December 18, 2024
Big Book Idea
God with us.
And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
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 among those with whom he is pleased!”
1
2:14
Some manuscripts peace, good will among men
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
Luke was a physician (Col. 4:14) and a travel companion of the apostle Paul. He wrote this Gospel and its sequel, the book of Acts. The earliest possible date of Luke–Acts is immediately after the events that Luke recorded in Acts 28, which would have been c. A.D. 62. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to “Theophilus” (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1), about whom nothing more is known. Luke’s broader audience consisted primarily of Gentile Christians like Theophilus who had already “been taught” (Luke 1:4) about Jesus.
The gospel is for all, Jews and Gentiles alike, since Jesus is the promised one of God as prophesied in the OT and as seen in God’s saving activity in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The Christian traditions Luke’s readers have received are true; by believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, they will receive the promised Holy Spirit whom he gives to all who follow him.
Luke probably had several goals in writing: (1) to assure his readers of the truth of what they had been taught; (2) to help them understand how Israel’s rejection of Jesus and the Gentiles’ entrance into the kingdom of God are part of God’s plan; (3) to clarify that Jesus did not teach that his bodily return would come immediately but that there would be a period between his resurrection and his return; and (4) to emphasize that they need not fear any mere earthly power such as Rome.
The events in the book of Luke take place almost entirely within the vicinity of Palestine, an area extending roughly from Caesarea Philippi in the north to Beersheba in the south. During this time it was ruled by the Roman Empire. The opening chapters describe events surrounding Jesus’ birth in Judea, where Herod had been appointed king by the Romans. The closing chapters end with Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension during the rule of Pontius Pilate and the tetrarchs Antipas and Philip.
As the time drew near for Jesus to be born, a mandatory Roman registration made it necessary for Joseph to return to his ancestral home of Bethlehem. There Mary gave birth to Jesus, and later, wise men from the East came to worship him. The wise men’s recognition of a new king, however, troubled King Herod and the ruling establishment in Jerusalem, and Herod the Great sought to kill Jesus. Joseph and his family escaped to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died. When they returned to Palestine, they settled in the remote district of Galilee, where Jesus grew up in the village of Nazareth, to avoid the attention of the rulers in Jerusalem.
Joseph, whom the Bible describes as a “just man” (Matt. 1:19), was a descendant of David and a carpenter by trade. Betrothed to Mary when she was found to be with child, Joseph sought to show compassion and divorce her quietly, even though it looked like Mary had committed adultery. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, however, assuring him that Mary’s child was from the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20–21). Joseph trusted God and took Mary as his wife. He traveled with Mary to his ancestral home of Bethlehem, where she gave birth to Jesus. When Herod the Great sought to kill Jesus, Joseph took Mary and the child and escaped to Egypt (Matt. 2:13–18). Following Herod’s death, they returned to Palestine and settled in Nazareth. Joseph later fathered at least four other sons and at least two daughters. Since he is not mentioned in the incident related in Matt. 12:46, it is likely that Joseph died before Jesus began his ministry. (Matthew 1:19–21)
Luke 2:13 a multitude of the heavenly host. Thousands of angels.
Luke 2:14 peace. The peace of salvation that God gives through his Son (see note on John 14:27; also Isa. 9:6). among those with whom he is pleased. God’s gift of “peace” will come not to all humanity but to those whom God calls to himself.
The multitude of angels referenced in Luke 2:13 shows the importance of the birth of Jesus—by making a major upgrade to a Jewish tradition. When a child was born, local musicians would gather outside and welcome a baby into the world. The same was true for Jesus' birth, but he had ten thousand angels (literally, a multitude or crowd of the heavenly army) from heaven announcing his greatness. When the shepherds saw the multitude of angels, they immediately recognized the importance of this birth and dropped what they were doing to go see Him.
We may not have angels appearing to us on a regular basis to tell us God's commands and sing His praise, but it's still important to listen carefully to what God tells us and to obey Him. Sometimes it's all too easy to put off what God calls us to do and keep going about our day, but in Matthew 4:19, Jesus says, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then, Matthew records, "Immediately, they [Peter and Andrew] left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:20) The brothers wasted no time, but instead responded with haste, just as the shepherds did years earlier.
The Lord calls us to do the same by making Him our priority and by following His commands without delay. We often make excuses, ask for more signs, or even just ignore His calling. If the shepherds had done this in Luke 2:17, not nearly as many people would know the good news of Christ's birth. Thankfully, they took action, "And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child." (Luke 2:17)
We need to share the gospel today with the same eagerness that the shepherds had for sharing news of the birth of Jesus. Be ready to follow when He calls.
This month's memory verse
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
1. How can you be more like the shepherds in your day-to-day life?
2. People can sometimes ignore God's calling. What is one thing God has called you to do in the past week that you have put off? What does this passage motivate you to do in response?
3. How can you praise God through your actions like the angels in this passage?
4. What would be your response if you saw baby Jesus in a manger?
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