LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH AUTHENTIC JESUS THE ARRIVAL (LUKE 2:1-52) AUGUST 19, 2012 DISCUSSION PLAN PREPARATION > SPEND THE WEEK READING THROUGH AND STUDYING LUKE 2:1-52. Consult the commentary provided and any additional study tools (such as a concordance or Bible dictionary) to enhance your preparation. > DETERMINE which discussion points and questions will work best with your group. > PRAY for our pastors and the Authentic Jesus sermon series, the upcoming group meeting, your group members, and their receptivity to the lesson. HIGHLIGHTS > BIBLICAL EMPHASIS: Luke 2 tells the story of Jesus birth, highlighting His identity as the Son of God, God s promised Messiah. Luke also draws attention to the many different characters found in the story of Christ s birth. > LIFE APPLICATION: Jesus is God s way of salvation for all people. Just as God used the shepherds to spread the news of Jesus birth, He uses us to spread the good news of the gospel to our world. INTRODUCTION As your group time begins, use this section to help get the conversation going. Begin by emphasizing how Jesus birth had been anticipated for generations. What is the longest you ve ever waited to receive something you ve been promised, and what was it? How did you feel when the promise was finally fulfilled? How do you handle the waiting process? Do you get impatient and take matters into your own hands? Do you grow apathetic and try to forget about what you were promised? Explain. Mary and Joseph waited nine months for their promised child to be born, but the people of Israel had been waiting centuries for their promised Messiah, God s anointed Savior. With Jesus birth, that promise finally came true, but not in the way many people expected. Keep that in mind as we discuss Luke 2. UNDERSTANDING Unpack the biblical text to discover what Scripture says or means about a particular topic. > HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ LUKE 2:1-7. Think back to our discussion of Luke 1:30-38, the angel s prophecy to Mary. At this point, what details of the angel s prophecy had come true? 1 THE ARRIVAL LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH
DISCUSSION PLAN The prophecies about the Messiah s birth were beginning to come true. God used a pagan emperor s decree to fulfill Micah 5:2 and get Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, and Mary s immaculate conception had resulted in the birth of a son whose earthly father was from David s line, just as the angel predicted. The Son of God was here, and it was time for people to know. > HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ LUKE 2:8-20. Does it surprise you that God announced Jesus birth to shepherds, some of the lowliest members of society? Why or why not? What is the significance of the fact that God revealed the arrival of Jesus to shepherds? Jesus birth became a reason for celebration by the greatest and the least. By letting the shepherds know about the good news of Jesus birth and sending them to meet Him, God made it clear that no one was outside His love. The Messiah came for everyone. As Jews, the shepherds probably knew a little something about the coming Messiah. What might they have thought about the mixed messages of Savior and in a feeding trough? Read Isaiah 9:6-7. What might their expectations for the Messiah have been? What kind of Savior are people looking for today? Are people looking for a spiritual Savior or one who can simply make their lives a little better? How did the shepherds react to the angel s news (vv. 15-16)? What can we learn from their response? What lesser things have you abandoned Christ in order to pursue? What else will people pursue and abandon everything for? What are two ways the shepherds responded to seeing Jesus? After seeing Jesus, the shepherds spread the news and glorified God. How do you see these responses in your life? How can you stir up more of these responses? > HAVE ANOTHER VOLUNTEER READ LUKE 2:25-35. After Jesus birth, Mary and Joseph fulfilled the important Jewish rites of the Baby s circumcision and Mary s purification sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem. Once there, a man by the name of Simeon took Jesus in his arms and made a beautiful statement about the light and glory the Child would bring into the world. What does it mean that Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles (v. 32)? What implications does Simeon s declaration in Luke 2:29-32 have on sharing the good news? 2 THE ARRIVAL LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH
