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Study No.9 : Jesus Born : Luke 2:1-7

A. Find Out:    

     

1. What did the emperor require? v.1

2. When did this happen? v.2

3. So where did Joseph have to go? v.4

4. With whom did he go? v.5

5. What happened while they were there? v.6

6. Where was the baby born and why? v.7

 

B. Think:

1. Check on a map for Nazareth and Bethlehem.

2. How were Mary & Joseph forced by circumstances?

3. Why do you think all this happened?

C. Comment:

     When we come to what is perhaps one of the most repeated stories in Scripture (every Christmas), we are confronted with a question rarely asked: why? Why did the emperor suddenly decide to hold a census? Why did Joseph and Mary have to go just at the time when Mary was expecting? Why did they end up having to have the baby in a stable? Luke gives us none of the answers!

     What we find is a young couple who seem to get swept along in the circumstances of the world.  Mary didn't ask to be pregnant. They would probably rather have not been away from home at this time. It all seems as if circumstances are completely out of control, and they are just getting carried along in the tide of them.

     What was the end result of all of this?  A lamb (see Jn 1:29) was born in a stable. The lamb was part of the house or family of king David (1 Chron 17:11 -14) and it was fitting that he should therefore be born in Bethlehem, the home of David.  Beyond this, as we read further on in Luke, we'll see that many of the following circumstances meant it was far more convenient for them to be in Bethlehem rather than Nazareth. Did God whisper the idea to the proud Caesar?   We don't know but in the outcome the details are exact in God's planning.

 

D. Application:

1. Chaotic Circumstances

• Your life circumstances may appear chaotic, but look for God in them. You may need to wait before understanding comes.

2. God works out His plans with infinite care.

• Can I sense today God's purposes for my life being worked out, a general sense of Him behind it all?

 

  

Study No.10 : Shepherds : Luke 2:8-20

A. Find Out:

         

1. What did the angel say to the terrified shepherds? v.10

2. What was that good news & how would it be proved? v.11,12

3. What was the response of the shepherds? v.15

4. What did they do after they saw Jesus? v.17

5. What was the response in the neighbourhood? v.18

6. Yet what did Mary do? v.19

 

B. Think:

1. How would you describe the shepherds from all we're told of them?

2. How would you summarise the content of the heavenly messengers?

3. What seems to have been Mary's response to all these things?

C. Comment:

     For the third time in his Gospel, Luke records an angelic visitation. Do the angels now come to the great? No, to the lowly, to shepherds, who were virtually outcasts, living out on the hillsides with their sheep all the time. Shepherds are being told about the birth of a Lamb (remember yesterday). First it is just one angel and he's enough to frighten them all, and then it's a tremendous company of angels all praising God for what is happening. This is clearly a time of immense rejoicing. Heaven does not view the coming of the Son of God to earth in “doom and gloom” terms, but in terms of great rejoicing.

     The response of the shepherds is exemplary! “Let's go and see” is their immediate response, and having seen they tell everyone, and having told everyone, they go back to their jobs on the hillsides still praising God. THAT is a good response! Oh that Christians would have that same response when the revelation of God comes!

     Mary's response is interesting: she first of all “treasured up all these things”. That means she held onto them. Then she “pondered them in her heart”. That means she gave careful consideration to them. Mary again, is a good example for us. She holds onto all that happens and carefully considers it all. May we do the same!

 

D. Application:

1. God chooses the weak & lowly

• Whatever my status in life, do I understand my frailty without the Lord, recognising weakness that needs Him. Do I see others with Jesus' eyes or the judgmental eyes of today's world?

2. A faith response?

• When God speaks does he find in me and eager desire to respond like the shepherds? Does He find in me a response that wants to tell others of the good news?

3. Treasuring God's words

• Do we hold onto & ponder the wonder of what we've seen & heard from God, or do we easily forget or ignore it?

   

   

Study No.11 : Dedication : Luke 2:21-28

A. Find Out:

           

1. What happened on the eighth day? v.21

2. When did they go to Jerusalem and why? v.22-24

3. How is Simeon described? v.25

4. What had God shown him? v.26

5. Why was he there on that day? v.27a

6. What did he do when this family arrived? v.27b,28

 

B. Think:

1. How did the Law direct these circumstances?

2. How did the Spirit direct them?

3. What part did humans then have to play?

C. Comment:

     The passage before us now is a remarkable combination of word and Spirit. First of all Mary and Joseph are responding to the word of God. First it is the word from the angel to name their son Jesus. Next it is responding to the Law of God that instructed circumcision and then the offering for the first born. Thus it is, in their case, the Law that brings them to the Temple in Jerusalem at this time.

     Then there is Simeon and he is there at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. First he has received the word of God by the Spirit that he would see the Messiah this side of heaven. That has kept him in a state of alertness, and we're told the Holy Spirit was upon him, i.e. making him very aware of God's presence and purpose. On this particular day he senses a prompting of the Spirit to go to the Temple and this he does. There he visits in a state of alertness.

     Probably there were other visitors but he takes no notice of them. Suddenly he sees Mary and Joseph and their baby and (presumably) the Spirit stirs him again and he knows these are the ones he has been waiting for. A man open and alert to God! A couple who are open and obedient to God's word. And so word and Spirit bring these obedient people together to herald the coming of God to His Temple for the first time since it was built by Herod!   

 

D. Application:

1. Guidance by God's Word

• Do I let God's word guide and direct me? Am I really taking it and responding to it when I read it here?

