Welcome back to our Christian Religion Studies class. Today, we have a very special lesson about a wonderful promise from God. Our topic for today is “The Promise of the Saviour – Emmanuel,” which is mentioned in the Bible in Matthew 1:23.
Understanding this promise is very important because it shows how much God loves us and wants to be with us. By the end of this lesson, you will know what “Emmanuel” means, why God promised a saviour, why we needed a saviour, and the prophets who foretold the birth of Jesus Christ. Let’s get started!
Understanding Emmanuel
The word “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” It comes from a Bible verse in Matthew 1:23 which says, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,” which means, God with us.
Memory Verse:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,” which means, God with us.
Matthew 1:23 When we say “Emmanuel,” we are saying that God is with us. This is very special because it means that God came down to earth to live among us as Jesus. This helps us understand that God is not far away but very close to us, caring for us and guiding us every day.
Let’s think about this. Imagine your best friend moves into your house and is always there to help you and spend time with you. That’s how close God is to us through Jesus. He is our Emmanuel, always present and always loving.
Why God Promised a Saviour:
Now let’s talk about why God promised a saviour. A long time ago, before Jesus was born, people often turned away from God and did things that were not right. This made their lives difficult and full of sadness. God saw that people needed help to live better lives and be close to Him. So, He promised to send a saviour who would help people return to Him.
In the Bible, we see many prophecies or promises about this saviour. One famous prophecy is from Isaiah 7:14 which says,
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14This prophecy was a message of hope. It told people that God had a plan to save them and that He would send someone very special to help them.
Think about how amazing this is. God made a promise and kept it. He saw that people were in trouble and needed help. Just like when we are sick and need a doctor, people needed a saviour to help them with their problems and sins.
Prophets that Foretold the Birth of Jesus Christ:
Many prophets in the Old Testament foretold the birth of Jesus Christ. Two important prophets are Isaiah and Micah.
Isaiah: Isaiah was a prophet who lived many years before Jesus was born. He made several important prophecies about the coming saviour.
Isaiah’s Prophecy about the Birth of Jesus Christ:
- Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
- Matthew 1:18–23: This New Testament passage shows how Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary.
- Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This prophecy describes the many names and titles that Jesus would have, showing how special He would be.
Micah: Micah was another prophet who foretold the birth of Jesus. In Micah 5:2, he prophesied that the saviour would be born in Bethlehem. This was also fulfilled when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as described in the New Testament.
Why We Needed a Saviour:
Now, let’s understand why we needed a saviour. When Adam and Eve, the first people God created, disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world. Sin is when we do things that go against God’s commands. Because of sin, people were separated from God and could not have a close relationship with Him.
But God loved us so much that He did not want us to be separated from Him forever. So, He promised to send a saviour to save us from our sins and bring us back to Him. This saviour is Jesus, who came to earth as Emmanuel, God with us.
Bible Verse:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross for our sins. This means that if we believe in Jesus and follow Him, we can be forgiven for our sins and have a close relationship with God.
Let’s consider this with a simple example. Imagine you did something wrong and got in trouble. But then, someone who loves you very much takes the punishment for you so that you can be free and happy again. That’s what Jesus did for us. He took our place so we can be close to God again.
Fun Fact
The name “Jesus” means “The Lord saves,” which shows that Jesus’ mission was to save us from our sins.
Food For Thought
Let’s think together. Have you ever felt scared or alone? Imagine knowing that God is right there with you, like a close friend. How does that make you feel? Knowing that Emmanuel means “God with us” can help us remember that we are never truly alone.
Think about the promise God made. It was a promise of love and hope. This promise was fulfilled when Jesus was born. How amazing is that! God kept His promise to us because He loves us very much.
Let’s reflect on this: How can knowing that God is with us change the way we act and feel every day? It can give us courage to do the right things and comfort when we face difficulties.
Quiz & Evaluation
Let’s see how much you’ve learned, complete this quiz to test your knowledge.
Question 1: What does “Emmanuel” mean?
Summary
Today, we learned about the promise of the saviour, Emmanuel. We understood that Emmanuel means “God with us,” and this shows us that God is always close to us. We discussed why God promised a saviour and why we needed one. Jesus came to save us from our sins and bring us close to God even though He was not the kind of saviour the jews expected. We also learned about the prophets Isaiah and Micah, who foretold the birth of Jesus. Remember our memory verse, Matthew 1:23, which reminds us of this beautiful promise.
Feel free to ask any questions or talk about what you learned with your parents or friends. Exploring this topic further can help you understand more about God’s love for us.
Thank you for joining me in this wonderful lesson about the promise of our saviour, Emmanuel. Remember, God is always with us, and He loves us very much. See you in our next lesson!
