BIBLE FELLOWSHIP TEACHING PLAN
THE PEOPLE WHO MISSED CHRISTMAS
THE TOWNSPEOPLE: TOO INDIFFERENT (LUKE 2:8-20)
& THE PRIESTS: TOO RELIGIOUS (MATT. 2:4-8)
DECEMBER 20, 2015
C A LVA R Y
LUKE 2:8-20; MATTHEW 2:4-8
DECEMBER 20, 2015
P R E PA R AT I O N > Spend the week reading through and studying Luke 2:820; Matthew 2:4-8. Consult the commentary provided and
any additional study tools (such as a concordance or Bible
dictionary) to enhance your preparation.
> Determine which discussion points and questions will work
best with your group.
> Pray for Pastor Rob, the upcoming group meeting, your
teaching, your group members, and their receptivity to the
study.
HIGHLIGHTS
In Luke 2 we find a contrast between
the shepherds who came to see Jesus and the townspeople
who were indifferent to the birth of the anticipated Messiah.
In Matthew 2, the religious leaders were so concerned with
their feasts, festivals, ceremonies, washings, rituals, rites,
politics, and positions that they missed the first Christmas.
B IBLICAL EMPHASIS:
TEACHING AIM: This lesson covers two sermons. For the first
sermon—Apathy is a dangerous recipe for spiritual disaster,
but God warms our hearts and moves our faith to respond to
Him in love and obedience. For the second—As 21st century
Christians, we need to know the dangers religious activities
pose and learn how to remain vibrant and alive in our spiritual
life while using these religious activities to encourage spiritual
development.
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TEACHING PLAN
T E AC H I NG PLAN DECEMBER 20, 2015
INTRODUCTION
As your group time begins, use this section to help get the conversation
going.
Notes:
1
What is one Christmas tradition you look forward
to every year at church?
2
hat is a Christmas activity that you could do
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without?
3
ith all the on-goings of the season, what are
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some things that help you focus on Christ? What
are some that draw your attention away from
Christ?
Traditions are one of the best parts of any holiday. It gives
you something dependable and reliable to look forward to
and commemorate the occasion. However, there are two
different reactions we can have as we celebrate traditions. We
can become apathetic of or dependent upon traditions. In
both extremes, we run the risk of missing Christmas. Apathy
causes us to move along without giving a second thought to
the real meaning of Christmas. For example, we sing the same
songs every year and have heard them so many times we forget
the precious truths they contain. On the other hand, we can
get so wrapped up in the traditions themselves we care more
about the tradition than the reason for it. Consider all the
Christmas pageants going on at churches and schools. If we
place too much energy on making a stellar product, we will
miss the reason we started doing the pageant in the first place.
Today we will consider the apathy of the townspeople and the
indifference of the priests.
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U N D E R S T A N D I N G
Unpack the biblical text to discover what Scripture says or means
about a particular topic.
> Have a volunteer read Luke 2:8-20.
°°What do you know about shepherds in Jesus’
time—including their responsibilities and
reputations?
Among the Gospel writers, only Luke included the report
concerning nearby shepherds. Shepherds represented common
people. Shepherding had changed from a family business, as in
David’s time (1 Sam. 16:11), to a despised occupation. Many
shepherds were accused of robbery and of using land they
had no right to use. Shepherding was also a lonely occupation,
particularly at night as a shepherd stood his watch, making
sure sleeping sheep did not wake up and wander. Furthermore,
the nature of the shepherds’ work meant they could be kept
out of the temple for religious ceremonies, because they were
often in contact with dead and unclean animals (see Lev. 11).
Only God, with His perfect purposes and love, would visit those
in such a low occupation and raise them up to be witnesses to
His salvation.
°°What do we learn about God’s character and
Jesus’ mission from the fact that these were the
people to whom God first revealed Jesus’ birth?
°°Shepherds were often kept out of the temple
because their work made them unclean. How are
we also unworthy, in and of ourselves, to be in the
presence of God? What does it tell us about Him
that, like the shepherds, we are allowed in?
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Notes:
T E AC H I NG PLAN DECEMBER 20, 2015
In verse 9, an angel of the Lord interrupted the quiet setting.
