jesus’ birth - helwys_birth_tg.pdfbe reminded that god has always followed through on god’s...

Jesus’ Birth

Lesson 1Hushed by an Angel ........................................................3Luke 1:5-25

Lesson 2Just Say Yes ......................................................................8Luke 1:26-38

Lesson 3Leaping for Joy ..............................................................13Luke 1:39-56

Lesson 4It’s Your Turn to Carry the Baby ......................................18Luke 2:1-20

Lesson 5A Visit from the Sunrise on High ....................................23Luke 1:57-80

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prepare Before the SessionRead the session for today in the Study Guide. Then read the options in this Teaching

Guide, placing checkmarks beside the activities you plan to include. After you have decidedwhich options to use, gather the appropriate materials.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TEACHING GUIDE

This Teaching Guide has three purposes:➤ to give the teacher tools for focusing on the content of the session in the Study Guide.➤ to give the teacher additional Bible background information.➤ to give the teacher variety and choice in preparation.

The Teaching Guide includes two major components: Teacher Helps and Teacher Options.

Teacher Helps

Teacher Options

Find Relevance helps you zero in on why eachsession is important for theadults you teach.Seek Understandingpresents helful Bible Backgroundinformations and insights that will helpyou better understand the Scripture.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outlineof the main themes in theStudy Guide. My Teaching Plan is aconvenient place for you tomake notes for teaching thesession.

Offer Illustrations presents material that will help you painta picture of the session. This section often presents items fromchurch history, current events, or interesting anecdotes thathelp introduce the session.Discussion provides teaching activitiees that will help learnersdiscuss the Scripture text.Questions presents multiple collections of questions forvarious kinds of adults.Involve Learners helps learners become actively involvedwith the Scripture text for a particular session.Closure gives you a means for wrapping up the session.

You Can Choose!There is more material in each session than you can use, so choose the options from each sectionto tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Find RelevanceWhy do/should adults careabout this session? Have you

ever wondered exactly what it isthat we accomplish during inter-

cessory prayer? When we pray for those ofour faith community who are sick, do weexpect healing? When we pray for ourcommunity, do we count on change?When we pray for peace and the end ofworld hunger and international prioritiesthat make biblical sense, do we feel likethose are realistic hopes? Or perhaps youhave often wondered whether intercessoryprayer is anything more than just a timeof “Wouldn’t it be nice if...?” But we allknow better, don’t we?

If you put Zechariah and Elizabeth’snames together, what you end up with isthe affirmation that God remembersGod’s promises. And as you read thiscouple’s story, you realize that God alsofulfills those promises through people—ordinary humans! Zechariah andElizabeth raise John (meaning “God hasbeen gracious), who prepares the way forJesus (meaning “salvation”). True, thecouple is not told that everything hasbeen taken care of, but they are instructedto get ready. Namely, although they arenot given “salvation,” they are told towork toward it.

What if, in the middle of intercessoryprayer, an angel were to show up at yourdoorstep, and only after calming you

down, say something to the effect of,“God hasn’t forgotten, and God is goingto accomplish all God’s promises. Oh,and by the way, God’s going to do thatthrough you”? Such an announcement isbound to leave anyone dumbstruck.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? Luke’s Gospel begins by

alluding to the history of Israel.To be precise, Zechariah and

Elizabeth are described in such a way asto make any reader conjure up images ofthe old stories: Sarai and Abram, Rebeccaand Isaac, Rachel and Jacob. And continu-ing with Hannah and Elkanah, all thathas been funnels into the present andtime slows down: “From verses 5 to 13,the speed of the narrative slows fromyears to days to hours to the moment…”(Culpepper, 45).

As we continue to maneuver our waythrough the narrative, however, we movefrom a tight focus on a moment ofepiphany and begin to spiral back out.First there are the moments as the crowdawaits Zechariah’s return from the innersanctuary (v. 21-22). Then there are thedays as he finishes his time of service (v. 23). And of course, there are also themonths that Elizabeth is in seclusion (v. 24)(Culpepper, 47). The past that culminatedinto one pinnacle moment now tricklesout into an unknown future. And hope-fully, we will be able to enter that future

1Lesson Teaching Guide

HUSHED

BY AN ANGEL

Luke 1:5-25

with hope, because we have seen Godremain faithful and constant in the past.Yet, at the same time, we also enter thatfuture with fear, because we know that weplay a fundamental role in what thatfuture will entail.

ResourceR. Alan Culpepper, “The Gospel of Luke:Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections,” TheNew Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 9 (Nashville: AbingdonPress, 1995).

My Teaching Plan

Offer IllustrationsHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ Advertising and GodOpen a magazine—any magazine—and theodds are good that you’ll find one ofthose ads with the “before-and-after”pictures. The “before” portion of such aduo is intended to be suggestive of yourpast and is supposed to depress you,while the “after” picture represents yourpossible future and is supposed toimpress you. The advertisers want you toassociate their product with the quickestand easiest route to getting from yourpast to your future. Drink this, take that,use this…But what the ads don’t tell you,and should go without saying, is thatwhat makes the difference between thebefore and the after pictures—in other

Introduction: To place Zechariah andElizabeth into the history of Israel is tobe reminded that God has alwaysfollowed through on God’s promises.Likewise, we expect God to continue tobe faithful in fulfilling God’s promises.

I. Looking Around: As he officiates inthe inner sanctuary, we findZechariah in the Temple at the highpoint of his priestly career, but onlyat the starting point where otherthings are concerned.

II. Gabriel appears with the news thatZechariah and Elizabeth’s prayersare about to be answered.A. Their Personal Prayers for a Son B. The Prayers of Their Nation and

Their Faith for the Coming ofthe Messiah

C. Prayers They Don’t Even KnowAbout

III. Zechariah responds with doubt.

Conclusion: The passage we are goingto look at —which is also the passagethat introduces the entire Gospel ofLuke—will leave us anticipating the restof the story.

4 Lesson 1

words, the difference between your pastand your future—is what you get accomplished between the two.

God never plays games with us. Godnever suggests that God will take care of itall, or that all we have to do is take whatGod has to offer, escape our past, andembrace the future we’ve always wanted.God is not about selling a product. Goddoesn’t promise to meet our every desirein response to our belief. Granted, religionoften markets God this way, but it’s anutter misrepresentation. God wants us toknow that God has been constant in thepast and will be in the future, that whatmatters now are the choices and decisionswe make in the present. God neverpretends there’s an easy fix—quite theopposite, in fact! Pick up your cross andfollow, trust and obey.

Questions➤ Is it easier to “sell” the idea of

“prosperity theology”—the notion thatGod gives us what we want—or theprospect of a cross? Why would Godchoose a “hard sell” as the fundamentalreality of the faith?

➤ If you were to imagine some “before”pictures depicting aspects of your char-acter that you’re not entirely pleasedwith, and some “after” pictures muchmore in tune with who you’d like to be,what choices and decisions could youmake to ease the transition?

