Lesson
6
The
Birth of Jesus Christ
III. The Birth
of Jesus Christ
A. Events of Birth
The birth of Jesus is
recorded in Luke 2:1-20. It occurred during the reign of Caesar Augustus, who
had declared a taxation on all the people in his kingdom. Because each person
was required to go into his native city to be taxed, Joseph and Mary traveled
to Bethlehem. While they were there, Mary gave birth to the Christ child in a
stable, and laid Him in a manger. The city was so crowded that there was no
room for the family to stay in the inn.
An angel proclaimed
the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord, in Bethlehem to shepherds who were
watching over their flocks outside the city. When the angels departed, the
shepherds followed their instructions journeying into Bethlehem. They found
Mary and Joseph with the baby in the stable. The shepherds told many people of
their angelic visit, glorifying and praising God.
Later, wise men came
from the east to Jerusalem, in an effort to find the One who was born King of
the Jews. This is recorded in Matthew 2. They came first to King Herod in
Jerusalem inquiring where the king was to be born. Herod inquired of the chief
priests and scribes who told him that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. King
Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem asking that they return and inform him if
they found the child. The wise men departed into their own country another way
(Matthew 2:12). The Lord also warned Joseph to take Jesus out of the country
into Egypt. This was to protect Him from the anger of Herod, who later killed
all the children in the Bethlehem area, who were two years old and under. Herod
became very alarmed upon hearing of a King of the Jews being born. When Herod
was dead, the angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph in a dream,
and instructed him to return to the land of Israel. Joseph moved his family to
Nazareth, in Galilee.
B.
Jesus' Early Life
Jesus
lived at home with Mary, Joseph, His brothers and sisters, until He was about
thirty years of age, submitting to parental authority. The only record we have
of His activities between the time of the family's return from Egypt to
Nazareth, is their visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve. At that time,
"they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both
hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished
at his understanding and answers" (Luke 2:41-52).