Bethlehem Star
Dawn light through the window
Dawn light came through the window and turned the bottom of the star-ring on the desk gold. The gold was a little wider than last time. "Komo, where are we going today?" Komo, on her shoulder, eyes twinkling, said, "Today the New Testament begins. Something people waited for a long, long time is finally happening." Komo held up two fingers. "Two kings are in today's story. Let's watch to the end: how are they different, and who is the true King?" Nuri lifted the ring. "We only watch and listen from far away, right?" "That's right."
Father of, father of…
Through the star-ring, Nuri saw a long, long road with small lamps in a line. Matthew begins like this: "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." A genealogy is a family's line of names. "Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers." Father of, father of, father of… one lamp for each name. Nuri clapped. "Abraham! We met him on Promise Star!" Ruth and King David were in the line too. But at the very end, the words changed: "…Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
Don't be afraid
Joseph had promised to marry Mary. But before they lived together, he learned that Mary was going to have a baby. Joseph didn't know it yet, but the Bible says the baby was "of the Holy Spirit." Joseph's heart was heavy. Because he cared for Mary, he planned to end the promise quietly. Then an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife…" "You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins." What the Lord had said long ago through the prophet came true: "They shall call his name Immanuel." Komo whispered, "Immanuel means 'God with us.'" Nuri softly said,
God is with us.
Born in Bethlehem
Joseph woke up and "did as the angel of the Lord commanded him," and took Mary as his wife. Mary had a son, and Joseph "named him Jesus." "Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod." Bethlehem was the small hometown of King David long ago. Komo said quietly, "Jesus, the Son of God, is truly God. And he came as a real human baby, just like us. He was born small and weak, and he grew up." Nuri held her breath and looked at the lamp in a little house. Far away in the east, wise men were watching one star in the sky.
We saw his star
After a long journey, the wise men came to the big city of Jerusalem. They asked, "Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him." Nuri tilted her head. "If a king is born, wouldn't he be in a palace?" Komo whispered, "Maybe that's why the wise men came to the big city first. They saw the star and came to worship the newborn King." To worship means to bow down and honor someone with all your heart. The Bible doesn't tell us how many wise men there were, or their names.
Herod and all Jerusalem
When the wise men's words spread, "King Herod… was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him." Nuri held up two fingers. "Two… kings." Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes and asked where the Christ would be born. They told him words a prophet wrote long ago: "You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel." Then "Herod secretly called the wise men" and asked exactly when the star had appeared. He said, "When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him."
Over where the child was
The wise men set out for Bethlehem. "…and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was." "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy." Nuri whispered, "The star went ahead and stopped!" Komo looked up. "God, who made the stars, is leading the wise men to the child. God told them about Bethlehem through his Word, and showed them the house with a star. The star is a sign God used." Under the starlight, a lamp glowed warmly in a small window.
Gold, frankincense and myrrh
"They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him." Grown-ups from a far land bowed low before a little child. "Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Komo whispered, "They didn't bow to the star. They bowed to the child Jesus." Then God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod, so "they went back to their own country another way." Nuri softly said,
God is with us.
Flee into Egypt
After the wise men left, an angel of the Lord came again to Joseph in a dream: "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt…" "He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt." When the wise men did not come back, Herod was very angry. He gave a terrible order to kill the little boys of Bethlehem. It was a very evil thing that Herod did. The Bible does not hide the sorrow. As the prophet Jeremiah had said long before: "…lamentation, weeping and great mourning…" Nuri held Komo tight. For a while, neither of them said anything. Then Komo said quietly, "God hates this evil thing. And he stays close to people who cry. It's okay for us to be sad too."
To the land of Israel
One day in Egypt, Herod died. An angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream again: "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel…" What God had said long ago came true: "Out of Egypt I called my son." Then, "being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee," and "came and lived in a city called Nazareth." Komo counted on his fingers. "God showed Joseph the way in dreams four times." Nuri remembered the night road from Bethlehem. Then she said very slowly,
God is with us.
The nearest star
On the way back, Nuri asked, "Komo, what kind of star did the wise men see?" "The Bible doesn't say exactly. People have different ideas; let's talk more at home and at church. But we know God led the wise men with that star." Komo pointed to the bright sun far away. "The sun is a star too. It's the closest star, so it looks big and bright." Nuri's eyes grew wide. "So every morning a star shines on us!" "Yes. The sun, the wise men's star, and all the stars at night — God made them all."
