sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bethlehem, The Nativity Story

The Road To The Road To Bethlehem Table of Contents Leader Preparation...... 1 Lesson Overview...... 1 Lesson Objectives...... 1 Primary Scripture - : 1-20...... 1 The Birth of ...... 2 Secondary Scriptures - Prophesy and Importance of Bethlehem...... 2 Teaching Prep...... 2

The Before & After (optional)...... 8 Text Message Questions...... 8 Parent Email...... 8

Lesson Guide...... 9 Getting Things Started (optional)...... 9 Teaching Points...... 9 Application...... 11 Announcements...... 12 Shared Prayer and Peace...... 12 VIDEOS For Lesson On The Road to Bethlehem...... 12

i Leader Preparation Lesson Overview

The Hardships of the Journey of Mary & Joseph

Before Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had some major hurdles to overcome. Theirs is a tale of courage in the face of immense challenges. The roots of the story have nothing to do with lighted trees, elves, presents or gift wrap (though these can certainly serve as lovely accoutrements).

Instead, at the heart of the Christmas story is one family who overcome many hardships and difficulties by perseverance, trust in God, and great faith in God and each other. The story of their journey to Bethlehem can teach us much about how to navigate our own difficult times. It can teach us where to turn when we are scared, confused or troubled. As Mary and Joseph did - we should also do - turn to God in trust and faith.

After Jesus was born, all wasn't eternal merriment and delight. Quite the contrary. Mary and Joseph lived in perplexing times! The political climate was unstable and a maniacal ruler named Herod was murdering children in the search for an infant king.

Mary and Joseph persevered. They were the epitome of resilience. From the moment they found out that she was going to birth that totally unexpected baby, Mary and Joseph clung tightly to the truth that love is stronger than fear. Even when they were living as refugees in (yes, it's true; our King of Kings spent a season of life as a toddler refugee), they held onto hope.

Mary and Joseph traveled the road to Bethlehem as the law demanded to be counted in the census. And it was there that Jesus was born.

This road was very difficult - the travel itself was long and arduous. The cirsumstances of Mary being pregnant but not by Jospeh added to the drama. And with Mary ready to give birth, the situation became dire.

This road to Bethlehem became a road for all of us for peace - freedom - salvation.

What road are we traveling on? Lesson Objectives

To help the students understand the historical and personal circumstances surrounding the lives of Mary, Joseph as they began their journey to Bethlehem.

To help the students grasp the difficulty of this journey - the road they took - and what awaited them in Bethlehem.

To help prepare the students for the Christmas story - its deeper meanings and how they relate to our lives. Primary Scripture - Luke 2: 1-20

Luke 2: 1-20

1 The Road To Bethlehem The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of .) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of in to , to Bethlehem the town of , because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a , because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the , the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Secondary Scriptures - Prophesy and Importance of Bethlehem

1. 5:2 - born in Bethlehem 2. Isaiah 11:1 - born of the family of 3. 23:5 - born of the house of David Teaching Prep

The Hardships of the Journey of Mary & Joseph

Before Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had some major hurdles to overcome. Theirs is a tale of courage in the face of immense challenges. The roots of the Christmas story have nothing to do with trees, elves, or gift wrap (though these can certainly serve as lovely accoutrements).

Instead, at the heart of the Christmas story is one family who refused to allow the insidious nature of fear to pervade their lives. After Jesus was born, all wasn't eternal merriment and delight. Quite the contrary. Mary

2 The Road To Bethlehem and Joseph lived in perplexing times! The political climate was unstable and a maniacal ruler named Herod was murdering children in the search for an infant king.

Mary and Joseph persevered. They were the epitome of resilience. From the moment they found out that she was going to birth that totally unexpected baby, Mary and Joseph clung tightly to the truth that love is stronger than fear. Even when they were living as refugees in Egypt (yes, it's true; our King of Kings spent a season of life as a toddler refugee), they held onto hope.

The Journey

Mary and Joseph were compelled to make the long journey to Bethlehem after a census was proclaimed by Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor. Joseph hailed from Bethlehem in Judea, and the decree required citizens to register at their birthplaces.

The shortest route to Bethlehem was directly south through Samaria, but its hilly terrain would have proven particularly arduous for Mary, who was in the late stages of pregnancy. Other factors in avoiding that route were the hostile in the region, who could have posed a threat to the two travelers, and the knowledge that it would be difficult for them to find lodgings. Finally, the Samaritans were considered unclean and not of the Jewish faith. So it is unlikely that they took the straight path to Bethlehem through Samaria.

