Sunday School Lesson 4: Savior’s Birth, Luke 2:1-20, December 22, 2024.
Key Text: It came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us (Luke 2:15).
After the death of the Roman Governor, Julius Caesar in 44B.C., his adopted son, Caesar Augustus (“exalted one”) ascended to supremacy. Caesar Augustus ordered “all the world” of the Roman Empire to be “registered and Taxed for future taxation”. “All the world” indicated only twenty-seven provinces were ruled by the Roman Senate and the emperor. This decree would actually establish a cycle of enrollments that were to occur every fourteen years. Palestine had previously been excluded from the Roman census, because Jews were exempt from serving in the Roman army, and the census was designed primarily to register young men for military service as well as account for all Roman citizens. Syria was most important of all the Roman provinces and Quirinius was the military governor of Syria. Since Joseph was from the line of David, he was required to make the trip to Bethlehem, the town of David v 4. Even though Mary would have been included in Joseph’s family, he took her with him because she was close to giving birth v 5. Without knowing it, the Roman Empire was working in accordance with the will of God. Nearly 700 years prior to these events, the prophet Micah declared that the Messiah would be born in the little town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
Without the help of a midwife, Mary gives birth to her first child. She wraps the baby Jesus in long bands of cloth (swaddling clothes) v7, such as were used in wrapping the bodies of the dead. That “He was born to die” is perhaps intimated here and in the later gift of myrrh from the wise men. The “manger” and “no room for them in the inn” suggest poverty, loneliness, and even rejection. Then, God sent an angel to make the first announcement of the Savior’s birth to lowly shepherds, instead of the religious aristocracy. The Deliverer, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Lord Himself, which was promised in the Old Testament, in unique rarity, can be found as a baby in a manger. Upon completing his announcement, this angel was immediately joined by hundreds of angels who lit up the dark sky and the glory of the Lord shone v 14. The angels also gave praise to God for making a way of humankind to be reconciled to the Father. People could finally find peace in their hearts through the work the newborn messiah would do. What depth of love God has for His creation and the great cost involved in giving us a gift that allows us to have a relationship with Him? We should be able to recognize the significance of the actions taken by God, and join the host of angels in exaltation of the God of the universe.
Once the shepherds saw Jesus, they went and told everyone they encountered v17. People who heard the shepherds’ message were amazed at their story. Luke tells us that Mary “pondered,” kept reflection on these things in her heart v 19. Luke concludes his account of Jesus’ life by telling the reader that the shepherds returned to their work and continue to glory and praise God v 20. AMEN!
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