DISCUSSION PLAN Simeon also had a warning for Mary and Joseph. It s one we need to hear as well. In verse 34, Simeon said that Jesus would cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and be a sign that will be opposed. What did Simeon s warning mean? How have you seen his warning come true, both during Jesus ministry on earth and in our world today? What is the difference in tone between the shepherds encounter with Jesus and Simeon s? Why do you think Luke included both stories in this chapter? Simeon didn t prophesy that everyone would joyfully embrace the Savior. It s the opposite picture from when the shepherds arrived and then told everyone blissfully about Jesus. It s important for us to be reminded that Christ and consequently His followers will face opposition. As we ll see through our study, opposition to Jesus and His message is a theme in Luke s Gospel, culminating in the crucifixion. > HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ LUKE 2:41-52. According to Luke 2:47-52, what authenticated Jesus divine identity to His earthly parents? We can t know for sure, but how well do you think Jesus understood His Deity at this point? What do you think Mary pondered in her heart after returning home? APPLICATION Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives. The invitation to know Jesus extends to everyone, regardless of class, education, race, or position. The fact that the shepherds and an old man were some of the first people to meet Jesus shows God has limitless, unconditional, and equal love for all of us. Because of that love, He desires for us to know Him through His Son. Likewise, we re called to have the same unconditional mind-set as we re sent out to share the gospel. Why is Jesus birth good news for all the people? What is our church doing to help spread the news around the world? How can you help? Why do some people refuse to believe that Jesus is the Messiah? Why do you think recognizing lostness is so difficult for people? What obstacles or fears do you normally face when sharing both your faith in Christ and the experiences in your relationship with Him? Why should genuine knowledge of Christ trump any fears we may have? 3 THE ARRIVAL LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH
DISCUSSION PLAN PRAY What better way to spend time in prayer following the story of Jesus birth than by praying for the loved ones in your group members lives who don t know Jesus personally. Set aside time to pray that the gospel would reach each of these individuals lives. FOLLOW UP Midway through this week, send a follow-up e-mail to your group with some or all of the following information: Questions to consider as they continue to reflect on what they learned this week: Do you have the same joy in response to the gospel today that you had the first time you heard it? If not, why has your joy dissipated? How can you rekindle your joy for the gospel this week? The challenge to watch the training video Evangelism, at learning.longhollow.com. In this 15-minute course, you will discover how to create a short, concise testimony and you will be introduced to the Roman Road. A note of encouragement, following up on any specific prayer requests mentioned during your group gathering. The challenge to memorize Luke 2:8-14. The text for next week s study, so group members can read it in anticipation of next weekend: Luke 3:1 4:13. 4 THE ARRIVAL LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH
LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH AUTHENTIC JESUS THE ARRIVAL (LUKE 2:1-52) AUGUST 19, 2012 COMMENTARY THE BIRTH OF JESUS (LUKE 2:1-7) 2:1-3 Luke s account of Jesus birth story is unique. Not only did he write of John the Baptist s birth, but he alone recorded the actual birth event of Jesus (2:1-7). God works in and through history to accomplish His sovereign purposes. Luke illustrated this truth with the notation of a registration that occurred in the Roman empire during the reign of Caesar Augustus (2:1-2). At the time of this registration, everyone returned to his own town to be counted. 2:4 Luke intentionally emphasized that Joseph went to register in the city of King David s birth (see 1 Sam. 17:12). The timing of the registration and the requirement for Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem set Jesus birth in a definite historical context. God used that context to fulfill the long-promised event of the Messiah s being born in Bethlehem (see Mic. 5:2). 2:6-7 After Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, the time came for her to give birth. We cannot know the event s exact timing. Jesus, conceived by a miracle of God, resembled no other child. Mary treated Jesus like any mother might minister to a newborn. The fully divine Jesus also was fully human, needing the tender care of parents. Jesus first earthly resting place also highlighted His human nature. A feeding trough used by nearby animals became Jesus first crib. THE SHEPHERDS AND THE ANGELS (LUKE 2:8-20) 2:8-9 Shepherds represented common people. They needed a Messiah, however, as much as any group. An angel of the Lord, representing the presence of God, interrupted the quiet setting. The glory of the Lord shone around the unsuspecting shepherds. God s glory represented the full weight of His awesome presence in their midst. The brightness, enhanced by the night sky, symbolized the essence of God as He made Himself known to the shepherds. 