Luke 1

Study Guide 100: Luke 1:1-3:22 REBIRTH OF HOPE Overview Luke’ s Gospel provides many details about events associated with the birth of Jesus. In these first chapters we find: the birth of John the Baptist foretold; the birth of Jesus foretold; Mary’ s Magnificat (a hymn of praise); the birth of John the Baptist; the birth of Jesus; the witness of the shepherds; Jesus presented as an Infant at the temple; Jesus as a Boy visiting the temple; the ministry of John the Baptist. In providing all these details Luke showed us how important it is to establish for his Gentile readers that Christ was no ordinary man. The Gospel itself hinges on the fact that Jesus is the virgin-born Son of God. ELIJAH. The Old Testament closes with the promise that God will “ send you the Prophet Elijah” before “ the Lord comes” (Malachi 4:5). Luke reported that an angel told Zechariah, John’ s father, that the son to be born to him will “ go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). John’ s call and ministry authenticated Jesus as the Christ. VIRGIN BIRTH. Isaiah 7:14 established that the Messiah would be virgin born. Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, so that the Child Jesus was “ the Holy One” who must be identified as “ the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

Commentary Had there been newspapers in the Roman Empire almost 2,000 years ago, some of the headlines that month might have been: KING ARTAXUS NEAR DEATH GRAIN SHIPS DOCK, ROME RIOTS END NINE PIRATE SHIPS SUNK BY SIXTH FLEET ATHENS STUDENTS CLASH WITH POLICE OLYMPIC WRESTLER STILL IN COMA REPORT ANGELS SIGHTED IN JUDEA Such headlines look very much like the headlines in our newspapers today. For the world of the New Testament was a world very much like ours. There were wars. There was sickness. There was poverty and injustice. There were people who struggled to keep on living, living by habit long after they had lost any sense of purpose, meaning, or goal. It was a world like ours, populated with people like ours. But God had made preparations. God was about to burst into this world of men. Jesus was about to be born, and after His birth our world, despite all its poverty and injustice, wars and terrorists, has never been the same. The world that was. God has never desired the kind of world men have made. The Bible tells us that God worked carefully with men. Yet when “ He looked for justice, [He] saw bloodshed; for righteousness, [He] heard cries of distress” (Isaiah 5:7). Even the people of Israel, who had been given God’ s laws and had been sent prophets to guide them, twisted life out of shape. The people of Israel were brothers, but in the passion of selfishness they too cheated one another, lied, and tried to use each other. Yet, the more life fell under the control of sin, the emptier life seemed, and the more frustrated people became (cf. Isaiah 59:1-21). So God judged the sin of His people. History records a series of defeats and years of foreign captivity. And then, though living in their own land, God’ s people were crushed under the weight of the Roman Empire. That empire extended over the whole of the Western world. Rome had brought world peace — but with peace came heavy taxes, armies of mercenaries stationed in every land, Roman culture and values, the gladiatorial games, slavery — and misery. There were still wars. There was still poverty and injustice. People still struggled to live, and kept on living by habit long after they had lost all sense of purpose or meaning in life. Not all the power of Rome, nor the progress of our modern technology, have been able to satisfy the basic need all people share to find life’ s meaning. Neither Rome nor computers have been able to break the bondage of sin that constantly expresses itself in individual life and society. But something unique was about to happen in an insignificant province in Rome’ s wide-spread empire. The birth of a Baby would do what no authority or invention of man could. One day that Babe, full grown, would say, “ I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). In the birth of Jesus, God acted decisively to bring new life to individuals and transformation to human cultures. In the person of Jesus, God has extended humanity an invitation to new life. To every person who lives by habit, with out direction or meaning or real hope — to you and me — Jesus’ birth offers a fresh newness, a life turned around and transformed by the power of God. This is what the Gospel of Luke is all about: a transformed life. In Luke Jesus is presented as the transformer, with a message of new life for all the world, and with a special message of newness for believers. As we study this exciting book, we and your group members will discover more and more of what it means to really live. You will learn and teach the how of that full life Jesus promises, and show how that promise can be fulfilled in our daily experiences. And this is something we all need to learn. Desperately. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT The “ headlines” at the beginning of this study guide reflect actual events that took place about the time Jesus was born. Share them. Then distribute the day’ s newspaper and ask group members to find similar modern headlines. Read these; then discuss: “ What difference has the birth of Jesus made to society? Why did Jesus say, ‘ I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’ ?” Then have each person write down three things that he or she associates with a “ full life.” Promise that during this study of Luke’ s Gospel you will find help to experience the fullness of life that Jesus came to give to you and me.