2. Guidance by God's Spirit

• Am I open to the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis? Is this something I need to learn to do?

  

     

Study No.12 : Activity in the Temple  : Luke 2:28-40

A. Find Out:

         

1. What did Simeon pray and why? v.29,30

2. To whom did he realise God's salvation was coming? v.31,32

3. What effect did he say the child would have? v.34,35

4. What are we told about Anna? v.36,37

5. What did she do? v.38

6. Where did Mary & Joseph go afterwards? v.39

 

B. Think:

1. List the things that Simeon knew about Jesus?

2. How was Anna a confirming witness?

3. Read Deut 19:15b. How was God complying with His own Law?

C. Comment:

  Two prophetic people draw back the curtain of revelation on this tiny baby that is being presented in the Temple. The scope of Simeon's understanding is staggering! He has a sense of fulfilment about him. How wonderful when God speaks something and you can see it so clearly fulfilled. The Lord has obviously spoken to this Spirit-filled man and now he knew that the word was fulfilled.

     What does he know about Jesus?

a) That he is God's salvation. [v.30]

b) That salvation is for the whole world, not just Israel [v.32].

c) The very nature of this man will cause complete upheaval in people's

     thinking [v.34]

d) He will even be spoken against [v.34]

e) He will be the means of revealing the heart and minds of many people

     [v.35] and

f) He will even cause distress to Mary herself [v.35].

     How incredible is this prophetic insight!

     But then in comes Anna, an old lady known by those who come to the Temple regularly to be a pious woman who spent her life in God's presence, fasting and praying. There is no doubt about her credibility, and so she comes in and confirms all that Simeon is saying.

      For any situation the Law required there to be at least two witnesses to establish the truth and here we have two incredible witnesses to confirm and verify the truth about this child. This is God's child!   

 

D. Application:

1. Simeon's example.

• If a man, does Simeon's example challenge me? Am I such a man of revelation and insight? Why not?

2. Anna's example.

• If a woman, does Anna's example challenge me? Am I a woman of devotion like her? Why not?

    

     

Study No.13 : Twelve Years On  : Luke 2:41-52

A. Find Out:

           

1. What happened annually, and now this year? v.41,42

2. What happened after the feast and why? v.43,44

3. What did Mary & Joseph do about it? v.45

4. Where was Jesus and what had he been doing? v.46,47

5. What was Jesus' response to their question? v.48,49

6. So what did Jesus do? v.51

 

B. Think:

1. What do verses 41,42 tell us about Jesus' parents?

2. What do verses 43,44 tell us about their community life?

3. What do we see about Jesus in verses 46 to 52?

C. Comment:

      First note the character of Jesus' natural family. Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover. This was quite a commitment. There was also a strong family and community feel to their lives, because when Jesus went missing, it was because Joseph and Mary thought he was “among their relatives and friends”, an indication of a lot of people travelling together.

 

     But what is more important to note is what is happening to Jesus, for in this chapter Luke has been collecting testimonies to Jesus. When his parents find him he is at the Temple.  He has been there for three days.  Somehow he must have been receiving food and shelter. But he's there taking part in the discussions that went on under the tutelage of the religious teachers. More than that, he's fully involved in these discussions, showing that he fully understands all that is being said, asking questions and giving answers.

      The fact that this is when Jesus is twelve may mean that it is the time when, in Jewish eyes, he takes on maturity.   He certainly shows it here. But it is Jesus' testimony that is the crucial thing in these verses, that the Temple is his Father's house. That leaves his parents confused.  What does that mean? They don't know, but Mary holds onto these things and ponders them. For us, we can see it as yet a further signpost marking out who this is – God's Son!

 

D. Application:

1. Community in Family

• This passage shows a challenging example. Do we work at building community in our family?

  

2. Jesus' Understand

• Do we realise that Jesus does know everything about us. He is God's Son and knows all things.

RECAP No.2  "Birth & Early Testimony to the Child"  Luke 2

SUMMARY :  

      

In this second group of 5 studies we have seen :

- Jesus being born

- Testimony to Jesus by:

- the angel of the Lord (v.9-)

- the shepherds (v.17)

- Simeon (v.25-)

- Anna (v.36-)

- Jesus himself (v.49)

 

COMMENT :

     This is an incredible chapter. In it Luke presents picture upon picture, that reveals and confirms things about this little baby who is just coming into the world. He is declared a Saviour, Christ the Lord (v.11), God's salvation for the whole world (v.30,32), the Son of God (v.49),  and all this before the child is able to utter a word. It is like all this is Luke's Prologue to Jesus' life and ministry, and there is no question in his mind who this is that he is writing about.

 

LESSONS?

1. God often works in apparently chaotic circumstances

2. Our role is to watch, listen, ponder, understand and respond.

3. We are to learn to be led by God's word, the Scriptures.

4. We are to learn to be led by the Spirit.

5. God reveals his plans to those who wait on Him and listen.

 

PRAY :

     Ask the Lord to help you become someone who watches, listens, ponders, understands, and acts out His will.

 

PART 3 : "The Herald Prepares the Way"

     In chapter 3 we'll see the historical context and the prophetic context into which John the Baptist comes. We'll see the nature of John's ministry as he prepares the people to meet with God. We'll see him warning the people of the coming one, a baptiser with the Spirit and with fire. John's message is “Get ready, God is about to appear!”  Jesus then comes and is baptised.