BIBLE STUDY BOOK OF LUKE WEEK # 1

A Christmas Bible Study "Good News of Great Joy:"

The Book of Luke

DATE:  (12/12/14)

WEEK # 1

 

Prayer:

We bow our head and heart to the Savior of the world.  In prayer at this moment we praise You. We come before You offering thanksgiving in our hearts.  Lord Jesus, our gift to You today is praises on high, for there is no other Savior we know. Thousands of years ago the heaven song in thunderous praises singing unto You. Today our hearts sing praises to You. Open the eyes of our hearts, minds, souls to receive what we need to live a life pleasing to You. The Gospel of Luke tells of the good news of great joy, and we want to learn more of that good news in this study.  Thank You, Lord, for answering our prayers. AMEN!

 

The Beginning Part (1)

 

Author: The author is not specifically identified in the book of Luke. This is true of most all of the historical books of the Bible. Early Christian writings of Justin Martyr (ca. 100-165) through Tertullian (born ca. 160) identify the author as Luke. Luke was a very educated man in his day and a physician. Colossians 4:10-14 seems to indicate that he was a Gentile. This would mean that Luke was the only Gentile author of a New Testament book.

Apparently, Luke was not an eyewitness to the events surrounding Jesus. Luke's Gospel narrative is the result of his efforts in analyzing the accounts of those who were eyewitnesses. It

is likely that Luke became a believer relatively late since there is no mention of him until his presence with Paul is noted in the "we" sections of another narrative he wrote – the book of Acts

(Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16). 1 You may recall that John Mark, the writer of the Gospel of Mark, spent time with Peter, whereas Luke spent time with Paul.

 

Date of Writing:

Sometime in the early to mid-A.D. 60's is the most accepted dating of this Gospel by most theologians. This dating is based upon a couple of major arguments:--An interpretation of Luke 19:41-44 and 21:20-24 that concludes that Jesus was predicting the fall of Jerusalem that occurred in A.D. 70; _ The sequel to Luke, i.e. the Book of Acts, does not record either Peter's death, Paul's death, or even the fall of Jerusalem. Both of these points lead to a conclusion by most theologians that Luke's Gospel was written prior to the fall of Jerusalem.

 

Recipients:

Luke was the only Gospel addressed to an individual, i.e. Theophilus (1:3) who was most likely a Gentile believer. Luke's Gospel was designed to reassure Theophilus that God was still at work accomplishing His purposes even among Gentiles even though the promises relating to Jesus' ministry were intimately connected to Israel. Jesus was preached to Gentiles so that they too could know the kingdom program of God and participate in the kingdom by accepting the offer of the kingdom.

 

 

Explore the Gospel: Luke

The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are the two parts of a work addressed to Theophilus (compare Luke 1:1-4 with Acts 1:1-2). The author of Acts apparently accompanied Paul on some of his journeys – note the "we" in Acts 16:10-17;20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1–28:16. A comparison of Acts with Paul's epistles indicates that Luke the physician was the author of Acts and the third gospel. Theophilus was frustrated. He was a wealthy man and had a responsible position in society. Others might have thought he "had it made." But Theophilus lived up to his name, which meant "lover of God." He was still looking for the truth. Although he was a Gentile, he was fascinated by the religion of the Jews. He had recently come into contact with an unusual sect, who on the one hand seemed to be Jewish, and yet were rejected and even hated by them. These people were known as Christians, after their leader, Christ. Something about Christ's radical teachings fascinated Theophilus. In spite of his education and position, he was at heart a humble man. Christ seemed also to have been humble, even though his followers claimed that he was God. Christ had been dead – executed as a criminal – several decades ago, but he was already a legend. His followers claimed he had worked miracles, walked on water, and had even raised the dead. He could easily have become rich and famous, but he chose to live and work among ordinary people. He considered everyone – even the lowliest outcasts and misfits – worthy of respect. But were these stories true? Christ and his revolutionary way of life fascinated the gentle Theophilus, but before he could commit himself to it he needed to know more.  But how?  Were Christ's devoted disciples, who even seemed ready to die for him, reliable? They were mostly uneducated. Some were even slaves! Were their stories to be trusted? Well, he did know someone he could trust. This man was a Christian, and an educated person like himself. He was known as Luke, the beloved physician. He had not known Christ personally, but he was a meticulous scholar. Luke, knowing that Theophilus needed a careful explanation of the factual basis for the Christian beliefs, sent him a carefully written manuscript. It began:

