Luke Teaching Outline: Week Three

FOLLOWING CHRIST – A MATTER OF OBEDIENCE, NOT QUALIFICATION

By Kay Arthur

Luke 4-5

There is a lot of Truth in these two chapters. We could also spend a week on each chapter. Don’t be frustrated if you are unable to cover everything from both chapters in your discussion. Hopefully our folks have been studying these two chapters on their own and so we bring the fruit of that study to the discussion.

Luke 4-5 in one sentence:

·      In chapters 4 and 5, Luke shows us Jesus’ preparation, proclamation, purpose, and power in ministry.

Some initial questions:

·      Which part of the study impacted you the most this week?

·      What is something that you learned for the first time this week from the study?

·      Are you living any differently this week because of something you learned?

·      What’s one thing you learned about Jesus?

·      What’s one thing you learned about the devil?

·      What’s one thing you learned about the disciples?

Talking points:

·      What should we notice about Christ:

o   His relationship with the Spirit:

§  He was full of the Spirit (v.1)

§  He was led by the Spirit (v. 1)

§  He returned in the power of the Spirit (v. 14)

§  He was anointed by the Spirit (v. 18)

·      Why was He anointed?

o   To proclaim good news to the poor

o   To proclaim liberty to the captives

o   To recover the sight of the blind

o   To set at liberty those who are oppressed

o   To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

·      Notice that one of the key purposes of the anointing was not just healing but proclamation of the Gospel.

o   His use of the Word

§  It is written – v. 4

§  It is written – v. 8

§  It is said – v. 12

o   His purpose in ministry

§  To proclaim good news to the poor and liberty to the captives (4:18)

§  To proclaim good news in many places (4:43)

§  To proclaim good news to wretched, sick sinners (5:31-32)

o   His power over demons (4:31-37, 41)

o   His power over disease

§  He healed Simon’s mother-in-law (4:39)

§  He healed those with various diseases (4:40)

§  He healed a leper (5:13)

§  He healed a paralyzed man (5:24)

o   His power to forgive sin (5:24)

§  Physical disease is not our biggest problem – sin is.

§  Our greatest need is to have our sin forgiven. Jesus has the power to forgive, because Jesus is going to be the One who atones for the sin.

·      What should we notice about Satan:

o   What were Satan’s tactics in the Garden of Eden – Genesis 2?

§  Distorts God’s word

§  Challenges God’s Word (you will not surely die)

§  Casts doubt on God’s goodness and trustworthiness

·      Goldsworthy: The possibility of discussing God and the truth of his word had not occurred to the woman up to this point. The humans existed in God’s creation and depended on God’s word for the true interpretation of reality.

·      Goldsworthy: It is important to recognize that if God is the creator of everything, he is also the source of all truth. There is no truth apart from his truth, which he communicates to us by his Word. God is the final and absolute authority and, since he has chosen to communicate by his Word, his Word has absolute and final authority.

·      G: The temptation: Satan’s suggestion that God’s word could not be relied upon as the absolute authority and source of truth for mankind.

·      G: The final effect was the same as if they had installed Satan as Lord, but it is achieved without the humans realizing it.

o   Did Satan use these on Christ? Yes. Matthew 4 and Luke 4

o   Does Satan use them on us? Yes.

o   Satan always promises what he can’t provide

·      What should we notice about the Disciples:

o   Sometimes what Jesus asks us to do may not make sense to us, but we are to obey immediately anyway (5:5)

o   Simon, James, John, and Levi left everything and followed Jesus (5:11, 28)

o   Immediate obedience does not require seminary education

o   Are we willing to have our vocations changed by Jesus? (5:10)

·      What should we notice about the crowd:

o   Read 4:22

o   Now read 4:28

o   The crowd is fickle. The same crowd that marveled at Him was the same crowd that tried to kill Him for telling them the Truth.

o   The crowd is powerless to preempt Jesus’ plans (4:30)

Application questions (besides what Kay Arthur provides)

• Are we led by, filled by, and empowered by the Spirit in our proclaiming of the Gospel?
• Are we relying on the Spirit and Word in our battles with temptation?
• Do we have an intentional plan for Scripture memory?
• Are our children growing up in homes where we have an intentional Scripture memory plan?
• Do we understand the importance of context in a passage when we see how Satan twisted Scripture?
• Are we expecting the crowd to treat us just like Jesus or different than Jesus (see 4:22, 28)?
• How often do we do what Jesus did in 5:16?
• Do we hang out with the same crowd that Jesus did (5:27-32)?
• Do we find hope in the fact that the Gospel is for sick, unrighteous sinners (5:32)?
• I recently heard someone say:
• Jesus commanded the leper not to tell anyone and he told everyone. We’ve been commanded to tell everyone and we tell no one. 