The glory of the Lord shone around the unsuspecting
shepherds. God’s glory represented the full weight of His
awesome presence in their midst. The brightness symbolized
the essence of God as He made Himself known to the shepherds.
The shepherds responded to the visitation as we might expect:
with terror. An extraordinary experience like this would likely
elicit fear from anyone.
°°What did the angel reveal to the shepherds? Why
was this “good news of great joy”?
°°What do we learn about Jesus from His titles in
verse 11?
The angel announced the content of the good news. It arrived
“today,” which signaled a new era in how God relates to sinful
humanity. The angel heralded the Savior. In that culture, people
usually thought of “saviors” as those who claimed to heal or to
rescue from danger. Jesus was able to save from sin, but He
was the promised anointed Christ, Lord of all the universe.
°°What effect did seeing the child have on the
shepherds (vv. 15-20)?
°°How did people respond when the shepherds told
them about the message they had received from
the angel concerning Jesus’ birth? Does it surprise
you that they did not go to see Jesus?
The shepherds’ encounter with God’s presence demanded not
only a response of praise and awe, but also one of obedience.
For the first time after His birth, people testified to the good
news of God in Christ. The shepherds’ message amazed those
who heard it. Amazement refers to “surprise” or “awe.” But
for all that wonder, we have no biblical record of any of the
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Notes:
T E AC H I NG PLAN DECEMBER 20, 2015
townspeople seeking Jesus out after hearing the shepherds’
message. Sometimes we miss great works of God because we
simply don’t pay attention—or we don’t care.
°°Read 1 John 2:10-12. Why do people fail to see the
real meaning of Christmas?
°°We talked about several ways to fight apathy
in our lives. Which is most helpful for you
personally? Why?
°°One of our church’s values is life transformation
over more information. How does that value
speak to the issue of apathy or indifference?
Whether they are lost in the consumerism or the endless
number of “good” things that come with the season, people
miss the real meaning of Christmas because they simply do not
care to see it. People love Christmas, but few love the Savior it
celebrates. We fight our own apathy with authentic worship,
sincere fellowship, sacrificial service, vulnerable storytelling,
and sensitivity to the leading of God’s Spirit. Such disciplines
serve as arrows that lead us off the path of apathy.
> Have a volunteer read Matthew 2:4-8.
°°Another group of people who missed Christmas
was the priests. Who were the chief priests and
scribes? What function did they serve in Jewish
religious life?
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Notes:
T E AC H I NG PLAN DECEMBER 20, 2015
°°Why should they, of all people, have been
most excited about what was happening in
Bethlehem?
Notes:
The Jewish people, chief priests, and scribes were like a
combined Supreme Court and Senate, ruling over every aspect
of Jewish religious law and life. They maintained the temple
and studied the law. They were the experts on all manner of
religious custom and teaching, which is why, having heard the
news from the wise men, Herod sought them. Yet, notice that
after all that they must have heard from Herod, they did little
more than offer answers, and did no investigating of their own.
°°How did the priests’ religion keep them from
seeing the truth about Jesus? What is the
difference between man-centered worship and
Christ-centered worship?
°°With all the religious activity of the season, what
does it look like for us to seek God and worship
Him in the middle of the activity so we do not
miss the purpose behind it?
°°Another of our church’s values is lifestyle worship
over Sunday experience. How does that value
speak to the issue of being too religious?
The priests missed the first Christmas because they were too
wrapped up in their man-centered religion. They wanted a
religious experience that was more about them, their rules, and
their customs than the worship of God. Though we should not
avoid religious activity, we should avoid doing it for our sake
rather than God’s. During this season, make time to worship,
read your Bible, serve others, and seek the Lord daily. Without
regular connection to the Lord, it is incredibly difficult to see
Him in the middle of all the activity of the season.
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A P P L I C AT I O N Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage
apply directly to their lives.
1
The townspeople heard about Jesus, but
the shepherds worshiped Him. What is the
difference between knowing about Jesus and
worshiping Him?
2
ho do you know who needs to hear about the
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real meaning of Christmas? How can you use
this season to share Christ with another person?
3
When has participating in religious activity kept
you from seeing the deeper meaning behind the
activity?
4
Of the reasons people miss Christmas—
busyness, anger, apathy, religious activity, and
indifference—which do you struggle with the
most? Why? How has this series shaped how
you deal with those issues in your own life?
