A Savior has been born to you

Luke 2:1-20

Key Verse 2:11

“ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Introduction)

This is a story regarding the birth of Jesus written by Luke. We have studied this almost every Christmas and are very familiar with it, but hopefully that this passage has a new meaning to each of us.

1. Read verses 1-3. What decree does Caesar Augustus issue while Quirinius is the governor of Syria? (1, 2) What was everyone required to do? (3) How do you think Caesar’s decree promoted the fruition of God’s plan to save all people? (Micah 5:2)

1. Read verses 1-3.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

2. What decree does Caesar Augustus issue while Quirinius is the governor of Syria? (1, 2)

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)”

Caesar Augustus’ decree issued that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

Caesar Augustus: (63 BC –14 AD) was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. He was born Gaius Octavius. Following the assassination of his maternal great-uncle Julius Caesar in 44 BC, Caesar's will named Octavian as his adopted son and heir. He defeated all his rivals including the last rival, Mark Antony and Cleopatra, who committed suicide following his defeat at the Battle of Actium Battle by Augustus in 31 BC. Jesus was born during his reign.

Augustus restored the peace of Roman world after long internal civil war and his reign of Augustus initiated an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana (The Roman Peace). Despite continuous wars of imperial expansion on the Empire's frontiers, the Roman world was largely free from large-scale conflict for more than two centuries. Augustus died in 14 AD at the age of 75. He was succeeded as Emperor by his adopted son (also stepson and former son-in-law), Tiberius.

Quirinius was appointed as governor of Syria and he supervised and implemented the census.

3. What was everyone required to do? (3)

“And everyone went to their own town to register.” Everyone without exception must have gone to their own original home town to register.

This census probably sought to produce a registration list for taxes. A journey to the ancestral home would have fit Jewish practice, according to the Jewish custom. This was important, since the tax itself would have been a painful reminder of Israel's position before Rome.

4. How do you think Caesar’s decree promoted the fruition of God’s plan to save all people? (Micah 5:2)

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me. one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

God gave the Israelites the message through Prophet Micah, who lived around 737-696 BC in Judah that the messiah would be born from Bethlehem, Judah. Caesar Augustus’ decree enabled this prophecy to be fulfilled by forcing Mary and Joseph to travel to Joseph’s home town to register, while they were there, Jesus was born at Bethlehem.

2. Read verses 4-7. Why did Joseph go from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, Bethlehem? (4) Who was with him on his journey? (5) What happened when they were in Bethlehem? (6) Why did she place her child in a manger? (7) What do you think about the way Jesus came into this world?

2-1. Read verses 4-7.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

2-2. Why did Joseph go from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, Bethlehem? (4)

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 

It is approximately 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem (3 days journey), assuming that Samaria was bypassed.

2-3. Who was with him on his journey? (5)

⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

Apparently, Mary had to register as her pledged wife, though she was pregnant and heavy.

2-4. What happened when they were in Bethlehem? (6)

⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

Mary gave birth to a son while they were in Bethlehem, which was fulfillment of God’s promise through Prophet Micah.

2-5. Why did she place her child in a manger? (7)

⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

2-6. What do you think about the way Jesus came into this world?

We can think about many things to everyone:

According to the Philippians 2:5-8,

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Jesus, though He is God in very nature, He came in this world as a human form in a manger. It is a great mystery of our Lord, Jesus.

3. Read verses 8-12. Who were in the fields nearby? (8) What happened to these men? (9) What is the angel’s message to the shepherds? (10-11) What is the good news of great joy to all people? (11) What sign will be given to the shepherds to prove the angel’s message is true? (12)

3-1. Read verses 8-12.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

3-2. Who were in the fields nearby? (8)

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Shepherds who kept watching over their flocks at night. They were awake and alert even at night when everybody was sleeping.

3-3. What happened to these men? (9)

⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

3-4. What is the angel’s message to the shepherds? (10-11)

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

They were the ones who received this great message directly from the angel.

3-5. What is the good news of great joy to all people? (11)

¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

After Adam’s fall, sin has been pervasive in the world and all men commit to sin and separated from God’s holiness and his glory. However, a savior who saves all people who believe as He has promised; This is a great hope in the hopeless, sinful world.

3-6. What sign will be given to the shepherds to prove the angel’s message is true? (12)

¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

The angel gave a sign to the shepherds so that they could believe.

4. Read verses 13-20. What suddenly appears with the angel? (13) What are they saying? (14) What do you think is the meaning of their praise? What do the shepherds do when the angels left them? (15) What did the shepherds do after the angel departed? (16-18) What does Mary do while all of these things are happening? (19) What did the shepherds do when they returned to the fields? (20)

4-1. Read verses 13-20.

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

4-2. What suddenly appears with the angel? (13)

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

4-3. What are they saying? (14)

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

4-4. What do you think is the meaning of their praise?

God fulfilled his long promises and finally sent his son as the messiah; God is faithful and in the highest heaven, all creatures glorify God for his goodness and faithfulness. On earth real peace to those on whom his favor rests and believe the work of God and his name in the midst of turmoil.

4-5. What do the shepherds do when the angels left them? (15)

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Just like Mary who was hurried to visit Elizabeth after the angel’s message (1:39), the shepherds also wanted to confirm the angels’ message.

4-6. What did the shepherds do after the angel departed? (16-18)

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

4-7. What does Mary do while all of these things are happening? (19)

¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Mary treasured up all these things and became an eyewitness and participant of the events. 

4-8. What did the shepherds do when they returned to the fields? (20)

²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

In conclusion)

God had promised that He would send the messiah. In his own time, God had sent His one and only son, Jesus in a manger in the town of David, Bethlehem as he’d promised. It is a good news of great joy to all people on earth who believe, but it is a terrible news to those who do not believe. Augustus, Joseph, Mary and Shepherds were used as a God’s instrument to fulfill his promise. Amen

One word: Good news of great joy

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