Luke Teaching Outline: Week Two

Luke: The Call to Follow Jesus
by Kay Arthur

WEEK TWO

Background Information on Luke:
(From last week’s outline)

Author:
- Written by Luke, a physician and companion of Paul on several missionary journeys (cf. Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16).
- Luke is thought to have been a Gentile, the only Gentile to write a New Testament book.
- Luke was written primarily to a Gentile audience.

Themes:
- Jesus presented as the compassionate Son of Man who came to seek and save the lost (19:10)
- Lord’s genealogy goes back to Adam (3:38), and the whole world is seen as the sphere of God’s redemption (2:14, 32; 3:6).
- Luke presented a more universal message of the Gospel by referring to Gentiles many times as sharing in the blessings of the Messiah as well as writing more about sinners, the poor, and the “outcasts” of Jewish society such as the Samaritans. Luke also wrote frequently of women and children and their faith in the Messiah.
- Luke presented a more methodical, detailed account of history, as stated in the prologue, to provide further confirmation of the faith of Theophilus (1:1-4).
- Luke emphasized both forgiveness (3:3; 5:18-26; 6:37; 7:36-50; 11:4; 12:10; 17:3-4; 23:34; 24:47) and prayer (3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 29; 22:32, 40-41).


Kay Arthur Discussion Questions for Week Two:

• What was to be the ministry of John, whom we refer to as “John the Baptist?” There is some stereotypical thinking about John the Baptist – for example, that he ranted and raved, screaming at people to repent. Does this fit what the text says about him?

• What was John’s message? What was its purpose? How could you tell if his message had an impact – what would those who believed it do?

• Did john fulfill his ministry? What did it cost him?

• According to John, who was Jesus and what would be do? What did God say about Jesus at His baptism? What does this tell you about the One you might choose to follow?

• How old was Jesus when He began his ministry? What do you learn about His example up until that time?

• What have you learned this week that you can apply to your own life?


Additional Points for Consideration:

The Christmas Story (2:1-20):

• Luke 2:1-20 gives us perhaps the best narrative of Christmas story. When asking the five W’s and the H, Luke’s history of Jesus’ birth is brought into a new light.

-When: The time in which Caesar Augustus declared that a census must be taken.
-Where: Bethlehem, Joseph’s hometown. More importantly, a manger. This location is very interesting, especially considering the “who”.
-Who: Census registration was required by everyone living in Syria. Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ parents, were traveling together. Shepherds, not respected by society because of their lowly occupation, were also included in the story. Finally, Jesus is the first-born son of Mary. He is called “Savior” and “Christ the Lord” by the angels.
-What: The birth of Jesus, the Son of God, in a lowly manger. A visit from angels to shepherds is also included.
-Why: The birth happened in a manger because there was no room in the inn. There are a ton of implications as for “why” God would send angels to visit shepherds first, not the rich or the rulers. Jesus came for the lowly and downtrodden.
-How: God’s provision for Joseph and Mary. Everything the angels had told them was carried out by God’s power.

Jesus presented at the Temple (2:21-40):

• This part of the story has important implications for Jesus’ life. Remember, Jesus lived a perfect life, without sin. This meant that he lived according to the covenant stipulations between God and Israel. As he was presented in the temple, he fulfilled the Law written in Leviticus 12:6-8.

• Notice that Joseph and Mary fulfilled Leviticus 12’s law on presenting a firstborn son in the manner of one who is poor. They could not afford a lamb, so they used “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Luke is already developing a theme of humility and lowliness in Jesus’ life, from the manger and shepherds to the sacrifice in the temple.

Jesus in his Father’s house (2:41-52):

• First, can you imagine losing “God’s son” for three days? I cannot imagine losing my own daughter, much less the Son of God!

• Notice that, even at a young age, Jesus already had enough wisdom and understanding to amaze the teachers in the temple.

