is the fact that the Son of God had just left Heaven! He had come from that perfect place that we described a little while ago, to come to be born in a barn with some hay and some animals. Why would He do this? The answer is found in the Bible: For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9. That means that Jesus was in Heaven, and we were on earth. Jesus had no sin, and we did have sin. Jesus did not have to die, because He had no sin; we did have to die for our sins. Jesus was in Heaven and never had to leave; we were on this sin-cursed earth, and could never go to Heaven. So Jesus decided that He would trade places with us. He would leave the beauty and perfection of Heaven to come to this sin-cursed earth. He would die on the cross for our sins, so that we would never have to die for our sins. He would rise from the dead and defeat death, so that we would never die if we did not want to. The little baby in that manger grew up, became a man, died for your sins, rose from the dead, and went back to Heaven when He was all done. And He wants you to come to be with Him in Heaven when you die. But in order for you to go to Heaven and be with Jesus when you die, you have to receive Him as your Saviour. If you have already done that, it is all settled. You have everlasting life, and you can never lose it. But if you have never received Jesus as your Saviour, this would be a wonderful day for you to make that choice. Let s learn our memory verse - Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

3 Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-20, 2 Corinthians 8:9 Teen and Adult Lesson Year Two, Quarter Three, Lesson Two SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON The Life of Jesus Teacher, choose one of the following truths to expand upon in teaching this portion of Scripture to your teen/adult class. Teach and apply the truth that you choose using statements and illustrations that are most helpful and applicable to your students. I. THERE IS NO MORE AMAZING EVENT IN HUMAN HISTORY THAN WHEN GOD BECAME A MAN. We are so accustomed to the knowledge that God became a man that it doesn t amaze and thrill us like it should. Take some time to think about the fact that God became a man. God became a man! That news ought to be in the constant consciousness of every human being. It ought to rank on every person s list as the most amazing and most significant event in history. Yet, He came unto his own, and His own received Him not. John 1:11. II. IN ORDER TO GIVE LIFE TO OTHERS, SOMEONE MUST SACRIFICE. Jesus left ultimate wealth and took on ultimate poverty, so that we could be rescued from ultimate poverty and inherit ultimate wealth. He made the sacrifice necessary so that we could be saved. If we want to deliver someone else from the bondage of sin, it will require sacrifice on our part. III. GOD WILL LEAD US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY THROUGH HIS WILL. Who would honestly feel capable or knowledgeable enough to be the parents of Jesus? But Joseph and Mary were able to do what God required of them, because God was there to lead them step by step. No matter how confusing or scary God s will might seem, God can and will lead you through it. I Thessalonians 5:24. IV. GOD USES THOSE WHO HAVE PREPARED THEMSELVES. Joseph and Mary were godly young people who had lived lives pleasing to God. Though it was probably the last thing from their minds to be used of God to bring the Messiah into the world, they were ready when God needed them. V. GOD CAN USE ANY MEANS HE CHOOSES TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL. Luke 1:37. God s methods may not make sense to us; they may seem impossible to us; but He can perform His will any way He sees fit. Do not limit God to your ability to believe or comprehend.

4 John 1:1-14 The Word of God JOHN 1:1 There is a Being called the Word. JOHN 1:1 When the world began, the Word already was. JOHN 1:1 The Being called the Word was with God. JOHN 1:1 The Being called the Word is God. JOHN 1:2 When the world began, the Being called the Word was there with God. JOHN 1:3 All things were made by the Being called the Word. JOHN 1:3 Nothing was made without the Being called the Word. JOHN 1:4 Life is in the Being called the Word. JOHN 1:4 The Life that is in the Word is man s Light. JOHN 1:5 The Light of the Word shines in man s darkness. JOHN 1:5 Man s darkness does not grasp the Light of the Word. JOHN 1:6-8 God sent a messenger to help man grasp the Light of the Word. JOHN 1:9 The Light of the Word is the true Light. JOHN 1:9 The Light of the Word lights every person ever born. JOHN 1:10 The world met the Word who created it. JOHN 1:10 The world does not recognize the Word who created it. JOHN 1:11 The Word has a chosen group of people He closely identifies with. JOHN 1:11 The Word came to His chosen people. JOHN 1:11 The Word was refused by His chosen people. JOHN 1:12 Those who receive the Word by faith are made the children of God. JOHN 1:13 Those who receive the Word by faith are born of God. JOHN 1:14 The Word became a human being. JOHN 1:14 The Word, as a human being, lived among us. JOHN 1:14 The Word showed mankind the glory of God the Father. JOHN 1:14 The Word is full of grace and truth. Adult Bible Class

5 Matthew 1:18-25 Jesus left the splendor of Heaven and was born in a lowly stable, so that He could grow up and die for the sins of all mankind. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

6 The Birth of Jesus Matthew 1:18-25 Match the answer from the right column that best fits the clue in the left column. Write the LETTER of the correct answer in the SPACE beside the matching clue. For 4000 years God promised to send this to man A Mary Appeared with a message to a young lady B taxes Town where the young lady lived C A Saviour Name of the young lady that the angel gave the message to Name of the young man that Mary would be married to The king passed a law that everyone had to go and pay these Mary rode this all the way to Bethlehem Building where Mary delivered her baby D Jesus E Nazareth F Stable G Bethlehem H A donkey What Mary named her baby I An angel Town where Jesus was born J Joseph And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. MATTHEW 1:21

7 The Birth of Jesus Matthew 1:18-25 The answers to this week s puzzle C c For 4000 years God promised to send this to man A Mary I c Appeared with a message to a young lady B taxes E c Town where the young lady lived C A Saviour A c J c B c H c F c Name of the young lady that the angel gave the message to Name of the young man that Mary would be married to The king passed a law that everyone had to go and pay these Mary rode this all the way to Bethlehem Building where Mary delivered her baby D Jesus E Nazareth F Stable G Bethlehem H A donkey D c What Mary named her baby I An angel G c Town where Jesus was born J Joseph

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

Elementary Lesson Year Two, Quarter Four, Lesson Thirteen SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON Christmas Sunday AIM: to teach my class that Jesus is the greatest gift that has ever been given OBJECTS TO HAVE: A wrapped