Week December 24 HONORING THE SAVIOR’S BIRTH Background Passage: Matthew 1:18-2:12 Lesson Passages: Matthew 1:18-2:5a,9-11 ee pe — BIBLICAL TRUTH | God blesses those who | appropriately honor the Savior's birth. KEY BIBLE VERSE Matthew 1:21 Lie are your favorite memories of Christmas? What have you and your family done to make Christmas a genuinely Christian experience? One of my favorite memories involves my two daughters’ use of advent calendars. When they were young their calendars revealed a new biblical character from the Christmas story each day of the countdown to Christmas Day. If my wife answered my question about Christmas memories, she might mention a cardboard nativity scene her family used when she was young. We've used that simple nativity scene during our almost 40 years of marriage, partly to remind us of the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and others. Sometimes even Christians have a hard time focusing their attention on Jesus in the holiday season. We can become so preoccupied with shopping, cooking, traveling, sending cards, and other worthwhile activities that we for- get to honor the birth of our Savior. If believers fail to honor Jesus’ birth, we will miss an opportunity to testify about the salvation lost persons could gain by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. LW Honoring the Savior’s BirthSTUDY, QUESTIO 1. Why did Joseph want to divorce Mary privately? (1:19) 2. How did Joseph respond to the angel's message? (1:24) 3. Who were the wise men? (2:1) 4, Why did the wise men bring gifts to Jesus? (2:11) BACKGROUND PASSAGE OVERVIEW Mary and Joseph were engaged to be married. She was still a virgin, but through the Holy Spirit’s intervention Mary became pregnant. Joseph was a good man, and he did not want to disgrace her publicly. He intended to divorce her pri- vately, but God sent an angel to explain Mary’s pregnancy. The angel reassured Joseph about the cause of Mary’s preg- nancy. Mary would give birth to a boy who would be named Jesus, because He would save people from their sins. This birth would also fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy about the birth of Immanuel. Joseph obeyed the angel’s instructions, married Mary, and named the baby Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod. Wise men came to Jerusalem looking for the new King of the Jews. They had followed an unusual star. Religious leaders told Herod the star meant that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem, telling them he would like to worship the baby as well, and to return with news of the baby’s whereabouts. The wise men found Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. They wor- shiped Jesus and gave Him several gifts. Warned in a dream to avoid Herod, they returned home by another route. BELIEVE Gop’s MESSAGE (MATT. 1:18-23) 18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was es- poused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Week of December 2419 So her husband Joseph, be- ing a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. 20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not will- ing to make her a public exam- ple, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the pro- phet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. @BW Honoring the Savior’s Birth Verse 18. Both Matthew and Luke were inspired to report several details about Jesus’ birth. Although the story is famil- iar to most Christians, Matthew highlighted several aspects that supplement Luke’s account. For instance, Matthew fo- cused here on Joseph’s reaction to the news that Mary was pregnant. Mary and Joseph were engaged. In the Jewish custom, a couple who wanted to be married went through several stages of relationship before the actual marriage ceremony. An en- gagement then was far more legally binding than an engage- ment of today. If a couple decided not to follow through with the marriage, they needed to divorce each other. They did not, however, have sexual relations until they were married.