Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Adults

Listen to this week’s leader training podcast with Y Bonesteele, team leader for The Gospel Project for Adults, for a summary and guidance in leading your group.

This week’s additional resources for study and preparation:

• Sermon: “Christ the Lord—Part 1” by Alistair Begg  
• Sermon: “Christ the Lord—Part 2”  by Alistair Begg
• Article: “Have Yourself a Subversive Little Christmas” by Dave Harvey 
• Article: “When Christmas Expectations Are Ruined” by Ann Swindell

Transcript of Leader Training Podcast:

Hi, this is Y Bonesteele, team leader of The Gospel Project for Adults. Welcome to another Leader Training podcast. Today we start a new volume. Volume 7: The Son Has Come. We are in Unit 19, Session 1, The Birth. With the core passage of Luke 2:4-20 and with the key concept of: The good news is meant to be shared. I commend you all who have gone through a year and a half of the Old Testament. And for those just starting in the New Testament with us, I hope you will continue through the next cycle that starts up in the Old Testament again to study the full and rich events that point to the cross and the Messiah.

But today, we are in Luke 2. We have seen how Luke bridged the prophecies of a coming messenger in Malachi in the Old Testament to the events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist in the New Testament last week. Today we get to see more prophecies being fulfilled surrounding the birth of Jesus, the Messiah Himself, the Savior of the world.

Luke 2 verse 1 starts with a decree from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered, so everyone had to travel back to their hometown. Joseph, then, went from the town of Nazareth to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem in verse 4. We see the first prophecy fulfilled in this passage, One of the line of David. Both Joseph and Mary were descendants of David. The Gospel Project Commentary on page 9 states that God told David in 2 Samuel 7:12-13 that “I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” That prophecy speaks of Solomon, David’s son who built the temple, but also of the future son of David, a descendant, Jesus, who would be a forever king.

We also see that Joseph and Mary had their baby in Bethlehem. In Micah 5:2, Micah the prophet prophesied that “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel from me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.” The birth of a Savior coming from Bethlehem is another prophecy fulfilled about the Messiah.

Looking at the Christmas story, it is easy to breeze through it as some of us have heard this story many many times. But remind your group to look with new eyes and listen with new ears. Now Joseph and Mary were engaged, and she was pregnant. We don’t know when the wedding actually took place then. Maybe before they left, maybe in Bethlehem. And “while they were there,” in Bethlehem, “the time came for her to give birth” (verse 6). In the plays and movies, we always see a frantic arrival into Bethlehem as she is on the verge of giving birth. We actually don’t know that that is true. We don’t know how long they were in Bethlehem when she gave birth. Luke only states, “while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.” So then “she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger because no guest room was available.” Just a side note, the word for guest room, translated as “inn” in some versions, have given people different ways to look at the story. Joseph and Mary could have been in the bottom floor of the house or inn where certain animals slept, either with family or strangers. Guest room or inn are both possible translations. We simply know that there was no room available. The key point is that Jesus was laid in a manger, a humble beginning for the Son of God. And that same night, shepherds were watching their flock. Humble men watching over their sheep. Shepherds, who Jesus would later use as a metaphor for His disciples who would shepherd His people. They were protective and sacrificial, staying up at night to watch their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood before them. He wasn’t flying in the air like the children’s book. He stood before them. And the glory of the Lord shone around them. A bright light in the middle of the night, so of course they were terrified. Anyone would be. So the angel said, “Don’t be afraid.” And the angel’s words are analyzed well in the Gospel Project Commentary on page 13. “Good new of great joy”… “God’s rescue plan is now underway and it brings joy to those who hear it” based on the Greek word euangelion. “For all the people”… not just Israel, not just the priests, not just the righteous, but everyone who places their faith in Christ. “In the city of David”… as prophesied. “A Savior is born”… born in all His humanity yet completely divine, come to deliver God’s people . And “for you” for each one of us, peasant or king. “Who is the Messiah, the Lord”.. this is who you all have been waiting for, the Anointed One, chosen by God to be King. The sign? A baby wrapped in cloth lying in a manger. Page 14 of the Commentary states, “Glory wrapped in humility. This contrast was intentional. The Messiah was not coming in power to dominate but in meekness to serve.”

What can we see about the character of Jesus from his birth in a lowly stable? Jesus was fully human, born as a baby. But He was fully God, being the prophesied Savior and Lord. He was born in humility and lived in humility to be an example of humility for us. A humility that puts all others first before ourselves.

How would you have reacted to the angel’s message if you were one of the shepherds? Some will probably say the same as the shepherds’ response. Terrified, surprised, unsure, think that they were dreaming. It would have been a strange sight to see a shining angel talking to you.

Then we see in verse 13 that suddenly a large crowd of angels appeared, praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!” The birth of Jesus, the Savior, is ultimately about bringing glory to God and peace on earth. The angels proclaimed it for the shepherds to hear. And when they disappeared, there was only one response as the shepherds told each other, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They followed the sign given them. And they “hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby” just as the angel said. And their immediate response after that was to “report the message they were told about this child.” They probably repeated to others around that there was a “Savior born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” What must the people have thought of these shepherds reporting such things? Luke says “all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them” in verse 18. Of course, this amazement doesn’t always entail belief. It must’ve been more like bewilderment. But Mary, she was “treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.” She was approached by an angel, so was Joseph, and now these shepherds came proclaiming what the angels told them. She guarded, treasured, these things about her son and Savior in her heart, thinking, meditating, reflecting on all that she was able to understand. And the shepherds, after returning, probably to the fields and their sheep, they returned glorifying and praising God for everything they saw and heard. They knew how privileged they were to be spoken to by angels, to be able to see the newborn Savior. They knew they were given a special message and special insight to what was to come. They knew they were just shepherds, so they glorified God and praised Him for all that He had revealed to them.