Responses to God’ s Involvement: Luke 1:1-80The Old Testament foretold the coming of a day when God would step into this world of darkness to bring light and hope. A Child would be born, a Son given (Isaiah 9:6), and that One would bear the name Immanuel, “ With us is God!” But the announcement that the time was at hand was met with varied reactions. Zechariah (Luke 1:5-25). Zechariah was a priest who lived in a little hillside town in Judea, except for the two weeks a year when his shift was on duty at the Jerusalem temple. It was during one of these weeks of duty that he was chosen by lot to enter the temple to burn the evening incense. Entering, Zechariah was jolted to see an angel of the Lord standing beside the incense altar! Quieting Zechariah’ s fears, the angel told him that his prayers had been answered, and his childless wife would have a son to be named John. Zechariah’ s response to this announcement was one of hesitation and doubt. “ How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Zechariah’ s doubt was based on his understanding of nature! He had failed to take God into account! How often we hesitate to believe for the same reason. Answer my prayer? “ Well, the way things normally work out. . . .” How wonderful that our God is not restricted to the usual, or bound by the merely natural. Our God is a God of the unusual, and the sooner we see God as He is, the more quickly our lives will be transformed. Certainly Zechariah should have seen the unusual in the angel’ s appearance. Not only was John’ s birth announcement supernatural, everything said about the baby marked him off from others. *John’ s person. John was to be one of God’ s great men, filled with the Holy Spirit and set apart from birth. *John’ s ministry. John was to turn many of his countrymen to God. The angel’ s reference to the “ spirit of Elijah” made it perfectly clear to anyone familiar with the Scriptures that this babe was to be the forerunner of the Messiah. John’ s birth announcement was at the same time an announcement that God was at last ready to act — God was about to intervene in the world of men! *John’ s significance. There was such a need for John’ s ministry! To prepare Israel for the Messiah he would be used by God to “ turn the hearts of . . . the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous” (Luke 1:17). How greatly such a ministry was needed is illustrated in John’ s later preaching (cf. Luke 3:1-20). There were many “ disobedient” in John’ s day, as in ours. Many were uncaring, defrauding others. Many used violence or brutality to extort, and lied for one another in court (cf. Luke 3:12-14). John was to face this world of sin, and to prepare the hearts of men for the forgiveness and the transformation that Jesus, who came after him, would bring. Knowing all this from the angel’ s announcement, Zechariah still hesitated. He still doubted. And because of his hesitation, the Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:19-20) announced that he would be unable to speak until the day of John’ s birth. After the months of silence, the day came. John was born. Zechariah’ s tongue was loosed, and he praised God. Mary (Luke 1:26-56). The Angel Gabriel had another announcement to make. Some months after he had spoken with Zechariah, Gabriel was sent to Nazareth, and there appeared to a young engaged woman named Mary. Like Zechariah, Mary was startled and upset at the angel’ s appearance and his greeting. But, reassuring Mary of God’ s love, the angel told her she would have a Son. This Child would be the “ Son of the Most High.” He would be of the Davidic line, and would be King over Israel, fulfilling the Old Testament covenant promises. In this one Person, Deity and humanity would be perfectly blended. In this one Person, all the promises of God and all the purposes of God for humankind would be fulfilled. Like Zechariah, Mary too blurted out a question. “ How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34) The angel’ s response echoed another Old Testament prophecy: “ A virgin shall bear a child, and you will call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). There was to be no human father. The power of the Holy Spirit was to supernaturally invest an ovum with the germ of life, and the Child to be born would be God the Son (Luke 1:35). To this explanation Mary had only one response. “ I belong to the Lord, body and soul, let it happen as you say” (Luke 1:38, PH). What a beautiful faith! Zechariah, godly and mature (Luke 1:5-6), had doubted the possibility of birth because of his age. This young girl, certainly still in her teens, never hesitated or doubted a supernatural birth, though she was single! There is a blessing for those of us who learn to believe in spite of doubt. There is blessing for those of us who respond as Mary did with perfect, childlike trust. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Have your group members read Luke 1:1-80 silently to decide which person, Zechariah or Mary, each feels he or she is more like. Then go around the circle, asking each to tell which person he or she chose, and what characteristic made him or her feel like the one chosen. You can continue this study by putting a T-shaped chart on the board, and listing comparisons and contrasts between Zechariah and Mary. Then summarize: “ What do we learn from each person’ s experience about our own walk with God?” Mary’ s faith-response is even more striking when we realize that, according to Old Testament Law, her pregnancy while still single might well be dealt with by stoning! And certainly her fiancé, who would know the child was not his, would hardly go through with the marriage. Yet all these things Mary was willing to trust God to work out! Instead of worry, joy filled Mary’ s heart. And her praise song, known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), was filled with praise for God and with a vivid awareness of His greatness and love. What was Mary’ s vision of God? [He] has done great things (Luke 1:49). Holy is His name (Luke 1:49). His mercy extends to those who fear Him (Luke 1:50). He has performed mighty deeds (Luke 1:51). [He] has lifted up the humble (Luke 1:52). He has filled the hungry (Luke 1:53). Mary knew God as a God of power and a God of concern, the One who cares enough for the humble and the hungry to reach down and to meet human need. Perhaps this helps to explain Mary’ s response to the Lord. She had a clear vision of who God is. She knew Him as a God who cares . . . who cares enough to act. May we each know God so well! LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Ask each group member to jot down three images that he or she has of what God is like. Then read Mary’ s Magnificat, and jot down her images of what God is like. Compare: How are the two visions of God alike? How do they differ?

