Fellowship

No Accidental Messiah
Personal Study 1 (Taken with permission from Barefoot ministries. Only to be used by South Hills Church of the Nazarene Teens)

<< Continued study from previous page

After you have skimmed the entire Book of Luke, complete

these statements:  (COMPLETE  MON, OR TUES OR WED (FEB 16-18)

1. I think the main message of Luke's Gospel is . . .

2. One section that really interests me is . . . 

3. One question that I'd like to have answered is . . .
 
4. The most important thing that the Book of Luke says to me

personally, today is . . .

2. OVERVIEW  (Complete Thurs, Feb 19)

The first chapter in Luke's Gospel describes the events prior to

Jesus' birth that signaled that something special was about to happen.

Read chapter one. Then answer these questions:

1. What is the most familiar section of this chapter to you?

2. What is the least familiar section?

3. Is there anything in this chapter that surprises you?
 
4. What in this chapter do you want to explore in more depth?

3. CONGRATULATIONS ELIZABETH AND MARY! (1:1-38) (Complete Friday, Feb 20 or Sat Feb 21, Sun, Feb 22)

After a four-verse introduction in which Luke explains his

intention for writing, he tells how two people—one an elderly

married man, and one a young single woman—are visited by an

angel named Gabriel.

Read Luke 1:1-38. Then answer these questions:

1. Read Acts 1:1. What does Luke say there about his purpose in

writing this Gospel?

2. What did Luke do before he began to write (v. 3)? What does

that mean to you as you begin this study?
 
3. At this time in history, just before Jesus' birth, there were too

many Jewish priests for them all to work in the Temple

regularly, so they worked in groups, with each group serving

only two weeks out of the year. Special tasks, like the burning

of incense, were assigned by a drawing. It was likely that a

priest might be chosen for one of these special tasks only once

or twice during his lifetime. How do you think Zechariah

must have felt as he entered the Temple to do this special

task?

4. During Bible times, if a couple was unable to conceive

children, the woman was considered cursed. In fact, a man

could divorce a woman for no other reason than her

childlessness. (They had no understanding in those days that

the man could be infertile.) How do you think Zechariah must

have felt when he heard the news the angel Gabriel told him?

5. What did Gabriel say would be the mission of Zechariah's

son?

6. Mary was "pledged" to be married to Joseph. This was like

our "engagement," only much more binding. (Indeed, a

divorce had to be secured in order to break it off.) But, since

they weren't yet married, the two had not been intimate. It was

considered a terrible and shameful sin for an unmarried

woman (even one pledged) to become pregnant. How do you

think Mary must have felt when she heard that she was to be a

mother?

7. What does Mary's response in verse 38 tell you about her?
 

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