Luke 1-2
If you had been waiting years for a Messiah, how would you expect them to arrive? Imagine being told the Messiah had come to earth in the form of a vulnerable baby in a dirty feeding trough. Jesus’ birth was nothing like what the people had expected. In today’s Bible Study, we invite you to explore the unexpected nature of Jesus’ arrival and what it means for God’s Kingdom. Listen to the message, watch the video, open your Bible to Luke 1, and interact with the questions below.
Listen
Read and Discuss
Video question
What image stood out to you as you watched the video?
Message question
How did Tim’s message challenge or encourage you today?
What did you observe as you read? What patterns and repeated words did you notice?
Review Mary’s poetic response in verses 46-55. What do you observe? Take note of the people that God honors. What do they have in common? Take note of the people that God humbles. What do they have in common?
What kinds of people are honored in your city, neighborhood, and church? How are your answers similar to the kinds of people that God honors? How are they different?
If the birth of Jesus happened in our day, what kinds of leaders do you think would be humbled like Zechariah*, and who might be honored like Mary?
As you consider all these things, what do you sense needs to change in your own life to more accurately reflect the heart, mind, and actions of God?
Let’s take some time now to humble ourselves before God in prayer. Let’s ask him to have mercy on us and for the Spirit to give us wisdom and power to transform our values to reflect God’s in the new year.
*Due to variables in the original languages, translations render this name as Zecharias, Zacharias, or Zechariah.