Luke/Acts – Lesson 03

Posted on 09/28/2015 by 1 Groups

CC Image courtesy of Walwyn on Flickr.

Week of September 27

Text:

Luke 5-6

Summary:

Luke begins his account of Jesus’ earthly ministry with examples of action Jesus did that were contradictory to the expectations of the Pharisees and teachers of the law. These actions lead into Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, which echoes the ideas found in Matthew’s version of the Sermon on the Mount.

Text Notes:

Out text opens with Jesus preaching to a crowd from a boat. It appears that the logistics of being able to row out a bit from shore allowed Jesus a better vantage point from which to preach. It may be interesting to note that we are not told what Jesus taught this day—just that he did teach the people. The point of Luke’s inclusion of the story was not the content, but rather, the fact that Jesus demonstrates his power to Peter and then calls him to follow. Peter recognizes the power in Jesus’ actions (Notice that he goes from calling him “Master” to “Lord.”) and leaves everything behind to follow Jesus.

The next five stories contain Jesus doing things I would call “all wrong,” that is, he does things contrary to what the Jewish people would expect from a good Jew, especially a good Jewish rabbi or teacher. Certainly Luke includes these stories to demonstrate the fact that Jesus’ actions do not always align with that of the Jews, yet they still demonstrate the power of God.

First is a story of Jesus healing a man with leprosy. Leprosy was not necessarily Hansen’s disease, but rather any skin ailment. The issue for the Jewish people was laws that prohibited someone with leprosy to be included in everyday societal life, since doing so might result in a possibility of being declared unclean. (It seems the issue was not so much catching some disease as being declared unclean and therefore unable yourself to participate in the worship practices of the day.) Jesus does more than allow this man to approach him, he touches the man. This would result in Jesus himself being considered unclean, but the issue never comes up in Luke’s narrative. What is noted is that news of Jesus spreads far and wide, resulting in the need for Jesus to take regular time to withdraw to solitary places and pray.

The second story is one of a paralyzed man who is brought to Jesus on a mat carried by friends. Jesus not only heals the man, but uses this healing as a demonstration of Jesus power over illnesses, as well as sin. Again, to declare forgiveness for sins would have been against the Jewish law: it was blasphemy to claim a power that only God held. Of course, we understand that Jesus was God, but the Pharisees obviously did not.

Jesus was not only willing to forgive others of sin, he was also willing to spend time with sinners. The reason this even comes up is the frustration of the Pharisees and teachers of the law that Jesus is doing this “all wrong.” While we may think it is not strange for Jesus to be seeking those who were “sick,” as he describes them, we too tend to find people who look more church-like than sin-like. Jesus’ actions serve to point out a need for our focus to be beyond just those who follow Christ to perfection.

Jesus’ examples of acting in ways contrary to Jewish faith continues with a story of Jesus questioned about fasting (Jesus says to celebrate while the bridegroom is with you) and one about him healing on the Sabbath (It is better to good and save life than to do nothing, which Jesus equates to evil, and destroy a life.)

Jesus spends a night praying to God. While Luke never explicitly says his time in prayer was to prepare for the choosing of the twelve apostles, there can be little doubt that was the purpose. When morning came, he selects twelve, for whom we are given their names. It is important for us to be recognize the need of prayer in decisions we make, if only for the ability it gives us to be more centered on God and his purposes.

Luke’s version of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” is known as the “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke’s gospel. Luke’s sermon is shorter than the one in Matthew, although it does contain the same material.

Jesus has four “Blessed…” statements, along with four “Woe…” statement. Matthew does not include any woes, but Luke’s woes do echo some of the statements we see in Matthew’s version. Both sermons conclude with a statement about builders, pointing to the truth that disciples are those who do what Jesus says to do. This too is found in both sermons.

