Lesson 3<\/p>\n
Jesus\u2019 Birth<\/p>\n
Luke 2:1-20<\/p>\n
Holding a new baby ranks right up near the top of one of the most exciting things that we can experience.\u00a0 Having a new granddaughter has once again made me think how miraculous birth truly is.\u00a0 To think that a new life has come into the world made in the image of God causes one to pause and give thanks to the Father who makes it all happen.<\/p>\n
When our own children were born we had no idea of the responsibility that we were taking on.\u00a0 They would have to be loved, nurtured, fed, clothed and the list goes own.\u00a0 I do not even remember if I thought about the impact that each would make on the world.\u00a0 Every person ever born affects those around him\/her for good or bad.\u00a0 All I know is that we wanted to enjoy the experience because, as all of us know, children grow up so fast.\u00a0 The one thing that I did take seriously was to make sure they grew up in church.\u00a0 Whether I was always a good example for them only eternity will tell the story, but I wanted to make sure that they knew Jesus.<\/p>\n
There is a birth of a different kind that takes place in the church or in the home.\u00a0 The Bible calls it new birth.\u00a0 It is no less important, and probably more so, than the physical birth of a child.\u00a0 It is a miracle when a person comes into the family of God by turning his\/her life over to Jesus as their Savior.\u00a0 Since every person comes into the family as a baby in Christ the same love and nurturing needs to take place in his\/her life.\u00a0 The feeding of a new believer consists of exposing him\/her to God\u2019s Word.\u00a0 The nurturing takes place as spiritual relationships are established through the body of believers.\u00a0 Without both a believer will not grow and may soon find himself or herself in a state of being spiritually malnourished.<\/p>\n
We will look at the most important birth in the history of mankind.\u00a0 God invaded earth and brought salvation to every man.\u00a0 It all begins with the culmination of God\u2019s plan as spelled out for us from Genesis 3:15 until the coming of Christ.<\/p>\n
Luke 2:1-3<\/p>\n
In Galatians 4:4 Paul says, \u201cWhen the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.\u201d\u00a0 God brought together at the appointed time the fulfillment of all the promises He had made since the Garden of Eden.\u00a0 Luke, along with Matthew, provides details of the events surrounding the birth of God\u2019s Son. Caesar Augustus, the favorite grandnephew of Julius Caesar was Emperor of the Roman Empire. His reign began in 27 BC after the murder of his uncle and the death of his arch rival Mark Anthony and lasted until 14 AD.\u00a0 Although not mentioned in Luke, Herod was then king of Judea.\u00a0 His reign ended in 4 BC.<\/p>\n
Another factor has to do with the prophecy given to Daniel 9:24-26.\u00a0 The angel, Gabriel, told him that the history of the Jews was to be completed in 490 years according to God\u2019s calendar. The time clock of God was said to begin when the decree was given to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.\u00a0 This occurred in 445 BC when King Artaxerses of Persia allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to carry out the rebuilding.<\/p>\n
The first 483 years came to a close the week of Christ\u2019s crucifixion which occurred in 27 AD or 33 AD, depending on the calendar used to determine the date.\u00a0 Taking all of the factors into consideration Jesus would have been born in 6 BC. \u00a0<\/p>\n
In that year the emperor issued a decree for all Roman citizens to return to the city of their ancestry.\u00a0 This census for the purpose of taxation took place while Quirinius was the governor of Syria.\u00a0 Although the dating of his governorship has been contested by commentators, Luke\u2019s gospel can be depended on for accuracy.\u00a0 Remember he had made careful research to gather all the facts of Christ\u2019s life. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke 2:4-5<\/p>\n
Because of the registration it was necessary for Joseph to leave Nazareth, his home town and return to the ancestral home of David in Bethlehem.\u00a0 Here again, the actions of a man, Caesar Augustus unwittingly brought about the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Micah 5:2 and used by Matthew in chapter 2 verses 4-6.\u00a0 Both of these passages indicate that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.\u00a0 Although Mary was not required to register she went up with Joseph.\u00a0 Luke seems to indicate that Joseph and Mary were still only engaged to be married at that time. Matthew, however, wrote that Joseph upon learning about Mary\u2019s condition took her as his wife. (Matt. 1:24)\u00a0 Luke may have written his gospel as he did because she remained a virgin until the birth of her Son.<\/p>\n
Luke 2:6-7<\/p>\n
Since Mary\u2019s time to deliver was so close, the couple remained in the city until she had the baby.\u00a0 It may have also taken a number of days to complete the registration because of the number of people who may have returned at the same time.\u00a0 Luke shows that this was a good possibility because there was no place for the couple to find adequate facilities.\u00a0 If Luke was right they would have needed separate quarters since they were not completely married.\u00a0 They found themselves in a cave like dwelling at the time of the birth of the Savior of the world.\u00a0 Even from the beginning there was not room for Him among His own people.\u00a0 He had to be wrapped up and placed in a borrowed animal feeding trough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke 2:8-9<\/p>\n
Following the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the scene switches to the fields on the outskirts of the city.\u00a0 There shepherds are watching over the flocks entrusted to them.\u00a0 Some have suggested that those sheep were the very ones kept for the sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem.\u00a0 While they were going about their job suddenly an angel appeared to them.\u00a0 Those men would have been rough individuals and unclean as far as the Law was concerned. They were the outcasts of society and would not have been welcomed in the Temple. It is strange that the angel would be sent to such men. When the angel appeared he was surrounded by God\u2019s Shekinah glory, which symbolizes the very presence of God. As would be expected they were terribly frightened by the scene.<\/p>\n
Luke 2:10-12<\/p>\n
Immediately the angel tried to calm the men down.\u00a0 He would have been used to the reaction he received so he told them that they had nothing to fear.\u00a0 They were given the reason not to be afraid.\u00a0 They were to be the recipients, maybe for the first time in their lives, of some good news.\u00a0 Not only would it be something they wanted to hear but it would bring joy to everyone who heard it.\u00a0 The news was that in Bethlehem a child had been born who was the:<\/p>\n
