Lesson written by Randy Asburry, Gifford Grobien, and Francis C. Rossow

Transcription

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2 Concordia Publishing House 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO Copyright 2001, 2007, 2008, 2016 Concordia Publishing House All rights reserved. Unless specifically noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. The purchaser of this publication is allowed to reproduce the marked portions contained herein for use with this curriculum. These resources may not be transferred or copied to another user. Lesson written by Randy Asburry, Gifford Grobien, and Francis C. Rossow Edited by Lorraine Groth and Brenda Trunkhill Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America Growing in Christ and Cross Explorations are published by Concordia Publishing House. Your comments and suggestions concerning this material are appreciated. us at sundayschool@cph.org.

3 YOUTH/ADULT BIBLE STUDY Preparing the Lesson Christmas Luke 2:1 20 Date: Key Point God chose to send His only Son, Jesus Christ, in the flesh to die for the sins of the world. Law/Gospel Sin separates me and all people from God. God sent Jesus to be God with us, and He makes me His own dear child through faith in His Son. Context Luke has set the stage. The two births, those of John and Jesus, have been foretold. The two mothers one aged (like the old covenant), the other young (like the new covenant) come together. Salvation history is coming to a head. The old covenant (represented by Zechariah, Elizabeth, and John, the last Old Testament prophet) is waning, making way for the waxing of the new (represented in Joseph, Mary, and Jesus). A new beginning, a new creation, and a new covenant have arrived in Jesus. The Lord uses the often self-serving ends of worldly government to serve His saving ends. Caesar is God s tool as God arranges to have His Son born in the village of Bethlehem, even as Micah had long ago foretold. Commentary The birth narrative begins with what may appear to be meaningless information. However, the trip from Galilee to Bethlehem is not a meaningless journey. It fulfills the words of the prophet Micah: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2). This baby born in a manger in Bethlehem, the city of His father David, was the fulfillment of all the prophets. No Israelite could hear ruler and Bethlehem in the same sentence without thinking of David, the nation s greatest king. History determined prophecy. The messianic David would have His nativity where Old Testament David had his like father, like Son. This Son of David, however, would reign upon a cross-shaped throne, be anointed with His own blood, and wear a crown of thorns. The Son of David came that the humble and little ones might be raised to high degree. This He does for us as well. We, who are sinners of low estate, are raised to a high degree, as we are part of the family of the triune God, sons and daughters of the King. This Son of David is also the Son of Adam, crafted in the Virgin s womb, filled with the Spirit of life. He is a new kind of man, a God-man 100 percent divine, 100 percent human. In Jesus, we receive more than we lost in Adam. We become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) by partaking of His body and blood. Thus, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). In the nativity, the Son of God became what we are, human, to make us what He is, a child of the heavenly Father. He also revealed where He is to be found: in His Word and Sacraments, restoring God s image in us. 3

4 Youth/Adult Bible Study Christmas Luke 2: Start (5 minutes) Pray Heavenly Father, You sent Your only Son into the flesh so that we might become Your children. When He became flesh, He dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, full of grace and truth. We thank You for this incarnation, so that we might be restored to Your image and given life eternal, sharing in Christ s inheritance. Help us to celebrate our Savior s birth with all reverent joy and give You grateful praise for Your grace and truth. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Ask 1. Has there ever been a time when you felt insignificant, but God blessed someone through your kind words or act of love? Perhaps you didn t realize you were making a difference, but found out later that your actions really touched someone. How does God take our simple and imperfect work and make it His own perfect work of mercy? Mary and Joseph were poor, nondescript people from a country town. In spite of their great difficulties, very few others probably took notice of or cared for them. There was simply not much about them to draw the attention of the world. And yet, God blessed the world through their simple faithfulness and obedience. They persevered and obeyed, and in Bethlehem, their baby, Jesus, was born to save the world from its sins. 2 Study (15 minutes) Say 2. Read Micah 5:2 and Galatians 4:4. The Savior is to come out of Bethlehem of Judah, but Mary lived in the Galilean town of Nazareth (Luke 1:26 27), as did Joseph. What happened that they ended up in Bethlehem, right at the ninth month of Mary s pregnancy? How does God use the imperfect governmental leadership of today and make it serve His own perfect purposes? Well into Mary s pregnancy, Caesar Augustus decided to register all the residents of his empire. This registration was primarily for the purposes of taxation, but like King David s census many centuries earlier (2 Samuel 24), it would also swell the pride of Caesar, informing him of exactly how many subjects he ruled over. The title Augustus means the exalted one ; however, for all his glory, Caesar Augustus remained God s instrument. While Caesar thought that this design 4

