Read Luke 2:1-20

Know

1. What could be some reasons behind the circumstance of Jesus being born in a manger?
   • The Roman census was taking place. (Luke 2:1)
   • People were heading to their hometowns to register for the census (Luke 2:3). Timing played a factor. 
   • Joseph and Mary traveled to get to Bethlehem (Luke 2:4). People could get there quicker. 
   • There was no room for them (Luke 2:6).
2. What details can we notice about the way the angel approached shepherds? 
   • “The radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them” (Luke 2:9 NLT).
   • “the angel was joined by a vast host of others” (Luke 2:13 NLT). 
   • The angel started with glorifying God before giving the message.
3. What can we notice between the beginning of their encounter to the end of their dialogue?
   • It started with them seeing one angel and would end with them seeing the vast host of angels.
   • At first, the shepherds were afraid (Luke 2:10) and were motivated to see Jesus after their conversation (Luke 2:15).
   • They were stationary before the angel gave the message. They were mobile after being given the news.
4. Can you notice how Joseph and Mary interacted with the events in the given passage?
   • Joseph would receive commands.
   • Mary was only a recipient of the events. After being given the message of being the mother of Jesus, Mary seems not to anticipate much of the events in the given passage.
   • The only thing Mary took the initiative was wrapping up Jesus
   • Joseph did not question the messages he received in the story.
   • Like the shepherds, Joseph hastened to fulfill the instructions given.

GROW
We are given cheerful messages from the Savior’s birth this Christmas season. We can notice the impact Jesus had on other people by the events that took place. We can recognize how the shepherds, Joseph and Mary, and even the angel played their roles. 

These messages presented in the story are all related to the coming birth of Jesus. The way these characters, who were recipients of the news, play their roles in the story teach us the details of how to carry out God’s plan. 

The angel brought this message of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds in a way we can observe that can be practical. The angel started by Glorifying the Lord. Beginning this way is essential for the readers to recognize that we are to remember that this is a story of God being sovereign over the entire event. 

At the end of the passage we have read, the shepherds, Mary, and Joseph also glorified the Lord when given the messages relating to Jesus. We can see that they were not in the best situation to follow up on God’s calling to them. However, they did their intended mission regardless of what they had to face in the process. 

We are to recognize that even though our circumstances can discourage us, especially when fulfilling God’s plan, we are to praise Him. 

GO
As we are in this Holiday season to be merry, we should be willing to take on this challenge to behave like the characters in this story. They were part of this plan to bring to attention the Advent of Jesus Christ. 

We have this Advent message today as well. The shepherds were not hesitant to complete God’s calling to be part of this work in the proclamation of Jesus coming to the world. We can do the same today by transitioning our conversations to the beautiful story of the first coming. Then we can express the second coming in our discussions to show how relevant the birth of Jesus can indeed be.