❍ A NarrativeA notoriously naughty neuropathologistfrom Nashville named Neil loved to naghis naïve and easily nettled neighbor Nell,who had trouble with her nerves.Nevertheless, at noon one November day,Neil—neutralizing his normal narcissism—noticed that the implications of newstudies in neurology could mean nicenews for Nell. A complete novice at thenotion of niceness, Neil nonetheless

nudged his perennially numb (next tonon-existent) nobility, nourished thenoteworthy news, and that night pointedhis nose toward North Nashville (theneighborhood of Neil and Nell) to informNell of the news concerning her nerves.But another neuropathologist namedNorman (more neurotic than Neil, butwith more rank) nipped Neil’s nocturnaljourney in the bud. “I need you to go toNan-jing,” noted Norman. Norman’sneeds were non-negotiable, so Neil navi-gated his nose to Nan-jing. From Nan-jingto New Zealand, from New Zealand toNew Brunswick, from New Brunswick toNew Orleans, Neil navigated. And soNell’s nerves did not initially benefit fromNeil’s new knowledge. Finally, hisnomadic wanderings brought Neil back tothe neighborhood in North Nashville as aknight in shining armor with the note-worthy news for Nell’s nerves.

No news is rarely the news we need.And sometimes the news is so importantthat we can’t even wait to share it. In suchcases, any delay that we might encounterin getting vital news out only adds to ouranticipation and frustration.

Questions➤ Have you ever had incredibly important

news to share with someone, but beendelayed from delivering it? Calledsomeone only to find that the line wasbusy? Gone over to see someone whenthey weren’t home? What do thesethings feel like? Do you share thestories of God as if they contain thebest news you’ve ever heard?

➤ Conversely, have you ever expected orneeded to hear news from someone,but been disappointed that they nevercalled or came by? What does that feellike? Have you ever thought abouthearing the stories of God in this way?

Teaching Guide 5

DiscussionHow do I lead learners to dialogue about the session?

❍ All That Is Yet To BeWhat would it be like finally to arrive atthe zenith of all your professional andspiritual aspirations, only to discover thatall those high and lofty hopes merelyrepresent the beginning of what is yet tobe? What would it feel like to be in themidst of celebrating accomplishment andachievement, only to discern that God hasso much more in store for you? Would itmake you angry? “I thought I hadarrived!” you exclaim. Or would it deepenyour sense of appreciation and wonder?“There’s immeasurably more!” you insist.Maybe a little of both?

Even as far as we’ve come, we’re justbeginning our preparations for what is yetto be. This year, we can ask ourself thefollowing questions: Can Advent repre-sent for us an opportunity to learn fromour past, to dream toward God’s future,to exceed any expectations of what can be?Might we move toward Christmas thisyear with the expectation that God is ineternal pursuit of our very lives, thattransformation awaits us?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ If you were writing a Gospel, what

might you intend by setting off theaction in the inner sanctuary of theTemple?

➤ Why do you think the author wouldnote, “Fear not, for your prayer hasbeen heard,” as the first spoken wordsof the Gospel?

➤ How many biblical characters can youthink of who offer excuses when calledby God? How many of these excuses didGod accept?

Questions for All Adults➤ Considering all the excuses offered in

Scripture, what have your own excusesbeen?

➤ When have you been scared of whoGod is and what God demands of you?

➤ When have you been so filled with joyat what God is doing in your life thatyou could scarcely contain yourself?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ What would it be like, in the midst of

acknowledged age, to be confrontedwith the potential of youth?

➤ What would you identify as the loftiestdream in your life? How is this particu-lar ambition related to God?

➤ How has God surprised you recently?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ How do you feel about high expecta-

tions, such as John endured, being laidupon a child?

➤ Why do you think John embraced hiscalling? What might push you to acceptsuch a call?

➤ If the presence of the Divine were toconfront you, relaying both expecta-tions and affirmation that your lifematters, how would you change yourlife?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ Who was the first person with whom

you shared the news of your pregnancy?What would it have been like not to beable to tell them?

➤ How do you explain for your childrenthe joy of your personal relationshipwith God?

➤ How do you prepare your child for thefact that life is not easy, and that lifeled as a disciple is even harder?

6 Lesson 1

Involve LearnersHow can I lead learners to explore the session together?

❍ RememberingAsk the members of your group to thinkback to their high school graduations,encouraging them to consider how theyhave changed since this milestone in theirlives. Do you remember feeling at 18 asthough you had finally “made it” intoadulthood? Do you remember alsolooking forward to and anticipating whatwas to come, feeling optimistic, as if theworld were yours for the taking?

As they reminisce, ask your classmembers if they have any regrets. Morespecifically, have they made decisions thathave come to affect them in big ways,decisions that seemed trivial at the time?But perhaps the more important questionis, how can they prevent this fromhappening from now on?

❍ Word StudyPhotocopy the pages in a biblicalConcordance that identify Scripturalpassages in which the word “fear” ismentioned. Point out that fear typicallyhas negative associations, so naturally wetend to resist its influence, especiallywhen somebody brings up the concept offearing the Lord. After all, we prefer love,so we aren’t too keen on the idea ofworking out our salvation with “fear andtrembling”—even though Scripture seemsto be full of people who fear God.

Invite your participants to form fouror five small groups, giving a photocopiedpage to each. Have each group look up asmany references as they can in a giventime frame, somewhere around 5-7minutes. Once work seems to have dwin-dled, facilitate a discussion as to whetherthere is anything particularly significantabout being afraid of God that we mightbe missing.

❍ Preparing for WorshipDistribute to each person in your class aworship bulletin for the morning’sservice. Explain that you thought it mightbe a good idea to prepare more intention-ally for worship this unit. Starting fromthe beginning of the service, movesequentially through the order ofworship, asking whether each steprequires us to address God, or God toaddress us. Ask your learners to note theiranswers in the margins of their bulletinsalongside each corresponding part of theworship service.

As you dismiss the group, encouragethem to use their annotated bulletinsduring worship. After all, even as clearlyas we speak and make our commitmentsto God during worship, God’s intentionsfor us are only that much more clear.

ClosureHow do I lead learners to respond?

❍ Taking NotePass out copies ofthe Resource Kitpage for this

session to each member ofyour class. Tell them thatas they go into worshipwith their annotatedbulletins, they shouldtake these sheets withthem, along with their pens or pencils. Asthey progress through worship, ask themto take notes in the space provided ofwhat is said either by them or to them.Meanwhile, use this adaptation of thewords to the hymn “Open Mine Eyes” asyour closing prayer:

God, open our eyes that we may seeglimpses of truth You have for us.Open our ears that we may hear voicesof truth You send so clearly. We waitfor You, our God; we wait to see Yourwill. Illumine us in our worship, Spiritdivine. Amen.

Teaching Guide 7

2Find Relevance

Why do/should adults careabout this session? We live in

daunting times. So manyfactors seem to be not just out of

our control, but indeed, completelybeyond any semblance of control at all.The headlines flow easily, simultaneouslynoticed and ignored like a great river onwhose banks we live and work. Childrenshoot each other in front of other chil-dren on school playgrounds and in frontof soldiers on bloody battlefields. Peoplestarve in the wealthiest nations on earthjust as quickly as they do in some of thepoorest. Religions lead to killing in thename of God here and to hating in thename of God there. And meanwhile—as ifall that weren’t enough—racial invective ispainted on walls and windows of syna-gogues and churches, businesses andhomes.