5 Youth/Adult Bible Study was out of his own heart, according to his own plans and control, this registration occurred ultimately for the service of God s plan. For in this way, the Nazarenes Joseph and Mary ended up in Bethlehem when Jesus was to be delivered, so that both prophecies would be fulfilled: the Messiah would come out of Bethlehem, but He would be called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23). God rules over the plans of people s hearts and carries out His own will by them. For all its poetic beauty, especially when read from the familiar King James Version of the Bible, Luke s account is initially prosaic. There is talk about decrees, taxation, lineages, rules, places, names, trips, and pregnancy. For all its romanticism, the Christmas account is clearly no fairy tale. The Gospel is fact. It is rooted in history. It happened (Luke 2:15). It is something that has come to pass. The phrase fullness of time (Galatians 4:4) reminds us that at a specific and appropriate time in human history, God acted to fulfill His eternal purpose. (And He continues to do so today.) Say 3. What kind of journey would this have been at that time for a woman nine months pregnant? What does this detail of the Christmas story tell us about the nature of God? Read 2 Corinthians 8:9. How might God be at work in the lives of His humble servants today? Most likely, the route Mary and Joseph took between Nazareth and Bethlehem took about ninety miles. (As the crow flies, the distance is shorter, probably about seventy miles, but that route was more dangerous.) If you have access to a map of the first-century Holy Land (e.g., online, on a poster, or in a Bible), point out the route on the map. A relief map would indicate the hilly or mountainous regions between the towns. In an era of poor roads and reliance upon a pack animal or walking for transportation, not to mention the threat of robbers, this would be a dangerous journey for anyone. Now, add the fact that Mary is nine months pregnant, and the precariousness of the journey becomes even more pronounced! As if that doesn t seem challenging enough, the travel caused by the census not only made this trip more dangerous than usual, but normal arrangements for hospitality in Bethlehem were overwhelmed because of the crowds. Mary and Joseph were forced to bed down in a nearby cave or stable, where animals were (or had been) housed. The story itself, along with the flat, prosaic character of Luke s account, is a reminder of our Savior s state of humiliation and its role in the saving Gospel. The current phrase born in a barn is hardly more crude than Luke s laid Him in a manger (Luke 2:7). Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloths, and simple shepherds were His first worshipers. The King of heaven has come to earth. Such a babe in such a place! The Son of God s incarnation was necessary for our salvation. He became poor so that we might become rich. There are times in our lives when we feel there is no place for [us] (Luke 2:7), or we may feel inadequate for a task or even overwhelmed by the challenges set before us or the odds stacked against us. But Jesus birth in humble circumstances can remind us that our mighty Lord has mercy on us and exalts us by grace alone. We are the Lord s servants, who trust in His grace to strengthen us and accomplish His will through our circumstances. Read the middle portion of Mary s Magnificat, Luke 1:

6 Youth/Adult Bible Study Say 4. Why does Luke mention two historical figures in his account of Jesus birth? What contrast is being made between these rulers and Jesus? How are you tempted to try to direct the events of your own life? Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor, is mentioned, as is Quirinius, governing in Syria at the time. Augustus ruled from 27 BC until AD 14. There could be at least two reasons that Luke refers to them. First, it places the birth of Jesus in its historical setting. As a historical event, the details of the birth were nevertheless probably not known by many because of the humble status of Joseph and Mary. By referring to the rule of Augustus and Quirinius, and specifying which census under Quirinius this was, Luke places the birth of Christ in its historical context. (There was also a census taken by Quirinius in about AD 6, which is better known by secular historians. But by saying that this is the first census taken under Quirinius, Luke distinguishes this biblical census from the later one.) But even more important than its historical setting, Luke is contrasting the reigns of these secular rules with the reign of Jesus Christ. Jesus appears to be weak and helpless, directed and mobilized according to the commands of these powerful rulers. He is born in the humblest of locations, while Augustus and Quirinius enjoy the luxuries of position and reflect on how much tax money they are receiving. The true view of faith recognizes that Jesus, even though He is a tiny baby, is God, and He is directing these events. He calls for the census so that He will be born in Bethlehem yet raised in Nazareth. His rule is hidden, and yet it is greater than the rule of any man. In our own human frailness, we selfishly succumb to looking out for number one: ourselves. On our own, we try to decide what would be best for our lives. We can fret about the future, paralyzed by the fear that it is determined by our decisions today. Contrast that with the peace we have, knowing that our great ruler, Jesus, is directing the events of our lives. If time permits, your group may want to listen to a recording of Benjamin Britten s song This Little Babe. Discuss the language that describes our powerful infant Savior. Say 5. Luke mentions that there was no room in the inn (2:7). What is the significance of this? Read Luke 10: Contrast this story that also includes an inn with the account of Jesus birth. When do you feel outcast and avoided? There are several possible reasons that there was no room at the inn. The first, which we typically consider, is that the town was so full because of the registration that there was simply no place to house everyone. Yet as a member of the house of David, Joseph s family was originally from Bethlehem, and inheritance practices in ancient Israel would suggest that at least some of his relatives remained in Bethlehem on the land that had originally belonged to their family. Where were these relatives when Joseph needed a place to stay? Well, perhaps a second reason there was no room for Mary and Joseph is that the relatives may have become too distantly related to know or care about Joseph, or perhaps their houses were already full with others. But perhaps another reason was that they had heard the gossip about Mary and Joseph, that she was with child prior to their wedding, and wouldn t receive them in because of this supposed immorality. 6

