Welcome to Kendra Graham’s online Bible study. This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
Kendra Graham NOTES from Luke 2:8-12
WHAT DOES IT SAY? THE FACTS ONLY PLEASE.
In this step you need to list the outstanding facts of the passage. DON’T get caught up in the details, just list the facts. Do not paraphrase. Use the actual words of the passage. This is God’s Word, a lot of times this step seems tedious to some, but I urge you, as we read, and say and write God’s Word, it begins to sink deep into our hearts. If you just pick one fact out of the verse, write it down and meditate on it.
Verse 8a: In the same region.
Verse 8b: There were shepherds.
Verse 8c: Staying out, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Verse 9a: An angel of the LORD suddenly stood before them.
Verse 9b: The glory of the LORD around them, they were frightened.
Verse 10: I bring you good news of great joy for all people.
Verse 11: Today in the city of David, born for you, a Savior, Christ the Lord.
Verse 12: This will be a sign: the baby wrapped in cloths in a manger.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE LESSONS.
Look for a lesson to learn from each fact. What are the people doing that they should be doing? What are the people doing that they shouldn’t be doing?
Is there a command to follow? A promise to claim? A warning to heed? An example to follow?
Verse 8a: God intentionally comes to where you are. He knows where to find you.
Verse 8b: The shepherds were dirty, lowly homeless, outcasts…. invisible in “society”, lonely, not accepted. Jesus comes for messy people.
Verse 8c: Working the night shift…the shift no one wanted…doing something important? Watching sheep who didn’t care about them. Easy to be overwhelmed with the feeling of unimportance. Easy to feel “overlooked”and even smaller than usual. Watching sheep was not glorious…but what was worse than that? Watching sheep at night…risking life and limb for these dumb animals that don’t even care, living among people who may seem not to care either. Away from family.
Verse 9a: Suddenly Heaven opens up in their life and they are faced with a messenger from God. God will not overlook you, forget you or lose you. God will show up when you least expect it, in a way that only God can. God knows you and what will get your attention.
Verse 9b: When we are surrounded by the glory of God…God’s holiness and perfection, we realize very quickly how we are so not holy and perfect. Easy to think… just when you think you have it bad, God probably shows up to yell at you… right? After all, the “shepherd type”was usually a thief, unsavory…“God knows what I did, and now I will get it for sure” BUT…. that was not the case!
Verse 10: I (God) bring YOU. The message is for you… personal. God didn’t make a mistake! God wasn’t looking to demand something out of the shepherds…. God wanted them to know they are personal to Him, and matter. That same message is for all people…for you and me today! God making sure you heard the message…. personally! God didn’t come to tell the shepherds or us that we are rotten and have made a mess of everything good… God came, with skin on this night, and wants you and me to know He sees us, and loves us, even in our mess. God is RELENTLESS for His handmade creation…you and me!
Verse 11: A Savior was born… HOPE was born for you and me! Not a committee, not a new set of laws with promises for all, not an adviser, not a reformer, not an adjuster, but a SAVIOR, for you and for me! It’s personal. This Savior is not meant to fix the external problems of the world, but the internal struggles of the heart…something no man or woman could bring! The real problem was not taxes, unemployment, oppression and debt… the real problem was sin. Sin keeps us from God. We need a Savior to bridge that gap. The Christ, the Messiah, God with skin on came to do just that! Hope has come for the shepherds, for you and for me! For all people!
Verse 12: The Messiah came, not to hide, but to be found. Since we would never look in the right place, God tells us: I AM here…wrapped in a manger. The manger is a messy place, but God came for messy people! A manger is approachable by all, no credentials needed, no long list to get your name on and schedule a meeting, and NO PRETENSE of cleanliness needed to come here. God came, compelled for His people, compelled to be reachable by all. What would be the purpose for the Messiah to come, then be out of reach of the very people He came to save? Jesus came for you and me to be found.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME NOW? APPLY IT…. TODAY.
Take the lessons you learned and put them into the form of a personal question that you would ask your spouse, or a friend or your son or daughter.
As you write the questions, listen for God to communicate to you through His Word.
*Do not rush. Do not write things down just to have something on paper, this step takes more time that you may think. This is where Scripture meditation becomes real, this is where you begin to hear that still small voice speak to you, and place His finger in your life and begin to direct your paths…. this day, and the next, and the next. Do you trust Him enough to put into place that which He is moving you to?
Verse 8a: Did I know that God personally cares about me and desperately wants me to know His story on my behalf?
Verse 8b: Have I ever felt like everything I touch falls apart? Have I ever felt like a mess and been thrilled with that because the mess is why Jesus came?
Verse 8c: When have I felt overlooked, ignored, unimportant to all society? Do I know that I know, that I matter to God and that He sees me as precious, noticed, and loved? Have I ever thought of myself as God’s handmade creation who He loves more than anything? Do I realize that today, in God’s Word from Luke 2, God wants me to hear of His personal love for me?
Verse 9a: How has God gone out of His way to get my attention now and previously? When has God or His messengers shown up in my life? How did (do) I feel about that? Will I listen to what He has to say to me, or walk away fist raised in pride, bitterness and anger?
Verse 9b: Do I think that God hates me and just wants to yell at me and tell me how bad I am? Will I listen to what He really has to say to me?
Verse 10: Did I realize that this message in Luke 2 is inclusive for me? Or have I just thought it an ancient story exclusive about shepherds?
Verse 11: Do I realize my personal desperate need for a Savior? When have I craved peace to the inner turmoil, needed saving from my past, and desired personal hope for the future? Did I know that God came with skin on (Jesus) to provide that for His handmade creation (me)?
Verse 12: Did I realize that a manger is approachable for someone like me in my current condition? How long have I tried to straighten and clean myself up before I went to God? Did I realize that the manger is the perfect place to bring myself just as I am? Do I now see that God wanted to be reachable, so He came to a lowly place so I would not be the one out of place?
LIVE IT OUT!
Today, I will praise You LORD, for coming, not only to the messy shepherds that night, but to me! Thank You for coming to a messy place that I can come to without credentials, and without having to get cleaned up first. When I see the mess and the shame of my choices, You see the very reason You came. Lift my eyes, that I may see You, strengthen my legs that I may come to You.
Homework: LUKE 2:13-20
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com and Anne will walk through the Three Questions with you and help you along!
Ladies don’t miss out…December 7, 2014
Come and enjoy a festive afternoon with music, a message from Kendra Graham, and a delicious meal.
Open to area women ages 15 and above. Space is limited.
Click here for more information and to register!