P R AY
Pray that you would not miss Christmas this year. Ask for God
to continually put before you the birth, life, sacrificial death,
and resurrection of His Son. Praise Jesus for being Savior,
Lord, and Christ.
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FOLLOW UP
Midway through this week, send a follow-up email to your group with some or all of the following
information:
> Q
uestions to consider as they continue to
reflect on what they learned this week:
°°Where are you most tempted to be apathetic? How are you addressing those
temptations?
°°Do you have a friend or family member who is searching for something to bring
fulfillment? What can you say to point that person to Jesus as the only One
who is able to ultimately fulfill those needs and longings with Himself?
> A note of encouragement, following up on any specific
prayer requests mentioned during your group gathering.
> The challenge to memorize Luke 2:14.
> T
he text for next week’s study, so group members can read
it in anticipation of next weekend: Matthew 25:14-30.
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CO MME NTARY DECEMBER 20, 2015
LUKE 2:8-20
2:8. God chose a small group of humble shepherds to be
the first to hear about Christ’s nativity. That the earliest
witnesses included shepherds was most appropriate for the
birth of the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God. Too, these
shepherds were faithfully carrying out their duties, keeping
watch in the fields to protect their flock from predators of
the night. God rewarded their faithfulness by sending His
messenger to declare to them the birth of His Son.
Notes:
2:9. The shepherds likely were going about their usual routines
when the quiet night was shattered by the appearance of
an angel of the Lord. The angel is not identified by name.
The absence of a definite article (in Greek) separates the
identification of this messenger from “the angel of the
Lord” who is mentioned in the Old Testament and whom
some scholars believe to have been the pre-incarnate
Christ. (See Gen. 16:7-14; 22:11-18; Ex. 3:2; and Jdg. 6:1112.) The natural reaction of human beings to supernatural
appearances is fear. These shepherds were terrified as they
encountered the angelic messenger and were surrounded by
the “glory of the Lord,” by which the darkness was turned
into brilliant light. The phrase “glory of the Lord” refers to
the unique manifestation of God’s presence.
2:10. Quieting the shepherds’ fears, the angel declared his
purpose for being there. Far from doing them harm, the
messenger had come with good news of great joy. The
single word translated “I announce good news” is the verb
form of the same word from which we get “evangelism.”
The root word is “angelion,” meaning “message” or “news”,
from which we also derive “angel.” The good messenger
from heaven was bringing a good message! This news
would produce unspeakable joy in the hearts of those who
heard and received the One of whom the message spoke.
Such wonderful news is not for a select group of people,
but for all the people. Although the Jewish people believed
the Messiah was uniquely promised to them, God intended
His Son to be the Savior of the world. At the end of His
earthly ministry, Jesus would command His followers to
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make disciples of all people groups, every nationality, in
every part of the world (see Matt. 28:19-20).
2:11-12. The cause of celebration was the birth of the Savior,
who is Christ the Lord. Each phrase of this announcement
is important. Noting that the birth occurred in Bethlehem,
the city of David, this verse does more than identify a
location. It refers to the fulfillment of prophetic promise.
The three titles of Jesus are distinct, yet unified. He is the
Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah sent by God. He is
Lord of all creation. He saves us when we acknowledge who
He is and trust in Him as our Savior and God’s Son. In case
the shepherds had doubted the reality before them, the
angel offered a way for them to recognize this particular
baby. Their sign would be finding the child lying in a manger.
Undoubtedly, not many newborns would be sleeping in
stables that night, even in overcrowded Bethlehem.
Notes:
2:13. These heavenly declarations brought praise to God
and good news to the human race. No longer was the angel
alone, but without warning, a multitude of the heavenly
host appeared. The natural function of the heavenly choir
was to praise God. If believers are to become accustomed to
the roles they will have in heaven, they should spend more
time on earth praising God for the gracious gift of His Son.
2:14. Demonstrating what should be the joyous expression
of everyone who encounters the reality of Christ, the angels
filled the sky with worship as they gave glory to God in
the “highest heaven.” The term “highest heaven” described
the unique dwelling place of God, who at the same time,
is present in every part of the universe. The birth of the
Savior not only glorified God, but also made peace possible
on earth to people whom God favors. Luke used what
some have described as contrasting parallel expressions
to demonstrate God’s grace. God reached down to people.