Lastly he gave the way they would be able to identify the baby.\u00a0 He would be the only one that would be wrapped in swaddling cloths, which like bandage strips, and lying in a feeding trough.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Luke 2:13-14<\/p>\n
Once the news had been given to the men by the one angel, then the sky was filled with a \u201cmultitude of heavenly host praising God.\u201d\u00a0 Their words were like an anthem exclaiming what God had done.\u00a0 They spoke the words that have rung down through the ages from that night,
\n\u201cGlory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.\u201d<\/p>\n
They spoke of peace.\u00a0 It certainly was not the kind in place at that time called Pax Romana, which came about because of the ruthlessness of the Roman Empire in stamping out any one who tried to cause trouble.\u00a0 It was the peace that comes to everyone who loves and trusts the Lord.\u00a0 It is not depended upon the circumstances of this world but the love and power of God.<\/p>\n
Like Mary and Elizabeth the peace comes to the one\u2019s who are the recipients of God\u2019s special favor, His grace.\u00a0 Only those who have are partakers of the grace of God will ever find peace and joy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke 2:15-16<\/p>\n
The expectation of the angel was not unwarranted.\u00a0 As soon as the angels had departed, the shepherds made the decision that they had to go and see the child.\u00a0 If He was important enough for God to send His messengers to them, the least they could do was to go and see the baby.\u00a0 They wasted no time.\u00a0 The Bible said, \u201cThey came in a hurry.\u201d\u00a0 Following the directions of the angel they made their way to Mary, Joseph and the baby who was in the manger, just as the angel had said.\u00a0 What a special time that had to be for the mother and father to hear from those lowly shepherds what God had told them.<\/p>\n
Luke 2:17-20<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s vernacular it might be said the men were pumped or on fire.\u00a0 They could not stop telling everyone they met what had happened to them. Their message struck a cord in the lives of all who heard the good news.\u00a0 It had to set the people to wondering if the child about whom the shepherds had spoken was actually the coming Messiah. While the people were thinking about what had been said, Mary also thought about what all that had had happened, not just that night but everything from the beginning, could mean.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the shepherds returned to the sheep full of excitement.\u00a0 They kept giving glory to God for everything that had occurred to them.\u00a0 Only a few people had been a part of that special night and they had been privileged to be among those who had received the message.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Like Ezra our priority in life is to know the truth found in God\u2019s word.\u00a0 For us that is not only the Old Testament but the good news provided for us by a man like Luke who was determined to share the complete and accurate account of Jesus to the church.\u00a0 Ezra went on to say that we are to practice what we have learned.\u00a0 We can be assured that what the shepherds experienced changed their lives forever.\u00a0 Finally we have the responsibility to teach the word to others that they might become mature disciples.\u00a0 We are to share with anyone who will listen to what God has done in our lives.\u00a0 The shepherds could not shut up because they had news too good to keep to themselves. Can we do less, since we have the whole counsel of God to tell the world about?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Additional Notes:<\/p>\n
RT-Isn\u2019t it just like God to be concerned with the smallest detail when He manifests Himself. Take for example the appearance of the angel announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. Just imagine what would have happened to those poor men, who were terrified upon seeing one angel, if the multitude of the heavenly host had suddenly appeared with the first one. They would have been so frightened and overwhelmed that they probably would have missed the message of the good news that \u201cA Savior, who is Christ the Lord\u201d had been born in Bethlehem. Think about it.\u00a0 Is big and spectacular always the best way to share the good news? There is a place for it, but is also a time from the simple.\u00a0 In comparison to all of the heavenly hosts one angel, with a simple presentation, brought the good news that night.\u00a0 God announced the birth of His Son in His own way. (Luke 2:8-14)<\/p>\n
RT-Sometimes it is the small bits of good news, that if all of them are taken together, bring great joy, but when seen as isolated events would make no impact at all. (Luke 2:10)<\/p>\n
RT-When we hear the news of Christ, we are immediately faced with decisions. Do we turn away to the same kind of life we have been living or do we actually come into His presence as changed people?\u00a0 The shepherds set the example for us in their response to the appearance of the angel and then the multitude of heavenly hosts.<\/p>\n
No one who comes to the Son with an open heart and mind is ever the same again.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Luke 2:15-20)<\/p>\n
RT-At the beginning of His life there was no room for Him in the inn at Bethlehem.\u00a0 As Jesus faced the cross, He was despised and rejected by men. At that point that there was no room for Him, at the end of His life, in the world He created. (Luke 2:17; Is.53:3)<\/p>\n
RT-The will of God is believing in Jesus where you are in what you are doing.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Luke 2:4-7, 20; John 6:38-40; Acts 16:25)<\/p>\n
GC-Those who have seen the Savior of the world praise and glorify God for the opportunity of knowing Him. (Luke 2:20)<\/p>\n
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Lesson 3 Jesus\u2019 Birth Luke 2:1-20 Holding a new baby ranks right up near the top of one of the most exciting things that we can experience.\u00a0 Having a new granddaughter has once again made me think how miraculous birth truly is.\u00a0 To think that a new life has come into the world made in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-luke"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=198"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":200,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198\/revisions\/200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}