Lesson 5 – An Angel Visits Joseph
Just as the angel proclaimed to Joseph that Mary would bear an infant who is the Son of God, the Savior, so God proclaims to us in His Word that this same Jesus is our Savior from sin and death.
Note: Lesson 4 is not used
Opening
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This lesson will use the Bible, the Bible Discovery Guide and the Lesson 5 Leaflet from the Student Pack. The front cover shows how the artist sees an angel visiting Joseph. . Also paper and colored pencils or crayons will be needed.
Listen to the hymn "O Jesus So Sweet, O Jesus So Mild".
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, who sent Your Son, Jesus, to be our Savior, thank You for keeping us safe during this past week. We ask that You open our minds and hearts to hear and learn Your Holy Word today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
God Speaks
Fill in the blanks about your name on the top part of page 2 of the lesson leaflet. Ask your guardians or search the Internet for the meaning of your name.
Each one of you has a special name that was given to you as a child. We all have special names with special meanings, which were given to us for special reasons.
In a previous lesson, Mary, Joseph's betrothed [intended] wife, was visited by the angel Gabriel. Mary was told that she would be the mother of God's Son. She faithfully accepted God's gracious will for her life. This lesson is about the angel's visit to Joseph.
In the Bible Discovery Guide, read about Mary and s Joseph on pages 12 and 13.
Then read Matthew 1:18-25
When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant before their marriage, he did not become angry but decided to divorce her quietly. Why? Joseph was a just man' and was "unwilling to put her to shame". Joseph was a kind and honorable man who wanted to do what was best. Speaking through an angel in a dream, what did God instruct Joseph to do? He instructed Joseph to take Mary as his wife and help bring up the child in her womb as Jesus' earthly father.
Why did the angel tell Joseph not to be afraid to make Mary his wife? Joseph was not to be afraid because what had happened was the Lord's will.
Did Joseph trust this message from God? Yes
How do we know? Faithfully trusting in God's Word, Joseph took Mary as his wife.
Joseph at first falsely believed that what had happened to Mary was shameful. At times, the devil, the world, and our own flesh make us think that we are shameful and that God couldn't love us or forgive us. On our own, we cannot trust Christ as God's Son and our Savior. In order to see God at work in our lives, we must hear the words of Jesus, who shows us His grace and mercy.
Mary heard God speak His word through an angel, and Joseph heard God's message through an angel in a dream. How does God speak to us today? In His Word
Just as the angel proclaimed to Joseph that Mary would bear an infant who is the Son of God, the Savior, so God proclaims to us in His Word that this same Jesus is our Savior from sin and death.
We Live
Reread Matthew 1:21-23
What was Joseph told to name the child that would be born? Jesus
What does Jesus mean? "The Lord will save."
What other name is Jesus given in this text? Immanuel
What does Immanuel mean? "God with us”
This is a fulfillment of the prophecy recorded in Isaiah 7:14. Read the verse.
God's Word gives us the truth that Jesus is Immanuel, "God with us" and that He is our Savior from sin and death. He gives us eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.
We have seen that our own names are important to each of us. We can learn about a person from his or her name. We see that the name Jesus tells us that He is our Savior. Jesus has many other names that teach us important truths about who He is and what He does for us.
Complete the section about Jesus' names on the bottom half of page 2 in the leaflet.
Why do Jesus' names fit Him so well? Jesus came to be one of us, to save us from our enemies of sin and death.
Follow the directions under What's My Other Name? on page 3 of the leaflet.
What other name do we all share that tells us a great deal about who we are? Christian
What do we know about a person who is a Christian? A Christian is a person who believes in Jesus Christ as his or her Savior from sin, death, and the devil, and who knows that he or she has eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, who died and rose for him or her.
When was the name of Christ--Christian-put on you for the first time? At Baptism
At our Baptism, the pastor made the sign of the cross on our forehead and heart and baptized us in God's name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now that we are baptized, we belong to Him.
Read the fourth part of The Sacrament of Holy Baptism from page 3 of the leaflet.
Even baptized Christians still struggle with sin and fail to live perfect lives. God loves us, forgives us, and continues to work in our lives through His Word. Because of God's work of forgiveness in us, we have a new life of righteousness and purity and can glorify God, as Paul says, confessing that Jesus is Lord and our Savior from sin.
Print the God’s Name, My Name page at the end of the lesson. Follow the directions at the top of the page.
Closing
Review all the information on page 4 of the leaflet. Close with the prayer on page 4.
Follow along with the words of "0 Jesus So Sweet, O Jesus So Mild".
