December 23rd Family Christmas Questions / Advent Study
Here are the next questions for your family Christmas Study or Advent Study. They are followed by a creative idea on keeping Christ in your family Christmas. The answers to the questions appear at the end of this blog. One great benefit of doing this with your family is that it will become a tradition which transcends the Advent Season whereby you do a short daily Bible study as a family at every meal throughout the year. Answer each question True or False
According to the Bible… _____ There were no prophecies, however, concerning the exact location of Jesus’ residence which is why the Magi needed the star to guide them.
_____ The chief priests and scribes consulted the Holy Scriptures which isolated Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace.
_____ After receiving their instructions from the priests and scribes, the Magi came to visit the baby Jesus in the manger.
_____ There were three Magi who came riding camels and bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Keeping Christ In Christmas - Be sure and bless those who work this Christmas (Especially those in the service industry who have worked on your behalf over the year). This would include trash collectors, household help, exterminators, guards, lawn workers, office or school custodians, office or school cafeteria workers or any other service people you use on a regular basis. This Christmas give them a Christian Christmas card, a generous tip, a New Testament and a gospel tract.
The Christmas story is full of working men and women… Joseph worked The Shepherds worked The Angels worked on God’s behalf The Innkeeper was a working man or woman Mary worked (which is why we call it "labor" and "nursing") God was at work Jesus was at work Work is a Christian virtue and those who work and serve should be recognized and rewarded. It is also a time of reflection. "Have I withheld what is due to anyone who works for me or has performed a service for me?" If the answer is “Yes” settle accounts with interest. In James 5:4 God the Holy Spirit teaches us – “Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.”
It is true that Christmas is a time of generosity for all and this time of generosity should include those who have worked hard and responsibly throughout the year.
1. Talk with your children about the virtue of work. That hard work is a Christian virtue. That God rewards hard work. Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” 2. Help them to understand that there are people less fortunate than us who work for us and on our behalf. (Make a list together of these people.) 3. Remind them that we do not lord it over these people but rather treat them with respect and dignity, bless them, thank them and as Jesus rewards us for hard work, we reward their hard work. 4. Then go on to talk about what Jesus came to earth to do for us. Not to be served by us but rather to work and sacrifice for us and that He left this example for us to follow. (Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.") 5. Lastly get them involved in putting together the Christmas packets for those service people who have blessed them (at school) or you (at home and work).
The Answers to today’s Advent Questions -
51. T – Micah 5:2; Luke 2:11, 12; Matthew 2:9 (There were no prophecies, however, concerning the exact location of Jesus’ residence which is why the Magi needed the star to guide them.) This is true. Although the city of the birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem, was clearly foretold, neither the time nor the location of Jesus’ birth nor where He would reside after His birth, was indicated in prophecies. Without the miraculous nature of the star shining directly down upon Jesus’ house the Magi would have had to make a door to door search.
52. T - Matthew 2:4-6 (The chief priests and scribes consulted the Holy Scriptures which isolated Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace.) It was the Holy Scriptures, not the star, that first isolated the city of Bethlehem as the home of Jesus, only later was the star moved to the south to guide them.
53. F - Matthew 2:11 (After receiving their instructions from the priests and scribes, the Magi came to visit the baby Jesus in the manger.) By the time the Magi arrived Jesus was a child, living in a home, with his parents, Joseph and Mary. The Greek word for child, here, being PADION. It is different from TENKNION which refers to a little child, rather it can be used to signify either a young or a more advanced child, as it is used here in Matthew 2:11. The arrival of the Magi took place well after Jesus birth. The new family were now living in a house. The Greek is very clear on this. The word OIKIA is used which means a dwelling or house. The Magi were never at the manger at the time of Christ’s birth. The Word of God clearly states in Matthew 2:11, “After coming into the house (OIKIA) they saw the Child (PADION)...” Thus the scene depicting the arrival of the Magi is that of a young child, living in a house, with his parents.
54. F – Matthew 2:1 (There were three Magi who came riding camels and bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.) The picture of three Magi, on camels, following a star, each carrying a different gift of gold, frankincense or myrrh is a fabrication of the Christmas greeting card industry. The number of Magi is not known. Who carried what, the quantity and mode of transportation are all unknown. What is known is that they were Magi (plural form), thus there was more than one and that they bore three gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh. What are the chances though that dignitaries such as they would travel across the desert with fabulous wealth, by themselves with no armed guard and no retinue? What are the chances that three men, entering a city, would be ushered in to the presence of the king? More than likely they came up over the horizon as a large regal procession. The tower guard, seeing this, called for the captain of the guard who in turn immediately informed the commander of the garrison. Soon word made it’s way to the highest level of the court and the king prepared himself to meet these impressive visitors. What actually happened is unknown to us, but again, it is doubtful that it was three lone men traveling across the desert on camels. And they most certainly were not following a star. (see question 41 & 50)
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