| Birth of Jesus | |||||
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Teaching notes for presenting:- The Birth of Jesus.[These teaching notes for presenting the Birth of Jesus they can be printed out.]The Bible can be split into 3 parts: 1. Old Testament 2. Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John 3. Acts and the rest of the New Testament. Revelation is done as a separate module.Birth of Jesus - or the Christmas story or message using Matthew & Luke's written accounts of the events. Reference Matthew Chapters 1 & 2 Reference Luke Chapters 1 & 2 & 3:21-38 Both Luke and Matthew have included Jesus' family tree because of its importance, in what they are about to tell us. The Birth of Jesus divided time into BC and AD. Israel at this time was under Roman occupation. Israel was under Roman occupation. They had Censuses every 14 years for taxation purposes. Herod or Herod the Great died in 4BC and his 4 sons took over. The name of Herod is used of a person and also as a family name. Matthew wrote his Gospel to his own people the Jews. Luke, a Greek Medical Doctor, wrote to his own people about Jesus and the Early Church. 1. Angel - Gabriel talks to Mary Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel tells Mary that she will have a baby and to call him Jesus. Also that Elizabeth her cousin is six months pregnant. Angels are messengers or emissaries of God. 2. Mary - Mary visits Elizabeth Luke 1:39-40 Because she was so excited and could not wait to see Elizabeth and share her own news, Mary sets off to visit Elizabeth, Mary's cousin Mary and Joseph had other children after Mary gave birth to Jesus. See Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3, Luke 8:19. see info on arranged marriages. 3. Elizabeth - gets a visit from Mary Luke 1:41-45 Elizabeth welcomes Mary her cousin to her home. Elizabeth is pregnant and the baby leaps for joy at the sound of Mary's voice. Elizabeth (Greek God is my Oath) like her husband, Zechariah (Greek Jehovah remembers) were from the tribe of Levi. 4. Mary - praises God Luke 1:46-56 As they greet each other, Mary sings a song of praise to God Mary and Joseph had other children after Mary gave birth to Jesus. See Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3, Luke 8:19 see info on arranged marriages. 5. Angel - Angel talks to Joseph Matthew 1:18-25 The angel Gabriel talks to Joseph in a dream. Take Mary to be your wife. 6. Joseph - Luke 2:1-4 Joseph takes Mary to Bethlehem, because all males had to go to their home town to be registered as required by the Roman census a head count of Israel for taxation purposes. arranged marriages. Joseph and Mary were both descendants of King David, Israel's royal family. Mary and Joseph had an arranged marriage as was the custom of the time. The papers that made it legal were signed at the time of the arrangement of the marriage. This may even have happened before the two people had met, not like our western custom where the legal papers are signed at the time of the marriage. 7. Donkey - the mode of travel of the day Luke 2:5 At the time of Jesus' birth, people traveled by foot or on an animal or cart. Nazareth to Jerusalem was 4 to 6 days journey, over rough tracks with wild animals and robbers. People often traveled in groups for their own protection. We do not know the name or breed of the donkey that was used to carry Mary, who was pregnant at the time with Jesus. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem could have taken 4-6 days by foot to cover the 120 km or 90 miles. 8. Jesus - newly born baby Luke 2:6-7 and Matthew 1:18-25 Baby Jesus was born in an animal feeder as the only private place in a town full of people because of the Roman census. Also there may have been a Jewish feast at the same time. Possible dates of the birth of Jesus Jesus was born as a baby and then had to grow up as any baby does. 9. Shepherds - were the first to see Jesus Luke 2:8-12 and Luke 2:16-20 Interaction of the shepherds and the angel The reason why they were there looking after the sheep at night..... and whose sheep and what the sheep were going to be used for...... are interesting matters for discussion. Shepherds are men who live in the open looking after sheep. Each shepherd knew each sheep by name and each sheep knew the voice of their shepherd. Flocks were approximately 10-20 sheep. Unless they were looking after temple sheep and that is a different story. 