Unfortunately, politics isn’t aboutsound leadership anymore, but rather,has evolved into a hunt for figureheadswho are merely adequate at best. “There’sno one to believe in!” people everywherebemoan. And to make matters worse, noteven the Church has managed to avoidthis so-called “leadership meltdown.” Infact, the Church has come to be perceivedas little more than a collection ofhypocrites. But the waters are rising, sureenough, and those horrors to which we’vedeadened ourselves are threatening to

drown us. In such times of desperationand despair, we need now more than everthe affirmation that with God nothing isimpossible. In fact, the alleged “impossi-ble” may well be all that we have left inwhich to find hope.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? “For with God nothing

will be impossible.” Gabriel’swords of reassurance to Mary

echo God’s foregoing response to Sarah’sdoubt: “Is anything too wonderful for theLord?” (Gen 18:14). As a matter of fact,Jesus’ later affirmation is often cited asthe summary of Luke’s understanding ofsigns, miracles, and wonders (Tiede, 51):“What is impossible for mortals is possi-ble for God” (Lk 18:27). Indeed, thisthread is intricately woven throughoutthe biblical narrative. For the God whofrees the enslaved, who parts the sea, whomakes water flow from rock, who opensthe womb of the old and the barren andthe virgin—nothing has been impossible.For the God who heals the sick and makesthe lame to walk and the blind to see,nothing is impossible. And for the Godwho makes the dead to rise again, nothingever will be impossible. Hear now thegood news. It hangs on a thread: nothing isimpossible for God.

Lesson Teaching Guide

JUST SAY

YES

Luke 1:26-38

Teaching Guide 9

My Teaching Plan

ResourceDavid L. Tiede, Luke (Minneapolis: AugsburgPublishing House, 1988).

Introduction: God works throughneither expected people nor expectedways. But by the same token, God doesnot force anyone who is unwilling toparticipate in Kingdom work.

I. Gabriel delivers God’s messages toZechariah and Mary.

A. Similarities1. Each conversation begins

with the angel saying, “Don’tbe afraid.”

2. Zechariah and Mary are bothgreeted by name.

3. Each is informed of theimminent birth of his/herchild.

4. Each is given the name ofhis/her child.

5. Each is given a description ofthe impact his/her child willhave on the world.

B. Differences1. Zechariah

a. The birth is an answer toa prayer.

b. The announcementhappens in a holy place:the inner sanctuary of theTemple in Jerusalem.

c. The message is revealed toan old man, who ismarried but with no children.

d. The message is receivedwith skepticism and doubt.

2. Marya. The birth is unexpected.b. The announcement

happens in a backwatertown.

c. The message is revealed toan unmarried young girl.

d. The message is receivedwith astonishment.

II. Mary is offered the opportunity todeliver God’s own messenger—theWord made flesh.

III. Because God works only throughinvitation, Mary is free to say no toGod’s gift.

IV. However, she says yes: “Here am I,the servant of the Lord; let it bewith me according to your word.”

Conclusion: We, too, must make aconscious decision as to whether wewill allow God to be born into ourlives.


❍ Within Our Political HeritageOn January 20, 1961, President John F.Kennedy coined this famous line in hisinaugural speech: “And so, my fellowAmericans, ask not what your country cando for you; ask what you can do for yourcountry.” His sentiments are based on thewords of another politician, mind you,but just as easily could have come fromScripture. After all, church is often turnedinto a marketplace where choices aremade based upon which worshipprograms you like, and faith is based on“what’s in it for you.”

In light of this, it is not hard toimagine the prophets protesting, “Ask notwhat God can do for you, but what youcan do for God.” Neither is it difficult toimagine the saints marveling at the arro-gance of those who concentrate all theirenergy into seeking favors from Godinstead of working to earn God’s favor.

Questions➤ Do you consider it an honor to serve

God? Explain.

➤ What evidence is there to indicate thatgenerally we tend to be more preoccu-pied with what we get rather than whatwe give?

❍ Translation WoesAccording to a story about a Braziliandoctor working in the United States, saidphysician—apparently coming alongnicely but still learning the Englishlanguage—was overheard giving a patientCPR. While pumping the unconsciousperson’s chest, he repeated aloud,“Inspire...expire...inspire...expire.” Howironic that when inspiration is not to befound, we are indeed close to expiring.

Questions➤ What are your primary sources of inspi-

ration? How much comes from yourchurch, the Scriptures, and prayer?

➤ What public figures have inspired you?Explain.

❍A Simple Yes“Will you marry me?” What a momentousquestion—especially considering everythingit assumes! Even the single members ofyour class probably know enough marriedpeople to understand the implications ofsuch a decision.

Consider, there is that wonderful timewhen a couple first meets. Then comes allthe dating and getting to know eachother—all the risky vulnerability and theheartache and the excitement and thegiddiness and the tears and the laughter.And of course, who could forget the ever-so-fun getting to know each other’sfriends and family? And if the happycouple survives all that, then comes therelentless succession of questions: Is thisthe one? How do I know? What if this isn’tright? How do I propose? Where? When?What if they say no? That’d be huge. Whatif they say yes? That’d be even “huge-er”!And then somewhere, sometime,somehow, the question is asked. And asimple “yes” changes lives forever. Fromthis perspective, Mary’s simple, “Here amI, the servant of the Lord, let it be with meaccording to your will” is made all themore momentuous.

Question➤ Do you think of your “yes” to God in

terms of a lifetime commitment thatwill affect the way you live every day?

10 Lesson 2


❍ Here I AmGeorge Mason, pastor of Wilshire BaptistChurch in Dallas, Texas, adamantlysuggests that our calling is not based onour intimate knowledge of God, butrather, on God’s intimate knowledge of us.

“Here I am, the servant of the Lord, letit be with me according to your will.”Might we paraphrase Mary’s response as:“Here I am, Lord; search me and knowme”? Know me in my weakness and mylimitations. Know me in my beauty andmy potential. Know me as a sinner createdin the very image of God. And then,having searched and known me, let it bewith me according to your Word—notanyone else. Let it be with me. Let yourSpirit come over me just as I am and let itbe according to your Word. Let your Wordbe made flesh in me. I am thrilled. I amexcited. I am scared. I don’t know why youchose me. But I trust that you know. Itrust that you will continue to be a part ofthis process and that through it, I willcome to better know you as well as myself.“Here I am, the servant of the Lord, let itbe with me according to your will.”

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Scripture provides no insight into what

made Mary the “favored one.” Whatqualities do you think she possessedthat may have earned her this title?

➤ When you hear the affirmation that“nothing is impossible for God,” whatbiblical stories immediately come tomind?

➤ When you read the statement, “Here Iam, Lord, let it be with me according toyour word,” what biblical characters doyou recall?

