Teachers: the objective of this lesson is to create the awareness that a group of people [who saw and heard Jesus] came with godly hearts and open minds. Some of these people had godly hearts and open minds before Jesus was born. In every age, some people have godly hearts and open minds. In every age, such people are a minority. These people did not "have God figured out." God's messages and revelations were often confusing. However, these people always were open to God. They did not understand how God would accomplish His purposes, but they trusted Him to accomplish His purposes.
The gospel of Luke and the book of Acts introduce a group rarely discussed. Luke refers to these people as "the righteous." Luke/Acts includes in this group Zacharias and Elizabeth [the parents of John who baptized] (Luke 1:5,6); Mary the mother of Jesus [and Joseph who became her husband] (Matthew 1:19) (Luke 1:28,29,38); Simeon who saw the infant Jesus (Luke 2:25); the prophetess Anna who saw the infant Jesus (Luke 2:36,37); John who baptized (Luke 1:17; 3:7-14); Joseph of Arimathea (Luke 23:50); Cornelius (Acts 10:22); and Barnabas (Acts 4:36,37;11:23,24). They are only representatives of those among "the righteous."
Help the students understand that godly people who trusted God and willingly cooperated with His purposes existed before Jesus was born, began his ministry, and died.
It is a very diverse group. Zacharias was a Jewish priest. Elizabeth was an elderly woman. Mary was a young virgin. Joseph was a carpenter. Simeon was an old man filled with the Holy Spirit looking for "the consolation of Israel." Anna was a prophetess who lived in the temple area. John lived and preached in the wilderness. Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. Cornelius was a Roman centurion (not a Jew). Barnabas was an unusual Jewish Christian.
The bond these people held in common is seen in the condition of their hearts, their attitudes, and their love for God.
This must be a clear understanding. These and people like them were not called righteous because they were sinless. In the sense of God's perfect righteousness, no human is righteous (Psalms 14:1; 53:1; Romans 3:10). In the sense that Jesus is called "The Righteous One," no human is righteous. Though these people were righteous, they, too, needed a Savior.
These people were not righteous in the sense that God is righteous. They were righteous in the sense that people can be righteous. They were godly men and women who loved God. They were dedicated to God's values and standards.
What were the characteristics of a person among "the righteous"? He or she belonged to God. He or she was open to God's will and wishes even when he or she did not understand. The elderly Zacharias and Elizabeth were too old to have a child. Mary was a virgin. Simeon understood that he would not die until he had seen the Christ. After seeing Jesus, Anna talked to those who looked for the redemption of Jerusalem. John created opportunity for the one who would come in Elijah's spirit and power. In Jesus' life and death, Joseph maintained openness. Cornelius searched without questioning. Barnabas reacted with joy when he saw people who were not Jews accept Jesus.
The righteous person served God's purposes in unusual ways. An elderly couple had a child. A virgin became a mother. An old man declared God was keeping an ancient promise. An old woman declared Jerusalem's redemption had begun. A rugged man called a nation to repentance. A prestigious man knew God worked in Jesus. A Roman army officer did the unthinkable. A Jewish Christian was encouraged by a situation many Jewish Christians would denounce.
The righteous person knew God worked in deeds and circumstances they could not explain. Have a child when you are too old for pregnancy? Have a child when you are a virgin? A baby would be "the consolation of Israel" and "the redemption of Jerusalem"? God's great initiative would begin in a desert? The Christ would be buried? A Roman army officer would find salvation in the message of a Jewish preacher? God worked among people who were not Jews?
These people identified and accepted unusual acts of and revelations from God when (a) such things never had occurred in their lifetimes and experiences and (b) they could not explain how God would use these events to accomplish His purposes. The righteous have the capacity to "see" God at work through eyes filled with trust. Not only do they "see" God at work in the unusual, but they also are willing for God to use them in unusual ways.
Though God's plans for the Christ defied every anticipation, the righteous trusted God's work. When they observed God doing what they could not explain, they trusted God. God's work in Jesus contradicted Jewish expectations. The righteous were amazed, even astounded, but they did not reject God's work and purposes in what they saw, heard, or experienced.
Expectations and speculations about (a) what the Christ would be, (b) when the Christ would come, and (c) what the Christ would do took many forms. Generally, most expectations and speculations were founded on the conviction that the Christ would restore independence and power to the physical nation of Israel. The righteous trusted God when God's acts did not conform to popular expectations. Such trust often placed them in vulnerable situations within society.
Consider some of the reactions of the righteous.
1:11-12--Zacharias was disturbed when the angel appeared, and fear gripped him.
1:18-23--Zacharias could not comprehend how he [an elderly man] and his wife [an elderly woman] could have a child. He wanted to know "for certain" this would happen. He could not comprehend. He did not doubt the message was God's message; he simply did not understand.