- The sun is a star that makes its own light
- Sunlight takes about 8 minutes 20 seconds to reach Earth. Light from the next closest star takes more than 4 years
Two kings
Back home, Nuri set the star-ring down. "King Herod was troubled in his big palace when he heard about a new king. But before the baby King Jesus, people from a far land bowed down with joy." Komo nodded. "Remember what the angel said on page 3? Jesus is the true King who saves us from our sins." Nuri looked out at the far sky. "The wise men came from a land very far away. We live very far from Israel too. God led people from far away to the child Jesus. He is calling us now, too." Nuri folded her hands. "God, thank you for sending Jesus. Help me know and love Jesus more. In Jesus' name, amen."
Eight Bethlehem Star cards
Tap a card to flip it. Put the eight cards in order and tell today's story again.
Four thinking games
- 1[After reading] Understanding · Wise men's map: draw four places — eastern land → Jerusalem → Bethlehem → home another way — and tell them in order.
- 2[After reading] Analysis · Finger walk: as Matt 1:2–6 is read, take one finger-step at each "became the father of," and raise a hand for names you know (Abraham · Ruth · David). Then find what changed in 1:16.
- 3[Class] Inference · Joseph's heart-weather: draw Joseph's heart before the dream and after waking as sun, cloud or rain, and name a clue.
- 4[Class] Prediction · Look at the back cover. What will happen to the people in the boat in the great wind?
[Home] One "God with me" line: before sleep, say, "God, thank you for being with me when ○○." Drawing it is fine too.
God calls me, too, though I live far away. What thank-you will I tell Jesus today?
Class flow and what to look for
- Prepare
- 8 cards, a big sheet, a map or globe, and the refrain "God is with us." Reading takes about 25 minutes. For a short class, skip the p11 box and have pairs share one line at each pause.
- 0–8 min · pp. 1–4
- p2 one finger-step per "father of," Analysis (1 min) → p3 read the dream words gently, refrain together → p4 pause 3 seconds at the end.
- 8–17 min · pp. 5–8
- p6 Inference (2 min): point to "secretly" → p7 Prediction (1 min) before turning the page → p8 show the "They bowed down" card, refrain together.
- 17–25 min · pp. 9–12
- p9 low and slow; watch faces; answer questions with "Let's talk more after class" → p10 Understanding (main skill, 2 min): lay four cards (wise men · Herod · star · bowing) in order and tell → p12 point to Israel and where we live on the map, then pray.
- Genre
- Gospel · genealogy (Matt 1:1–17). Matthew links the Old Testament to Jesus with words like "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken" (1:22; 2:15, 17, 23).
- Words
- genealogy = family line of names · Holy Spirit = the Spirit of God · angel of the Lord = a messenger sent by God · Immanuel = God with us · prophet = someone who spoke God's word · Christ = the saving King God chose · virgin = a young woman not yet living with a husband (Mary was with child by the Holy Spirit, 1:18) · wise men = scholars from the east · worship = bow down and honor · troubled = upset, stirred up · secretly = in hiding · frankincense, myrrh = sweet-smelling tree resins · sin = turning from God and doing what he hates · save = rescue
- What to look for
- Pointing counts. Analysis — sprout: "father of" · stem: first and last · fruit: the words that changed at the end. Inference — sprout: one idea · stem: a clue ("secretly") · fruit: words and heart can differ. Prediction — sprout: a guess · stem: a clue · fruit: corrects it on p8. Understanding — sprout: one place · stem: four places in order · fruit: the most important moment and why.
Good answers and child protection
- Good answers
- p2: "father of" is a sprout, "it ends with Joseph" a stem, "it ends with Jesus, and the words changed" a fruit. p6: "No, because he called them secretly," "Yes, he said he would worship," and "I don't know yet" are all good with a reason; check together on p9. p7: "They'll worship — they came to worship," "They'll go back — Herod asked them," "They won't — Herod was sneaky" are all good. p10: telling the four places in order and choosing the most important moment (the star stops, the bowing, the dream warning…) with a reason is fruit.
- Before reading page 9
- Page 9 tells that Herod had the little boys of Bethlehem killed (2:16). The picture does not show it; it shows only the family on the night road. Lower your voice and don't add details. Tell children beforehand that they may take a break or sit near you. To a frightened child: "That was scary. It was a very bad thing. God hates it too. Right now I'm here with you. If anything scares or worries you, you can tell me any time."
- Loss, refugee and separated families
- If a child has lost a baby brother or sister (including miscarriage or stillbirth), talk with caregivers first; you may read page 9 briefly. Some children have fled war or disaster, come from another country, or have a parent working far away. Jesus' family also lived in another land (Egypt), which may comfort, but never force a link to a child's story or ask in front of others. If a child goes quiet or wants to leave, don't make them listen; sit beside them.