7 Youth/Adult Bible Study Whatever the exact reason, God in the flesh enters this world already an outcast, already without a place to lay His head. No one except the animals receives Him, and no one greets Him except the nomadic shepherds. The people of Bethlehem did not receive Him, but continued with business as usual. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him (John 1:11). Contrast this with the Good Samaritan story in Luke 10, in which the Samaritan symbolizes Jesus and the inn is the place of refuge to which He brings us. Although we are beaten down and left for dead by sin and Satan, Jesus, who was not accepted by His own people, nevertheless accepts us and works to heal us. He picks us up and takes us to the inn, the place of rest and recovery, so that we can be fully healed and restored to our Father in heaven. Jesus comes into this world without anything, receiving nothing from us, but giving all good things to us. In the nativity, the Son of God became what we are, human, to make us what He is, a child of the heavenly Father. We are valued so much by the Father that He gave His only Son for us, that we may be called His sons and daughters and may live with Him in the heavenly mansions forever. Though in our sin we were once separated from God, through Christ we have been welcomed into His family. Say 6. Luke describes that the time came for Mary to have her baby (2:6). In the King James Version, we read that it was time she should be delivered. From what do we need delivering? Read Hebrews 2: Of course the word delivered refers to childbirth, nothing more. The verse means that it was time for Mary s baby to be born. We imagine a typical painful, bloody childbirth. Yet salvation is an individual phenomenon as well as a universal one. Mary gives Jesus birth; Jesus gives Mary salvation. Birth delivery is paralleled by soul delivery. Jesus came so that she should be delivered delivered from sin, death, and hell. Verse 6 doesn t say this, but verse 19 demonstrates Mary s soul delivery occurring. In a sense, Christmas means that the days were accomplished when we should be delivered! There are many other passages in the Bible that describe our salvation in the language of delivery. You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol (Psalm 86:13). Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:24 25). He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). We confess that the bloody birth and death of Jesus lead us to the empty tomb and the heavenly throne, where our Lord s wounds are badges of everlasting honor and His earthly grief becomes His and our eternal glory. Say 7. What is the significance of shepherds being the first to hear the news of Jesus birth? For whom is this good news of great joy? Today, whom might we consider the outskirts of society? Those who are familiar with the Bible and its favorable imagery of shepherds might think that shepherds were well thought of in the first century. After all, Jesus is likened to a shepherd a number of times (Matthew 2:6; 25:32; Mark 14:27; John 10:1 18). 7

