Lesson Four • Angels
Pastor Roy Townsend
The angel of the Lord appeared and gave direction to Joseph. These were directions that would keep baby Jesus and His mother safe. When the angel showed up as company at Christmas, the angel brought direction for both physical life and eternal life. These directions will keep people safe.
1. Are you good with directions when it comes to driving somewhere? Why or why not?
2. At Christmastime, there are plenty of directions to go around with assembly, gifts, games, and technology. How good are you with directions? Please explain.
3. How good are you at following the doctor’s directions? These directions seem important, but often these directions are rejected by the patient. Please explain to the group.
Matthew 2:13-15 reads, “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”
Hosea 11:1 reads, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”
When the wise men had left, the angel appeared to Joseph. These directions were going to save Jesus from King Herod who wanted to eliminate Him as a threat. He gave instructions to head quickly for Egypt. Many commentators reveal that Egypt was close, there were plenty of Jews that lived there, and the gifts from the wise men could help to pay for the trip, but most importantly the directions would save their lives. King Herod was going to kill all baby boys.
Matthew 2:16-18 records, “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.’”
4. Have you ever been given some life-saving directions to give to another person? What was it?
5. Many would argue that as a Christian you have life-saving directions that can be given to your company this Christmas. What are the life-saving directions that you have?
6. Please volunteer to verbally share how you could bring up these life-saving directions.
Matthew 1:18-25 reads, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”
In this passage, Joseph was given some very revealing information, but he was also given directions and information. Joseph was told to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife because the baby was a miracle of God through the Holy Spirit, and that he was to name the baby Jesus.
7. Are you comfortable explaining to your company that Jesus is “God with us?” What does that mean?
Luke 1:26-38 reads, “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”
8. Mary was afraid, blessed, humble, and received great news. Have you ever seen your company feel afraid, blessed, or humbled when sharing God’s directions for salvation? Please explain.
9. What does the name Jesus mean?
10. Please pray about the company that we will keep this Christmas season. Please ask the Holy Spirit to direct you on giving directions to others.
To miss what we should bring this Christmas is a huge mistake. What will you bring this Christmas season? As the shepherds brought comfort, so can we. As Simeon brought the truth, so can we. As the wise men brought worship and gifts, so can we. As the angels brought direction, so can we.
1. Are you good with directions when it comes to driving somewhere? Why or why not?
2. At Christmastime, there are plenty of directions to go around with assembly, gifts, games, and technology. How good are you with directions? Please explain.
3. How good are you at following the doctor’s directions? These directions seem important, but often these directions are rejected by the patient. Please explain to the group.
Matthew 2:13-15 reads, “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”
Hosea 11:1 reads, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”
When the wise men had left, the angel appeared to Joseph. These directions were going to save Jesus from King Herod who wanted to eliminate Him as a threat. He gave instructions to head quickly for Egypt. Many commentators reveal that Egypt was close, there were plenty of Jews that lived there, and the gifts from the wise men could help to pay for the trip, but most importantly the directions would save their lives. King Herod was going to kill all baby boys.
Matthew 2:16-18 records, “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.’”
4. Have you ever been given some life-saving directions to give to another person? What was it?
5. Many would argue that as a Christian you have life-saving directions that can be given to your company this Christmas. What are the life-saving directions that you have?
6. Please volunteer to verbally share how you could bring up these life-saving directions.
Matthew 1:18-25 reads, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”
In this passage, Joseph was given some very revealing information, but he was also given directions and information. Joseph was told to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife because the baby was a miracle of God through the Holy Spirit, and that he was to name the baby Jesus.
7. Are you comfortable explaining to your company that Jesus is “God with us?” What does that mean?
Luke 1:26-38 reads, “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”
8. Mary was afraid, blessed, humble, and received great news. Have you ever seen your company feel afraid, blessed, or humbled when sharing God’s directions for salvation? Please explain.
9. What does the name Jesus mean?
10. Please pray about the company that we will keep this Christmas season. Please ask the Holy Spirit to direct you on giving directions to others.
To miss what we should bring this Christmas is a huge mistake. What will you bring this Christmas season? As the shepherds brought comfort, so can we. As Simeon brought the truth, so can we. As the wise men brought worship and gifts, so can we. As the angels brought direction, so can we.