WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 25, 2016
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JOYOUS NEWS
(JESUS was born to save us)
(Luke 2:1-20)
Luke chapter two, verses 1-2, are the
verses in Scripture that come closest to giving us the exact birth year of our
LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. In Luke 2:1-7, the author of GOD writes of the
90-mile trip, of Joseph and Mary, from Nazareth to Bethlehem to honor “the
census decree” that had been imposed by the Emperor, Caesar Augustus.
The decree was
put into place for the purpose of “assessing taxes”, and discovering those who
were liable for “compulsory military service”. The Jews, however, were exempt
from serving in the military, so basically, the census for them was taken
expressly for “taxation purposes”. These census’ were periodical in nature, and
the count came “once every 14 years”. Man has in his possession, actual
documentation of every Roman census taken from A.D. 20 to A.D. 270.
Luke 2:1-2, are
the verses of scripture that are most reliable in actually determining the year
of JESUS’ birth into this world as a 100% human being. Here Luke tells us that
it was at the time of this particular census that was imposed by Caesar
Augustus, that Joseph and Mary (who was quite far along in her pregnancy with
baby JESUS), had to travel to Bethlehem, the home of Joseph’s ancestry, to be
counted. Every person, by law, had to return to their original place of
ancestry in order to register for this census count.
Luke also tells
us in verse 2, that, it was during the time when Cyrenius (Quirinius) was
serving as Roman governor to Syria. Roman records show that Cyrenius served in
an official capacity on two separate occasions, first, from 10 B.C. to 7 B.C.,
and later, in A.D. 6-7. Roman records also show that Caesar Augustus served as
Roman Emperor, from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14. What that tells us is, that, the census
records that man now possesses, most likely begins with the third 14-year
census count, and, that the first count must have been during Cyrenius’ first
term in office (10 B.C.-7 B.C.).
We also know, from
Scripture (Matthew 2:13-17), that “Herod the Great”, who was king over Judea at
that time, issued a decree to kill all infants in and around Bethlehem, up to
the age of 2, in an attempt to kill baby JESUS. Since Roman records show that
Herod died in 4 B.C., we know that JESUS had already been born. And if the
14-year cycle of the census count holds true, and, in light of all the Biblical
and secular facts that we have, we can, with reasonable certainty, deduce that
JESUS was born in 8 B.C., during that first census count.
All of this
information is something good and special for the serious Bible students to know,
but the Good News of the birth of CHRIST JESUS is something good and special
for everyone to know. The term “Hypostatic Union” is one that can only be used
in reference to CHRIST JESUS. It refers to HIS unique “theanthropic personage”
(both “divine” and “human” in nature and quality), being 100% perfect man, as
GOD originally made Adam (without sin), and, 100% GOD, as GOD the FATHER
HIMSELF is.
HE served us
here on earth, as 100% perfect man, to show us how we could live if we
maintained a willingness to obey GOD at all times. Through HIS FATHER GOD’s
mercy and grace, and HIS OWN obedience to GOD, JESUS died for us because HE
knew we would not obey GOD. In fact, man has long ago, since the time of the
Garden of Eden, convinced himself that he really can’t obey GOD completely,
despite GOD sharing with us, the same “spiritual attributes”, or “divine
nature”, that HE sent CHRIST to rescue us with.
However, as I
said earlier, because of GOD’s faithfulness, mercy, and grace, we can now
rejoice in the knowledge that there does now exist, the “Christian Hope”. It is
the Hope that arises out of the “New Covenant” that was ushered in, and is
personified by, our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, which HE signed with HIS OWN
blood.
Luke’s clear and
straightforward account of JESUS’ birth, goes a long ways toward anchoring
these events in history, and then, linking them to prophesy. He helps us to see
that “Biblical history” is “World history”, and, that they will forever be
inseparable and synonymous with each other because of GOD, WHO is the origin of
both.
The announcement
of JESUS’ birth, from on High, came first to “the lowly Shepherds in the fields”,
where they worked and kept watch over their sheep. In the first century,
Shepherds were on the bottom rung of the “social” and “economic” ladder, and
they were, by way of their meager lifestyles, “the most humble” of people.
In Luke 2:8-20,
we once again get a glimpse of the “Three Great Revolutions of GOD”, and what
their importance would be in the coming “Christian Movement”. We saw it first
in the writings and utterances of the Old Testament saints (i.e. 1 Samuel
2:3-8). In the New Testament we see it in Mary’s song of praise, known as the
“Magnificat” (which in Latin means “My soul doeth magnify the LORD”) (Luke 1:
51-53). There it says, in effect, that GOD will use the birth, life, and
ministry of CHRIST, and, Christianity, to uphold and defend the lowly and the
humble.
First of all, those
who truly understand Christianity know that it is designed to uphold
“humbleness”, and by nature, means the death of “pride”. Secondly, Christianity
is aimed at stamping out “social injustice”. Every Prophet of GOD that has come
to us was a champion of the fight against social injustice. GOD is extremely
interested in “justice” and “being just”. That is why we find the word “just”
written in Scripture over 90 times and the word “justice” 28 times.
And thirdly,
Christianity is aimed at combating prejudices based on one’s “economic status”.
Money, prosperity, and material things almost always turn a person’s heart away
from GOD. So it becomes quite clear, the appropriateness, of announcing the
“good news” first to ordinary folks, rather than to the rich.
And so, during
this coming, and every Christmas season to come, let us strive to stay focused
on the real reason for our celebration, and also let us, once again, use that
time to commemorate the coming of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, and, to
celebrate the love, brilliance, largesse, and mercy, of the ONLY WISE GOD the
FATHER, for sending to us, HIS only begotten SON, to save us from ourselves,
and the wiles of satan.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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