For To You Is Born...

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Study Group meeting, Thursday, December 20.  The passage is Luke 2 instead of Acts 14.

Read through the chapter several times.  It may be helpful to read Chapter 1 because that has a lot of detail that is assumed in this chapter.  As you read through Chapter 2, look for things that seem odd, or out of place.  Look for things that "don't match" and consider who is doing what and to whom are things being done.

After reading through a few times yourself, writing down observations and questions, consider the questions below as you read through again.

• When did all this happen?
• What's the census for?
• Why go to the family cities?
• What is the status of Joseph and Mary?
• What might have been some difficulties along the road from Nazareth?
• What was everyone doing in Bethlehem?
• If shepherds were out in the fields, what was the weather like, most likely?
• What can you guess about what the angel looked like?
• Once the angel makes the announcement, who shows up?  What do they do?
• Once they leave, how long does it take the shepherds to find the manger?
• What do they do once they find the baby?
• What do the shepherds do after seeing the child?
• What does Mary do after they leave?
• What is the common theme with anyone connected to the child?
• Why the eighth day for circumcision?
• Look up Leviticus 12:1-8, why the pigeon or turtle dove?
• What is Simeon's guarantee from the Spirit?
• What things are included in Simeon's address to Mary?
• What is Anna's "job"? Is it unusual for a woman to be a "prophet"? (see 2 Kings 22:8-20)
• What does Anna do with Jesus?
• What theme continues with those encountering Jesus?
• After the "purification" and "dedication", where did they go?
• So how long were they in Bethlehem? 
• What sort of parenting do Joseph and Mary provide to Jesus the Teenager if they leave without Him?
• Why would they be so lax?
• How many days was He missing in total?  How did He survive that long?
• What was Jesus doing in Jerusalem?  
• What is the significance that He was sitting and asking questions?
• What did the teachers think? Look up "astonished"/"amazed" (G1839).  What was the problem with which they grappled?
• What were Jesus' parents response?  What is odd about Mary's question?
• What does Jesus' answer to her reveal about what He knows about Himself?
• Knowing what He does about Himself, what would His 'submission' have looked like?

That's probably enough.  Keep some of these items in mind for the following week.  I suspect there will be some questions to be addressed next week about timing.

See everyone Thursday!

Blessings of Christmas upon each of you!

More Than Silver And Gold

This is the blog page for the small group meeting on Thursday, September 13.  The topic will be Acts 3, which is only half of the story.  It is completed in Chapter 4, and I encourage you to read that chapter as well.  It will be difficult not to move on to that chapter, but there are elements of both that merit two weeks of study.

I suggest that both chapters be read together just to get a sense of the story.  Then go back over 3 more slowly, looking for anything that sticks out about events, the main characters, the setting, and dialogue (or monologue, as it turns out).  As you read the second time, jot down questions or observations.  Be sure to look up words that jump out at you as either important or peculiar in some way.

As you read the third time consider the questions below:

• Considering the previous chapter's ending, how unusual is it for Peter and John to be going to the temple?
• How often must they have seen this guy before? Why now would it be a different response to him?
• Peter speaks, but how involved does John seem to be?
• How old is the lame beggar?
• Exactly at what point did the man's legs and feet become "strong"?  Why is that significant? (or is it?)
• Consider the sight of the three entering the temple.  How possible is it for the people inside and out to miss the entrance?
• The people's response is again "wonder" and "amazement" but different words are used here. The first is "wonder" (G2285) and the second is "amazement" (G1611).  Which one seems more descriptive and why?
• In Peter's response, he uses a word from the last chapter, "Amazed" (G2296), so how is this crowd's reaction similar to the crowd on the Day of Pentecost?
• Peter again lays the death of Jesus at the feet of the people (v. 13-16), but after that how does he "soften" his approach in ways he didn't in the previous chapter?
• What different Biblical elements does he use here not used in his previous "sermon"?
• Peter finally quotes some Scripture, Deuteronomy 18.  How did he apply this to Jesus?
• How does Deut. 18 describe the penalty for not listening to the Prophet? Does it really say the person not listening will be "destroyed" or "cut off"?
• Peter then refers to the blessing of Abraham.  How does this apply to Jesus?
• Peter acknowledges that the blessing is to every "family", but who "first"?  Why them?

You will probably have more questions, so bring them on!  If you want to post them as comments to this entry first, we can all be thinking about them before Thursday.

I am looking forward to meeting again Thursday.  Our last meeting was amazing.  Blessings upon you all!