Under Wraps––Flip the Script ––December 14, 2014
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)
Key Verse(s):Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was going to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son, and he called His name Jesus.
Summary:In this story, we hear Joseph longing for a way to protect Mary, the woman he loved very much. She was pregnant, so Joseph was going to quietly break up with her since they were only engaged. God heard Joseph’s longing to protect the woman he loved, and God came to Joseph in a way that he never expected. God spoke to Joseph in a dream and asked him to play a very special part in the birth of Jesus. God was longing to give a life-changing, world-changing gift to the world and Joseph was longing to protect Mary. Just as God used Joseph to play a part in this story, God includes us in the story too.
Discussion Starters: What is your favorite Christmas movie? What is one of your favorite moments in the movie?
Read and Discuss
Unless otherwise noted, scriptures have been researched and referenced based on the New International Version (NIV); however any translation is perfectly acceptable to use for discussion.
1.Read Matthew 1:18-25 again. We know that the baby that this Scripture talks about, the one who is to be called Jesus, is the Prince of Peace. However, notice the distress that the young couple – Mary and Joseph experienced prior to his birth. What are some of the experiences of this young couple that might have caused turmoil? Then, what do you think Joseph felt like when he heard the angel say that this baby’s name will be a promise: God is with us? Who do you know who is experiencing distress right now? How can we through our words and actions tell others that God is indeed with us always?
2.Read Ruth 1:3-18. Naomi’s husband died and she only had her two sons. Then, both of her sons died and she only had two daughter-in-laws. To top it all off, there was a famine in the land and she knew she had to leave in order to eat. She urged her daughter-in-laws to go back to their families. However, Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law refused. She stayed with Naomi and moved to Bethlehem. Much later, Ruth is listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). How does Ruth’s determination to stay with Naomi flip the script for what Naomi is experiencing? What do you think Ruth longed for? How do you think God used Ruth to fulfill God’s longings for the world?
Respond: Allow some quiet time at the end of the discussion. Invite group members into a time of quiet prayer. Invite the members to silently share their longings with God, who is with us and hears our longings. Then, invite the members of the group to be quiet