DD What A Strange Way To Save The World - · PDF fileyou ponder the wonders of God and the new...
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1 “What A Strange Way To Save The World” Luke 2:8-20 Message by Michael J. Barnard December 27, 2015 Lesson Aim: To understand the significance of the angel’s visit to the shepherds watching the temple flock. To see the relationship between the sheep being prepared for sacrifice and the birth of the real “Lamb of God”. To understand God gave us the greatest Christmas “Gift” ever on that first Christmas Day. DIGGING DEEPER INTO GOD’S WORD (BIBLE STUDY) Part I: An unexpected nighttime meeting with an angel (Luke 2:8-12) 1. Using verse 8, many have tried to teach that the birth of Christ could not have happened in December, why? Do we know the exact date of the birth of Christ? If the shepherds were watching the sheep being prepared for the daily sacrifice at the temple,would they have the sheep in the fields only during the warm months of the year or during every month? 2. What was it that startled the shepherds in the darkness of night (vs. 9)? What was “the glory of the Lord” and what do you think it might have looked like? How did the visible manifestation of the glory of God and appearance of the angel affect the shepherds? Is fear a common response when people come into the presence of the holy? If so, why do people react this way? (See Matt. 17:5-8; Luke 1:12; 29) Have you ever experienced “the fear of the LORD” in your life? If so, how did it affect your behavior? 3. How does the angel respond to the fear of the shepherds (vs. 10)? What message for the ages does this unnamed angel bring to the shepherds (vv. 10-11) According to verse 10, was this promise for the Jews only or for everyone? 4. Two different cities are called “the city of David” in the Bible, what are they? Which city is referred to in verse 11? What three titles did the angel give to the Baby Jesus in verse 11? What can we learn about Jesus from each title?
Transcript of DD What A Strange Way To Save The World - · PDF fileyou ponder the wonders of God and the new...
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“WhatAStrangeWayToSaveTheWorld”Luke2:8-20
MessagebyMichaelJ.Barnard December27,2015LessonAim: Tounderstandthesignificanceoftheangel’svisittotheshepherdswatchingthetempleflock.Toseetherelationshipbetweenthesheepbeingpreparedforsacrificeandthebirthofthereal“LambofGod”. TounderstandGodgaveusthegreatestChristmas“Gift”everonthatfirstChristmasDay.
DIGGINGDEEPERINTOGOD’SWORD(BIBLESTUDY)PartI:Anunexpectednighttimemeetingwithanangel(Luke2:8-12)1. Using verse 8, many have tried to teach that the birth of Christ could not have happened in
December,why?DoweknowtheexactdateofthebirthofChrist?Iftheshepherdswerewatchingthe sheepbeingprepared for thedaily sacrifice at the temple,would theyhave the sheep in thefieldsonlyduringthewarmmonthsoftheyearorduringeverymonth?
2. Whatwasitthatstartledtheshepherdsinthedarknessofnight(vs.9)?Whatwas“thegloryofthe
Lord”andwhatdoyou think itmighthave looked like? Howdid thevisiblemanifestationof thegloryofGodandappearanceoftheangelaffecttheshepherds?Isfearacommonresponsewhenpeoplecomeintothepresenceoftheholy?Ifso,whydopeoplereactthisway?(SeeMatt.17:5-8;Luke1:12;29)Haveyoueverexperienced“thefearoftheLORD”inyourlife?Ifso,howdiditaffectyourbehavior?
3. Howdoestheangelrespondtothefearoftheshepherds(vs.10)?Whatmessagefortheagesdoes
thisunnamedangelbringtotheshepherds(vv.10-11)Accordingtoverse10,wasthispromisefortheJewsonlyorforeveryone?
4. Twodifferentcitiesarecalled“thecityofDavid”intheBible,whatarethey?Whichcityisreferredto
inverse11?WhatthreetitlesdidtheangelgivetotheBabyJesusinverse11?WhatcanwelearnaboutJesusfromeachtitle?
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5. Thesigngiveninverse12 isactuallytwofold,whatisit?Whatare“swaddlingcloths”andwhataretheyusedfor?Whatis“amanger”?WhywastheBabyJesuslayinginone?(SeeLuke1:7)WhatweretheJewsexpecting fromtheirMessiah? Accordingto Isaiah52:13-53:12,whatdidtheJewsmiss?
6. Whatcanwe learnaboutJesus’upcomingministry fromthehumblecircumstancessurroundingHis
birth?Whydoyouthinkthismessagewasgiventoshepherds?(SeeJohn10:1;1:29b)HowdidtheJewish religious leaders view shepherds during the days of Jesus? Where shepherds allowed totestifyinJewishcourts?Ifnot,why? WhodoesGodfirstreachoutto,theself-righteousreligiousleadersorthelowlyshepherds?