• Luke is known for his structure of writing by “couching” stories between phrases, even between similar stories. This story is “couched” between verses 40, “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.” and verse 52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

John the Baptist (3:1-21)

• John’s message was very straightforward. It can be summarized as “repent and do what is right, for the Messiah (Christ or Kingdom) is coming.”

• Compare Luke’s account of John the Baptist and Jesus’ baptism to Matthew’s (3:13-17) and Mark’s (1:9-11). What are some additional bits of information you can gather from these parallel stories?

• There are some important theological implications from Jesus’ baptism. Consider some of the following questions for discussion.

-Did Jesus really need a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (3:3)?
-If Jesus lived a perfect life, why was he baptized?
-What does Jesus’ baptism mean for Christians today?

The Genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38):

• Luke’s traces Jesus’ genealogy all the way back to Adam, the Son of God. Luke places his genealogy right after God speaks to Jesus saying, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”

• Matthew, on the other hand, begins his gospel account with a genealogy. His genealogy flows in the opposite direction of Luke’s, and it traces Jesus’ ancestry back to Abraham, not Adam.

• We learned last week that Luke is a Gentile writer, in fact the only Gentile writer in the New Testament. Matthew, however, is a Jewish writer. Both genealogies serve a specific purpose for each writer. For Matthew, there is a link from Jesus to Abraham, father of the Jews. For Luke, Jesus’ genealogy goes to support that Jesus is the Son of God, both spiritually (virgin birth) and physically (from Adam).

Luke Teaching Outline: Week One

Luke: The Call to Follow Jesus

By Kay Arthur

WEEK ONE

Background Information on Luke

Author:

-       Written by Luke, a physician and companion of Paul on several missionary journeys (cf. Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16).

-       Luke is thought to have been a Gentile, the only Gentile to write a New Testament book.

-       Luke was written primarily to a Gentile audience.

Themes:

-       Jesus presented as the compassionate Son of Man who came to seek and save the lost (19:10)

-       Lord’s genealogy goes back to Adam (3:38), and the whole world is seen as the sphere of God’s redemption (2:14, 32; 3:6).

-       Luke presented a more universal message of the Gospel by referring to Gentiles many times as sharing in the blessings of the Messiah as well as writing more about sinners, the poor, and the “outcasts” of Jewish society such as the Samaritans. Luke also wrote frequently of women and children and their faith in the Messiah.

-       Luke presented a more methodical, detailed account of history, as stated in the prologue, to provide further confirmation of the faith of Theophilus (1:1-4).

-       Luke emphasized both forgiveness (3:3; 5:18-26; 6:37; 7:36-50; 11:4; 12:10; 17:3-4; 23:34; 24:47) and prayer (3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 29; 22:32, 40-41).

How to extract theology from a narrative:

Luke 1:5-2:52 is an example of a narrative text but it is full of theology. This section of the Luke reveals major themes that will develop throughout Luke’s portrayal of Jesus. This section:

1.     Reviews and previews events

2.     Uses Scriptural quotations and allusions to reveal God’s purpose

3.     Reveals that purpose through dialogue from God’s commissioned agents

4.     Gives testimony through reliable characters within the account

(Tannehill 1986:21)

Kay Arthur Discussion Questions for Week One:

~ Who wrote the Gospel of Luke and Why? What do you learn about the writer? How does this information help you accept this Gospel? How would a familiarity with Luke help you with the other Gospels?

~ What do you learn from Luke 1 about God and His ways? How does such information affect you?

~ What did you learn about Jesus from this chapter? If you were to deny yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Him, whom would you be following? Is He just another man? Why or why not?

~ Share one thing you learned from the lives of different people mentioned in Luke 1 that spoke to your heart personally. What kind of impact did that insight have on your thinking or the way you are going to live?