Discussion Questions:

In what ways do you think it would have been difficult for the man with leprosy to approach Jesus and ask for healing? In what ways do we find ourselves excluded or outcast because of things in our life? How does Jesus offer us healing? Why do you think Luke includes the fact that Jesus often sought lonely places to pray? How should this be an instruction for us to do the same? (Luke 5.1-16)

What were the friends of the paralytic men seeking for their friend? In what ways did they receive much, much more? There are three stories here where Jesus does things that are unexpected. Why were Jesus’ actions so surprising? In what ways do you find Jesus doing things today that many would consider unusual? In what ways have you done things that would be considered unusual in the name of Jesus? (Luke 5.17-39)

One of the things that surprised people was Jesus’ actions on the Sabbath, which went against the Jewish regulations of the day. In what ways have you seen people attempt to ensure they are following Jesus only to discover they have created rules and regulations that force people to follow the rules rather than Jesus? In what ways have you done good, even when it seemed to go against the grain of the norms of the day? (Luke 6.1-11)

What do Jesus’ actions prior to selecting his 12 apostles instruct us about how to go about making decisions in our own life? In what ways do you think spending time in prayer helps prepare you to make important decisions? Why is this the case? (Luke 6.12-16)

This passage is know as the Sermon on the Plain (in contrast to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount), but it contains much of the same teaching. When you read the blessings that are listed in this passage, how do you think the people listening to Jesus heard these comments? In what ways are these words prescriptive (that is, telling the people how they are to act) versus being descriptive (telling people who they are and how they are blessed even in spite of their standing)? What blessing or woe stands out the most to you from this passage and why? (Luke 6.17-26)

Why is it so difficult for us to love our enemy? How do you think society got to the point where fairness and equality in every situation became more important than love and care for one another? What is the worst thing that can happen to you if life is not fair? In what ways can you do something for others in such a way as to avoid being repaid for your kindness toward them? (Luke 6.27-36)

Do you find Jesus words in this section comforting or anxiety inducing? Why might it be easy to see these instructions as a warning to us? How often do you reflect on the ways your life shows your love for God? In what ways do you think you would see things you need to change, were you to spend time reflecting on the fruit your life produces? (Luke 6.37-49)

Activities:

Every week this section will list possible activities you and your family unit can do. You may pick one or perhaps do several during the course of a week. All are intended to be suitable for any age.

Research the rules and regulations the Jewish people had for the Sabbath. How does Jesus’ actions compare to these regulations? Based on this, do you think those opposed to Jesus had a valid point to oppose Jesus’ treatment of the Sabbath?

Compare the “Blessings” and “Woes” listed in Luke 6.20-26. How do they compare with one another? Do you find them congruent or unrelated? Why do you think Jesus selected these blessings and woes to list here? Now, how does this sermon (The Sermon on the Plain) compare to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

Make a list of the groups of people you might consider today’s version of “lepers.” You might even go so far as to use the standards of your own group of friends as part of the criteria to determine who is “in” and who is to be sent to the outside of the “city,” so that they do not contaminate your circle of people or the people around you. What specific thing can you so to help touch and heal those who find themselves in this predicament?

To help understand the efforts the friends of the paralytic went through to bring him to see Jesus, create a mat or cot that can be carried using handles or ropes and carry someone around for a few minutes. [NOTE: Please do this in such a way that you exercise care and caution!] After having done this, reflect on how you read the story of the paralytic in a different way.

Who are the sinners Jesus is calling you to go to. Go to them.

Before any decision you make this week, spend some time in prayer before you actually make the decision. Some decisions may matter little as far as having Kingdom implications (I am not sure whether God has an opinion as to your food choice for tonight.), but the practice of praying before all decisions allows us to be better equipped and focused on listening to a word from the Lord.

Connect:

Find lessons, posts about the passages we are studying, and more information at 1homebiblestudy.org.

Find more information about our 1 Groups at 1groups.com.

Find out more information about South Plains at southplains.org.

Tag your posts with #1hbs.

by-nc-nd copy This work by South Plains Church of Christ and Robert A. Anderson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attributions-NonCommerical-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.

Luke/Acts — Lesson 02

Posted on 09/22/2015 by 1 Groups

Week of September 20

Text:

Luke 3-4

Summary:

Jesus begins his earthly ministry, foreshadowed by the preaching of John, then led by the Spirit to be tempted in the wilderness. After beginning his ministry, Jesus proclaims not only is he to be about preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, but that he is also proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor.