It's believed that Mary and Joseph chose a safer, longer and more comfortable route that took them southeast through the Jezreel Valley and further east to the Valley. Continuing south to , they probably proceeded up through the Judean Desert to and onward to Bethlehem. By the end of their difficult trek, the couple would have walked more than 90 miles; much of that distance across difficult terrain.

3 The Road To Bethlehem Opinions differ on how many days it took Mary and Joseph to complete their epic journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Some scholars believe the trek lasted from 6 to 9 days.

World of Mary & Joseph

Personal Hardships

Let us assume that it was not an easy situation for both Mary and Joseph.

· They are betrothed to each other and living in a small village (Nazareth) in northern Galilee. Joseph is just starting out in his business as a carpenter and Mary is likely 13 years old and likely excited and apprehensive about her upcoming marriage.

· Things change suddenly. Mary is visited by an angel who brings the unexpected news of a divine pregnancy.

· Joseph is given the news and allowed to live with it until he is visited by angel at night who assures him that it is God’s work and that he is to be a part of this amazing story. Joseph says yes to God and to Mary. And they are wed. Quietly it seems.

· Yet they still lived in a small town and many would be judging and speculating about Mary and the cuckolded Joseph.

· Then as Mary is late in her pregnancy they are ordered by the ruling and occupying Romans to travel to Bethlehem for a census.

· They travel 90 miles through desert – mountains - lakes and rivers. They must stay with some sort of caravan for protection for the trip was wrought with danger.

Political Climate

The world of Mary and Joseph was a difficult and dangerous place, one whose harsh conditions were not fully chronicled in the Gospel accounts of their travails. Writers of the gospels of Matthew and Luke "are so laconic about the [Nativity] event because they assume the reader would know what it was like," said James F. Strange, a and biblical archeology professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Today, he added, "we have no idea how difficult it was."

Politically Mary would have lived at quite a difficult time. She would have seen the end of the reign of and all the revolts that accompanied the end of his reign. She would have seen the Roman Legions coming in to Galilee to put down these revolts and all the atrocities associated with the legions.

We know from Jewish writings of the time that the Romans burnt cities and took people away into slavery. Galilee was politically fairly stable throughout most of Jesus' lifetime but there would have been isolated pockets of resistance and certainly no one would have liked the idea that Judea to the south was a Roman province, or that the Romans were present in the Holy City of Jerusalem and in the temple itself.

Galilee in the 20s was occupied by Romans and would have been an oppressing place for the Jews. If a Roman soldier said "you've got to carry my backpack one mile", they'd have to do it; they had no option. The Romans forced the Jews to pay taxes to Caesar. At night they might have heard the soldiers march by with their swords clanging, and they would have been afraid.

4 The Road To Bethlehem One can imagine there was talk about trusting in God and that maybe in their lifetime he would send a Messiah. The Jews, as they became more and more oppressed, may have become more and more obsessed with God. They may have thought that this could be the time for the Saviour to come. And it was in this highly charged theological atmosphere that Mary wove her way to the well, perhaps holding in her arms the infant Jesus.

Nazareth

Nazareth was then an obscure, little town and, as in the rest of , under Roman domination, the domination that followed that of the generals of the famous Greek emperor, Alexander the Great.

The Romans were very present in Galilee at the time of the to Mary by the archangel ; and they remained there, as in the rest of Palestine, until the middle of the 3rd century. The Jews of Palestine, called the Hebrews, are what the designates as the nation of and that the Scriptures will also name, in 7 BC, the "chosen people".

Therefore in the time of Jesus, we find in Palestine, and particularly in Nazareth, a rather mixed society, where Hebrews, Greeks and Romans live side by side. The different cultures are juxtaposed and interpenetrate each other, yet they do not really mix.

The town of Nazareth surnamed "the garden of Galilee", sits on the flank of a hill a bit like the "guard" ("Nasar", in "Nasirah") of the region. Surrounded by other hills, it is located in the midst of a green landscape. On its western boundary, the town was delineated by a small river today dried up. The name of Nazareth appears for the first time on a plaque dating from the 4th or 3rd century BC, discovered among some fragments near Caesarea (a city of Palestine built by the Jewish king Herod the Great).

At that time the population did not exceed 150 inhabitants; among them were Mary, Joseph, and the relatives of Jesus. People made a living off agriculture (vines, olive trees, barley, and vegetables) and making handicrafts. In the time of Jesus it seems that, according to archaeological discoveries, the houses of Palestine were built in the prolongation of natural caves. –

There is no mention of this locality in the Old Testament which takes into account little of what became of the royal dynasties put aside by Maccabees, such as the dynasties of the high priests and their traditions that the Essenians preserved, so little witnessed throughout history before the discoveries of Qumran.

