The Jesus Story - The Christmas Story

Study #3

The Christmas Story

Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-20

Image: “The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Philippe de Champaigne (dated circa AD 1645)

Conversation

Starter

What are your favorite Christmas memories? What does Christmas mean to you and to others you know?

CONTEXT

Christmas started as a celebration of Christ’s birth. Retold in countless works of art and music, the Christ’s origin stories rank among the most famous in the Biblical canon. For many Christians, Christmas is the story of God becoming a man – the Creator stepping into creation, as the second person of the triune God adds a human nature to Himself. According to the Gospel of John (referring to this person as “the Word”), “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God… the Word became flesh and took up residence among us.” (John 1:1, 14) In Luke’s Gospel, the Christmas stories bring a different truth into focus. Luke begins his biography by narrating the conception stories of two great men: the first was John the Baptizer (the prophesied forerunner of God) and the second was Jesus. John’s role was to prepare the way for God to come to His people, similar to how forerunners traveled ahead of kings to prepare the way for them. John called people to repentance and readied them spiritually for the Messiah, eventually losing his head to the evil King Herod. Luke artfully arranges the conception stories of John and Jesus in parallel fashion to reveal that John would be great, but Jesus would be greater. Both men had great titles, both had great destinies, both were set apart to God by special means, both had miraculous conceptions – but in each case, the second child was greater. Luke’s account offers a profound answer to the classic Christmas carol, “What child is this?”

Scene I

A Miraculous Conception

Previously in Luke 1, God sent the angel Gabriel to Jerusalem to announce John the Baptist’s birth to his father, Zechariah, the Jewish priest and husband of Elizabeth. Now God dispatches Gabriel to Nazareth, a no-name rural small town, carrying an extraordinary message for an ordinary young woman.

1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. 30 So the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! 31 Listen: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”

What do you think this experience was like for Mary? What great favor did she receive from God?

The patriarch Jacob (renamed “Israel”) lived between 2000 - 1500 BC. In the Old Testament, Israel’s descendents were the people of God. He chose to make them His own, enter into a covenant relationship with them, reveal Himself to them, bless them, and through them, bring blessing to the world. David was Israel’s first great King and a man after God’s own heart – this same David famously slayed Israel’s mighty foe, the giant Goliath. He was a shepherd boy who was anointed king and ruled over the nation around 1000 BC. God also made a covenant with King David, saying, “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you… and I will establish his kingdom… I will be his father, and he will be my son… Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12-6, NIV)

What does this promise have to do with the angel's message for Mary? How would God relate to David’s son (the successor king)?

34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God. 36 “And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age—although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

What is the significance of Mary’s virginity in the story? What might the miraculous conceptions of John and Jesus reveal to the reader?

The Bible says that there is only one God, but that God is three persons. These persons are distinct from one another, but each person is fully God. Christians often refer to these persons as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the Christmas story, the Father is the “Most High” (verse 32). The Son becomes a man: the child conceived in Mary’s womb (verse 31). The Holy Spirit, independent of any natural process, exercises His pure creative power to bring about the life of the child (verse 35).

Aside from capturing Jesus’ role as King, in what fuller sense would Mary’s child “be called the Son of God”?

Scene II

Royal

Birth

After proceeding to tell the story of John the Baptist’s birth, Luke resumes his account of Jesus in chapter 2.

2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes. 2 This was the first registration, taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 Everyone went to his own town to be registered. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David.

Bethlehem, a small town in the hill country of Judah, was neither a large nor an important city. But it was the town that King David came from. The prophet Micah prophesied around 700 years prior that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem: “you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2, NIV).

What does Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem highlight about Jesus? What does it highlight about God?

5 He went to be registered with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him, and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

What do you find striking about this scene, given the child’s identity?

Scene III

Hero

Arises

Shepherds were typically among the lowly of society. The Christmas story cuts to nearby shepherds “keeping guard over their flock” – perhaps taking shifts on the night watch, looking out for predators or robbers.

8 Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: 11 Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”

What was the “good news” that God had done? How does the angelic army respond to it?

According to the angels, this savior is both Christ and Lord. “Christ” is the Greek version of the Hebrew word for “Messiah,” meaning “anointed one.” Kings were anointed with oil as a way to signify God’s calling of that man to kingship. For many Jews, the Messiah was an expected king from David’s line that would save God’s people, judge God’s enemies, and restore Israel as a kingdom. The title “Lord” refers to a master or ruler. Previously in Luke’s Gospel, “Lord” was used for God himself. When the angels called Jesus “Lord,” they put this newborn baby on the same level as God.

Who might you have expected the angels to visit with this news? What might this reveal to us?

What sign were the shepherds given? How would it help them?

2:15 When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. 17 When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds said. 19 But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. 20 So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

In what ways do you feel like the world needs salvation?

The Bible reveals that the hero born on Christmas day saves God’s people from all oppression, injustice, sickness, suffering, death, and hell itself. He liberates them from their slavery to sin and subjugation to the dark powers at work in this world – Satan and all demonic forces. This hero’s salvation is political, spiritual, and physical. Many believe he’s the Savior the world cries out for.

What if this is true? How would you feel if you believed this? How would your response compare to the angels and the shepherds?

Rich with profound lyrics, Christmas songs can powerfully express the joy inspired by the Christmas story. Now that you’ve experienced part of the story for yourself, take a moment to listen to this popular song with your deeper understanding.

Conclusion

What does this story teach about Jesus?

What does this story teach about us?

PREVIEW

The child born as the savior king grew up to be one of the most famous teachers in history. He is renowned for his moral lessons and his brilliant, creative teaching style. In the next story, an expert in Jewish law attempts to test Jesus by asking one of the most important questions anyone could ever ask. Jesus’ answers not only showcase his masterful ability as a teacher, but give readers a glimpse of Christ’s central ethic. While Jesus is popularly recognized for teaching love, what he taught about it was both challenging and provocative in his day. Perhaps his teaching would be no less controversial in ours. The following story offers a chance to experience Jesus as the great Jewish rabbi.

Questions

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The Jesus Story is brought to you by Christ Community Church of San Jose