Text Notes:

Luke chapter 3 begins what we most often call the “earthly” ministry of Jesus.

John the Baptist serves as a precursor to the ministry of Jesus, calling people to repentance and baptism, before baptizing Jesus himself. It is during and because of this baptism that we see Jesus identified as the Son of God through both the descending of a dove on him and a voice (the voice of God) proclaiming him as God’s son.

Not only do these supernatural events identify Jesus as God’s son, but Luke can also point to the genealogy of Jesus as a proof of his “Son-ness.” Luke’s genealogy is backwards, starting with Jesus and working back to God and unlike Matthew’s version, the listing of fathers goes all the way back to God. (Matthew’s stops with Abraham.) Luke is showing, as has been mentioned, that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.

Jesus is immediately taken full of the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Notice that this was a divine action—the Spirit led him. Any time we see the Spirit in Luke-Acts, take notice. Luke is very careful to mention the action of God through the Spirit and so his inclusion in this and any story is not incidental, nor accidental.

While in the desert, Jesus fasts for forty days, an action common to individuals preparing for a big event, such as a life of public ministry. It is because of this fasting that at least the temptation of turning rocks into bread would have been a difficult one to overcome. (Notice Luke tells us Jesus was hungry.) This temptation may have been even greater than just the need for food. Imagine the accolades and followers Jesus would have received if he could give people food whenever he wanted to. This is probably why the people come to find him later in chapter 4 – he was providing them something they needed and wanted, that is, healing. The other two temptations fit in with this idea of Jesus proving himself powerful or perhaps spectacular. As Jesus begins his earthly ministry, is surely must have been a temptation to shortcut his way into gaining the following of the world through powers the people were impressed with as opposed to following the way of God. This is also why his response in Scripture is key: Jesus understood his role was not simply to gain followers, but for himself to follow what God called on him to do.

Jesus’ first teaching moment in the gospel of Luke gives us a preview as to the direction and understanding Jesus has of his earthly ministry. Rather than coming to affirm the religious folk, he has come to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. In practical terms, this means the blind see, the oppressed are freed, etc. Jesus identifies himself as the one to provide this release for those who are oppressed. I believe there is much to be said about our own view as to how we go about following Jesus as his church when we examine carefully this passage.

Our section closes with two stories of Jesus actually going about doing some of the things he said he was going to do. First, he drives out a demon. Notice that the demon has a very clear understanding of who Jesus was. Everyone else may have a question, but the demon does not. Jesus also heals many, but emphasizes the importance of proclaiming the kingdom of God to everyone. While healing those who are sick is important, it is the result of the good news of the kingdom, not the cause of the kingdom. That kingdom is to be proclaimed, both by Jesus and by us, as well.

Discussion Questions:

We are told in Luke 3.3 that John went preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Why do you think this was the message he told the people? What other message might you have expected from someone like John? How does this message compare to what we read in Isaiah 40.3-5, quoted here? Why do you think it was easy for the people to assume John was the coming Messiah? What does there assumptions say about their expectations of the Messiah? (Luke 3.1-20)

Compare Luke’s description of Jesus’ baptism with the other gospel writers. Why do you think Luke chose to tell of the baptism in this manner? Why do you think the dove came down upon Jesus? What might the purpose of this sign have been? Do you think it was a necessary sign or just an added bonus? Why? Notice that Luke does not say the voice from heaven was from God, but there is little doubt who was speaking. Why was this affirmation an important part of Luke’s story?(Luke 3.21-22)

We normally find genealogies terribly boring. Why do you think Luke includes this genealogy here? What is unique about this genealogy and why is it important? What stands out to you in this list? (Luke 3.23-38)

How comforting is it to you that Jesus was tempted? In what ways do you think these temptations were real struggles for Jesus? In what ways have you been tempted in ways that could be considered similar to Jesus’ own temptations? (Luke 4.1-13)

What does the passage Jesus chose to read from Isaiah tell us about his understanding of his role on earth as Savior? Are you surprised to see these things listed? What might you have thought a better list of things for a Messiah to do on earth? In what ways can you be about some of the things Jesus has listed here? (Luke 4.14-30)

