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BibleProject Luke-Acts Series - Lesson 1

The Birth of Jesus (Luke 1-2) - BibleProject

In this lesson, you will gain an understanding of the events surrounding Jesus' birth as described in the Gospel of Luke. You will explore the humble beginnings of Jesus' life, which foreshadow the upside-down nature of his kingdom. The lesson covers the story of Zacharias, an old priest who receives a vision from an angel announcing the birth of his son, John. This account parallels the story of Abraham and Sarah, suggesting that God is about to do something significant for his people once again. The lesson then delves into the announcement of Jesus' birth to Mary and the role of the Holy Spirit in this miraculous event. Furthermore, you will learn about Mary's song, which highlights the social reversal that her son will bring, exalting the poor and humble. Finally, the lesson covers the circumstances of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem and the shepherds' encounter with angels, illustrating how God's kingdom is first revealed in dirty places among the poor, as Jesus comes to turn the world order upside down.
Taught by a Team
Taught by a Team
BibleProject Luke-Acts Series
Lesson 1
Watching Now
The Birth of Jesus (Luke 1-2) - BibleProject

I. Introduction to Luke's Gospel

A. Events surrounding Jesus' birth

B. Humble conditions foreshadowing Jesus' kingdom

II. Zacharias and the Angel's Message

A. Vision in the temple

B. Promise of a son, John

C. Parallel with Abraham and Sarah

III. Announcement of Jesus' Birth

A. Angel's message to Mary

B. Jesus as a King like David

C. The role of the Holy Spirit

IV. Mary's Song and the Social Reversal

A. Mary's change in social status

B. God's plan to exalt the poor and humble

V. Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem

A. Journey to Bethlehem for registration

B. Birth in an animal shelter

C. Shepherds' encounter with the angels


Lessons
Transcript
  • In this lesson, you learn about the events surrounding Jesus' birth in the Gospel of Luke, the humble beginnings that foreshadow his kingdom, and how his arrival signifies a world order turned upside down, exalting the poor and humble.
  • In this lesson, you gain insight into Jesus' ministry, his teachings on freedom and radical living, the appointment of his twelve disciples, and his role as the ultimate prophet, as portrayed in the Gospel of Luke.
  • Through Jesus' journey to Jerusalem, you learn how his teachings and parables challenge traditional values, create communities of love and forgiveness, and demonstrate God's mercy for all, even those who have strayed from the path.
  • Through Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, you'll discover his prophetic protest, arrest, and crucifixion, highlighting his innocence and unwavering love for humanity, as he ushers in a new future for Israel and all people.
  • In this lesson, you learn about Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension as depicted in Luke's Gospel, revealing the transformative power of his message and the necessity for a new understanding of his kingdom, ultimately setting the stage for the continuation of the story in the Book of Acts.
  • In the Book of Acts, you learn about the fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus, the significance of Pentecost, and the challenges faced by early followers of Jesus. As you explore the events and stories in Acts, you will gain insight into how Jesus' kingdom continued to grow despite persecution and adversity.
  • Through the stories of unexpected converts, Saul's transformation, and the formation of the church in Antioch, you'll learn how the Jesus movement expanded from a small group of Jewish followers to a multi-ethnic community spreading throughout the world.
  • By studying the Apostle Paul's life and travels, you'll gain insight into his dedication to spreading Jesus' message throughout the Roman Empire, despite facing opposition and hardship, and how his teachings transformed people's lives and created new communities of believers living under Jesus' rule.
  • This lesson explores Paul's journey to Jerusalem and Rome, where he faced trials and imprisonment but continued to spread the good news of Jesus' kingdom. You will gain insight into the transformation of Saul into Paul, his mission to unify diverse communities, and the open-ended conclusion of Acts, which invites participation in the ongoing growth of Jesus' kingdom.
BP160-01 - The Birth of Jesus (Luke 1-2) The Gospel of Luke Luke investigated many of the earliest eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus and then composed this account. And the story begins up in the hills of Jerusalem. The place where Israel's ancient prophets said that God himself would come one day to establish His Kingdom over all the earth. In this city is the temple run by the priests and one of them, named Zacharias, was working in the temple when he had a vision that freaks him out. An angel appears and says that he and his wife will have a son. What's this all about? Well Zacharias and his wife were told are very old. They've never been able to have children. And Luke's setting up a parallel here, with Abraham and Sarah, the great ancestors of Israel because they too were very old and could never have kids. Yet God gave them a son - Isaac which is how the whole story of Israel began. And so Luke's implying here that God's about to do something that significant for this people, once again. The angel tells Zacharias to name the son John and then he says that this son's going to fulfill a promise of Israel's ancient prophets that somebody would come one day to prepare Israel to meet their God when He arrived to rule in Jerusalem because right now, Jerusalem is ruled by the Romans. Yes, specifically, it's governed by a man named Herod who's a puppet king under the Roman Empire. And so the Jewish people wanted nothing more than to be free and govern themselves in their own land. So this is shocking news. Everything's going to change. God's on His way. But how is he going to arrive? Well to find out, Luke takes us out of Jerusalem and then up into a a small town in the hills of an out of the way region called Galilee. There we find a young woman named Mariam or we call her, Mary. She was engaged to be married and then an angel appears to Mary saying that she's going to have a son. She's supposed to name Him, Jesus, which in Hebrew means, the Lord saves. And He will be a King like David who will rule over God's people forever. And then Mary asks, "Okay, well, how is this possible because I'm a virgin?" And she's told that the same Holy Spirit that brought life and light out of darkness in Genesis, Chapter 1, is going to generate life inside her womb. God is about to bind Himself to humanity through the conception and the birth of the Messiah. And so Mary, goes from some back woods no name girl to the future mother of the King. Exactly. In fact, sings a song about how this reversal of her own social status points to a greater upheaval to come. Through her Son, God's going to bring down rulers from their thrones and exalt the poor and the humble. He's going to turn the whole world order upside down. So, when Mary was really pregnant, she and her fiancé, Jospeh, had to go down to Bethlehem. There was a decree across the Roman Empire about new taxes. And so everybody had to go get registered in the town of their family line. There was so many visitors in Bethlehem. They can't find a guest room. And so the only place they can find, is a spot where animals sleep. Now, nearby, were some shepherds with their flocks. And an angel appears, which, of course, freaks them out. But, they're to celebrate because tonight in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born. They're told to go and find this baby. And they'll know that it's the Messiah because He's going to be wrapped up and laying in a grimy feeding trough. Then these shepherds, who aren't very clean themselves, they go and find the newborn Jesus, in this really dingy place and their minds are blown. They go home wondering, 'What on Earth is about to happen?' And this is all really strange. I mean, if God's really coming to save the world, this isn't how you would expect Him to arrive. Born in an animal shelter to a teenage girl, celebrated by no-name shepherds. Exactly! I mean, everything is backwards in Luke's story and that's the point. He is showing how God's Kingdom was first revealed in these dirty places, among the poor because Jesus is here to bring salvation by turning our world order upside down.