The Birth of Hope: Luke 2:1-52Mary’ s faith was not misplaced. God sent His angel to Joseph too (Matthew 1:19-21), and that good man determined to complete the marriage contract. The two wed, but the marriage was not consummated until the birth of Jesus. The birth (Luke 2:1-7). As the time of Jesus’ birth approached, Caesar Augustus had declared an empire-wide census. So all the people of Palestine went to the towns of their births to be registered. This brought Joseph and Mary, both of whom were of Davidic lineage, to Bethlehem. Though in the late stages of her pregnancy, Mary probably rode a donkey along the dusty roads and waited in weariness as Joseph tried to find accommodations when they reached their destination. The inns were filled, but Joseph found a sheltered stable, possibly a cave behind an inn. There, in the most common of circumstances, to the simple sounds of animals shifting their weight and munching their straw and contentedly swishing their tails, Jesus was born. It was a strange unobtrusive birth. No doctors crowded around, no gilt couch held the laboring mother, no fine linens covered the Infant. In simplicity the Baby was born, the quiet was broken by His cries, and His exhausted mother, her labors ceased, wrapped Him in a cloth and lay back to sleep, resting Him beside her where He could sense her warmth and be comforted by it. We sometimes yearn for great and startling evidences of God’ s presence. “ Oh,” we think, “ if only I could see miracles now, as in Bible days. If only something great would happen to me!” How we long for the sensational. And how much we have to learn. For the greatest miracle of all, God’ s greatest work, was done in quietness and in the simplicity of daily life common to millions of men. A look at the stable, and we may well wonder: Do the great things God wants to do in us and for us bear the same stamp? The stamp and seal of commonness . . . of God’ s mighty, yet unobtrusive, work in the lives of women and of men? LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN What made Jesus’ birth special? Help your boys and girls make a “ surprise” card to show their moms and dads. Cut a sheet of construction paper as indicated in sketch. In the center (x) put a seal or picture of the Baby Jesus. Then fold down each flap, one at a time, placing on each a symbol or picture that tells us something special about Jesus’ birth. Your boys and girls can suggest special things: born in a manger, announced by angels, etc. You can also tell them other very special things. The Bible said He would be born in Bethlehem hundreds of years before the event (cf. Micah 5:2). The Bible also told ahead of time that God would be Jesus’ Father (Isaiah 7:14), and He would be the Son of God. The pictures and symbols (such as the Bible for prophecy) colored on each flap are clues to the “ surprise” inside. Let your boys and girls unfold the flaps one at a time, show and tell about what is pictured on each, letting parents “ guess” what the surprise is. Each flap reminds us that Jesus truly is special. No other child ever born into our world could possibly be pictured in the center of this surprise card. Shepherds and angels (Luke 2:8-20). While the manger was silent, the hills outside Bethlehem resounded with shouts of joy. Far away, where it would not be observed by the crowds, a heavenly celebration was taking place. Choirs of angels shook the air with joyful shout and song, and as though unable to contain the good news, an angel appeared in a brilliant ball of light to shepherds in those fields, crying, “ Good news. . . . Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you. . . . Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). But why to shepherds? Perhaps because shepherds would understand. The Saviour, now lying in the quiet manger, was to be the Lamb of God. And as the Lamb, He was destined to die for the sins of the world, to die for these very shepherds as their Saviour. So perhaps shepherds, who cared for the young lambs, who sat through cold dark nights in the fields to guard and protect their flocks, might understand the shepherd’ s heart of God the Father — might glimpse what it meant for Him to give His one Lamb for all. So as the hills throbbed and echoed with the remembered songs of joy, the shepherds left their sheep and hurried off to view God’ s Lamb. They found Him. And they told Mary and Joseph about the angelic visitation. Leaving, they told everyone who would listen what the angels had said about this Child. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN The shepherds praised God by telling others about the Good News the angels had told them. We can praise God and show love for Him the same way. Suggest to your boys and girls they show their “ surprise” cards to a friend who does not go to church. Use it to explain how special Jesus is, and that He was born to be our Saviour. Then let them select a friend or relative to send the card to. Younger children can get help from parents to write a note explaining the card, and why Jesus is the only Person it could possibly be about. Dedicated at the temple (Luke 2:21-38). Once more, before the years of silence during which Jesus would grow to adulthood in Nazareth, God gave the parents a special sign. On the eighth day of Jesus’ life on earth, the time for circumcision, Jesus was brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord. Every firstborn son was to be so presented, dedicated to God and to His service. And then the son was to be redeemed (purchased back) with a blood sacrifice. The Law commanded a young bull or a lamb for parents who could afford such an offering. But the poor were allowed to bring two young birds. Joseph and Mary offered only the sacrifice of the poor. But as they moved toward the altar they were met by Simeon, a man who had eagerly looked forward to the coming of the Saviour, and who had been shown by the Holy Spirit that this Child was the One! Simeon took the Baby Jesus in his arms and praised God. His praise was echoed by Anna, an 84-year-old woman who had served the Lord in the temple with prayer and praise, and who now told everyone in Jerusalem about Jesus, assuring them that the Saviour had been born. Jesus’ childhood (Luke 2:39-52). Only Luke mentioned Jesus’ childhood. He simply said that the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God. At age 12 Jesus went up to the temple, where He amazed the teachers of the Law by His understanding. But the most striking note is that afterward, Jesus “ went down to Nazareth with [His parents] and was obedient to them” (Luke 2:51). Though the Son of God, and far beyond His parents in understanding even as a Child, Jesus fulfilled the commandment that ordained, “ Honor your father and your mother.” And so Jesus grew physically and in wisdom, being appreciated by God and by others. All this Mary stored up in her heart. She must have watched her Son as He grew. She watched as He learned the carpenter’ s trade from Joseph, His earthly father. She watched as He moved in anonymity around the obscure town where the family was settled. She watched, and wondered. And waited. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN Let your boys and girls think of times when children think they know better than their parents, and tell what they might say. (For instance, “ It’ s bedtime” — “ But I’ m not sleepy!” “ Do your homework first” — “ I want to watch this TV show first.” “ Eat your vegetables” — “ I want dessert.” Etc.) Let them discuss: “ How often are parents right? How often are children right? What should boys and girls do when they are sure they are right and parents wrong?” Then tell the story of Jesus, who as the Son of God was wiser than His parents, but obeyed them because He wanted to please God and keep God’ s Word. How important for us to follow Jesus’ example, and honor our moms and dads.