Should we be surprised the demons that possessed the man found in this section knew who Jesus was? Why is it the demons have no trouble identifying the “Holy One of God” when his disciples and followers seem to miss who Jesus really is? Why do you think the people were amazed at Jesus’ words? What about them proved his authority and power? (Luke 4.31-37)

Jesus demonstrates the power to heal those who are sick, but does not seem to focus solely on this act. Why do you think this was the case? Why did Jesus seek a solitary place? Why did the people seek to draw him back to their towns? What does it mean to you that Jesus sees his role to be proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns and peoples? When you look at the life of Jesus, how does the truth that he came to proclaim the good news of the kingdom affect how you see the kingdom of God? (Luke 4.38-44)

Activities:

Every week this section will list possible activities you and your family unit can do. You may pick one or perhaps do several during the course of a week. All are intended to be suitable for any age.

In what ways do we find a dove used in Scripture? How would the original readers of this gospel have understood the image of a dove, based on what you find.

Look up other genealogies we find in Scripture and compare them to what we find in Luke 3.23-38. What similarities exist and what differences? Why do you think these are important?

How does Jesus use Deuteronomy 6 and 8 to battle the temptations the devil throws at him? How do these passages that Jesus quotes compare to how they are originally used in the book of Deuteronomy?

Use the prophecy of Jesus quoted by him in Luke 4.18-19 to draw a word picture of Jesus and his activities on earth. Use additional pictures, along with the descriptions we read from Isaiah.

Make a list of passages that you can read and reread so as to give you a foundation to resist temptation in your own life. What passages mean the most to you as you face temptations? Why?

In what ways does your life proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God? In what ways should your life proclaim this good news? What is one thing you can do this week to proclaim that good news more? Do it.

Connect:

Find lessons, posts about the passages we are studying, and more information at 1homebiblestudy.org.

Find more information about our 1 Groups at 1groups.com.

Find out more information about South Plains at southplains.org.

Tag your posts with #1hbs.

by-nc-nd copy This work by South Plains Church of Christ and Robert A. Anderson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attributions-NonCommerical-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.

Luke/Acts – Lesson 01

Posted on 09/13/2015 by 1 Groups

Week of September 13

Text:

Luke 1-2

Summary:

Luke writes his gospel to confirm the certainty of the teachings Theophilus has heard. Central to that teaching is the coming of Jesus, who offers salvation both to the Jews and also the Gentiles. This Jesus, according to the angel from God, will be—and is—the Son of the Most High.

Text Notes:

Luke tells us in the prologue to his story of Jesus, that he is attempting an orderly account of Jesus. Based on the introduction to the book of Acts, we also understand that this story—a two volume work—actually spans beyond just the earthly life of Jesus through the life of the early church. The purpose of his writing is so that Theophilus (for whom we know nothing beyond what we see here in the introduction) might be certain of that which he has been taught. Said another way, this account serves to bolster Theophilus’ faith.

Many Lukan scholars point out that the occasion of Luke’s gospel probably was to address a sense of uncertainty that existed in the life of both Jews and Gentiles following the death of Jesus. The perception of the coming Messiah, for many, was rooted in the idea of an earthly king who would conquer any nation ruling over Israel, in this case, Rome. Obviously a death on a cross did not exactly fit their understanding of what was to happen. As time continued, there was also a tension between Jews who followed their traditional teachings and Jews and Gentiles who moved more along the path of what we would call Christianity. When the tensions around you are high and people seem opposed to you at every turn, you begin to ask yourself: Is this really the right way to go? Luke’s account of Jesus and his people attempts to address the tension that was felt by these people.

The first chapter of Luke follows two stories that converge at the birth of Jesus: the life of John and his parents and the life of Jesus and (primarily) his mother, Mary. If you separate these stories and lay them side-by-side, you will discover that while parallel, they do not always align as far as the responses of each individual. For instance, Zechariah doubts God’s announcement of a child and is made mute. Mary, on the other hand, trusts God and proclaims: “I am the Lord’s servant.” Mary is the model disciple.