PartII:Heavenlyhostandthe“GloriainExcelsisDeo”(Luke2:13-14)1. Whatsuddenlyappearedto theshepherds thateveningalongsidewith“thegloryofGod” (vs.13)?
Whatisthemeaningoftheword,“host”?(SeeDictionary)Howdoesthistermrelatetotheangels?2. Althoughpeopletodayclaimtheangelsweresinging,doesScriptureindicatethis?Whatmessagedid
thearmyofangelsbringinverse14?Army’sareusuallyusedforwar,butwhatmessagedoesthisarmybring?(SeeMatt.25:31-33)
3. DidJesuscomeintotheworldtobring“peacetoallmen”,oronlytothosewhobygracethroughfaith
trustinHim(vs.14)?(SeeIsa.48:22;Matt.10:34-36)WhatkindofpeacedoesJesusoffer?(SeeRom.5:1,8-9)Whatistheonlywaywecanreceivethispeace?(SeeJohn3:16;Eph.2:8-9)
PartIII:TheshepherdsvisitthebabyJesusinBethlehem(Luke2:15-20)1. Whatdidtheshepherdsdoassoonastheheavenlyhostleft(vs.15)?Accordingtoverse15,didthey
believe themessage from the angel?Who should have been activelywaiting for theMessiah toarriveinBethlehem?(SeeMic.5:2;Matt.2:1-6)Whydidn’tthey?Doyouthinksomechurcheswillmisstherapture?Whyorwhynot?
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2. Whatcanwelearnabouttheexcitementoftheshepherdsfromverse16?AreyouexcitedtosharethegoodnewsofJesusChristwithothers? Whyorwhynot? Whenyougotochurch,doyougoexcitedlywiththeexpectationormeetingJesus,ordoyougobecauseyoufeellikeyouhaveto?
3. BethlehemwasasmalltowninthedaysofJesusandlikelyhadonlyoneinn.(See2:7)Doyouthink
theshepherdshadahard time finding theBaby Jesus,orwould ithavebeenprettyeasy to trackdown the newborn baby (vs. 16)? How did meeting Jesus change the lives of these “unclean”shepherds(vs.17)?HowhascomingtoChristchangedyourlife?
4. Shepherds were looked down upon by Jewish society and not even allowed to give testimony in
Jewishcourts. WhatgroupofpeopledidGodcall tobe the firsthumanevangelists following thebirth of Christ (vs. 17)? How are these lowly shepherds a picture of us today? (SeeRom. 3:10-12,23)
5. Accordingtoverse18,howmotivatedweretheshepherdstoshareChristwithothers?Howdidthe
peoplerespondtotheirmessage?DoyoushareChristfaithfullywithfamily,friendsandthepeopleyoucome intocontactwith? Ifnot,why? WhataresomestepsyoucantaketomoreeffectivelyshareJesuswithothers?
6. HowdidMaryrespondtohermeetingwiththeshepherdsandthenewstheybrought(vs.19)? Do
youponder thewondersofGodand thenew life that is availablebygrace through faith in JesusChrist?
7. Inwhatwayistheresponseoftheshepherds(vs.20)similartotheresponseoftheheavenlyhostin
verses13&14? Howistheresponsedifferent? DoyoupraiseandglorifyGodasyousharewithotherswhatGodhasdoneinyourlife?
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8. Why celebrate Christmas? WhatdoesthebirthofChristmeantoyoupersonally?(SeeIsa.7:14;9:6-7;Rom.3:21;5:1,8-9;10:9-11;John3:16)
9. HaveyoureceivedJesusChristasSaviorandLord?Ifnot,whynotreceivethegreatest“Gift”everby
repenting(changingdirection)fromyoursinandreceivingChristinprayerrightnow?MINER’SCORNER~Mannatoliveby!• Shepherdswereconsidered the lowlifesof Jewishsociety, theywere lookeddownuponasunclean,
unworthyeventotestifyinaJewishcourt.• It is significant that thebirthof“theLambOfGod”was firstannouncedto lowlyshepherdskeeping
watch over the sheep being prepared for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem; the lambswere apictureofwhatthebabyJesuswouldhavetodowhenHegrewup.
• Theangelbrought“goodnews”totheshepherdsthatinthecityofDavid(Bethlehem),aSaviorwhoisChristtheLordhadbeenborn.
• Upontheangel’sannouncement,aheavenlyhost(orarmy)appearedtoproclaimglorytoGodinthehighest(meaning,“glorytoGodinHeaven”).
• While the religious leaders of Israel should have been looking for theMessiah in Bethlehem, theyweren’t,itwasthelowlyshepherdswhosoughtandfoundHim.
• The greatest Christmas “Gift”ever is available to allwho receive JesusChrist as Savior and Lordbygracethroughfaith.(SeeJohn3:16;Eph.2:8-9)