So many others have tried their hand at putting together a story of the wonderful harvest of Scripture and history that took place among us, using reports handed down by the original eyewitnesses who served this Word with their very lives. Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, I decided to write it out for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can know beyond the shadow of doubt the reliability of what you have been taught.  Fascinated, Theophilus settled down to study the manuscript – the first person to read what we now know as… The Gospel According to St. Luke.

Maybe this is not exactly the way it happened. But something like this prompted Luke, the "beloved physician" to put pen to papyrus and write a definitive account of the life of Jesus Christ. The result was a thoroughly researched and beautifully written narrative of what Jesus was like and what he did.

Luke's Gospel is not a dry theological treatise. He was excited by what he had discovered, and he wanted to share that excitement and joy with his readers. "Gospel" is an old English word meaning "good news." No one has conveyed that good news better than the "beloved physician."

What's in a name?

The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are the two parts of a work addressed to Theophilus (compare 1:1-4 with Acts 1:1-2). The author of Acts apparently accompanied Paul on some of his journeys – note the "we" in Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1 – 28:16. A comparison of Acts with Paul's epistles indicates that Luke the physician was the author of Acts and, hence, of the third Gospel. 

 

Outline of Luke

Luke tells the story of Jesus' life and ministry.

1.  The preparation (1:1–4:13)

 

The events preceding Jesus' ministry can be divided into three sections:

1:1-4 The prologue, where Luke explains his purpose in writing his gospel.

1:5–2:52 Jesus' birth and early years. Luke shows parallels between the annunciation and birth stories of John the Baptist and Jesus.

3:1–4:13 The ministry of John the Baptist and the preparation for Jesus' ministry, baptism and his victory over Satan.

 

2. Jesus' Public Ministry (4:14–21:38)

4:14–9:50 Jesus' ministry in Galilee: Preaching in the synagogues and performing miracles, which helped the people but began to bring him into conflict with the religious authorities.

9:51–19:27 "Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem" and is eventually welcomed triumphantly. Throughout this section, Luke mentions several times that Jesus is on a journey (9:52-53, 56; 10:1, 38; 13:22, 31-33; 14:25; 17:11, 18:31, 35; 19:1, 11, 28). (However, it is historically likely that Jesus made several trips back and forth from Galilee to Jerusalem; Luke presents it as a single journey to reflect the theological truth that he was destined to die in Jerusalem and he never wavered from his goal).

 

This section contains many parables unique to Luke's Gospel:

The good Samaritan (10:29-37)

The friend at midnight (11:5-8)

The rich fool (12:13-20)

The returning master (12:35-38)

The barren fig tree (13:6-9)

The wedding banquet (14:7-14),

The great banquet (14:15-24)

The lost coin (15:11-32)

The shrewd manager (16:1-9)

Lazarus and the rich man (16:19-31)

The unjust judge (18:1-8)

The Pharisee and the tax-collector (18:9-14).

 

3. Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem 19:28–21:38

His triumphant entry, a lamentation over the city (19:41-44)

The 'cleansing' of the Temple (19:41-48)

His teaching on "tribute to Caesar" and the temple tax (21:1-38)

His prophecy of the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem itself (21:1-38).

 

4. Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. 22:1–24:53

The passion narrative portrays Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. Luke includes three of Jesus' sayings on the cross not found in the other accounts (23:34, 43, 46), including a plea for God to forgive those who were crucifying him (23:34).

How to read this book:

In some ways, the best way to read Luke is to study it and Acts as a continuous work, written by the same author. For example, knowing how important the Holy Spirit is to the story in Acts helps us appreciate its role before and at Jesus' birth (1:15, 35, 41, 67; 2:25-26) and in guiding his ministry (3:22; 4:1, 18).