The Baptist’ s Ministry: Luke 3:1-22Then the days of obscurity came to an end. It began with John, who broke out of the desert like an old-time prophet, boldly announcing God’ s Word and challenging his hearers to a complete change of heart. John’ s words were straightforward, and pierced to the heart of his hearers. He called them a brood of snakes. He warned them not to keep on trusting in their ancestry; their own hearts must be right with God. When they cried out, asking what they should do, John told them plainly, and in telling them John revealed the ways that they hated and hurt one another. John’ s message was simple. There must be a change in your hearts. God is about to act; judgment is coming. And you must have a new life! There must be forgiveness first, for there has always been sin. There must be baptism next, as a public sign of a choice to turn from sin (Luke 3:3). And then there must be a whole new lifestyle — a new life that is lived in harmony with God and with holiness, a new life that breaks completely with sin. And John had one other message. The Saviour-Messiah was coming. The One who would make all this possible was approaching. He would be here soon (Luke 3:16). And then Jesus did come. He stood in the waters and, by baptism, identified Himself with the people and with the stand for righteousness that this act symbolized. As He came up, God’ s voice was heard from heaven: “ You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.” And, being about 30 years old, Jesus began the work that was to bring the possibility of a truly new life to you and to me. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Return to the headlines from modern newspapers you may have looked at earlier. Now compare them with the needs and problems reflected in John’ s preaching (Luke 3:1-20). Jesus seeks to deal with them not by new legislation, but by bringing inner transformation and change.

