THE PERSON AND LIFE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST INTRODUCTION
This series of lessons is written with the thought of it being used each year for the children in elementary school, in hopes that they will be thoroughly familiarized with the truth of the gospel by the time they begin junior high school and will have been led into a definite and personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus. There is more content and facts in each lesson than should be presented in each session. Because these lessons are primarily written as a resource for the teachers, children should only be presented with as much material as they can comfortably absorb at their level. Otherwise they will become frustrated, feeling they cannot grasp all that is being presented.
We have found that as the truth of the gospel is presented year by year to the children by different teachers they do not become bored or feel that it is mere repetition. As their level of understanding grows year by year, so the level of the presentation of the lessons can be raise accordingly by the teacher to meet the needs and comprehension of the children.
We have also found this series to be useful with
junior high and high school students as "make-up" lessons for those
who have not been familiarized with the gospel concerning the Person and life
of the Lord Jesus Christ. With young people we found that reading the lesson
together and having discussion was both enjoyable and profitable.
Lesson One
Scripture reading: Matt. 1:18-25
Burden to Impart:
In this lesson we want to impress the children with the wondrous Person of the Lord Jesus; He is both God and Man. We also want to impress them with His unique conception; being conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a young virgin girl.
Because of this divine yet human source He is very, very special. He has no sin, no shortcomings, or defects; He is absolutely perfect in every way, inwardly and outwardly, in life and also in conduct. He is the One that all mankind had been waiting forever since Adam sinned and God had promised that a Savior would one day come into the world (Gen. 3:15). For thousands of years God's prophets had told about His coming and gave many details that would come to pass with His birth, life, death, and resurrection. He would be the answer to every problem of man and the entire universe. He was the promised Savior and coming King. He would be called "Jesus" (meaning Jehovah the Savior) because He was a perfect man who would die upon the cross to save us from our sins. His name would also be called "Emmanuel" (meaning God with us) because He was the mingling of God with man. So then, His birth and His coming is the coming of God to be with us.
Memory Verse: "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
Facts to Teach:
1. Before an important person visits a certain place their coming is always pre-announced so that everything and everyone will be ready to meet him. Because of the tremendous importance of the coming of the Savior and Redeemer, God gave many prophecies and promises about His coming hundreds and even thousands of years before He was born (Gen. 3:15; Num 24:17a; Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Micah 5:2).
2. Born of Mary: The Lord Jesus was born of a typical young Jewish girl, hence He is a real man, the Son of Man (Mark 10:45). Mary was a virgin, a young woman who had never been married or come together with a man. (Luke 1:27,34)
3. Born without sin: Although the Lord Jesus was born of Mary and was a real human being, the Bible tells us that He was born without sin and did not have a sinful nature, as all other men have (Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21a; Heb. 4:15).
4. Born of the Holy Spirit of God: Because the Lord was conceived of the Holy Spirit of God, He had the life and nature of God, His Father. Therefore He is the Son of God (Luke 1:35).
5. Who He is:
a. Jesus the Savior to be our Redeemer, to save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
b. Emmanuel God with us, God coming to man so that man can receive Him as life. (Matt. 1:23)
Songs for Lesson One
Hymns, Jr., #47.
D E7
A7
Our God has come as man
D Em A7
According to God's plan —
D A D A
His name is Jesus Christ the Lord,
G D A D
Our wonderful God-man!
Hymns, #84.
D A D A
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
D G D A D
Christ, the everlasting. Lord:
D Bm E7
Late in time behold Him come,
A E A E7 A
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
D G D A
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
D GDA
Hail th’ incarnate Deity!
G B7 Em B7 Em
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
A D A7 D
Jesus our Immanuel.
Repeat last two lines.
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