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Luke2:8-20(ESV)–TheAngels’SongMainpoint:Goandsee;beatpeace.Openwithashortprayer,invitingGodtoteachus.Background:Thisisthethirdoffourancient“adventhymns”fromLuke’sgospelstoryofJesus’birth,accordingtoChristiantradition:
1.Mary’sMagnificat2.Zechariah’sblessingafterthebirthofhisson,JohntheBaptist3.theAngels’“Gloriainexcelsis”4.SongofSimeon
Focusofstudy:8Andinthesameregiontherewereshepherdsoutinthefield,keepingwatchovertheirflockbynight.9AndanangeloftheLordappearedtothem,andthegloryoftheLordshonearoundthem,andtheywerefilledwithgreatfear.10Andtheangelsaidtothem,“Fearnot,forbehold,Ibringyougoodnewsofgreatjoythatwillbeforallthepeople.11ForuntoyouisbornthisdayinthecityofDavidaSavior,whoisChristtheLord.12Andthiswillbeasignforyou:youwillfindababywrappedinswaddlingclothsandlyinginamanger.”13AndsuddenlytherewaswiththeangelamultitudeoftheheavenlyhostpraisingGodandsaying,14“GlorytoGodinthehighest,andonearthpeaceamongthosewithwhomheispleased!”15Whentheangelswentawayfromthemintoheaven,theshepherdssaidtooneanother,“LetusgoovertoBethlehemandseethisthingthathashappened,whichtheLordhasmadeknowntous.”16AndtheywentwithhasteandfoundMaryandJoseph,andthebabylyinginamanger.17Andwhentheysawit,theymadeknownthesayingthathadbeentoldthemconcerningthischild....20Andtheshepherdsreturned,glorifyingandpraisingGodforalltheyhadheardandseen,asithadbeentoldthem.Questions:
1. Herewehavesomeshepherdsoutinafield.Whatwereshepherdslikebackthen?What
wastheirjob?a. nosocialstanding;oneofthelowestclasses;menial,manuallaborb. probablynotverycleanor“presentable”c. theirjobwastowatchthesheep,24hoursaday.Toprotectthemfrom
predatorsandthieves.Sleptoutinthefield.2. Iwonderifyou’resurprisedthatthesearethepeoplethatfirstheardaboutJesus’birth?
Whymightitbesurprising?a. not“important”people!justlowlyworkers.Notkingsorpriests.
3. Whathappensonthisparticularnight?Iwonderwhatthatwouldhavebeenlike?
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a. Angelsappear!Scary,unexpected,incredible,crazy;“thegoryoftheLordshonearoundthem”–describethis!
b. v.9:theywerefilledwithfear4. Whatarethefirstwordsthattheangelsays?Whydoyouthinkthiswasthefirstthing?
a. v.10:Fearnot–reassurethem.Avisitfromanangelmightbeseenasterrifying,“whatdidwedonow??”
b. “Forbehold,Ibringyougoodnewsofgreatjoy,whichwillbeforallpeople.”–Whatarethe“big”wordshere?Whomdoesitapplyto?ALL,eventheselowlyshepherds.
c. Finishesthemessage[readit]“11ForuntoyouisbornthisdayinthecityofDavidaSavior,whoisChristtheLord.12Andthiswillbeasignforyou:youwillfindababywrappedinswaddlingclothsandlyinginamanger.”
5. Whathappensrightaftertheangelgivesthismessage?a. Almostliketheheavenscan’tcontainthemselves!Suddenlyawholehostof
angelsburstintosong–wow!Iwonderwhatthatwaslike!Ifoneangelterrifiedthem,whatmustthishavedonetothem??
6. Whatisarethetwopartstothesongthattheangelssing?a. v.14:GlorytoGodinthehighestb. andonearthpeaceamongthosewithwhomheispleased
i. Iwonderwhatthismessagesaystoyou?glory;Godoftheuniverseisdoingsomethingnewandamazinghereonearth;andtheprimarymessageforhumansispeace.
7. Whypeace?Betweenwho?a. Christ’smission:tobringpeacebetweenusandGod,andbetweenfellowhuman
beings,breakingdowndividingwalls.8. Whatdotheshepherdsdo?
a. Leavetheirjob,rushtoBethlehem,findthebabyandfamilyb. Toldotherpeople–“madeknown”c. Returnedtotheirlives,praisingGod–
9. Doyouthinktheywerechangedafterthis?How?WhenweseeJesusChristpersonally,withtheeyesofourheart,wecanbeatpeace–andwecantellothers.Itchangesusforever.
10. Askforanyprayerrequestsfortoday.11. Closeinprayer,namingpeopleandneedslisted.12. Endwithasong,e.g.,firstverseofAmazingGrace
