2.2 date: Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 7:1–14; Matthew 1 (Angel Visits Joseph) REMEMBER VERSE For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 God Gives Us Hope Schedule Anticipate 5–10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group 35–55 minutes Respond & Bless Small Group 20–25 minutes Environment: FAITH COMMUNITY In this lesson we see the environment of FAITH COMMUNITY in the announcement to Joseph of Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to His people to save them from their sins. © 2013 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. 2.2 Inspire NOTES: During college, I tried to knock out at least one class each summer. One year I took a required class: Old Testament. For six weeks that summer I sat in the hot sun every day and read my hefty black King James Bible. I read so extensively mostly because I wanted an A. But while reading one day, I suddenly felt a surge of awe that made me want to fall on my face right there on the sidewalk. For a second I couldn’t even think straight as I stared at my fat Bible. This story I had heard my whole life was suddenly so big! I had an overwhelming sense of how far-reaching and wonderful God’s story is—so multi-layered and multi-connected. And I felt buoyed with a new sense of joy and hope. This continual sense of awe and joy in reading The Big God Story gives me hope that I will daily discover more and more about how amazing God’s love is. That I will experience what the Scripture says: God’s “compassions … are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). That God will be faithful to His promises today and in the future because He has been faithful to His promises in the past. I have hope that I will forever stand amazed by this God, who takes such great pains to weave a story of love for His people, and for me. Tori Funkhouser TruStory Team © 2013 David C Cook 2 2.2 Equip Environment Many of us probably skip over the genealogies when reading through Matthew of FAITH and Luke. But these lists of names actually contain an important message of COMMUNITY hope for us. God designed us to live in community and to experience The key to deciphering this message takes us back to the time of the Jewish Him in ways that can only happen captivity when Judah had a king—Jeconiah—who was so wicked that God cursed in proximity to one another. The his bloodline, saying, “none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne faith community serves to create of David or rule anymore in Judah” (Jeremiah 22:24–30). The problem was that an environment to equip and this was the royal line from David. The Messiah had to come from this line. How disciple parents, to celebrate God’s faithfulness, and to bring would God get around His own blood curse and provide a Messiah through the a richness of worship through line of David? It actually took a miracle. tradition and rituals, which offer children an identity. Our love for God had promised David that his throne would never end (2 Samuel 7:13). With each other reflects the love we this blood curse, this promise seemed to be in jeopardy. What God did, though, have received from God. was allow the royal blood line to continue down through Jeconiah all the way to The 10 Environments guide us Joseph, the husband of Mary. This is reflected in the genealogy in Matthew which in creating a climate that puts ties Jesus (through adoption by Joseph) to the royal line of David. But there is God on display. Encourage no blood descendant of Jeconiah that would sit on the throne, since Jesus is not your families to discover more Joseph’s actual son. So Jesus is the legal heir to the throne of David. about creating the environment of FAITH COMMUNITY in their homes by checking But what of the bloodline? If Jesus did not share the bloodline of David, would out HomeFront: A Spiritual He still be considered heir to the throne? In the Luke genealogy we see that Parenting Resource and Jesus, through His mother, Mary, does share the blood of David, but through Spiritual Parenting by Michelle David’s son Nathan, who wasn’t a part of the royal line and therefore wasn’t under Anthony. the blood curse. So Jesus is related to David in two different ways. He is entitled to the throne both by blood and by legal title. This could only have been accomplished by the miraculous virgin birth. These genealogies reveal a sovereign God who has an incredible message of hope for us. © 2013 David C Cook 3 2.2 Support TIMELINE Isaiah 9:6, which begins “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,” so clearly describes Jesus that it’s hard to believe it was written hundreds of years before ADAM & EVE NOAH His birth! The more we read these prophecies about Jesus, the more we discover ABRAHAM ISAAC how clearly God spelled out His plan to bring a Savior. God gave His people JACOB JOSEPH signs to look for; God gave them facts about Jesus’ character and His physical MOSES appearance; God gave them descriptions of Jesus’ life, mission, and purpose. JOSHUA DAVID God did this so people could know Jesus was the Messiah for whom they’d been SOLOMON waiting for so long. 4 0 0 As you prepare for this lesson, take time to savor the fact that God gave us Y E these prophecies to show us His plan—and to really think and pray about what A R these prophecies mean to you. What is God trying to show you about His love and S His story? How does this give you hope? Pray God would give the children hope O F through His love, His saving plan, and His goodness as you share with them this W A I part of The Big God Story. T I N G MARY JOSEPH JOHN THE BAPTIST JESUS CENTURION NICODEMUS PETER LAZARUS PAUL YOU & M E OUR FUTUR E WITH JE SUS © 2013 David C Cook 4 NOTES: 2.2 Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (For Quarterly Master Supply List, see Resource Files) Anticipate// 5–10 Encourages interaction OPTION 1: What Is It? Small Group min. among kids, leaders, and • index cards (10) Check-In parents; engages the kids in • pen or marker curiosity and anticipation of OPTION 2: Christmas Family Tree the lesson; and creates an • brown or green butcher paper (about 5’) inviting atmosphere. • tape • black marker • Family Tree Ornament template (see Resource Files) • scissors (1 per child; use safety scissors for younger kids) • pencils or pens • optional: red and green printer paper (1 sheet per child) Celebrate// 20–35 Establishes community and Traditions Large Group min. tells stories both personal • mementos for your church Traditions and biblical in a fun and (rocks, marbles, gumballs, etc.) engaging way. • Remember Verse Cards, Slide, and Animation (see Resource Files) Connect • Connect Question Slide (see Resource Files) The Big God Story • Bibles (1 per child) • Timeline Slide and Animation (see Resource Files) • dictionary • butcher paper (5’—10’) • green construction paper (at least 6 sheets) • Leaf template (see Resource Files) • scissors (1 pair) • tape • Family Tree Images (see Resource Files) • Family Tree Reference diagram (see Resource Files) • black marker NOTES: *To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator. © 2013 David C Cook 5 NOTES: 2.2 Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (For Quarterly Master Supply List, see Resource Files) Respond// 15–20 Creates space for children • slides: Romans 8:24–25, Psalm 25:5, Large Group min. to respond to the Holy Spirit 1 Peter 1:13, Psalm 33:22 (see Resource Files) in worship and community • instrumental Christmas music as a large group. • Christmas tree • Christmas ornament die cuts (1 per child; can be purchased at www.orientaltrading.com) • markers • chenille wires (1 per child) Respond// 15–20 Discusses truth, reflects Reflect: God Gives Us Hope Small Group min. on the lesson, engages in • Bibles (1 per child) relationships, and creates Engage: a project or a piece of art OPTION 1: Group Up (for Younger Kids) individually or together. • upbeat worship music (suggestion: “Celebrate,” TruWorship Sincerely Yours; Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users see Resource Files; others see iTunes or www.amazon.com) OPTION 2: Act It Out (for Older Kids) • Bibles (1 per child) • optional: Bible-times costumes for Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, and 2 angels. Bless// 5 min. Sends the kids out with a • Bible Small Group sense of peace and blessing • Blessing Cards (see Resource Files) so they can be a blessing to • card stock (enough for 1 Blessing Card per child) their families and others. • scissors (1 pair) • HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; see Resource Files) • HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource (1 per family; see Resource Files or www.HomeFrontMag.com) NOTES: *To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator. © 2013 David C Cook 6 ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS SMALL GROUP SECTION 2.2 5–10 min.