Preschool
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Isaiah 9:6
The Messiah Has Come
Memory Verses
Primary
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11
Junior
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
Background Scripture: Luke 2; John 1
Lesson Scripture: Matthew 2:1–12
Introduction
Over two thousand years have come and gone since the cry of a newborn baby was heard in Bethlehem’s stable. There in a manger lay the “hope of all the world,” a point of light piercing the darkness; a star in the night sky. And the world has been forever changed. What began that night culminated in the sunrise of the resurrection thirty-three years later. Death was defeated, and a spiritual kingdom began that has no end. As the years of our lives come and go, may the truth of this glorious event become ever clearer. The Messiah has come!
Key Verse
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).
Lesson Scripture
Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Studying the lesson
There is simplicity in the narrative of Jesus’s birth as recorded in the lesson text and in the record in the gospel of Luke. Many of the details are shrouded in mystery. Exactly who were the wise men? It seems most likely they were from Persia. Possibly they were descendants of the wise men of Daniel’s day. Even though they were Gentiles, God put it in their hearts to seek the Christ child. What a wonderful confirmation that the gospel would not only be for the Jews but for all people. The term wise used to describe these men indicates more than the wisdom of this world. Their hearts were set on seeking truth, and they were willing to leave the comforts of home in search of it.
God used a star to guide the wise men. What was this star? While many interesting theories exist, no natural explanation seems to fully fit the text. By faith we believe this star was a divine guiding light that led the wise men to the Christ child. Although in a different form, there is some similarity to the pillar of fire that led the children of Israel in the wilderness.
It appears that the wise men lost sight of the star for a time when they visited Jerusalem. Did human reasoning direct them to the capital city? Was it a momentary lapse of judgment that they thought surely the king of the Jews would be born in Jerusalem? If so, how like us they were. It is a comfort that God did not leave them without direction, but as they departed, “Lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was” (v. 9).
Evidently some time elapsed between the birth of Jesus and the visit of the wise men. Joseph and Mary, along with the young child Jesus, were living in a house in Bethlehem. How strange it must have seemed to them to be visited by these noble wise men from afar. Perhaps by this time life had settled into somewhat of a routine, and then they heard the knock on the door. What a meeting that must have been as the wise men fell down and worshipped the child Jesus, presenting their treasures to Him. Their quest ended at the feet of Jesus. May ours end there as well.
Practical Truths for Today
The Messiah has come! This truth should be more than just a historical fact to us. He came to set the captives free. How personal is salvation to me? Yes, I accept that Jesus came two thousand years ago, but did He come for me? Can it be? Yes! He came for me, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
The last phrase in the key verse uses the term “Prince of Peace.” This concept of peace runs like a river, deep and wide, throughout the Scriptures. Following are just a few of the many biblical references to peace. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied of Jesus that He would “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). When the angels announced the birth of Christ, they said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “Peace be unto you” (Luke 24:36).
Peace is the hallmark of the kingdom Christ came to establish, while conflict is the hallmark of this world. How the world longs for peace, yet seems to seek it in all the wrong places. There is no real and lasting peace outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Indeed, “He is our peace” (Eph. 2:14). We are to let the peace of God rule in our hearts (Col. 3:15). In a world filled with strife and turmoil, may we find God’s real and lasting peace alive in our hearts.
The Bible speaks about the broad road and the narrow way. It is interesting to note that the masses of humanity on the broad road are actually in a narrow place. Sin causes one’s life to eventually narrow down. For instance, one who is covetous thinks that money equals freedom, only to find out that his focus has narrowed down to an obsession with temporal gain. At first a drug user thinks his life is expanding, until one day he realizes that, in fact, his life is narrowing down to a pitiful existence where all he can think about is where to get his next high. Perhaps closer to home, we can examine our lives. Thinking critical thoughts brings us into a narrow place. When we are unthankful, we begin to see the faults of those around us, and our life narrows down.
In a sense, our lives without God are like the stable, a narrow, dark, confined place. Selfishness brings us to just such a place. The infinite Creator left the vastness and freedom of heaven and took upon Himself the limitations of space and time. We do not know how large heaven is, but we know the stable is a place for the confinement of animals. Jesus came all the way to the stable to lead us out of bondage and darkness into the freedom and light of the day. Am I stuck in the stable of self-centered living? Does my life revolve around how I think others should treat me? Jesus is calling us out of the confines of self-life into the freedom of the glorious gospel. Let us answer the call at once. The way is narrow to our flesh but brings freedom to our spirit. For the true child of God, life opens wide as the psalmist declares, “Thou hast set my feet in a large room” (Ps. 31:8).
Paul describes in the New Testament the “large room” that David wrote about: “That ye . . . may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ” (Eph. 3:17–19). May God inspire us with the love He showed us in sending Jesus as our Savior. The star of Bethlehem continues to guide us to the manger where we find our deepest longings fulfilled in Him who has power to make all things new.
Questions
- Is God hard to find? Discuss Acts 17:27.
- What are ways our brethren can help us in our search for God?
- When we prove a convert, we look for the witness of God’s peace. As time goes on, this peace is tested. What value should we put on peace in our lives? Is it optional?
- Peace is more than a feeling. It is the presence of Jesus in our hearts. Can we be at peace and not feel it?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).