Luke-Acts, as the work is called by scholars, has a more historical emphasis than the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John. As in the historical books of the Old Testament, God is the main character in Luke-Acts – his unseen hand guides events to fulfill his purpose. But Luke also places these events into "the context of world history. He connects it not only to the story of Israel but also to the larger oikoumene, the civilized world of Hellenism. Thus he alone of the evangelists provides chronological references for key events (see Luke 1:5; 2:1-2; 3:1-2; Acts 18:12)" (Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, Sacra Pagina series, vol. 3, pp. 5-6).

Luke, an educated man, wrote in very good Greek. Where the parallel accounts merely transliterate a Hebrew or Latin word, Luke often uses a Greek word instead. Luke explains to his largely gentile audience how God's promises to Israel in the Old Testament came to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and how the gentile mission came to be included in those promises.

Learning about Jesus Christ

Although Luke, like the other evangelists, acknowledges Jesus' divine status, he is careful to stress his humanity as well. Luke portrays the Jesus who entered history as a human being. Only Luke's record of Jesus' genealogy goes back to Adam (3:23-38). Only Luke records:

·         Jesus' circumcision (2:21)

·         His presentation at the temple (2:22-38)

·         His growth as a child (2:40)

·         His meeting at age 12 with the religious leaders in the temple (2:28-38)

·         His continued development "in wisdom and stature" (2:52). These precise details establish Jesus as a person in history.

·          

Luke again stresses the humanity of Jesus in his full account of the temptation scene (4:1-13). He also paints Jesus against the background of pious Judaism. He mentions Jesus' custom of attending synagogue on the Sabbath (4:14-16, 31, 44) and that he was frequently the guest of Pharisees (7:36; 14:1).

Luke tells us, "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16). Only Luke records Jesus praying at certain crucial periods in his life: at his baptism (3:21), before calling his disciples (6:12), before Peter's pivotal confession of Jesus as Christ (9:18) and before the transfiguration (9:28). These prayers highlight Jesus' human need to pray to God.

 

QUESTIONS/ANSWERS:

1. To whom is the gospel narrative, which begins in the form of a letter, addressed? Theophilus (Luke 1:3)

2. Who was the wife of Zacharias the priest?

Elizabeth (Luke 1:5)

3. Where was Zacharias when the angel of the Lord appeared to him?

In the temple sanctuary, offering incense (Luke 1:8-12)

4. Which angel appeared to Zachariah when he was burning incense in the temple of the Lord?

Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:19)

5. What sign was given to Zachariah because he did not believe the words of the angel regarding the birth of his child?

Zachariah became mute till the words became true (Luke 1:20)

6. In what city was Mary when the angel Gabriel appeared to her to announce the birth of her child?

Nazareth, a city of Galilee (Luke 1:26)

7. How many months were there between the annunciation of the birth of John and that of Jesus?

6 months (Luke 1:26, 36)

8. What name did Zachariah and Elizabeth give to their child?

John (Luke 1:60, 63)

9. Who made the decree just before Jesus' birth, that everyone should register and take part in a census?

Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1)

10. What city is known as the city of David? Jerusalem

 

 

Questions:

1.  What nationality was Dr. Luke?

2.   As we know John Mark, the writer of the Gospel of Mark, spent time with Peter, who did Luke spend time with?

3.   Luke was the only Gospel addressed to an individual, who was it?

4.   Why do you suppose Dr. Luke mention several time of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem?

5.   Who was the religious authorities during Jesus' ministry?

6.   Name a few parables unique to Luke's Gospel.

7.   Explain the cleansing of the Temple.

8.   What is the best way to read the Gospel of Luke?

9.   Who is the main Character in the Gospel of Luke?

10. Why did Dr. Luke use Greek words instead of Hebrew or Latin words?

11.  Name some events in the Gospel of Luke that is not written in the other Gospel.

12. Only the Gospel of Luke records Jesus praying at certain crucial time, what are some of them?    

 

A Christmas Song:

1. O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

2. For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God, the King,
And peace to men on earth.

3. How silently, how silently,
The wondrous Gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

4. O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sins and enter in,
Be born to us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell:
Oh, come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!