Questions for All Adults➤ What’s the most important “yes” you’ve

ever said? Why did you say it?➤ What’s the most important “no” you’ve

ever said? Why did you say it? ➤ Do you think that we might have over-

looked in Mary a worthy model ofdiscipleship? Explain your answer.

Questions for Mature Adults➤ When have you witnessed firsthand

God’s using young people for heavenlypurposes?

➤ How do we allow our young people toteach us, while at the same time helpingthem realize that they in turn havemuch to learn from their elders?

➤ Have you ever experienced the satisfac-tion of recognizing and blessing thegifts of a young person in your church?Explain.

Questions for Younger Adults➤ How do you think we can cultivate

openness and enthusiasm as opposedto the cynicism that seems to prevail inour culture?

➤ How can we appropriately use the feel-ings of fear and perplexity to teachyoung adults about the realities of theChristian faith?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ How do you teach your children that

they are to be obedient people of God?➤ How do you remind yourself to be an

obedient child of God?➤ What factors outweigh the pain that

children inevitably bring? How do weacknowledge and celebrate that withinthe life of the church?

Teaching Guide 11

12 Lesson 2


❍ StoriesCall some of the married members of yourclass to reflect a bit on their engagementsfor the remaining members in your group.Ask each of them to pay particular atten-tion to what that “yes” has come to meanthat they never could have known or evensuspected when the question first wasasked.

Next, have your learners considerother choices in their own experience thathave proven momentous. Invite anyvolunteers to share who wish to do so,asking that they put the most emphasison how these situations eventuallyworked themselves out in ways they neverwould have known or suspected initially.

❍ In the NewsDistribute scissors to each of your partici-pants, along with copies of the localnewspaper from the preceding week. Askthem to cut out any headlines that strikethem as urgent, but beyond their abilityto effect change. You may even want tocollect the cutouts and glue them to ahuge piece of construction paper, makinga large montage. Once you have allowedample time for all the newspapers to beperused, display the montage in a focalpoint in your meeting area.

As a side note, it may be helpful topresent the information from the FindRelevance section of this Teaching Guidebefore discussing what it’s like to feel outof control. Regardless, though, be sure toconsider all sectors of life as you reviewthe following questions.

Questions➤ Are there certain situations that make

some people feel helpless to effectchange, but make others feel empow-ered to make an impact?

➤ Is there anything your group might beable to accomplish collectively that noone member could do alone?


❍ Litany of Affirmation Pass out copies of the litany foundon the Resource Kit page for thissession, along with pens or pencils.

Point out to your learners that most of the“Leader” segments are purposefully leftpartially blank, so that they can be filled inwith their personal ideas.

If you opted to make the montageduring the previous section, prompt yourclass to remember the conversation theyhad surrounding it. If youdid not choose this exer-cise, however, reread thesuggested activity in the“Involve Learners”section. Obviously, youwill need to facilitatesome degree of conversa-tion about what currentissues are experienced as inexplicable,infuriating, frightening, or overwhelming.

As you discuss, move the grouptoward agreement—preferably unani-mous—on how to fill in the blanks on theResource Kit page. Then have everyone fillin their copy of the litany with the agreed-upon issues. Finally, after someone hasread this lesson’s Scripture passage justonce more, ask someone else to lead thelitany for the group. Before you close inprayer, have another volunteer readRomans 8:31-39.

3Find Relevance

Why do/should adults careabout this session? She leaps

into the air and drains the shotjust as time expires. As the team

rallies, the crowd erupts into chants andsongs, chock full of applause and encour-agement. The championship is won, andthe party goes on for days. People evenhover around the airport gates, waitinganxiously to welcome the team backhome. Those left behind line the streets,each one hoping to get a glimpse of theirheroes, but all at least ready and waitingto throw handfuls of confetti. And evenafter listening to all the speeches andreading all the newspaper accounts andmagazine articles, they still go out andbuy the video! For months, they talk ofnothing else but the team and the seasonand the last game and that last shot—atthe office, at the bar, in the dining room,basically anywhere conducive to conversa-tion. And we compare this to the dutifulwaving of palms on Palm Sunday, theritualistic “alleluias” at Easter. And theties that bind—across states, countries,and indeed the world—are the athletesthat these fans belong to. And we have towonder, don’t we?

Seeking UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? At the very beginning

of his Gospel, Luke introducestwo story lines: namely, the immi-

nent births of both John the Baptist andJesus. In this lesson’s passage, however, hebrings these two story lines together.Along with the additional allusions tostories and characters from the OldTestament, this technique of interweavingserves as a structural metaphor for whatGod has accomplished throughouthistory.

To look at history through the eyes offaith is to see God woven throughouthuman experience, binding togetherpeoples, places, and events. Tracing thepattern of this divine thread, we see theconsistency of the One made incarnate—recognized as Lord by Elizabeth andnamed Savior by his mother, Mary.Mistakenly, though, we often think solelyin terms of Jesus when we hear the word“Savior,” but we must remember thatsalvation—the actual action of saving—iswho God is, always has been, and alwayswill be.

As our text draws to an end, we areissued the reminder that God’s promisesto Abraham—however ancient—continuously remain in effect (Gen 17:7;18:18; 22:17). Keep sight of the contextinto which Luke writes: Rome is theworld, and there is a very real possibility


LEAPING

FOR JOY

Luke 1:39-56

14 Lesson 3

that Israel has been conquered and theTemple left in ruins. Without a doubt, theresponse of Luke’s original audience musthave paralleled Abraham’s own astonish-ment and disbelief concerning God’songoing work.

My Teaching Plan

ResourcesR. Alan Culpepper, “The Gospel of Luke:Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections,” TheNew Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 9 (Nashville: AbingdonPress, 1995).

Joseph R. Jeter, Jr., Re/Membering: Meditations andSermons for the Table of Jesus Christ (St. Louis: ChalicePress, 1996).

David L. Tiede, Luke (Minneapolis: AugsburgPublishing House, 1988).

Introduction: Even this very secondGod is at work within human history,just as God always has been.

I. Mary goes to Elizabeth. The birth ofJesus takes its place within the historyof God’s people. Compare John’s leapin Elizabeth’s womb to the strugglingof Jacob and Esau in Rebekah’s womb(Gen 25:22).

II. The birth of Jesus is the culminationof the history and the future ofGod’s people. It is not merely consis-tent with what God already hasdone, but also is the very event towhich everything else has led.

III. Elizabeth blesses Mary and Jesus. A. Blessed are you among women

(1:42). B. Blessed is the fruit of your womb

(1:42). C. Blessed is she who believed in the

fulfillment (1:45).

IV. Mary blesses God using theMagnificat. The hymn takes its placewithin the history of God’s people.Compare it to Hannah’s hymn (1 Sam 2:1-10).A. God is praised for having

inverted the values of the world. 1. God has scattered the proud

(1:51). 2. God has brought down the

powerful and lifted up the lowly (1:52).

3. God has filled the hungrywith good things and sent therich away empty (1:53).

B. The hymn expresses the culmina-tion of the history and the futureof God’s people. This is allaccording to the promise madeto our ancestors, to Abraham,and thus, to his descendantsforever (1:55).