Teaching Guide Prepare Pray now that during this series of studies in Luke your group members will experience more of the new life Jesus came to bring.

Explore

1. Share the New Testament “ headlines” given at the beginning of this study guide. Let group members find similar headlines in today’ s papers. Discuss: “ What difference has Jesus’ coming really made?” Raise the question about “ full life,” for individuals suggested in “ link-to-life” above.
2. Or look at the reactions of Zechariah and Mary to angelic announcements. Have your group members identify as “ more like” one or the other of the two. Go on to explore what we can learn from the experience of each. See “ link-to-life” above.

Expand

1. The concept that we have of who God is will be one key to our responsiveness to Him. Ask your group members to jot down three images that come to mind when someone speaks about “ God.” Then together study Mary’ s Magnificat to find her images of the Lord. Discuss: “ How are the images each jotted down like or unlike Mary’ s? What about Mary’ s view of God helped her to be so responsive to Him?”
2. Or examine the content of John the Baptist’ s preaching (Luke 3:1-20). Compare it with articles in one of today’ s newspapers. Then examine what John presents as the solution (e.g., an inner change of heart, repentance, linked to the coming Messiah who will baptize with the Holy Spirit). There may be little we can do about injustice in the world at large. But we can act now to let Jesus change our hearts and lives, and so purify our own corner of His world.

Apply The Book of Luke is about new life. Ask each to share what “ new life” means to him or her. Each can share either what he or she expects to experience through relationship with Jesus.