The angel Gabriel is considered in Jewish thought as the angel who brings news regarding the end times; he is the apocalyptic angel, if you will. Much of this thought comes from Gabriel’s role as a messenger in Daniel 9-11. Given this way of thinking, there would have been a possibility that the early readers of Luke’s gospel would have understood the announcements Gabriel is making in Luke 1 as having to do with end times sorts of things. This would not have been in the sense that he is describing a battle, but rather, in that these two individuals who will be born affect the coming kingdom of God. Whether they knew it or not, as we read through Luke and Acts we discover this is certainly true.

We are probably familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth, even though we do not celebrate Christmas in September. Do not overlook the surprise of the nature of his birth, however. Luke includes the birth narrative, along with Matthew, while Mark and John do not. What is so significant about this story that Luke feels the need to tell it? For Luke, it is the manifestation of one who is to bring salvation to God’s people Israel and God’s people the Gentiles, even though they are not named as “God’s people” in the same way the Israelites are. I think also the humble beginnings of Jesus’ earthly life add to the power of Jesus’ offer of salvation.

Simeon and Anna serve to give credibility to this human Jesus, who is named as the one to bring salvation. Both of these elderly Jews are said to be looking for a coming Messiah and their interaction with Jesus and his parents and their blessing of this child affirm he is indeed that one. Simeon is also the one who quotes the prophet Isaiah who speaks of the one to come as a “light for revelation to the Gentiles.” The focus of God’s saving grace, while always much broader than just the Jewish people, has now been identified as salvation for “all.”

You wonder what Mary knew about Jesus’ role as the Son of God growing up. Obviously this child was uniquely called, but were there things in his growing up years that would have been “different” from other children? You get a sense from the account of Mary finding Jesus in the temple that this event seemed “out of the norm.” We as Luke’s readers are reminded that Jesus’ role on earth was tied to the will of his Father.

Discussion Questions:

Every week our lessons will include seven questions (really question sets) that you may either pick and choose those questions that best suit your family unit, or you may use one question set for each day. I will include, if applicable, the section of text related to that specific question set in parenthesis.

Luke begins his gospel by telling us that he is writing an “orderly account” he “investigated” through “eyewitnesses and servants of the word.” If you were going to write an account about someone, perhaps a family member, what would you do to prepare for your writing? What sort of things do you think you would include? Why are these things important? In what ways does an orderly account help verify the certainty of things you have been taught? How have people helped your certainty of faith up to this point in your life? (1.1-4)

When the angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah, he tells him: “Do not be afraid.” Yeah, right. How do you think you would have reacted to the appearance of this angel? How do you think you would have reacted to the news the angel brings? In what ways do you think Zechariah’s doubt and questioning of the angel was a normal response? In what ways do you think it shows a lack of faith that he should have had? (1.5-25)

When the angel of the Lord appears to Mary, we are told it is the angel Gabriel. Gabriel was known from the Old Testament (see Daniel 9-11) as the angel who brought news about the end times. In what ways would Gabriel’s announcement to Mary qualify as message about the end times? How did Mary respond to the angel’s appearance? What do we find out about Mary’s son through the angel’s message? How does Mary’s response compare to Zechariah’s response? (1.26-45)

Describe what you see in what has been called “The Magnificat,” which is the Latin word for “magnify” in Mary’s song. What are the subjects she addresses and how does she describe them? What does her song tell you about the way you praise God in your own life? How does Mary’s song compare to Zechariah’s song? (1.46-80)

How would you expect the Son of God or a messenger from God to appear to the people who live on earth? How does your thinking compare to how Jesus actually does appear? Why was it important for Jesus to come to this earth as a human? In what ways does Jesus’ human nature reassure your faith and trust in him? (2.1-21)

The characters of Simeon and Anna serve as witnesses to the credibility of Jesus as the Son of the Most High. In what ways would their testimony or affirmation of Jesus affected the Jewish people reading Luke’s gospel? We are told they were anticipating “the consolation of Israel,” that is, the coming of the Messiah. How did his (and Anna’s) anticipation change the way they lived life? In what ways do you anticipate the coming of Jesus and his power through the Holy Spirit? In what ways has this anticipation changed your life? (2.22-40)

Mary is surprised to find the adolescent Jesus in the temple learning from—and teaching—the teachers. Jesus, however, seems surprised that Mary was surprised. Should Mary have been surprised or should she have understood this to be a central component of Jesus’ life? In what ways should we be focused on being in our “Father’s house,” or perhaps stated more accurately, being about our Father’s business? Is doing the will of God a central focus in our life, or just one of many things we do? How can we be sure to give it appropriate priority today and every day?