Conclusion: God can—and will—workboth in and through our lives in orderto continue the divine agenda in ourworld.

Offer IllustrationHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ The Power of RecognitionThe pastor of a church in Atlanta, JamesLamkin is especially fond of the verb “torecognize.” In fact, often when someonenew joins the congregation, he will saysomething to the effect of, “They havevisited with us, and they have recognizedus.” Such recognition implies somethingprofoundly important held in common,some kind of unifying force. It implies adepth that is surprising, because wegenerally expect to develop that kind ofrelational depth rather than discover it.Though they have been with us for only ashort while, Lamkin is suggesting, theyhave nevertheless recognized in us some-thing important. Likewise, Elizabethrecognized in Mary someone profoundlyimportant, and she blessed her kinswomanbecause of it.

Questions➤ Have you ever had the experience of

“recognizing” someone? If so, what wasthat like?

➤ What about you do you want to berecognized by others? Does that changedepending on where or with whom youare? Explain.

➤ When did you recognize Jesus? Ormaybe the first question should be,have you recognized Jesus? Elaborate onyour answer.

❍ In RemembranceWhen we celebrate communion, we takeof the bread and the cup in remembranceof Jesus, whom Elizabeth recognized asLord and deemed as Savior. In times oftribulation in Wittenburg, Martin Lutheroffered his congregation communionwith these words:

For this bread is a comfort to the sorrowing , ahealing for the sick, a life for the dying , a foodfor the hungry, and rich treasure for all thepoor and needy. ( Jeter, 70)

If you think for a minute, you realize thatwhich is done in remembrance of Jesussounds a lot like that which Mary sang inanticipation of Jesus.

And so, we come back to the consis-tency of God. The God who worked tosave throughout the Old Testament is thesame God made incarnate in Jesus. Thesame God who saves is the same God whotook on the flesh of the body of Christ tocontinue in this good work.

Questions➤ Have you ever thought of communion

as your commitment to the continua-tion of God’s work? How does suchthinking affect your understanding ofcommunion?

➤ How is your church’s celebration ofcommunion a “comfort to the sorrow-ing, a healing for the sick, a life for thedying, a food for the hungry, and richtreasure for all the poor and needy”?

Teaching Guide 15


❍ The Battle of the ChurchesOn the corner of Fourth and Fifth, First Church holds brilliant and insight-ful Bible study classes. Meanwhile, a waysup the road Second Church goes all out inthe way of community and socialministries. And nestled a little furtherdown from them, Third Church has a realsense of enthusiasm and joy about whatthey do. Well, First Church thinks thatThird Church is emotionally manipula-tive, Second Church thinks that FirstChurch is dead, and First and ThirdChurch both agree that Second Churchflaunts its differences and is just too far“out there.”

Unfortunately, however, all threechurches have missed the boat altogetherby taking something intended to be holis-tic and breaking it into its variousparts—at the expense of the whole, wemight add. Instead of heeding Paul’simages of the whole body as a metaphorfor the Church (1 Cor 12), instead of cele-brating head and heart and arms, we seemto want to amputate our churches intohomogeneous institutions so that every-one can choose where they’re mostcomfortable. So, we end up with a stack ofheads at First, a bunch of arms at Second,and a collection of hearts at Third. Whatmeasures could we take to practicecombining critical thinking and appropri-ate emotion and hard work in the life ofour church? But more importantly, whatadvantages could this give us over thosewho seek to hinder the message of thegospel?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Mary rushes to a town in the hill

country of Judea, to Zechariah’s house,

to Elizabeth. At this point in the story,Luke’s focus draws in even closer to thechild leaping in Elizabeth’s womb. Bothnarratively and otherwise, why do youthink he chose to do this? What effectdoes it have on the reader?

➤ What might be an appropriate way tofit the Magnificat into a service ofworship?

Questions for All Adults➤ What can you do to facilitate more

sharing within your family? ➤ How might your day change if you were

to focus intentionally on blessing thosearound you?

➤ How can we empower each other toexperience joy?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ Whom have you blessed? What did that

mean to them? What about to you? ➤ What treasured memories do you have

of an era when families were moreconnected than they are today?

➤ What have been your most joyful expe-riences?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ Do you think contemporary adults

know what joy is? How do they distin-guish it from happiness? How do you?

➤ Have you experienced the blessing ofanother? If so, who? What did thatmean to you?

➤ How many of your friends do you thinkreceive blessings from their parents?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ How did your conversations with loved

ones change when you were expecting? ➤ How can you be more intentional

about sharing with your children whatthey teach you?

➤ How can you be more intentionalabout sharing with your children howmuch joy they bring you?

16 Lesson 3


❍ Can I Get a Witness?Ask your learners to take a moment toreflect on the first time they acknowledgedGod as their Savior. Then ask them tofocus specifically on how they rememberfeeling at that time, tracing their feelingsas they shared their news with familymembers, loved ones, and their church.Did their feelings change? In substance?In intensity? What is it like now to recallthose feelings?

Before moving on to the next option,invite any members who feel comfortabledoing so to share their memories. In themeantime, be prepared to share your owntestimony to God’s saving grace as well asthe feelings you associate with thatprocess.

❍ Practice BlessingIn one of his poems, Kentucky poet andessayist Wendell Berry recommends thatone “practice resurrection.” What anintriguing concept! After all, our text inthis lesson certainly suggests that blessingwas a singularly important dimension toElizabeth and Mary’s relationship. Thebottom line is that we are remarkablydeprived of blessing in our culture, whichis just all the more reason to take advan-tage of this chance to offer your group theopportunity to bless their peers.

To get things rolling, ask everyone toform a circle and offer a blessing to theperson standing next to them. You mightwant to define blessing as recognizing insomeone else the good gifts of personalityor discipline, and as a result, commission-ing those good gifts to the service of God.Conclude by going around the circle oncemore, only this time ask each of yourparticipants to bless God, to recognizesome specific way in which they haveexperienced God’s good gifts, and to givethanks by sharing that with others.

An alternative, of course, wouldrequire you to tape blank pieces of paperto each person’s back, encouraging partic-ipants to mill around “blessing” oneanother by writing on these sheets. Again,explain what it is that you want them towrite, providing examples if necessary.The benefit to this version of the activityis that everyone gets to go home withsomething extremely meaningful. If youdo opt for this twist, be sure to add theblessing God component as describedabove once everyone has signed eachother’s paper.


❍ Blessing CampaignDiscuss with yourgroup what itwould be like to

organize a “blessingcampaign” in yourchurch. Even if eachmember of your class wereto commit for only amonth to blessing oneperson each time the congregation gath-ered, there would be a whole lot ofblessing going on. You will have to organ-ize, of course. And most obvious, you alsowill have to target people for blessing,which could be made less daunting of atask with the guidance of the Resource Kitpage for this session.

There simply is no way around it:there are people in every congregationwho are popular, outgoing, gifted—inother words, very easy to bless. Butwithout a plan, it will be those peoplewho often get blessed the most—eventhough they may be the ones who need itleast! You may even want to considertalking with your church staff about otherpossibilities for blessing.

