In recent years I have come up with a Christmas Catechism that takes you through the Christmas story in a series of 84 questions and answers. Here are the first twelve.
CHRISTMAS CATECHISM
1. Who was the prophet immediately before Messiah? John the Baptist
2. What were his parents called and where did they live? Zechariah and Elizabeth; they lived in Hebron
3. How did they learn that John was going to be born to them? The angel Gabriel told Zechariah when he was doing his priestly duties at the Temple in Jerusalem
4. Why was this surprising news? Because Zechariah and Elizabeth were old and had never been able to have children
5. What was Zechariah's reaction to the news that he would have a son? It was a bad one. He did not believe it.
6. What was his later better reaction after John was born? He wrote a song praising God. It is in Luke 1.
7. How did John react when, still in the womb, he was near Messiah in his mother's womb? His mother Elizabeth felt him leap for joy
8. In his Gospel Matthew begins with a family tree of Messiah going all the way back to who? Matthew goes all the way back to Abraham
9. In his Gospel Luke has a family tree of Messiah that goes all the way back as far as who? Luke goes all the way back to Adam
10. What are the names of some of those who appear in both family trees? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and David
11. What are the names of the four women who are included in Matthew's family tree? Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and the wife of Uriah
12. How does Matthew divide his family tree? 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile and 14 from the exile to Messiah