Activities:

Every week this section will list possible activities you and your family unit can do. You may pick one or perhaps do several during the course of a week. All are intended to be suitable for any age.

Throughout the first chapter of Luke, the author intentionally aligns in parallel form the stories of John and his family with Jesus and his family. Use a photocopy or printed copy of Luke 1 and move these stories side by side, so as to see the parallelism. Compare each of the stories with its counterpart. What emphasis do you see based on the differences between these two similar stories?

The birth narrative of Jesus has similarities to birth announcement stories we find in the Old Testament. Compare Luke 1-2 with Judges 13.2-7 and 1 Samuel 1-3. How are these stories similar? How are they different? How do you think the Jewish people would have reacted to Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth, knowing what they did about the birth of Samson and Samuel? What sort of knowledge can we glean from understanding and comparing these three stories?

Create your own song praising God for the things he has done, similar to the way that Mary praised God in Luke 1.46-55. Perhaps you might even want to pick a known tune and write lyrics for the song that magnify God.

Often times we think of Jesus’ birth only around the time of Christmas. While it is not winter, celebrate Christmas in September. Get or make a small Christmas tree, including ornaments. As you think of reasons to celebrate the arrival of Jesus in the flesh on earth, write down that reason on an ornament and hang it on your tree. We are told Jesus was the one who brought redemption and salvation to his people. Use this idea to generate thoughts about the ways Jesus has offered you salvation. Write these things on your ornament and hang them on your tree.

Find a copy of The ZOE Group’s song “Magnificat” from their album In Christ Alone. (You can download it here on iTunes.) Listen to the song. How does this song better help you understand the emotion and response of Mary? You may also want to find other songs based on this passage (Look up Magnificat and you will find several – both contemporary and classical pieces.) Listen to this and determine how accurate these songs are to the Biblical text (especially if they have lyrics) and how well they communicate the emotion of this passage.

Live this week reminding yourself in any and every situation: “I am the Lord’s servant.” Don’t just say it, do it.

Connect:

Find lessons, posts about the passages we are studying, and more information at 1homebiblestudy.org.

Find more information about our 1 Groups at 1groups.com.

Find out more information about South Plains at southplains.org.

Tag your posts with #1hbs.

by-nc-nd copy This work by South Plains Church of Christ and Robert A. Anderson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attributions-NonCommerical-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.

Proverbs Wrap-up

Posted on 09/01/2015 by 1 Groups

Yesterday marked the conclusion of our Proverbs-a-Day reflection throughout the summer. I hope you found these writings an encouragement as you participated in your own 1 Home Bible Study. I am grateful for those who volunteered to write these reflections, some of whom did multiple days. You will find a full list of the people below—please take a moment to thank them when you have a chance.

We are taking a short break from posts, but will begin a new series on September 13 over Luke-Acts. Included with this series will be weekly reflections as well as lessons for you to use as you study through these books with us. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to be in prayer and study with us during this series.

Jana Anderson
Luke Anderson
Rob Anderson
Bob Bailey
Ralph Beistle
Jim Brewer
Lisa Brewer
Bobby Clark
Gary Evans
James German
Matthew Killough
Jesse Long
JoAnn Long
Keino McWhinney
Lyn Meter
James Osborne
TJ Randers
Laci Richardson
Raymond Richardson
Sarah Roberson
Trent Roberson
Troy Sell
Randy Sheets
Carter Shuman
April Stephenson
Charles Stephenson
Bob Terhune
Charlotte Wheeler
Daniel Wheeler
Dennis Wisdom
Randy Wiseman

1 Home Bible Study

Home Bible Study Resources for South Plains Church of Christ

Monthly Archives: September 2015

Luke/Acts – Lesson 03

Luke/Acts — Lesson 02

Luke/Acts – Lesson 01

Proverbs Wrap-up