WEEK THREE – FINAL THOUGHTS
Insights on The Joy of Birth: Luke 2:8-19 (NIV)
(As a reference, this passage is repeated at the end of this section.)
NOTE TO GROUP LEADER: Insights on Insights on The Joy of Birth: Luke 2:8-19 (NIV)
It is a time for personal reflection and to share our experiences and how they relate to the passage. Allow the group to consider if this exercise and discussion have provided clarity for our lives and how we live from day to day. Allow the discussion to flow freely so that individuals feel that they have been heard. Try to ensure that everyone had an opportunity to share. Do not insist that a person share but offer him or her the opportunity. The closing reflection and prayer may be read by the Group Leader, or one or two members of the group may be asked to read aloud. (Items needed: Closing Reflection, Closing Song, Discussion Questions):
Follow the order as indicated below:
- Closing Reflection
- Closing song with words
- Discussion Questions
- Repeat Closing Song (if group wishes)
Reflection and prayer:
A beautiful, helpless child was born to humble, simple parents. With this one act of love, He turned the world upside down – disregarding the day’s conventions and all expectations about how the Messiah would come to save the Jews.
Humbling himself by becoming human, he lifted us up and gave us worth and dignity. He became our redeemer and brought hope to a suffering world. This act of love was complete and total. As a vulnerable baby, He entrusted himself to us through Mary and Joseph.
Imagine! The birth of the Messiah was such a momentous event that scores of heavenly bodies and angels announced his birth in dramatic song … an amazing and unbelievable act of God. No social media announcement or public event could have been as awesome, as vivid, as terrifying.
On the one hand, Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah quietly, humbly and without pomp and circumstance enters the earth. On the other, “a great company of heavenly host” celebrate in heavenly style, they sing of the glory of God in the highest and the forthcoming peace to those “on whom his favor rests.” They announce that this is a culminating moment for the heavens and great news for people of good will.
Strangely, this announcement is made to simple, hardworking shepherds who had no power, no voice — giving them more importance than kings and Jewish leaders. This message was delivered first to those who would embrace the message with hope and joy. This newborn king would not threaten them, instead he would draw out in them the joy of new birth, the desire to protect and cuddle him in their arms.
Let us pray:
Dearest Lord,
No, let me re-phrase that: Dearest Baby Jesus,
You who are Lord, Savior, King – powerful in every sense of the word,
You humbled yourself and came to earth as a child,
and became as one of us –
needing to be loved,
needing to be nurtured
and cared for – completely vulnerable.
In this one act of incarnation, by taking human form,
You lifted us up as the greatest of God’s creation.
You gave us dignity and self-worth.
Sometimes, Jesus, I forget how precious I am in your eyes
and I treat myself in ways that I feel are unworthy of your love and attention.
I abuse myself with excesses of many kinds or I refuse to care for myself
because I may have lost hope and faith.
Give me the courage and the strength to use every breath I have
To give birth to a new me, one that lifts up my human family,
to acknowledge their dignity and their worth
– as You did on that day over 2000 years ago and as you do everyday
By giving me another day to serve and to love You
Through my simple and daily experiences of life.
Thank you for the gift of yourself that you gave us so many years ago.
For showing us the way to live, the way to serve and to love.
In our vulnerability, help us to be like you, as a child,
To accept the love and attention you give us,
To be cuddled in Your loving arms – so secure, so warm, reassuring.
Amen.
Closing reflection/discussion questions:
- What thoughts did you have as you read the final reflection? Can you identify with some of these thoughts and explain why?
- Discuss the announcement of the birth of Christ to the shepherds. How might the event of the birth of Christ be handled today?
- Did the prayer mirror your thoughts at all? If so, how? If not, why not? What would you change, add or delete from the prayer?
- Knowing our history during the past 2000 years, what would you ask/tell Mary or Joseph?
- What impact has the birth of Christ made on the world?
- What impact has the birth of Christ made in your life?
- Does the song call out to you? How? What is it telling us?
- Reflect on the last three weeks of Bible Study. Share your spiritual and emotional journey. What questions did you have? What concerns did you address? Did you gain any insights or have questions answered?
- Closing Question: Have these three weeks of Bible Study given you any sense of wellness, a sense of hope? If so, how? If not, why not?
Closing song
As we join the shepherds at the manger, what would we ask Mary? What would some of our questions be…“Mary, did you know?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_srtfgf2gqQ)
(show music video from youtube or read the words of the song below:)
“Mary Did You Know”
(originally by Mark Lowry (lyrics) and Buddy Greene (melody))
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?
Oh Mary did you know… Ooh Ooh Ooh
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your Baby Boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you’re holding is the great “I am”
© 1991 Word Music (admin. by Music Services), Rufus Music (admin. by Gaither Copyright Management). All rights reserved. Additional copyright include © 2011 Gaither Music Company (admin. by Gaither Copyright Management). All rights reserved.
“Mary, Did You Know?” Lyrics Words and Music by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene
Sung by Clay Aiken (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_srtfgf2gqQ)
Passage: Luke 2:8-19 (NIV)
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (NIV Luke 2:8-19)