~What does the chapter teach about the virgin birth? Is it important to believe it? Why? You may want to look up the following verses: Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Romans 5:12; 1 Peter 1:18, 19

Additional Points for Consideration:

The Prologue and Purpose of the Gospel: (1:1-4)

-       Luke stated his purpose in writing his gospel was to write an orderly account in the events of Christ’s life so that Theophilus could know the certainty of the things he had been taught (1:3).

o   How important is it for Christians today to be able to give “an answer” for what they believe? (1 Peter 3;15) How would your group members rate themselves on being able to do so in regards to:

·      The inerrancy of Scripture

·      Jesus as the Messiah for the world

·      The incarnation and virgin birth

(Many of these issues are debated in seminaries around the Globe)

The Angels Announcement to Zechariah: (1:8-23)

-       Zechariah’s priestly division was on duty, one of 24 groups of priests drawn up in David’s time (1 Chron 24:7-18). The priests in each division were on duty twice a year for a week at a time. Zechariah was chosen by lot to be the priest who offered the incense and, because of the large number of priests, this would have been the only time in Zechariah’s life when he was allowed to perform this task. While Zechariah was inside at the altar of incense, a crowd gathered to pray. The incense for which Zechariah was responsible symbolized the prayers of the entire nation. At that particular moment Zechariah was thus the focal point of the entire Jewish nation.

-       What significance can we draw on the fact that the angel of the Lord appeared to him at that exact moment in his life?

-       Discuss how the precision of God’s timing further reflects his sovereignty.

Gabriel Visits Mary: (1:26-38)

The angel predicted five things about Mary’s Son:

1.     He will be great.

2.     He will be called the Son of the Most High. (Mary could not have missed the significant of the words used here. This title pointed to his equality with Yahweh.)

3.     He will be given the throne of David. (Jesus will one day sit on David’s throne 2 Sam 7:16; Ps 89:3-4, 28-29)

4.     He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. (Reign over Israel portrayed here)

5.     His kingdom will never end. (2 Sam 7:13-19) Our concept of kingship is pretty weak based on our example from the British. What kind of power do you think kings had in ancient times? What would it mean to have a king with a kingdom that will never end?

Theological Considerations:

-       Luke called Mary a virgin (1:27)

-       Mary was surprised she would be a mother since she was a virgin (1:34)

-       The angel told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her to bring about the physical conception of Jesus (1:35). This miraculous conception as the virgin birth of Jesus was necessary because of His deity and preexistence (Isa 7:14; 9:6)

Intervarsity.org – In this passage, after a bit of questioning on how this promise would come to pass, Mary responded with faith to the Word of God. What does it mean for you to live by faith in the Word? What would this look like? What practical small step of faith can your group members take this week, based on God’s Word?

Helpful Commentaries on Luke

Following is a link to Ligonier Ministries and their opinions of the top 5 commentaries on Luke:

Top 5 Commentaries on Luke

I have used the first and third options and would recommend either of them. The Baker Exegetical Commentaries are going to be much more in-depth and detailed, particularly in their discussion of the Greek used in the text.

The New American Commentary by Leon Morris is also excellent and may be a better choice for teaching LifeGroups because it is less detailed and exhaustive.

We are praying that the Lord blesses your study of His Word this week!

Luke Lesson Schedule

LUKE LESSON SCHEDULE

The Call to Follow Jesus

OCTOBER

10 – Nothing is Impossible with God - Week One Day One

16 – Week One Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

17 – Where’s the Fruit of Repentance - Week Two Day One

23 – Week Two Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

24 – Following Christ – A Matter of Obedience, Not Qualification - Week Three Day One

30 – Week Three Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

31 – The Love of the Forgiven – Week Four Day One

NOVEMBER

6 – Week Four Day Seven/Review – SUNDAY

7 – No Looking Back – Week Five Day One

13 – Week Five Day Seven/Review – SUNDAY

14 – Stay at His Feet – Week Six Day One

20 – Week Six Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

21 – Whom Will We Trust? – Week Seven Day One

27 – Week Seven Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

28 – The Cost of Following Jesus – Week Eight Day One

DECEMBER

4 – Week Eight Day Seven/Review – SUNDAY

5 – God Knows Our Hearts – Week Nine Day One

11 – Week Nine Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

12 – The Danger of Riches – Week Ten Day One

18 – Week Ten Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

JANUARY

2 – True Faith is Seen in Its Works – Week Eleven Day One

8 – Week Eleven Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

9 – The Reward of Faith’s Obedience – Week Twelve Day One

15 – Week Twelve Day Seven/Review - SUNDAY

16 – Be His Witness – Week Thirteen Day One

17 – Week Thirteen Day Seven/Review – SUNDAY

18 – Start our Genesis study