Heaven touched the earth through Jesus. The glory of God
is the peace pact that He made in the sacrificial gift of His
Son.
2:15. No one should be able to hear the good news about
Jesus without wanting to meet Him personally. After
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the angels departed, the shepherds held counsel among
themselves about what to do. They agreed they should
go straight to Bethlehem. Nothing would delay or detour
them. They had to see this thing that had occurred. The
shepherds did not have any doubt about the validity of
this news. That the Lord had made known the birth of the
Christ was enough for them. For the shepherds, the term
“Lord” referred to God the Father. They would soon meet
the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Notes:
2:16-18. The shepherd’s reaction was one of haste. They
did not wait; they hurried to see the Son of God. We are
not told how the shepherds found the particular inn whose
stable housed the baby. We are explicitly told that they
found the family exactly where the angels had said. What
did the shepherds do at the sight of Jesus? Luke’s account
gives no clue. Most likely, they knelt in awe and worshiped
before Him. However, we do know exactly what they did
afterward: They reported the message. The message
included the angelic announcement and the miraculous
reality they had witnessed. The phrase “all who heard it”
perhaps included people from the inn. Those who heard
the shepherds’ witness were “amazed” at the witness of
the shepherds. The Greek word for “amazed” describes
“wonder” or “marvel.” The word portrays a positive, happy
reaction, not perplexity or doubt.
2:19. While everyone else continued to talk about the
events, Mary treasured in her heart everything that had
occurred. Each word of the witnesses was precious treasure,
and Mary gently placed each in the safekeeping of her heart.
This verse does not mean Mary decided to keep the news
of Jesus to herself, but that she valued all her experiences
related to Jesus. The mother of the Christ child pondered
the meaning of all she had been told and had experienced.
Meditating on them, she mulled the events over and over
in her mind. Her reaction was not the intellectual analysis
of an objective observer but rather the emotional response
of a mother whose life was devoted to the Son she had just
borne.
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2:20. Finally, the shepherds returned to caring for their
flocks. The spectacular happenings of the night did not
exempt them from their responsibilities, but gave new
meaning to their work. As they went home, they were
glorifying and praising God. The natural response of
anyone who has met Jesus is to magnify the Lord. After
seeing Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, the shepherds praised
God and shared the message they received. The good news
of the Savior is too important to keep to ourselves. Its joy
is to be shared with others.
Notes:
M AT T H E W 2 : 4 - 8 .
2:4. Herod summoned expert scribes to learn where the
OT said Messiah would be born. To this point the star had
guided the wise men near to Jesus, but now the witness of
the Scriptures was necessary before God caused the star
to reappear and pinpoint Messiah’s exact location. Thus
the value of biblical revelation was upheld even as new
revelations unfolded.
2:5-6. The chief priests and scribes (v. 3) knew Scripture
well enough to identify Bethlehem as Messiah’s birthplace
(Mic 5:2; Jn 7:42), but nevertheless they later opposed
His teachings. Knowledge of Scripture does not guarantee
that your heart is right with God. The priestly opposition
to Jesus is foreshadowed here by the fact that they made
no effort to go visit Him even as the magi undertook the
last leg of a long journey to do so. Micah 5:2 foretold
that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of a king, a ruler
who would shepherd... Israel. Although Micah said that
the promised prince would “rule” over Israel, Matthew’s
translation says that Messiah will “shepherd” Israel.
Matthew likely chose this word to reflect Micah’s use in 5:4
and thus show that the entirety of Mic 5 applies to Jesus.
This indicates that Jesus is eternal since Micah says “His
origin is from antiquity, from eternity.” Micah’s prophecy
also said that the shepherd’s “greatness will extend to the
ends of the earth.”
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2:7-8. Herod questioned the magi about the exact time of
the star’s appearance under the assumption that the star
first appeared at the time of the child’s birth. On the basis
of this date, he ordered the execution of all male children in
Bethlehem two years of age and under (2:16). This implies
that the magi’s journey was lengthy and involved great
sacrifice. Herod’s pretended desire to worship Messiah
highlights his deceitfulness.
Notes:
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