2:10-11 The angel heralded the Savior. In that culture, people usually thought of saviors as those who claimed to heal or to rescue from danger. Jesus would infuse the title with a much deeper meaning. He had come to save people from their sins (see Matt. 1:21). Luke further identified Jesus as Messiah the Lord. The term Messiah meant anointed one. God chose (anointed) Jesus and set Him aside for a special purpose. Moreover, Jesus Himself was divine (the Lord). 2:12 The angel offered confirmation of the message s authenticity through a sign. The shepherds would know it was true when they found the Christ Child wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough. Evidently the angel expected them to go and look for the sign. They would know they discovered the right Baby when they found His feedingtrough crib. 2:15 What the shepherds saw and heard from the angels spurred them into action. Their encounter with God s presence demanded not only a response of praise and awe but also of obedience. They hurried off to find the Child. Nothing indicates they secured the sheep. The mission of an encounter with this Newborn demanded an urgent response. 2:17-18 Note the progression of discovery by the shepherds. They heard the good news (Luke 2:12); they set out in faith to confirm it (2:15); they saw it for themselves (2:15); they 5 THE ARRIVAL LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH
COMMENTARY proclaimed it to others (2:17). For the first time after His birth, the good news of God in Christ was testified to by humans. The shepherds message amazed those who heard it. Amazement refers to surprise, awe. 2:19 After the shepherds visit, Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart. The events surrounding Jesus birth gave Mary plenty to think about. The full revelation of who Jesus was, however, remained unsettled in her mind. She spent time meditating on it all. The shepherds experienced Jesus uniqueness and told people about it. Mary, too, knew this Child s unique nature. She expressed her praise in her own, private way. SIMEON S PROPHETIC PRAISE (LUKE 2:21-35) After briefly describing Mary s and Joseph s faithfulness in obeying the law (vv. 21-24), Luke recorded their encounter with a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who rejoiced that God had prepared His salvation in the sight of all people. Jesus was a light for revelation to the Gentiles. The salvation that God brought in Christ would be available to all people, not just Jews. The Messiah s coming also was to result in glory to the people of Israel. By accepting and sharing the good news of the Messiah, Israel could have realized the glory God had called them to know. THE FAMILY S RETURN TO NAZARETH (LUKE 2:41-52) 2:41-42 This is the only incident Scripture reports about Jesus life between the time He was a small child and His baptism by John (3:21-22). Adult Jewish males and their families were expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The Bar Mitzvah (Hb son of the commandment ) ceremony at age 13 marked the time when a Jewish male was recognized as a man. Since Jesus was now 12 years old, this was His last Passover before adulthood. 2:43-45 Joseph and Mary went a day s journey before worrying about Jesus because they assumed He was with the traveling party. It was completely out of character (see v. 51) for Him not to obey them in every respect. 2:46-47 Three days included one day traveling from Jerusalem, one coming back, and the third searching for Jesus in the city. The teachers were rabbis who were scholars of the Mosaic law. It was highly unusual for a boy to be welcomed by a group of rabbis, much less amaze them with brilliant scriptural understanding. 2:48-50 Joseph and Mary did not understand that Jesus was referring to His heavenly Father (My Father s house; i.e., the temple), whom He also had to obey even when such obedience entailed giving His parents concerns less priority. 2:51 The phrase kept all these things in her heart, like verse 19, implies that Mary herself was Luke s source for much of the unique material in chapters 1 and 2. 2:52 During the years in which Jesus lived in obedience to Joseph and Mary, He continually increased in wisdom (intellect and practical holiness), stature (growing to adult size), favor with God (spiritual closeness to the Father) and favor with people (social respect). Jesus wisdom was already noteworthy as a young boy, and the rabbis marveled at His understanding at age 12. His advancement would have been astounding by the time He began His ministry. 6 THE ARRIVAL LONG HOLLOW BAPTIST CHURCH