Mary and Joseph lived there before they had to leave to go to Bethlehem (Lk 2:4). Later, Jesus lived there, with His family, during His childhood and His hidden life. He was always referred to as the Nazarene, both by His disciples and His enemies.

The City of the Annunciation was forgotten by Christendom until the 17th century

Jesus left Nazareth to be baptized by John in the Jordan (Mk 1:9) and began His ministry. He later returned to His birthplace and preached in the synagogue there, but His fellow-citizens did not appreciate the fact that he chose not to show his healing talents in front of them but rather invited them to discover who He was by meditating the prophets’ teachings. They also wanted to push him off the hill on which the city is built (Lk 4:29).

Since the time of Christ’s death, the city has known many trials. It was ransacked by the Romans at the time of the Jewish rebellion in the year 67; it underwent Persian then Muslim occupations, and in 1263 was destroyed by the Saracens, on Sultan Baibar’s order. The arrival to Nazareth of the , in 1620, made it possible for the town to gradually regain its reputation as an important place of Christendom. Nothing much

5 The Road To Bethlehem noticeable remains of the Our Lord’s village.

On this site, an imposing was built between 1960 and 1969. The interior decoration was entrusted to eminent artists coming from all the parts of the world. Therefore today the humble vestiges of the dwellings of the time of Jesus stand near the monument erected for the glory of His mother. But Nazareth is first and foremost, for the Christians, the place where the fabulous mystery of the Incarnation took place; it is advisable to meditate on the extraordinary greatness of this mystery while preparing to celebrate Christmas.

The Census

Roman law, in deference to Jewish customs and prejudices (plus the desire to, as peaceably as possible, collect taxes from a subjugated people), stated any census in Palestine would be undertaken based on the town from which a person's ancestral family belonged. In the case of Joseph, since he traced his lineage to David, who was born in Bethlehem (1Samuel 17:12), he had to go to the city for the census.

The census was ordered by Caesar Augustus for the purpose of getting an accurate count but also for taxation purposes.

Bethlehem

The city of Bethlehem, located about six miles southwest of Jerusalem, is the birthplace of our Savior Jesus Christ. Meaning "house of bread," Bethlehem was also the renowned . It was there in young David's hometown that the prophet anointed him to be king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:1-13).

In the Old Testament, Bethlehem was an early Canaanite settlement connected with the patriarchs. Situated along an ancient caravan route, Bethlehem has harbored a melting pot of peoples and cultures since its beginning. The geography of the region is mountainous, sitting about 2,600 feet above the .

In times past, Bethlehem was also called Ephrathah or Bethlehem-Judah to distinguish it from a second Bethlehem located in Zebulunite territory.

The poignant story of , and from the is set primarily around the town of Bethlehem. King David, the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz was born and raised in Bethlehem, and there David's mighty men lived. Bethlehem eventually came to be called the City of David as the symbol of his great dynasty, and it grew into an important, strategic, and fortified city under King .

In addition, Bethlehem is noted in connection with the Babylonian exile (:17, Ezra 2:21), as some of the Jews returning from captivity stayed near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt.

And in , the prophet foretold that Messiah would come from the small and seemingly insignificant town of Bethlehem:

Micah 5:2–5 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth... And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world. And he will be the source of peace... (NLT)

Yet at the time of Jesus’ birth Bethlehem was likely a small town of about 1000 that harvested the wheat from the fields and helped to provide bread for the more prominent and substantial Jerusalem about 6 miles away.

6 The Road To Bethlehem The Trip

They had to travel 90 miles to the city of Joseph's ancestors: south along the flatlands of the Jordan River, then west over the hills surrounding Jerusalem, and on into Bethlehem.

"It was a fairly grueling trip," said Strange, who annually leads an excavation team at the ancient city of Sepphoris, near Nazareth. "In antiquity, the most we find people traveling is 20 miles a day. And this trip was very much uphill and downhill. It was not simple."

Strange estimates that Joseph and Mary likely would have traveled only 10 miles a day because of Mary's impending delivery.

And the trip through the Judean desert would have taken place during the winter, when "it's in the 30s during the day [and] rains like heck," said Strange. "It's nasty, miserable. And at night it would be freezing."

To protect themselves during inclement weather, Mary and Joseph would likely have worn heavy woolen cloaks, constructed to shed rain and snow. Under their cloaks, the ancient residents wore long robes, belted at the waist. Tube-like socks and enclosed shoes protected the feet, Strange said.

