Make-Up: December 18th, 2011

On December 18th, our lesson was on the Birth Of Jesus. Below is the outline of what we did in Big Group. We ask you to read through the blog post and then you can answer the big question. All you have to do is click the comment, choose anonymous and after you give your answer, place your initials down so we can give you the credit for make-up.

The Outline of Big Group

Countdown

Welcome & Announcements

Opening Song: O Little Town Of Bethlehem

Opening Prayer

Drama Time

Affirmation of Baptism: What’s The Connection?

Key Words

Scripture Reading

Message

Depart For Small Groups

Bible Text
Luke 2:1–20


Lesson Focus God's son Jesus came to save all people, focusing on the outcasts first.

Big Question
I've heard this story many times. What else can I learn from it?

Key Words
INCARNATION, BETHLEHEM, MESSIAH/CHRIST, OUTCAST

Definition of Key Words

INCARNATION: God taking on human life (flesh) in Jesus.

BETHLEHEM: the town where Jesus was born. Joseph was descended from King David, who was also born in Bethlehem.

MESSIAH/CHRIST: the one promised by God who would come to save God's people. Messiah is Hebrew, Christ is Greek, but both words translate into English as "the anointed one." Jesus, son of Mary, is the Messiah.

OUTCAST: a person or class of people who are disdained by others in society. They often are forced to live apart from others and are shunned by the community.

Lesson Highlights

The writer of Luke sets the birth of the Messiah within world history.

Augustus was the honorary name for Gaius Octavius, Roman emperor from 31 B.C. to 14 A.D. He was known as the "bringer of peace," and biblical scholars speculate that the writer of Luke makes a connection between Jesus' birth and Augustus's reign to show that Jesus, not Augustus, is the true bringer of peace.

Palestine had been under Roman control for about a century and under foreign occupation for nearly 600 years when Jesus was born.

There were many hopes and expectations with regard to the leader whom God would send to bring justice and peace. Some were expecting a military hero—who would conquer the Romans, rally God's people, and usher in an era of peace and prosperity for the faithful who had been oppressed.

The idea that shepherds were the first to receive the news of the Messiah's birth would have been surprising and offensive to the original hearers and readers of this story.

Baptismal Connection


Today's lesson focuses on the clause "to strive for justice and peace in all the earth"