Summary: Christmas is a joyful time, but we must remember that we celebrate because God sent us Jesus, the Messiah, who will save us.
- (Noah) Who was the first person to follow God? If it was one of the disciples, which one followed Jesus first?
- (Emerson) If Jesus never sinned, why did people hate him so much and hang him on a cross?
- (Jeremy) How do we know Jesus was really born in a manger? Is it all real?
- (Ava) If Jesus came from Adam and Eve, does that mean they are like God since Jesus came after them?
- (Ava) Who first wrote the Bible? How did they know about Jesus and God?
- (Nora) Jesus was born in Israel. Did he celebrate Hanukkah? Do people in Israel celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah now?
- (Audrey) If only Adam and Eve were made first, how were other people created? Who did Seth marry?
- (Jojo) How did Jesus help people write the Bible? What year was Jesus born?
- (Jeremy) Why did God make the earth if he can live forever?
Question (Noah): Who was the first person to follow God? If it was one of the disciples, which one followed Jesus first?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Good question Noah. The Bible doesn't tell us who was literally the first person to follow Jesus Christ, but it does hint that it might have been the apostle John the brother of James or Andrew, the brother of Peter. They were probably the first followers of Jesus.
It is very likely, that both the apostle John and Andrew were disciples of John the Baptist. And when John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, 'the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world', we are told that the two disciples of John the Baptist (namely, John and Andrew), left him and followed Jesus. (see John 1:35-40)
Question (Emerson): If Jesus never sinned, why did people hate him so much and hang him on a cross?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: That's a great question Emerson! Jesus once said, "they hated me without reason" in John 15:25. Jesus said that their hatred of him fulfilled what was written in the Scripture (See Psalm 69:4). In saying this, Jesus was teaching his disciples and his followers the opposition and persecution they would face as His followers.
There is another reason why people rejected Jesus and hated him so much. John 3:19-20 says, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come int the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed." Many people rejected and hated Jesus because they prefer darkness (sin) over the light of truth.
Question (Jeremy): How do we know Jesus was really born in a manger? Is it all real?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: We know that Jesus was born in a manger because the Gospel of Luke says that he was "wrapped in cloths and placed in a manger." (Luke 2:6-7) But do you know what a manger is? A manger is a feed trough for animals, which indicates that Jesus was born in a humble surrounding.
Question (Ava): If Jesus came from Adam and Eve, does that mean they are like God since Jesus came after them?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Good question Ava. Jesus' birth was a miracle, a work of God, the work of the Holy Spirit. That is why, even though Jesus' lineage can be traced to Adam, yet he was not conceived in the normal way, through a human father. Mary was the vehicle of bringing Jesus into the world, but that doesn't make them like God.
The virgin birth of Christ is important because it reveals that Jesus was born without sin.
Question (Ava): Who first wrote the Bible? How did they know about Jesus and God?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Great question Ava! The Bible was written by many different authors over a period of 1500 years. Each of these human authors were "inspired" by God, that is, their writings were under the control and power of the Holy Spirit who guided their writings. You could say that the Bible is the product of both divine and human authorship. The first 5 books of the Bible known as the Pentateuch was written by Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) were written by people who were first hand eyewitness of Jesus. They were written directly by the disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew and John), or people who lived during the time of Jesus (Mark and Luke).
Question (Nora): Jesus was born in Israel. Did he celebrate Hanukkah? Do people in Israel celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah now?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Thank you for these good questions Nora! Yes, Jesus was born in Israel, in a small town called Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.
No, Jesus did not celebrate Hanukkah as it is not recognized as part of the Old Testament. Hanukkah celebrates God's deliverance of the Jewish people during the time of the 2nd temple. This was 200 years before the time of Jesus. Did Jesus know about Hanukkah? Yes, Jesus most likely did, but it was not recognized by the Jewish people as part of God's word.
However, today in Israel, many Jews celebrate Hanukkah, known also as the "Festival of Lights". Some Jews, also known as Messianic Jews (Jews who believe in Jesus) also celebrate Christmas.
Question (Audrey): If Adam and Eve were made first, how were other people created? Who did Seth marry?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Great question Audrey! This question has been raised by many people since the Bible was written. My honest and short answer, based on the book of Genesis (which is not a complete picture of early human life), is, "we don't know"!
Some people have speculated that maybe God created other human beings using Adam's genetic blueprint. Others have guessed that maybe God created other human beings separate from Adam. But we can't be sure, because the Bible doesn't give us the answer. However, this much is certain based on the teachings of the Bible, and that is, all humanity are connected to one another by common genetic design -- we are all connected to Adam, the first man!
Question (Jojo): How did Jesus help people write the Bible? What year was Jesus born?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Great question Jojo! The people who wrote the New Testament were either disciples of Jesus or people who were closely associated with the disciples of Jesus. In other words, they were either eyewitnesses of what they were writing or had access to eyewitnesses to the event concerning Jesus Christ.
Jesus, through the work of the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the New Testament Bible. Jesus promised that his disciples would remember what he taught: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26)
What year was Jesus born? The Bible does not tell us, but most scholars date the birth of Jesus between 3-2 BC. While we celebrate December 25 as Jesus' birthday, this is more symbolic rather than historical. We don't know what month and year Jesus was born.
Question (Jeremy): Why did God make the earth if he can live forever?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Great question Jeremy! The bible gives us insights into God's purpose for creating the world and everything in it. Here are some hints in the Bible. Isaiah 43:7 says, "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." Romans 11:36 says, "For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."
These and many other passages in the Bible hints that God created the world to bring glory to Himself. He didn't create the world because he was lonely or bored. He created the world to bring glory to Him.