QUIZ: Christmas

 

True-False

 _________  1.  Mary and Joseph traveled by donkey to Bethlehem.

 

_________  2.  Jesus was laid in a manger.

 

_________ 3.  The cattle kept Joseph and Mary company in the stable.

 

_________ 4.  The shepherds were told to follow a star.

 

_________ 5.  Angels told the shepherds of Jesus' birth.

 

_________ 6.  Three Wise Men visited Jesus.

 

_________ 7.  The Wise Men found Jesus in a house.

 

_________ 8.  The Angels Sang, "Glory to God in the Highest."

 

_________ 9.  The Wise Men were kings who rode on camels

 

_________ 10. Herod wanted to find Jesus to worship Him.

 

_________ 11. The Wise Men presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Reading the book of Luke: Chapters 1-24   (optional)

Week 1                        Luke 1-3

Luke 1:1-45   Introduction, Birth of John the Baptist and Birth of Jesus foretold

Luke 1:46-2:7   Mary's Song, Birth of John the Baptist and Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:8-52   Shepherds and Angles, Jesus Presented in the Temple, the Boy Jesus at the Temple

Luke 3:1-38   John the Baptist Prepares the Way, the Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus

 

 

 

Personal reflection question: Are there ever times in your own life when, like Mary, you do not understand what Jesus is asking of you?

 

 

BIBLE STUDY BOOK OF LUKE (INTRODUCTION)

A Christmas Bible Study "Good News of Great Joy:"

The Book of Luke

DATE:  (12/05/14 -1/16/15)

 

Prayer:

Father God, we give You glory, honor, and we praise You for all You did through Your Son Jesus, and we ask for Your help in learning of You and our Savior, and to live with hope, and be filled with joy and peace this holiday season as we study on the birth of Your precious child Jesus. Bless each one of us with knowledge, understanding and wisdom of our Savior's birth this season, and bless us to know that Jesus is the reason for the season. Thank You Holy Spirit for all Your help as we study, and as we live a life to please our Father in Heaven. Please fill us with that joy and peace in the power of the Holy Spirit that (Ro 15:13) speak of, in Jesus name, amen.  Bless each member of this community with joy and peace this holiday season, bless their families,  provide their needs to be meet, protect them as they travel to visit family and friends during this holiday season. Bring family together and closer to one another this season. Thank You that the joy of knowing our Lord is our strength, and we shall live by this all year long. We pray this prayer in Jesus' precious Name; Amen.

 

 

Introduction

What is Christmas without the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? He is the true meaning behind the reason we celebrate this special occasion; it may not be the exact date, but it happen. You can read the biblical account yourself.  What follows is the passage from Luke chapters 1:26-2:40 from The Book of Luke. This is an important question concerning the study of Luke. How can we better know and follow Jesus Christ? Master the facts and implications of his earthly life and mission. That is how the first disciples gradually were dispelled of their wrong notions and came to see who Jesus of Nazareth really was—a divine Messiah, the Son of God, the universal Savior. They left behind historical records of his life. You have chosen to study the most comprehensive record of that life, Luke's good news of new hope and new joy.

 

Luke 1:26-2:40 (KJV)

 

Luke 1:26-80

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth ²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. ²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. ³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. ³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. ³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. ³⁴ Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? ³⁵ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. ³⁶ And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing shall be impossible. ³⁸ And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. ³⁹ And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; ⁴⁰ And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. ⁴¹ And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: ⁴² And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. ⁴³ And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. ⁴⁶ And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, ⁴⁷ And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. ⁴⁸ For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. ⁴⁹ For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. ⁵² He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. ⁵³ He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. ⁵⁴ He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; ⁵⁵ As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. ⁵⁶ And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. ⁵⁷ Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. ⁵⁸ And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. ⁶⁰ And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. ⁶¹ And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. ⁶² And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. ⁶³ And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. ⁶⁴ And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. ⁶⁵ And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. ⁶⁶ And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. ⁶⁷ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, ⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, ⁶⁹ And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; ⁷⁰ As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: ⁷¹ That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; ⁷² To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; ⁷³ The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, ⁷⁴ That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, ⁷⁵ In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. ⁷⁶ And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; ⁷⁷ To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, ⁷⁸ Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, ⁷⁹ To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. ⁸⁰ And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. 

