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Key passage
John 3:16 - For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus Was Born (Matthew 1, Luke 1-2)
Matthew and Luke’s accounts of Jesus’ birth showcase God’s faithfulness in sending us His Son. Long before Mary and Joseph embarked on their journey to Bethlehem, God had already promised to redeem His creation through the long-awaited Savior. Now, God was ready to make good on His promise of salvation—in an unexpected setting, at a seemingly inopportune time, and through the most unlikely of people.
The earthly arrival of God in human form caught many by surprise. From Jesus’ virgin birth to His first night spent in a manger, the lowliness of this humble King seemed counterintuitive to most people’s expectations of how the Messiah would arrive. The joyous birth of Jesus, however, was such a miraculous occasion that God sent angels to prepare the hearts of those who would behold the newborn King—not only Mary and Joseph, but also the shepherds in the field who believed by faith.
Despite all that seemed to go wrong in this story—from the decree of Caesar Augustus, the timing of Mary’s pregnancy and delivery, and there being no guest room for Jesus—God orchestrated every detail of this birth narrative so He would be glorified through the humble arrival of His Son. Through His angels, God spoke words of comfort, encouragement, and guidance to Jesus’ parents and the shepherds, leading them to trust Him with each next step.
Many Old Testament prophecies had shed light on how the Messiah would arrive. The prophet Isaiah spoke of a virgin giving birth to a son named Immanuel and later predicted a child with the title, Mighty God (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6). Meanwhile, Micah, a contemporary prophet to Isaiah, had predicted the Messiah would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). These were only the beginning of many Old Testament prophecies Jesus would fulfill on His way to live a perfect life, die a sacrificial death, and rise again.
Family Discussion Questions:
- How can Jesus be both God and human?
[Parent prompt] God becoming a human is what believers call the incarnation. Because Jesus is God, He was able to perfectly follow God’s law. Because Jesus became a human, He was able to live a perfect life in our place and die as a sacrifice for our sins. (John 1:14).
- Is anything outside of God’s control?
[Parent prompt] Because of Caesar Augustus’ decree, Mary and Joseph had to journey away from home to register with the government. Because of this decree, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. God used the ruler’s decree to fulfill His promise given through the prophets. God works in all things to accomplish His plans (Micah 5:2).
- Why did God wait so long to send His Son, Jesus, to earth?
[Parent prompt] God does not operate on our timeline. God is sovereign and in control of all things. Scripture tells us that He sent Jesus at the right time, not according to our plan or timetable, but according to His (Galatians 4:4).
Christ Connection
- Babies & Toddlers: God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue people from their sins.
- Younger Preschool: God kept His promise to send a Savior! This is very good news. Jesus is God’s Son. He came into the world to rescue people from their sins.
- Older Preschool: God kept His promise to send a Savior! This is very good news. Jesus was not like other babies. He is God’s Son! God sent Jesus into the world to save people from their sins.
- Kids: God kept His promise to send Jesus, the Messiah, to save people from their sins. God will keep His promise to save everyone who trusts in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Check out The Gospel Project At Home for weekly family worship resources. (Content by Lifeway Christian Resources, link here , Used with permission.”)
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