YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

Angie and Kyle started dating and grew to love one another. They loved each other so much that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. So they became engaged to be married. But straight out of the blue, Kyle got the shock of a life time. Angie confessed to him that she was pregnant. Kyle knew it wasn’t his baby, for they had never had sex. The father of the baby was not willing to marry Angie, and she really didn’t want to marry him. Even though she had made a terrible mistake, she still loved Kyle and wanted to marry him. Kyle loved Angie more than any other person alive. What was Kyle to do?

Mary and Joseph faced a similar problem with a big difference. What was the difference and how did they handle it?


Last week we learned that John the Baptist was a forerunner to Jesus coming on the scene. He was a witness for Jesus and His mission. Even before John the Baptist was born, Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you! Very soon now you will become pregnant and have a baby boy. He is to be named Jesus. He will actually be the Son of God.”

Mary was disturbed and confused. She had never had sex with any one. How could this be when she was still a virgin? That’s the big difference between Mary and Angie. Angie was not a virgin. Mary and Joseph were betrothed, but the marriage had not been consummated. When Joseph learned of Mary’s pregnancy, he was equally as disturbed as Kyle was when he learned of Angie’s pregnancy. What should he do? Should he marry her? Should he put her away quietly? Women could be stoned for having sex out of marriage in those days. Joseph was a good man and didn’t know how to cope with this difficult situation.

While Joseph lay thinking about all of this, an angel appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. . .This will fulfill God’s message through His prophets – Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called ‘Emmanuel’” (Matthew 1:20-23 TLB). We don’t know what Kyle did with his dilemma, but we know Joseph did an honorable thing and stayed with Mary. Nothing had been stolen from their marriage. Mary had not given her virginity to another man.

Nazareth was under Roman domination. Caesar Augustus, the Emperor, decreed that a census was to be taken. Everyone was required to return to his ancestral home for this registration. So Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to register. This was a most awkward time since Mary was about nine months pregnant. And these were not the days of big comfortable, air-conditioned cars. Trips like these were made on foot or at best, on a donkey.

Bethlehem was very crowded when they arrived. Joseph couldn’t find an inn where they could stay. The best he could do was get Mary settled into a stable before Jesus was born. Talk about roughing it, they did! There was no hospital or delivery room. Mary didn’t even have a bassinet to put Jesus in. Apparently, they were good at improvising. After Jesus was born, Mary laid Him in a manger – a trough where cattle were fed hay.

Outside the village, shepherds were guarding a flock of sheep. This gives evidence that Jesus could not have been born on December 25th for it would have been too cold in that area for shepherds to be in the fields at night. It’s likely that His birth took place about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Suddenly the landscape lit up from the appearance of an angel. The shepherds were terrified. But the angel told them “Don’t be afraid, I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem!” This angel was joined by a host of angels praising God.

The shepherds made their way to Mary and Joseph and found Jesus lying in a manger. Then the shepherds went everywhere telling everyone about this wonderful event.

Why was it important, yes even necessary, that Jesus give up eternity and His glory to become a little baby? Flesh has its limitations. Humans get hungry, tired, sick and even die. Before Jesus could qualify to be your Savior, He had to suffer pain, frustrations, sorrow, and temptations just as you do. He learned what it was like for His religious beliefs to be different from other kids His age. He learned what it was like to give up recreational pleasures to keep the Sabbath holy. He learned what it was like to say no to sex. He did it all so He would know what it’s like for you. He was tempted just like you are, but He never gave in to temptation. He was willing to wait for His reward of being King of kings and Lord of lords. He understood the principle of “deferred gratification.” This means a person gives up smaller things now to have something much greater later.

Jesus gave up everything, including His life, to be your Savior and King. But He wants you to share His glory and His kingdom with Him. This is worth waiting for. It’s worth saying no to sin and yes to Jesus Christ!