Teaching Guide 17

Find RelevanceWhy do/should adults careabout this session? Glory to

God in the highest heaven, andpeace to God’s people on earth—

these are such familiar words to anyonewho is a part of “congregation life.” Doyou think there also could be a connec-tion between the two affirmationscontained in this phrase—in other words,some insight into how heaven and earthmeet? Is it legitimate to suppose thatpeace is somehow glorifying of God andthat, in turn, those who work for peaceglorify God? If there is such a connection,then what are the implications for thedivisiveness within the Church andbetween Christians?

Granted, there will always be differingperspectives and interpretations—in alldisciplines, let alone among Christians.And admittedly, when we fall short ofGod’s ways, prophetic anger andconfrontation are sometimes necessary.But dare we ever allow ourselves to acceptdifference, anger, and confrontation solong as we know that peace—and thereby,the glorification of God—awaits us some-where beyond?

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? The Scripture selection

for this unit begins with power,as the Emperor issues a mighty

decree that the entire world should betaxed. Then, moving from this spectacleof influence that sets it all into motion,we shift our focus to one small familytraveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem.When the time comes for Mary to deliver,the only place she has to lay her newbornbabe is in a manger. And so the storymoves from one boasting all the trap-pings of power to an innocent baby—yet,the story still goes on.

And there we have it: the irony ofGod’s work among humanity. To bespecific, more often than not, God hascontinually used the weak, the lowly, theleast expected to overcome and confoundthe great and the powerful, a tactic whichserves as a constant reminder for peopleof faith that God can be trusted and thatGod is always with us. God is presenteven in the most difficult times, workingboth with us and for us. The story moveson because God is always moving forwardin purpose and intent. Even in the face ofRoman might and brute force, God hasthe last word, and all by means of a smallchild born in a manger—Jesus.


IT’S YOUR TURN

TO CARRY THE BABY

Luke 2:1-204

Teaching Guide 19

ResourceWebster’s II: New Riverside Dictionary (New York:Berkley Books, 1984).

My Teaching Plan

Introduction: Jesus arrives on theworldly scene, turning order and expec-tations upside down.

I. The son of God is born into rudecircumstances while angels sing elsewhere.

A. The plain birth scene echoes theinversions noted in the Magnificat.

B. God has brought down thepowerful and raised the lowly.

C. God has filled the hungry andsent away the rich.

II. The joyous good news that theangels sing to the shepherds alsoechoes the Magnificat’s affirmations.

III. The shepherds go to see Jesus.

IV. The shepherds proclaim what theyhave witnessed.

Conclusion: In his birth, Jesussurpassed all expectations. In hisreturn, he will do the same. The ques-tion we must ourselves is, will wecelebrate the good news?

Offer IllustrationHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ And Now from the World of Sports…Story #1: David Robinson, one of the San Antonio Spurs’s long-time premierplayers, accepted a lesser role when theteam acquired collegiate star Tim Duncan.Having been the “go-to guy” for so long,Robinson willingly consented to becomethe “go-to-him guy” instead. In fact,much has been made of his allowingDuncan to commandeer the spotlight,since after all, it was one of the majorfactors contributing to the team’s winninga NBA championship.

Story #2: In both the basketball and thefootball worlds, numerous stories circulate of star players who rake in multi-million dollar salaries, but renegotiatetheir contracts in order to free up moniesunder salary-cap regulations, so that high-caliber players can be brought in. In otherwords, they sacrifice themselves for thesake of the team. Although this is rarelyas altruistic as it sounds, in the abstract itreally sounds quite impressive.

Questions➤ What is your “gut response” to stories

about people who “sacrifice for the sakeof the team”?

➤ While many stories of sacrifice mightremind us of the nature of Jesus, howdo they also serve to highlight the qualitative difference of Jesus’ sacrifice?

❍And Now from the World of History…Story #1: According to popular legend,Hitler commanded the Danish king atthat time to force all Jews living inDenmark to wear the yellow star.Identifying the Jews was, of course,prelude to further action. The next day,however, the monarch appeared in publicwearing a yellow star himself. OtherDanes followed the example of theirleader, and Denmark took care of the Jewsliving within its borders.

Story #2: Vidkun Abraham LauritzJonsson Quisling founded the NorwegianNazi Party. When the royal family andmembers of Parliament were forced toleave the capital in April of 1940, Quislingtook over with the support of the Germanleadership. Since then, his name has beenassociated with political treachery, and asa matter of fact, a “quisling” is defined byWebster’s Dictionary as “a traitor, especiallyone collaborating as the puppet of anoccupying enemy force.”

Questions➤ Identifying himself with the powerless,

the Danish king’s memory lives on as ablessing to all who strive for peace. TheNorwegian Nazi, on the other hand,identified himself with power yet liveson in infamy. Can you think of otherexamples when identification with thepowerless effected great change for thebetter?

➤ What relation do we have to theoppressed and the powerless in oursociety?

20 Lesson 4


❍ Practicing DiscernmentHave you ever heard of discernment as amethod of conducting church business?Basically, it requires all involved to jettisondemocracy’s golden rule that the majoritywins. To be precise, a group practicingdiscernment comes to no decision untilthe whole group unanimously agrees on aresolution. Naturally, veterans of churchbusiness meetings groan at the verynotion of this, insisting that nothingwould ever get accomplished. Then again,supporters assert that we place way toomuch value on “accomplishing.” In otherwords, their argument is that the discern-ment method affirms that the process bywhich a decision is made is equally asimportant as any actual “accomplishment”itself. Prayer replaces voting, and ques-tions center not on what “I” want, butrather, on what God wants. To be sure,power is inverted.

Questions➤ What is your initial reaction to the

discernment method?

➤ Do you know of any congregation thatpractices this approach?

➤ Is it a viable technique for your church?What about for any church?

➤ What about this method makes youuncomfortable?

➤ Is the discomfort grounded in anythingmore substantial than the typical,“That’s not how we’ve always done it”?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Does the ironic tension of God’s Son

laid helpless in a feeding trough

encourage or discourage you? Explainyour answer.

➤ How have you experienced “angels”glorifying and praising God?

Questions for All Adults➤ How have you experienced God’s being

born into your experience? ➤ What has been your response to the

presence of God in your life? ➤ Which of your experiences do you

associate with this story from Luke?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ What is the most effective presentation

of this story you’ve ever experienced?What made it so?

➤ What do you think was the most effec-tive presentation of this story you’veever shared with someone else? Whatmade it so?

➤ Inherent within every birth is a poten-tial story of great hope. What birthshave you celebrated?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ How might Jesus’ birth story be a

commission to invert the systems ofpower in our world?

➤ The popular TV show Touched by anAngel brought God to television screenson a weekly basis. As far as I know,Jesus never once has been mentionedon this particular program. Why doyou think that is?

➤ With which individual or group do youmost identify in this story? Explain.

Questions for Adults with Children➤ Have you told your children the stories

of their births? ➤ Who gathered around your babies

when they were born? Do your childrenknow these people now? Do they have aclose relationship to any of them now?