And the unpaved, hilly trails and harsh weather were not the only hazards Joseph and Mary would have faced on their journey south.

One of the most terrifying dangers in ancient Palestine was the heavily forested valley of the Jordan River, Strange said. Lions and bears lived in the woods, and travelers had to fend off wild boars. Archeologists have unearthed documents warning travelers of the forest's dangers, he said.

And "bandits, pirates of the desert and robbers" were also common hazards along the major trade routes like the one Joseph and Mary would have traveled. The threat of outlaws often forced solitary travelers to join trade caravans for protection.

Mary and Joseph had to bring their own provisions. "In wineskins, they carried water," said Vasko. "And they carried a lot of bread. . . . Breakfast would be dried bread, lunch would be oil with bread, and herbs with oil and bread in the evening."

7 The Before & After (optional) Text Message Questions

Have you ever wondered why the traveling industry earns billions of dollars every month?

Are you a person who likes to travel or would prefer to stay home?

Come to our Ignite Small Group this Sunday and learn about Joseph and Mary's trip to Bethlehem. Parent Email

Ignite is meeting twice in December...

Sunday, Dec, 3 is about the Road that Jospeh and Mary took to Bethlehem. The students will discover much of the back story of and travels of Jospeh and Mary.

Sunday, Dec. 10 - we will look at the story of Christmas as seen in popular videos and songs. What does the world say about Christmas and what are faith says...

PLEASE encourage your youth to attend their faith small group in Ignite!

8 Lesson Guide Getting Things Started (optional)

Welcome your students!

Opening Prayer

Highs & Lows: Invite the youth to share some of the good things that have happened over the past few weeks - since last you were all together. Invite them also to share difficult things or challenges or lows.

GETTING THINGS STARTED:

ADVENT WREATH or Nativity Set - if you are able to supply one of these for your small group session then take the time to share with them about the wreath and Nativity Set and what significance they have for your home or family.

Say Something Like: For the next two weeks we will be talking about preparing for Christmas. This week we will be looking at the Journey that Joseph and Mary took from Nazareth to Bethlehem. And next week we will be watching and talking about popular Christmas videos and songs and what they tell us about Christmas.

ASK:

1. Are you TRAVELING for Christmas this year? Why What and Where and HOW are you taking this trip? 2. Think about the best ROAD TRIP or JOURNEY you ever took. That might have been a vacation - a visit to family or school - or just an adventure with friends or family. What were the circumstances around this trip? 3. What were the obstacles - hardships - difficulties along the way? 4. Any detours - unexpected problems? 5. Did this journey change you in any way?

Say Something Like: All of life is a journey, and just as Mary and Joseph were greatly affected by the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, so we are often changed dramatically by a journey or journeys in our lives. Tonight we are going to look more closely to the journey that Mary & Joseph took to make the Christmas story happen. It was not like in the Christmas movies and videos... Teaching Points

READ: Luke 2: 1-20

Say Something Like: Before Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had some major hurdles to overcome. Theirs is a tale of courage in the face of immense challenges. The roots of the Christmas story have nothing to do with trees, elves, presents or gift wrap. Let's take a look at a short video that helps us begin the journey.

VIDEO: A Savior Is Born - Hope - Mary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK0dWTAp3So

ASK:

9 The Road To Bethlehem 1. From the video what do we learn about Nazareth? (Small town & obscure - it is where Mary and her family is living and where Joseph lives.) 2. How was Mary's life going before the angel showed up? (tranquil - predictable. She was beloved by her family - with all of the town knowing that she and Joseph would marry.) 3. What would happen to Mary once everyone discovered that she was pregnant? (She would be scorned and rejected. Labeled as an adultress - a whore. Jospeh might even leave her.)

Say Something Like: Mary is from an obscure village in the northern part of Galilee. Here take a look at the map. It was under Roman rule and still subject to taxation and reprisals for any unrest to the rule of the conquerors.

Let us now take a look at where Joseph and Mary will travel to. Bethlehem.

READ: Micah 5:2-5

VIDEO: A Savior Is Born - Peace - Bethlehem - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q62iKowFmoE

ASK:

1. Where is Bethlehem on the map? (6 miles south of Jerusalem in the Judean hills) 2. What was life in Bethlehem tyically like? (harvest of wheat - grapes - sheep in the hills -

Say Something Like: Bethlehem was a sleepy town of about 1000. The name in hebrew (bait lehk hem) means "house of bread" because of the wheat fields and the likelihood that they provided much of the bread for Jerusalem.