8 Youth/Adult Bible Study Yet shepherds were actually outsiders. They were wanderers who stayed with their sheep outside in hills and fields, living in their own shelters. They had little regular contact with towns and cities. Sometimes shepherds could be associated with robbers, because they both stayed isolated in the wilderness. Shepherds were not allowed in the temple courts because their dirty, bloody work was considered ceremonially unclean. Thus, God specifically chooses shepherds as those who first hear the good news of Jesus birth. This demonstrates God s compassion and mercy for all, even those who lived on the outskirts of society. Thus, when the angels say the good news and great joy are for all the people (Luke 2:10), this inclusiveness is demonstrated by the announcement to the shepherds. If the poor, uneducated, uncouth shepherds are to hear the good news, surely this news is for all people, including any groups of people today who might be considered social outcasts or on the fringes of society. 3 Share (10 minutes) Say 8. How do the ordinary, even mundane, details of Jesus birth help you rejoice in the ordinary, little details of your life in this world? Jesus incarnation and birth teach us not to shun the physical, material world, but rather to embrace it as God s gracious, generous gift. We may rightly shun the wild materialism of society s version of Christmas, but we need not look down on the ordinary physical, material things of the world. After all, God created this world with material, physical stuff, and He called it all very good (Genesis 1:31). Our problems come when we misuse and even idolize the things of God s creation (as we Americans tend to do in the secular version of Christmas). The physical, material world is not the problem; our false worship of it is. However, we can rejoice in all the ordinary, little details of life, because Jesus has come into this created world and restored us to His image. In forgiveness and mercy, we are freed from the shackles of worshiping the things of creation to worship the Holy Trinity instead. This also means that we are liberated by God s mercy to care for His creation and to use the ordinary, little details of life for His glory and to serve our neighbor. 4 Send (5 minutes) For the Making Connections section, encourage the adults with children in Sunday School to review their children s leaflets together at home. Also encourage the class to use the Second Article of the Creed in their family devotions this week, emphasizing how Jesus has delivered us from sin, giving us the inheritance of heaven since we can now be called children of God. For the Personal Reflection section, help everyone to keep their inconveniences and difficulties in perspective. Our greatest difficulty, that of eternal death and despair, has been resolved by Jesus own inconvenience, being born into poverty ninety miles from His home. 8

9 Seasonal Lesson Student Page Christmas (Luke 2:1 20) 1 Has there ever been a time when you felt insignificant, but God blessed someone through your kind words or act of love? Perhaps you didn t realize you were making a difference, but found out later that your actions really touched someone. How does God take our simple and imperfect work and make it His own perfect work of mercy? 5 Luke mentions that there was no room in the inn (2:7). What is the significance of this? Read Luke 10: Contrast this story that also includes an inn with the account of Jesus birth. When do you feel outcast and avoided? 2 3 Read Micah 5:2 and Galatians 4:4. The Savior is to come out of Bethlehem of Judah, but Mary lived in the Galilean town of Nazareth (Luke 1:26 27), as did Joseph. What happened that they ended up in Bethlehem, right at the ninth month of Mary s pregnancy? How does God use the imperfect governmental leadership of today and make it serve His own perfect purposes? What kind of journey would this have been at that time for a woman nine months pregnant? What does this detail of the Christmas story tell us about the nature of God? Read 2 Corinthians 8:9. How might God be at work in the lives of His humble servants today? Luke describes that the time came for Mary to have her baby (2:6). In the King James Version, we read that it was time she should be delivered. From what are we delivered? Read Hebrews 2: What is the significance of shepherds being the first to hear the news of Jesus birth? For whom is this good news of great joy? Today, whom might we consider the outskirts of society? How do the ordinary, even mundane, details of Jesus birth help you rejoice in the ordinary, little details of your life in this world? 4 Why does Luke mention two historical figures in his account of Jesus birth? What contrast is being made between these rulers and Jesus? How are you tempted to try to direct the events of your own life? Youth/Adult Bible Study 2001, 2007, 2008, 2016 Concordia Publishing House. Scripture: ESV. Reproduced by permission.

10 Seasonal Lesson Student Page Through the Week Making Connections In Luther s explanation of the Second Article of the Creed, he describes what Jesus has done for each of us and the fruits of His justifying work in our lives. Use the Second Article in your family or personal devotions this week, focusing on how Jesus has delivered us from sin, giving us the inheritance of heaven, since we can now be called children of God. Ponder and rejoice in the awesome mystery that Jesus, the Son of God, wrapped Himself up in our human flesh. Our greatest Christmas present is that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord (Small Catechism, Second Article of the Apostles Creed). If you have children in Sunday School, go over their leaflets together, sharing with one another what you learned about today s Bible story. Personal Reflection When things happen to you this week that inconvenience you or even severely disrupt your plans, try to keep in mind the disruption the pregnancy and census caused to Joseph and Mary. Remember that none of these disruptions can disrupt the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead of becoming disturbed or upset, pray for the peace of the Gospel in spite of the distractions or problems around you. Youth/Adult Bible Study 2001, 2007, 2008, 2016 Concordia Publishing House. Catechism quotation: 1986 CPH. Reproduced by permission.