➤ Do your children know that they areexpected to work for peace?

Teaching Guide 21

22 Lesson 4


❍ Identifying with the OppressedInvite those in your church who areresponsible for missions (staff, mission’scouncil or committee, etc.) to meet withthe class to discuss ways in which yourchurch identifies with the oppressed inyour community. Use this forum toaddress how your church works to feedthe hungry, visit the sick and imprisoned,and cloth the naked. Then, collectivelybrainstorm additional possibilities forservice, especially those that indicate thatthe church has embraced the messageevidenced in the birth of Jesus: God iden-tified with the powerless in order to workfor their redemption.

❍ Eagerness and EnthusiasmAsk your participants to identify some-thing about which they have recentlyshown great enthusiasm. Their answerscould range to any number of things,from a recently released movie, a show ora concert, a book, a TV program, a restau-rant, or even a health club. Next, helpyour learners reflect on their faith byasking them to compare their willingnessto share this enthusiasm with theirfriends to their willingness to share thegood news of great joy with all people.

Questions➤ Do you honestly think of your faith in

terms of enthusiasm and eagerness?➤ How does faith fare in comparison to

other arenas of your life that garneryour enthusiasm?

➤ Is it possible to become more genuinelyenthusiastic about our faith? Explain.


❍ Time to ReflectAs you take out your Bible, assure yourclass that you know they’ve heard thesewords a hundred times before, but thatyou want to read this story to them justonce more. Meanwhile, encourage them touse this time to reflect on your recentdiscussions as they hear the story again. Ifyou sense that your learners need someguidance, the following is an incompletelist of some possibilities for reflection:

• God who empties self in order to becomehuman as we are…

• God born in a manger…

• God born into human systems in orderto turn them over and not by might…

• Shepherds who can’t keep the good newsto themselves…

Finally, urge your participants to continuethinking about the implications for ourown living embedded into this story.Then, before dismissing everyone, readLuke 2:1-20 and close with prayer:

God as You are, You always have been andalways will be. We wish to be more than wehave been, so that our future might be more ofwhat you would have it be. Be born in us today.And may we like shepherds so long ago, glorifyand praise You for all we hear and see, as it hasbeen told us. Amen.

Find RelevanceWhy do/should adults careabout this session? The

holiday season is always filledwith multitudes of familiar

Christmas images and seasonal events. Infact, we have become so accustomed tothe “Christmas rush” that many of ushave learned to kick into autopilot untilall the hoopla is over. Unfortunately,however, this common coping mechanismalso shields us from recognizing God’swork—not only in our own lives but alsoin the lives of others. Perhaps in order toavoid missing anything, rather thantaking our cue from the traditional advicejust to “open our eyes” or from ournatural tendency to “run our mouths,” weshould shut them both completely—evenif only for a moment—so as to allow Godenough time and space to speak to us. Itworked for Zechariah.

As talk of the new year lingers in theair, we—just like Zechariah and Elizabeth,Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and Johnthe Baptist—have a priceless opportunityto witness and embrace the good news.Maybe this is our opportunity to commitour lives to the way of peace, the way thatglorifies God. We should be unabashed tosing and shout our praise of the sameGod who so long ago proclaimed, “I amabout to do a new thing” (Isa 43:19). Infact, centuries later this same God still

“does new things,” working wonder uponwonders even to this very moment.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? Remembering the

angel’s message, Elizabethinsisted that her son be called

John rather than be named after hisfather. And to the neighbors’ dismay,Zechariah—also with Gabriel’s wordsfreshly on his brain—confirmed his wife’swishes. In fact, Zechariah’s definitivedeclaration concerning the child’s nameheld a two-fold purpose. On the onehand, it was considered the father’s dutyto name the child, but by the same token,it was also Zechariah’s declaration offaith. By accepting the name “John” forhis son, Zechariah was affirming hisbelief in a reality completely beyond him,a reality that requires “assurance of thingshoped for and the conviction of thingsnot seen” (Heb 11:1).

God’s promises and assurances,including the covenant made withAbraham and Sarah and their descen-dants, provide the foundation on whichthis and even the entire biblical story rest.And perhaps for the first time, we beginto understand that the same God is stillat work today, still fulfilling promises andlending assurance, and of course, stillexpecting us to live up to our end of thecovenant.


A VISIT FROM

THE SUNRISE ON HIGH

Luke 1:57-805

24 Lesson 5

Resourceed. Samuel H. Dresner, I Asked for Wonder: A SpiritualAnthology: Abraham Joshua Heschel (New York:Crossroad, 1997).

My Teaching PlanIntroduction: When we were first intro-duced to Zechariah, he was struckmute. Now we re-enter the story atJohn’s birth.

I. The Birth of John A. All the neighbors gather and

rejoice. B. The expected religious rituals

take place on the eighth day (Phil 3:5).

II. Expectations Turned Upside DownA. In keeping with tradition, the

community wants the baby to benamed after his father.

B. Elizabeth and Zechariah bothdisagree.

C. The community is amazed. D. Zechariah’s tongue is released, at

which point he immediatelybegins to praise God.

III. Community Wonders about John A. News of John’s birth begins to

spread, and the communitybegins to wonder “what willbecome of this child.”

IV. Zechariah’s Psalm A. God is and always has been

consistent. B. John is to be the prophet of the

Most High.

V. The Dawn of Salvation

Conclusion: Once again, Luke affirmsfor us that “the God who began a goodwork among us will bring it to comple-tion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).


❍ The Claims of PoliticiansDuring the heat of political campaignsand debates, you are sure to hear almostevery candidate claiming to “walk in thefootsteps of our venerated ancestry.” Youknow the type: the likes of AbrahamLincoln, George Washington, andThomas Jefferson. It is interesting to note,however, how often history is distorted tomeet the needs of the individual.

For instance, in debates over theConfederate flag, politicians seeking onegoal were quick to point out thatLincoln’s desire was for states to maketheir own regulations about state matters.On the flip side, however, politiciansseeking an altogether different goalclaimed that Lincoln did indeed preferstates to deal with their own matters–thatis, unless they were wrong, at which pointit was the responsibility of the federalgovernment to step in.

Questions➤ Why do you think politicians have

made such a habit out of claiming tofollow the tradition of our heraldedancestors?

➤ Why is it so important for Christians tofollow in the tradition of our God?

➤ How do we go about determiningwhether we are following in the tradi-tion of God, or following a path thatmerely serves our own interests?

❍ A Rabbi’s Insights into TruthSamuel H. Dresner noted that after a nearfatal heart attack, Abraham Joshua Heschelinsisted that his first feelings were of gratitude for the life he had been given.Heschel added that it was this very gratitude for life which he was trying toconvey when he wrote in the preface toone of his books, “I did not ask for success;I asked for wonder. And You gave it tome” (Dresner, vii).

The beginning of Luke suggests thatGod continues to offer people wonder, forthe Gospel implies that God is alwaysthere for those with eyes to see. In every-thing is God. In fact, employing wordsthat seem particularly suited to the begin-ning of Luke’s Gospel, Heschel wrote:

Sometimes we wish the world couldcry and tell us about that which madeit pregnant with fear-filling grandeur.Sometimes we wish our own heartwould speak of that which made itheavy with wonder. (Ibid., 2)

Questions➤ Do you prefer success or wonder?