10. Angel - The Angels praise God for the birth of Jesus Luke 2:13-15 Then many angels sang songs of praise to God about the birth of Jesus. Remember Angels are messengers or ambassadors of God. 11. Jesus -at 40 days old was taken to Jerusalem Why? and what happened at 8 days old Jesus Luke 2:21-40 Presented in the Temple A picture of Jesus as an 8 or 40 day old baby. Jesus was taken to two Jewish religious rituals. One when he was eight days old . and the other when he was 40 days old The son of God. A pair of doves or two young pigeons were used by the poorer class lambs were used by the rich. Leviticus 12:8, Exodus 13:2, Numbers18:15 12. Simeon - Luke 2:25-35 Simeon was a very old man who was told by God he would see Jesus before he would die. Simeon was a prophet of God. 13. Anna - Anna had some words about Jesus life Luke 2:36-38 Anna the prophetess Anna was a very old lady who spent her days in prayer. A woman who loved God. 14. Magi - The Magi who followed the star to find Jesus Matthew 2:1-2 The Visit of the Magi Often called the wise men. Traveled from the east to find Jesus. Wise men still seek Him. 15. Herod - ;wonders about what the wise men said. Matthew 2:3-8 Herod replies to the Magi [The Wise Men] Herod the Great was told by the wise men [Magi] they have come to worship a king. Yet Herod was the King appointed by the Rome so he was worried. Herod the Great, was not a native born Israeli, but an Idumean. Herod was appointed king over the state of Israel by the Romans and was made king in 37 BC and died in 4BC. Ruled in Palestine 37BC-4BC How do we find which Herod is which. There is a number of men called HEROD in the bible, starting with Herod the Great who died in spring [March, April, May] 4BC. There is also a number of rulers descending from this man to whom the bible gives names other than Herod in their Title. 16.Star - The star the magi followed to find Jesus Matthew 2:9-10 Magi follow the star The wise men, or their correct title Magi, arrived some 9 to18 months after Jesus was born. There are many theories which star God used. 17.Child -Jesus as a child in the house Matthew 2:11-12 The Visit of the Magi to Jesus Jesus as a young Child. When the wise men found Jesus, he was in a house as a toddler 8-18 months old. The house may have been back in Nazareth or near Bethlehem, we are not told. The Magi found a "paidion" (Greek) a child older than a new born baby but still under 2 years old. The house was possibly in Bethlehem. 18.Angel - The Angel has a message for Joseph Matthew 2:13-15 The Escape to Egypt The angel tells Joseph to take Mary and Baby Jesus to EGYPT. In those times Egypt extended well beyond the north side of the Suez Canal. 19. Herod - ;Herod is angry at the failed return of the Magi Matthew 2:16-18 First Plot to kill Jesus ref Matthew 26:3-4 Herod is angry because the Magi or wise men deride or jeer him by not coming back and see him. Then he worked out how to kill Jesus born King of the Jews. He would order kill all male children up to a 16km or 10mile radius of Bethlehem. Herod the great -[ruled Palestine 37BC-4BC]. Herod died aged 69 possibility of chronic kidney disease. How do we find which Herod is which. There is a number of men called HEROD in the bible starting with Herod the Great who died in spring [March, April, May] 4BC. There is also a number of rulers descending from this man to whom the bible gives names other than Herod in their Title. Herod the Great was an Idumean and was made king in37 BC and died in 4BC. Ruled in Palestine 37BC-4BC How do we find which Herod is which? There is a number of men called HEROD in the bible, starting with Herod the Great who died in spring [March, April, May] 4BC. There is also a number of rulers descending from this man to whom the bible gives names other than Herod in their title. 20. Angel - Angel says to Joseph "go back home" Matthew 2:19-23 The Return from Egypt The angel tells Joseph to take Mary and Baby Jesus back to Israel. Jesus could at this time be between 2-5 years old. The Angel another of God's messengers. 21. Youth - Jesus as a 12 year old boy Luke 2:41-52 The Boy Jesus at the Temple Matthew 2:19-23 The Return to Nazareth Jesus about 12 years old. We have only this little piece of Jesus life from when his parents came back to Nazareth and Jesus start of his public ministry. Between 12-13 years old a Jewish boy becomes a man. Jesus as a youth Jesus at 12 like every Jewish boy became a son of the law or pais (Greek) servant of the law eg old enough to start serving God. Jesus grew up and stayed with his parents until he left home. 22. Cross - The Cross-click on Easter for the next module Luke and Matthew - read the gospels Jesus' purpose in life was to go to die on the cross, followed by His Resurrection. These events are explained in the Overview Module Easter - Palm Sunday to Pentecost Jesus job was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father. or Jesus was possibly born between 12BC no later than 4BC, because he was born before the death of Herod the Great in 4BC. Jesus died between 26AD 39AD during the reign of Roman procurator Pontius Pilate. Jesus was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father. or Some of the dates of Jesus' Crucifixion could have been; Fri April 3rd 33AD, April 14th 33AD, March/April 30AD, 5-6th April Wednesday-Thursday 29AD Jesus was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father. Jesus was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father God. |
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