Inleiding
Vrienden, wist je dat God vele jaren geleden naar de aarde kwam? Hij kwam niet als een grote geest of als een engel uit de hemel. In plaats daarvan koos Hij ervoor om als kleine baby in deze wereld geboren te worden. Hij werd Jezus genoemd. Kijk naar de foto's in deze les en ik zal je vertellen hoe het gebeurd is.

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1. Kijk naar afbeelding 5 Genesis 22:15-18

Op deze foto zie je een man genaamd Abraham. Hij leefde vele jaren voordat Jezus werd geboren. In die tijd hadden mannen en vrouwen zich afgekeerd van de God die hemel en aarde schiep. De meeste mensen aanbaden afgoden, maar Abraham aanbad alleen de levende God. Hij vertrouwde God en gehoorzaamde Hem. God sprak tot Abraham en zei: zal je zegenen en je nakomelingen net zovelen maken als de sterren aan de hemel. U hebt Mij gehoorzaamd, zodat u en uw nakomelingen een zegen zullen zijn voor alle volken op aarde. Een volk genaamd Israël stamde af van de kinderen van Abraham. Is het volk Israël God nooit vergeten? belofte aan Abraham. Honderden jaren lang wachtten ze tot God degene zou sturen die alle mensen zou zegenen.

2. Kijk naar afbeelding 7 Lucas 1:26-38

Op deze foto zie je een engel van God. Hij verscheen bijna tweeduizend jaar later aan een jonge vrouw in Israël. Ze heette Mary. De engel zei tegen Maria: "Wees niet bang! God is blij met je. Je krijgt een zoon. Zijn naam zal Jezus zijn. Hij zal groot zijn en de Zoon van de Allerhoogste God genoemd worden. Hij zal voor altijd heersen over het volk van God, en Zijn koninkrijk zal geen einde hebben.' Mary zei, ?ow kan dit gebeuren? Ik ben niet getrouwd. De engel antwoordde: ?hij Heilige Geest zal tot u neerkomen, en Gods kracht zal over u komen. Dus uw kind zal de heilige Zoon van God worden genoemd. Als gevolg hiervan werd Maria zwanger van de Heilige Geest van God.

3. Kijk nu naar foto 8 Matteüs 1:18-25

Maria werd beloofd in het huwelijk met een man genaamd Jozef. Joseph kwam erachter dat Maria zwanger was. Hij was een goede man, dus besloot hij niet met haar te trouwen. Je kunt Joseph op deze foto zien. Op een nacht verscheen een engel aan Jozef in een droom en zei: ?o wees niet bang om Maria als je vrouw te nemen, want de baby die in haar is verwekt, is van de Heilige Geest. Ze zal een zoon krijgen, en je moet hem de naam Jezus geven, omdat hij zijn volk zal redden van hun zonden.? De naam ?esus?betekent 'Redder'. Toen Jozef wakker werd, deed hij wat de engel hem had verteld. Hij nam Mary mee naar huis om zijn vrouw te zijn, maar hij sliep niet met haar voordat haar baby werd geboren.

4. Look at picture 9 Luke 2:1-7
In those days the government called the people for a census. Everyone had to go to the town of his birth to be registered. Joseph and Mary were both descendants of King David, so Joseph took Mary and they went to the town of David, called Bethlehem. There was no place for them to stay so they had to sleep in an animal stable. While they were there Mary gave birth to a son. She wrapped Him in baby clothes and she laid him in the animals' feeding trough.

5. Look at picture 10 Luke 2:8-14
Near Bethlehem there were some shepherds. You can see them in this picture. They were living out in the fields in order to protect their sheep. Is was night. Suddenly an angel from God appeared to them. They were very frightened. But the angel said to them, ?o not be afraid. I have good news for you which will make everyone happy. This very day in the town of David, a Saviour was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying in an animal's feeding trough.? Suddenly a great crowd of angels appeared. They were praising God and saying, ?raise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.?

6. Look at picture 11 Luke 2:15-20
When the angels had gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ?et us go to Bethlehem and see this thing which the Lord has told us about.? So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph. The baby was lying in the feeding trough just as the angel had told them. The shepherds told many people what they had heard and seen. They were amazed and they gave praise to God.

7. Look at picture 12 Luke 2:21-38
Joseph and Mary named their baby Jesus. After forty days they took Him to the temple in Jerusalem. They wanted to present Him to God and to offer sacrifices. This was the custom in Israel when a boy was born. The old man in the picture is Simeon. He was waiting for God? promise to Abraham to come true. The Holy Spirit of God told Simeon that he would not die until he saw Christ the Lord. Simeon went into the temple just as Mary and Joseph arrived. He took the baby in his arms and gave praise to God. He said, ?ow I can die in peace because you have kept your promise to me.? Just then, an old widow named Anna came in. She was 84 years old. She lived in the temple and worshipped God night and day. She also knew that the baby Jesus was the promised One, and she told many people about Him.

8. Look at picture 13 Matthew 2:1-12
Soon after the birth of Jesus Christ another amazing thing happened . Some wise men came to Jerusalem from countries far away. They asked, ?here is the baby who has been born as king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and we have come to worship him.? Herod was the king at that time. He was jealous when he heard that another king was born. He called all the chief priests and leaders and asked them where Christ was born. They read their holy books and they told Herod, ?n Bethlehem, in the land of Judah.? So the wise men went to Bethlehem and found Jesus. They gave Him gifts fit for a king, and they worshipped Him. When the wise men had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph. He told him, ?ake the child and His mother and escape to Egypt. Herod will try to kill Him.? So they went to Egypt and stayed there until King Herod died. Then they returned to Israel and lived in a town called Nazareth. Yes, Jesus had an amazing birth. But how does He bring blessing to all people in this world? Listen and I will tell you.

9. Look at picture 19 John 3:1-21
Jesus grew up and began to do many amazing miracles. In this picture we can see Jesus. He is speaking with a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a religious teacher in Israel. He went to Jesus one night and said, ?e know that you are a teacher who has come from God. No one can perform the miracles you are doing if God is not with him.? Jesus answered and said, ? tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.? Nicodemus said, ?ow can a man be born when he is old?? Jesus told Nicodemus that his spirit must be born again. All people have sinned against God. We are separated from God because of sin. Our spirits are dead towards God. We must be born again. We must have new life from God. This is the reason that Jesus Christ was born into this world - so that we may be born again and have everlasting life. We are born again when we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that all who believe in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life. Jesus is the Saviour whom God promised to Abraham. He is the One who brings blessing to all people. You too can believe in Jesus Christ. He can give you new life so that you will live with God forever.