1. What biblical characters from the old testament have connections to Bethlehem?

• & gives birth to their son Jospeh here and is buried here. The tomb of Rachel is the third most holy visiting sight for the Jews - The in Jerusalem and the Cave of the Cave of the Patriarchs in . • Ruth finds refuge with Naomi and then marries Boaz and they have a son Obed - who has a son Jesse - who has a son David - King David! • The prophet Samuel finds David the shepherd boy who will become King David the father of .

2. What else does Bethlehem become famous for?

• the child Jesus born in a manger • Herod's killing of the innocents rampage - killing of all of the newborn boys • Jesus the Messiah

Say Something Like: We know the story well - but now let's turn to the trip itself and talk about some of its details. Look at the MAP.

ASK:

1. Why do Joseph and Mary have to leave Nazareth in Galilee and travel almost 90 miles to the Judean hills and the city of Bethlehm? (Caesar Augustus commends a census and all males and their families must be counted in the city of the family's origin - which is Bethlehm through the line of King David.)

10 The Road To Bethlehem 2. There are two possible routes from Nazareth to Bethlehem: 1) straight south from Nazareth through Samaria and the hills of Ephraim. And 2) southeast to the Jordan River valley and then south to Jericho and then across the desert to Bethlehem.

Which route do you think the couple took? Why?

Say Something Like: It is believed that they took the longer but safer route along the Jordan River Valley. They wanted to avoid the mountains - the Samaritans - and the brigands along the road. Also it is likely they joined up with a caravan and most Jews would avoid Samaria because of them being outside of the faith and considered unclean.

Up to 10 days while 8 1/2 months pregnant. But they arrive to Bethlehem.

ASK:

What happened when they arrived in Bethlehem - What was happening there?

Think about a long trip that you have taken before - with long hours of travel or even days of travel - What is the LONGEST trip you have taken?

How did you feel once the trip was finally completed? (Tired - relieved - ready to get cleaned up!)

What happened to Mary and Joseph?

Say Something Like: Let's take a look at one more short video. Keep in mind all of the hardships that Mary and Joseph have had to endure:

• the scorn and judgements of neighbors and friends back at home • the unwanted forced trip of 90 miles and 10 days to Bethlehem • The hardships of that trip and with Mary being pregnant. • And now a crowded and indifferent Bethlehem.

VIDEO: A Savior Is Born - Joy- birth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6E_fUDKOJ0

Say Something Like: It is clear that this story is not as easy as we read about and see in the retelling every Christmas. Jospeh & Mary endured a lot - showed great fortitude - resilience - courage and love. Their love for each other got them through it. But more importantly was their love and TRUST and FAITH in God.

Whatever burdens we are carrying right now - whatever hectic schedule we are living in at the moment - whatever stress we feel - IF WE CAN live into as it really was we can find comfort.

Life is HARD - but there is great joy in the journey when we do it with friends and loved ones - and when we trust and love and have faith in our creator God! Application

For - bring your burdens and worries to God and find HOPE - PEACE - LOVE - and JOY!

Really participate in ADVENT - the waiting of Christmas:

11 The Road To Bethlehem 1. Go to the Midweek ADVENT Service on Wednesday nights at 7:15 in the Sanctuary. 2. Go to worship on Sundays this Advent 3. Balance the financial aspects of gift buying with the SPIRITUAL aspects of prayer - worship - and service to others! 4. Set aside some time this ADVENT for peaceful meditative quiet! Announcements

1. First WORK CAMP BAKE SALE is next weekend - Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday Dec. 11. All work campers are asked to BAKE & DECORATE your packaged baked goods and drop them off to the on Saturday, Dec. 10 between 1-3 PM. 2. Ignite is meeting again next Sunday, Dec. 11 3. Next WORK CAMP meeting is Sunday, Dec. 18 at 6 PM - be there please. 4. VOTE now for the Work Camp T Shirt color! light grey or light blue Shared Prayer and Peace

Take the last 10 minutes tonight for shared prayer.

Light a candle

Dim the lights

Gather closer together for your prayer.

Afterwards share the Peace of Christ with each other! VIDEOS For Lesson On The Road to Bethlehem

1. A Savior Is Born - Hope - Mary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK0dWTAp3So 2. A Savior Is Born - Peace - Bethlehem - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q62iKowFmoE 3. A Savior Is Born - love - shepherds - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNH1CPQUXS0 4. Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLEjPrdRLuI 5. Wise Men Still Seek Him - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OcQXpZwRKY

12