What are different possible responses from those who hear the gospel? From the text, we see that the shepherds responded in action, following the sign and instructions of the angels, then they shared the news, and praised and glorified God. From all who heard the shepherds, their response was amazement. And from Mary, she treasured up all these things in her heart and meditated on them.

If we have received the gospel by faith, what should our following responsive actions be? The shepherds gave us a good example to follow. We respond in obedience, drawing near to Christ, sharing the good news of Christ to others, and praising and glorifying God for all He has done.

As the Christ Connection states: As prophesied in Scripture and proclaimed by an angel, Jesus, the Lord and the Messiah, was born in Bethlehem. The shepherds heard the gospel, shared it with others, and all were amazed.

On to the Group Experience, start with the icebreaker regarding sharing good news and the questions on page 26 of the Leader Guide. Transition into the Context, reminding the group that God’s plan was not “just starting,” it was continuing to play out as God had planned from the beginning. Recap highlighting any insights from the group and any observations about the key players in the passage. Display Pack Item 2: Jesus’s Early Years to point out geographically where Bethlehem and Nazareth was and the journey Joseph and Mary went on.

On to the Group Activity then, recreate the Venn Diagram on a board. Have someone read Luke 2:4-20. Go through the questions under Observe on page 27 of the Leader Guide: How many times does the word David appear? Answer is 3. “What would the significance of David be to the Jews at this time?” They knew that a Savior, an everlasting king would come from the line of David, their greatest king, as seen in 2 Samuel 7:13. “What might David’s name have meant to the shepherds?” They knew David was a shepherd before he was king and identified with that, and they knew David’s line would result in a Savior.  Briefly review 2 Sam. 7:8-16, 1 Sam. 16:11-13; and Ezek. 34:20-24, seeing David’s identity as a shepherd of sheep and God’s people. Then guide the group to go over the details of the angel’s message to the shepherds. If needed, use the four bullet points from page 13 of the Gospel Project Commentary or ask, “According to verse 10, what was the point of the message the angel delivered?” Focus on the words: “good new,” “of great joy,” “for all people,” and “Savior… Messiah… Lord.”  “What details in the angelic chorus’s message support the first angel’s point in verse 10?” Glory to God and peace on earth to people He favors.”

Then invite group members to call out ways the shepherds responded. They can look at their previous answers to the questions in their PSG. “How did the response of the shepherds reveal their faith and joy?” In the way that they shared the good news with everyone and they glorified and praised God for all of it.

Then dive into the Venn diagram, having the group list similarities and differences in the delivery of the message of Jesus by the angels, shepherds, and Luke. For example, under Luke’s circle, we understand that Luke and the angels and the shepherds, all shared the facts. They knew good news and shared goods news.  We know Luke’s purpose was so Theophilus and readers “may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed” as seen in Luke 1:4; he gave evidence of what was known. Under just the angels, then, the answer may be that the angels delivered a message directly from the Lord. He proclaimed a sign, for the shepherds to follow, to seek and find the baby wrapped tightly in cloth, lying in a manger. Under the shared space of angels and shepherds, answers can include that they shared the good news that the Messiah the Lord was born. Both glorified God as well. Under shepherds, they sought out the sign; they went to see the baby to see the evidence for themselves before sharing the good news with those who would hear.

Debrief with: “What were some emotions and motivations that surrounded the telling of Jesus’s birth?” The shepherds were fearful at first of the angels. The angels brought a message of joy. Those the shepherds told were amazed. Mary was reflective. And the shepherds were praising God, assuming there was joy and excitement there. “What does sharing the miraculous story of Jesus reveal about our faith?” That we believe it. That we trust it and it brings us joy and excitement. “What does a lack of sharing it reveal?” That we might not truly believe it or truly believe it’s good news. Or that we’re fearful or sharing.

Summarize, especially highlighting the key concept that the good news is meant to be shared.

Head into the Head, Heart, Hands section focusing on the Heart question if time is limited. Looking at how Jesus came into the world as a baby lying in a manger and how the angels approached lowly shepherds first with the good news, “How can we love others, both inside and outside the church, who seem lowly by worldly standards?” By seeing all people through God’s eyes, as made in the image of God, as valuable yet lost at the same time if they don’t know Jesus. By loving them by sharing the good news of Jesus and by sharing our resources with them. By sacrificing for others where needed as Christ sacrificed for us.

Point out Next Steps options for the week, go through prayer requests and praises, and if time permits, end praying through Psalm 132:11-12: “11 The Lord swore an oath to David, a promise he will not abandon: ‘I will set one of your offspring on your throne. 12 If your sons keep my covenant and my decrees that I will teach them, their sons will also sit on your throne forever.” We know this son of David that reigns forever as Jesus, our Lord.

Hey, thanks for joining me on another Leader Training podcast. Write me at [email protected] and hope you have a great group time!