- "Will a bad king hurt me?" · Child protection
- Herod died long ago (2:19). "If anyone scares or hurts you, it is not your fault. Tell an adult you trust. I am one of those adults." Herod was bad not because he was a king, but because he lied and hurt children to keep his power. This story also has good grown-ups: Joseph, who protected the child, and the wise men. On "secretly" (p6) you can add: "If someone calls you secretly and asks you to keep a secret, you can tell a trusted adult." If a child tells of threats or abuse, don't question them in front of others; say "Thank you for telling me," and follow your organization's child-protection lead and reporting steps. Check that the caregiver is safe before contacting them. If there is immediate danger, call emergency services (Korea 112/119, Philippines 911).
Hard questions
- "Why didn't God protect the babies?" "Why did only Jesus live?"
- There is no easy answer. First say, "That's a good question. My heart hurts too." "Those babies were very precious to God. No child ever deserves that. I don't fully know why God didn't stop it then." Herod did the evil, and God hates evil. The Bible does not erase that weeping (2:18). "Jesus didn't live so he could be comfortable. He grew up, suffered for all of us, died on the cross and rose again. So death and sadness are not the end." God promises one day, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Rev 21:4). If asked where the babies are, say only, "Let's trust them to God."
- "How can a virgin have a baby?" "Is Joseph Jesus' real dad?"
- The Bible says Mary was not yet living with Joseph and the baby was "of the Holy Spirit" (1:18, 20, 23). This happened only once in all the world, only for Jesus — God's wonderful work. "For nothing spoken by God is impossible" (Luke 1:37). Mary did nothing wrong, and Joseph worried because he didn't know yet. If a child asks more about how babies come, say, "Let's talk with Mom or Dad about that," and tell caregivers. Joseph named the child (1:25) and received him as his own son, so Jesus belonged to David's family. Love can make a family even without the same blood.
- "Is Jesus God or a human?"
- Both. Not half God and half human, but truly God and truly human. "The Word became flesh, and lived among us" (John 1:14). Jesus is the Son of God. The Father sent the Son, and the Son is truly God too. Don't say "God turned into a man for a while." Jesus got hungry (Matt 4:2) and grew (Luke 2:52); he was tempted like us, "yet without sin" (Heb 4:15).
- "Did the wise men read horoscopes? Can I read star signs?" "Were there three?"
- The wise men may have been people who studied the stars. Even so, God called them, let them hear his Word (Mic 5:2) rather than the stars, and brought them to bow before Jesus. The Bible says not to worship the sun, moon and stars (Deut 4:19), and that "stargazers" cannot save anyone (Isa 47:13). Keep star talk to watching and naming. The Bible doesn't say how many wise men came or that they were kings; there were three gifts, so people often draw three, and camels are imagined too. They met the child in a "house" (2:11). The shepherds and the manger are in Luke, coming in NT Book 3, Finding Star.
Faith-language check · Opening the New Testament
- The star is created; God is the actor
- The star in the text is a sign God used. A star does not decide fate or grant wishes. The child text says "God, who made the stars, is leading…" and "The star is a sign God used," and in the pictures no one bows to a star. The wise men bowed to the child (2:11). God led them by his Word (Mic 5:2), a star and a dream.
- The Bethlehem star · science as wonder
- Ideas about the star differ (Jupiter and Saturn appearing close, a comet, a newly bright star…). None proves the text, which says the star "went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was." So we close with, "People have different ideas. Let's talk more at home and at church." p11: sunlight takes about 8 min 20 s; light from Proxima Centauri, the next closest star, about 4.2 years (NASA). We don't worship the sun (Deut 4:19); God made it.
- Grace · holiness · justice · love
- Jesus' name comes from "he who shall save his people from their sins" (1:21). Page 10 makes God, who showed the way in dreams, the subject rather than Joseph's obedience; Joseph's obedience is a response of faith, not a merit. Herod's evil is not made light of (2:16); God protects the child and remembers those who weep. Women like Ruth and Rahab in the genealogy, and worshipers from the far east, show Jesus is the Savior of all nations.
- Time · links · not covered
- Many scholars think Herod died around 4 BC and Jesus was born around 6–4 BC (other views exist). The last Old Testament book, Dawn Star (Book 12), ended with Luke 1:78–79's "dawn from on high"; this book is that light arriving. Read with Matt 4:16: "the people who sat in darkness saw a great light." Mic 5:2 ("small") and Matt 2:6 ("in no way least") differ a little because Matthew quotes for meaning. Not covered: most of the genealogy, Archelaus (2:22), Luke 1–2 (NT Book 3), the details of "Nazarene" (2:23).
- Notation
- Unmarked Bible quotes are WEB; "Retold" means simple words. Nuri's and Komo's words are not Bible quotes.
아이캔 코모는 미래를 커젤로 바라보나 원더로 간구합니다.