Explain your answer.

➤ Does your heart feel heavy withwonder? If so, does your heart speakout?

➤ How has God brought wonder intoyour life and how have those eventsaffected you?

Teaching Guide 25


❍ Calculating SuccessWe live much of our lives according to ourown calculations, which go somethinglike this:If I major in this in college, then...If I invest in this relationship, I shouldgain...If I give this much here, I should get thatmuch there…If I appear to be interested, that should beenough.

Certainly there is much to be said fora carefully considered approach to life.After all, it is imperative that we exerciseboth caution and responsibility whenfacing “the big decisions.” When it comesto the economy of God, though, calcula-tion will get you nowhere. What God asksof us is more than we could ever deemsafe to give, and the way God computesreturns is just not comprehensible to ushumans. Living in a success-orientedculture, we are a people for whom faith-fulness is generally a short-term idea. Yet,Jesus teaches us a way of living for whichour constant desire should be “not mywill but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Interestingly, John means “God has

been gracious.” How is this particularname especially meaningful within thelarger context of the story?

➤ Luke affirms that “the hand of the Lordwas with [ John]” (1:66). What do youthink would constitute evidence thatthe hand of the Lord is with someone?

➤ What does it mean for us to be “faith-ful” to God? In turn, what does it meanfor God to be “faithful” to us?

Questions for All Adults➤ How does your light from God illumi-

nate some of the darkness around you? ➤ How do you experience God’s guidance

toward the way of peace? ➤ What is your experience with people

who accept the “glory” that is due Godrather than pointing beyond themselvesto the One who has made that glorypossible in the first place?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ What are your best memories of chil-

dren growing up to fulfill hope? ➤ What are your best memories of

churches fulfilling God’s hope? ➤ How do you affirm what God has done

in your life in the past, as well as whatGod is doing in your life right now?How does that inform your hope forwhat God will do in the future?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ Why do you think John was willing to

accept a subordinate role to Jesus? ➤ How do we talk about obedience to

God’s will in terms that are relevant tothe contemporary world?

➤ How do you think we can encouragepeople to become all that they can be?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ Is there any particular history behind

the names you chose for your children?Explain.

➤ Surely John grew up listening to thestories of God’s promises to Abrahamand how he was a part of that tradition.Into which larger stories have youplaced the stories of your own children?

➤ What do you believe God has in storefor your children?

26 Lesson 5


❍ Blessing the ChildrenLuke’s Gospel contains numerous bless-ings associated with the announcementsof birth as well as the actual birth narra-tives themselves. Note for your group howGod is praised, parents are dedicated, andchildren are commissioned, before facili-tating conversation about how yourchurch blesses the birth of each child inthe congregation. Allow your participantsto speak openly about your traditions. Isthere a rose placed in the sanctuary whena baby is born? Is that rose then deliveredto the new parents? Is a parent/child dedi-cation usually integrated into worship? IsGod praised? Are the parents and congre-gation dedicated and the childcommissioned? Once discussion starts todwindle in these areas, brainstorm otherpossibilities for blessing the children ofyour church.

Before the session, you may even wantto acquire a copy of the register of chil-dren in your church’s nursery. That way,each member of your class could write aprayer of blessing for one of these chil-dren. The elements of the prayer mightinclude: praise of God, a commitment ofthe person writing to the welfare and thedevelopment of the child, some expecta-tion of who we expect and pray that thechild will grow up to be, and so on. Whenthe prayers are complete, collect and bindthem together to give to each respectiveparent. It is a gift they will treasure longafter their children aren’t childrenanymore.

You might even have your learnersconsider other ways in which to createand foster relationships between themembers of your class and the babies ofthe church. Ask the group to considervolunteering to work in the churchnursery on a semi-regular basis, and urgethem always to be on the lookout for

other means of blessing the babies. Isthere an artist in your class, a calligrapher,a composer, or a financial planner? Doesyour class want to offer a gift to thesechildren at baptism or even at othersignificant times of transition in theirlives?

❍ The Gifts of SilenceZechariah’s attitude before his enforcedsilence is markedly different from his atti-tude after months of imposed silence.Barbara Brown Taylor suggested in asermon that the time of enforced silencemight actually have been more of a giftthan punishment. Besides, the silenceafforded Zechariah the opportunity totune his ears to hear what was trulyimportant.

Silence is a gift many of us need inthis noisy world of ours, so arrange sometime for your group just to sit quietly inreflection. If you’re afraid your learnerswill get bored with this too easily, providethem with concordances and have themlook up occurrences of the word “silence”or “silent” in Scripture. Meanwhile, if youwish to review some resources for acommunal time of silence, contact Seeds ofHope Publishers, 602 James Avenue, Waco,TX 76706.

❍ Light in My DarknessPass around to eachperson in yourgroup a copy of the

Resource Kit page for thissession, along with a penor pencil, of course. Asyour class reflects on theverses printed on the page,ask them to jot down ways in which thetruth of these verses has surfaced in theirown lives. For example, how have youreceived light into your darkness? Howhas peace been a gift to you from someoneelse? How have you made the truth ofthese verses real in another person’s life?

Teaching Guide 27


❍ Role-PlayingGranted, each character in the Gospel ofLuke has their own role to play, butregardless, everyone’s role fits into thecontext of the larger story of God. Andlikewise, everyone’s role also serves tomove the larger story along, but at thesame time, the larger story is not dependent on the smaller ones thatcomprise it. In our study, each character’srole has had something to do withlooking forward to Jesus. If you continueto read the Gospel, once Jesus is here,everyone’s role is largely determined byeach individual’s response to Jesus.

Even today, we take our place withinthe larger story. Ask class members toconsider how their own lives fit into thestory of the Gospel. Then, as you sendthem off, encourage them to consider thefollowing questions: Are we willing totake our place in the story of God’s work?Are we willing to accept our role(s)? Howhave we responded to Jesus?.

28 Lesson 5

Taking Note

What I Say to God... What God Says to Me...

Litany of Affirmation

Leader: We gather as the faithful followers of our God in difficult and trying times. Wegather as a people called to believe in a future in which we find it difficult to hope.Remind us, Lord, that you work through us and beyond us in ways that far surpass ourability to comprehend. We commit to your will, trusting that you know far more than wecan suspect.

People: Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your Word.

Leader: We don’t understand....


Leader: We are angry at....


Leader: We are frightened by....


Leader: We are overwhelmed by....


Leader: We face the problems of our time with steadfast courage and hope…

People: …For nothing is impossible with God.

A Blessing Campaign Blueprint

Name of Person to Be Blessed Name of Person Offering the Blessing Date of Blessing

A Little “Light” Reading

By the tender mercy of our God,

The dawn from on high will break upon us,

To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the way of peace. (Lk 1:78-79)

jesus’ birth - helwys_birth_tg.pdfbe reminded that god has always followed through on god’s...

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