Lesson 51 - Elementary

Memory Verse

"Thou shalt call his name JESUS"  (Matthew 1:21).

Notes

In a Manger

Joseph and Mary had been told to go to a city called Bethlehem, but there were so many other people there at that time that there was no room in the hotels for Joseph and Mary. The only place they could find in which to rest was a stable. In that country the cattle were kept in a place very near the house, sometimes even in a place under the same roof. Perhaps they were glad to find even that place.

While Mary was in this stable God gave her the Son the angel had told her God was going to give her. He was to grow up and be our Saviour Jesus Christ. Mary may not have understood all that that meant, but she kept the words in her heart, and no doubt, thought of them very often.

The Angels and the Shepherds

Some men were in a field, under the bright stars, watching their sheep as the shepherds did in that country. Suddenly there was a great and beautiful light all around them and it made them afraid. But an angel told them not to be afraid. He said that He had come to tell them some very good news, something that would make all the people happy -– a Saviour had been born.

Then many angels sang about God and His great love. It must have been wonderful to hear angels sing, and hear them sing about God. Those who love God will hear them sing again in Heaven, and, perhaps, sing with them.

When the angels went away the shepherds said: "let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”

Finding Jesus

Then the shepherds hurried away to look for the Baby they had heard the angels speak about. They remembered that they had said the Child would be lying in a manger, and there they found Him.

The shepherds must have been very happy when they saw Him, and they told many people what the angels had said to them and what they had seen. They came back to their home praising God for it all. God had been very kind to the shepherds in sending His angel to tell them about Jesus, and they were thankful to Him. We, too, should be thankful that we have heard about Jesus and His great love for us. As the shepherds did, we should be faithful in telling many others about Him.

The Name of Jesus

When the angel of the Lord said that Jesus would be born he also said that He should be called "JESUS,” "for he shall save his people from their sins.” Jesus has many beautiful names, and there is no name in the world so sweet as that name -- JESUS.

In the Bible we read that we may ask things in Jesus' name: "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” [JHN:14:14]). It is because Jesus died for us that we can ask for good things in His name. We must give thanks to God for giving us this wonderful Babe of Bethlehem, and try to be as much like Jesus as we possibly can.

Questions

1. Who told Joseph that he should name his son JESUS? [MAT:1:20];[MAT:1:21].

2. Why was He called JESUS? [MAT:1:21].

3. How did the wise men find the Baby Jesus? [MAT:2:9].

4. Why did Joseph and Mary take Jesus into Egypt? [MAT:2:13].

5. Who tried to kill the Baby Jesus? [MAT:2:16].