1:57-64--The neighbors and relatives were thrilled for Elizabeth when the baby was born. When the time came to name him, they were certain the baby would be given his father's name. When Elizabeth declared the baby should be named John, the neighbors and relatives thought that inappropriate. Zacharias immediately confirmed the baby should be named John. Immediately he regained his voice and began to praise God. In his prophesy (beginning in verse 67), he connected this occurrence to God's redemption for His people, God giving them the "horn of salvation" through a descendant of King David, God keeping His oath to Abraham, and the end of darkness.
(a) The angel's greeting deeply disturbed her. (b) She did not at first understand how she [a virgin] could have a child. (c) When the angel explained it would occur through the work of the Holy Spirit by the power of God, she said, "I am the Lord's slave. May what you have said happen to me in just the way you declared."
Her willingness to be a pregnant virgin in that society is astounding. What would Joseph think and how would he react? What about her family? What about her community? People would say that her condition was not caused by a godly act! Her reputation as a person dedicated to God would suffer.
The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon. He was looking for "the consolation of Israel." A significant theme of the Old Testament prophets was the restoration of Israel. For example, God would gather Israel to Him and make the tribe of Judah a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). Their fortunes would be restored (Jeremiah 29:14). The twelve tribes would participate in the restoration (Jeremiah 30:3). The restoration would produce healing and compassion (Jeremiah 30:17-20). Israel would be "consoled." The Spirit led Simeon to look for an evidence that the consolation of Israel had begun. The Spirit guided him to the temple. He recognized the infant Jesus as the evidence he was to seek. Taking the baby in his arms, he blessed God and said, "I am ready to die in peace now. I have seen your salvation prepared in everyone's presence to be a light of revelation for people who are not Jews and for the people of Israel." Simeon made an interesting (troubling?) statement to Mary: "By God's intent, many will rise and fall in Israel because of this child. He will be a sign to be opposed. A sword will pierce your soul, and many hearts will have their thoughts revealed."
She thanked God, and she informed the people who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem about Jesus. Her behavior was [at the minimum] unusual. Typically, women were not religious messengers.
John and his work were striking and unusual. Some began to wonder if John was the Christ. He informed those people that a person was to follow him who was of much greater significance than he and whose work would far surpass his work.
He immediately sent three men to request a visit from Peter. He acted promptly with confidence in his instruction. Later he gathered a group of close friends and relatives to await Peter's arrival. When Peter entered his home, he fell at Peter's feet and reverenced him until Peter told Cornelius to stand because Peter was only a man. Cornelius promptly complied and expectantly waited.
When Barnabas witnessed God's work among the people in Antioch who were not Jews, he rejoiced and encouraged those people. He is described as a good man who was full of the Holy Spirit and faith. To note the significance of Barnabas' heart and attitude, contrast his reaction to the reaction of some Christian Jews in Acts 15:5 and the efforts of the Judaizing teachers.
Searching for insight.
Luke 5:27-32 records Jesus' invitation to Levi to become one of his disciples. Levi was a Jewish tax collector. Jews collecting taxes for the Roman government were despised by Jewish people. Some Jews regarded collecting taxes for Rome as an act of treason against Israel. Many Jews were victimized by unethical tax collectors. Such men often used their power as a license to steal from these powerless people. Resentment against Jewish tax collectors was deep. Such men were commonly ostracized from Jewish society.
Levi accepted Jesus' invitation. He left the financial opportunities of tax collection to follow Jesus. He gave a large banquet in Jesus' honor in his home (an indication of his prosperity). Among those invited were a "great crowd of tax collectors."
The Pharisees and their scribes (who were on top of the religious establishment) sternly criticized Jesus for associating with tax collectors and known sinners.
Jesus responded in two ways. (1) The sick, not the well, need a doctor. (2) "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
The righteous' hearts and minds were open to God. They were searching and receptive. They did not serve or belong to evil. The sinner had to be called to get his or her attention. God had the attention of the righteous. They did not need to turn their lives around.
In Luke's examples, we see fear, confusion, and in Zacharias some doubt. In none of them do we see opposition to God or a rejection of His purposes. These were people who wanted their hearts to belong to God. They wanted to understand the work and purposes of God.
Jesus did not include the Pharisees among the righteous. Read Luke 18:9-14.
The parable is addressed to people who (a) trusted in themselves, (b) felt righteous because they trusted in themselves, and (c) viewed other people with contempt. Relationship with God, not trust in self, makes a person righteous.
The Pharisee was not among the righteous. His religious confidence was based in himself, not in his God. He praised himself, not God. His spirituality was about "what I am and have done," not about who God is and what God does.
The Jewish tax collector. (a) He humbled his sinful self before God. (b) He recognized and accepted his unworthiness. (c) He wanted mercy and asked for mercy. (d) He readily confessed to God that he was a sinner.
God justified the tax collecter. God does not and will not justify the arrogant religious person who neither knows nor accepts his or her sinfulness. The Pharisee left unforgiven and without mercy. The tax collector left forgiven and with mercy.
Link to Student Guide
Quarter 1, Lesson 1