 

Luke 2:1-40

2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. ² (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) ³ And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) ⁵ To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. ⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. ⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. ¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ¹⁵ And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. ¹⁶ And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. ²¹ And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ²² And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; ²³ (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) ²⁴ And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. ²⁵ And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. ²⁶ And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷ And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, ²⁸ Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, ²⁹ Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: ³⁰ For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, ³¹ Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;³² A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. ³³ And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; ³⁵ (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. ³⁶ And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷ And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.³⁸ And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. ³⁹ And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

 

 

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and The Government shall be upon His Shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty GOD, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His Government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:6-7).

 

Luke is a unique book: It records the following……………….

 

His Birth, Childhood, Early Ministry - Chapters 1:1-4:13
His Ministry in Galilee - Chapters 4:14-9:50
His Journey to Jerusalem, Ministry - Chapters 9:51-21:38
His Rejection and Death - Chapters 22:1-23:56
His Resurrection and Ascension - Chapter 24:1-53

 

Good News of great joy is words that have been said many, many of years.  But, let's look at it in a different way this year. Jesus is good news, and he brings great joy to the whole world, even today. Let's not lose our great joy through the views of the world. To the world, it's about money and presents just that one day, but our joy will last forever, if we accept this Good News as the Hope of glory. Amen. Let's look at this season a different way this year!  Remember, Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

 

Galatians 4:1-7 King James Version (KJV)

4 Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differ nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; ² But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

³ Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

⁴ But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁵ To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ⁶ And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. ⁷ Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

 

 

There will be a prayer, questions about the entire book of Luke at the end of each week's study, a quiz, a Christmas song, a personal reflection question, and an optional to read the book of Luke while we study.

 

 

Table of Content:

 

I           The Beginning:  Part 1

II         The Beginning:   Part 2

III        Christ's Birth Announced to Mary: (Luke 1:1-4:13)

IV        Mary's Journey (Luke 1:39-56)

V         Roll Call:  Part 1

VI        Roll Call:  Part 2

VII      Jesus' Early Childhood/John The Baptist Ministry

VIII     Conclusion

 

 

The book of Luke is a Gospel that contains Narrative History, Genealogy, Sermons, Parables, and some Prophetic Oracles. The emphasis of Luke is Parables and contains more of them than any other Gospel (19 total). It is the third of the synoptic gospels. Luke, a doctor and a Greek Christian, wrote it circa 59-61 A.D. He accompanied Paul on mission journeys, as described in the book of Acts, which Luke also wrote. The key word in Luke is "Son of Man" which is used 80 times.

 

The key personalities of the book include Jesus Christ, His parents Mary and Joseph, the Twelve Disciples, John the Baptist, Herod the Great, Jewish religious leaders, and Pilate.

This book was written to record an accurate account "so that you may know the exact truth" (1:4), of the life of Jesus Christ as the perfect Savior of the world. He wrote to the Greeks to present Jesus in His perfect manhood as the "Son of Man," the Savior of all men.

 

•    In chapters 1-4, Luke writes a very detailed account of the birth of Jesus, a common Christmas story, yet always fascinating. He then explains John the Baptist's preparation of the coming Messiah, then Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, which transitions into Jesus' beginning ministry in Galilee.

•    Chapters 5-21 consist of the ministry of Jesus. As Jesus travels, He teaches, preaches, heals the sick, and brings hope to the desperate and discouraged. He was also seeking those who were obedient and faithful, such as the Roman Centurion who sincerely pleads with Jesus to heal his servant from a far distance, "just say the word, and my servant will be healed" (7:7). Jesus met many religious leaders who relentlessly opposed Him and constantly tried to trick and kill Him.

•    In chapters 22-24, one of His own (Judas) betrays Jesus. He was unlawfully convicted by a dishonest and hateful court, and sentenced to an excruciating death. However, death could not hold Him and after three days He resurrected and arose from the grave, just as He had miraculously raised others during His ministry.

 

We've just finished a study on the ministry of Jesus, but that OK; we can't study the ministry of Jesus too much, amen.  This study is focused mostly on the book of Luke, and what it has to offer concerning our Lord and Savior, his life, and those around Him at that time. Luke's gospel is unique! Let's get started with our Christmas Bible study.