Luke 2:21-24

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21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons. ~ Luke 2:21-24

Today's text is technical and minute. It is bent on accuracy. This is why God chose Luke to write it, and it underscores our confidence in its accuracy. In v.21, we read, "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child..."  Mary and Joseph were careful to obey the Law of Moses and the conditions of the covenants. I've often observed that when a couple has a baby, if they are given to faith in the God of the Bible, the instructions of God take on a more important role in their lives. As well they should. We innately know that the truth of God is the best for us and our children. The problem is that most of us lose sight of walking in the definitions of God, and before we know it we are not training our children in the ways of the Lord.

According to v.21, the Lord Jesus was circumcised. This eighth-day circumcision was prescribed by God in the Mosaic law. It was introduced by God to Abraham in Genesis 17 where Abraham was circumcised as an adult. Circumcision has always been God's reminder to those who would be defined by Him of His commitment to them. This activity does not earn God's favor. No, it is like the ring on a married person's finger, it is a reminder of their loved one's commitment to them.

The day of the Lord Jesus' circumcision and naming was on the seventh and final day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The first six days of the feast were for celebrating Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. On the last day of the feast, called Hoshana Rabba, the people would reflect on what God had done for them in times past and all that God had promised to do in the future.

These events prove the Lord Jesus was not born on December 25 as traditionally celebrated, but on the day when the Feast of Tabernacles began. The Feast begins at sunset on Tishrei 15, which, depending on the year, falls in late-September to mid-October. 

In the remainder of v.21, we read, "he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived." The Lord Jesus was named by God. I know, it says the angel named Him, but the angel got his orders from God. Subtle here is a valuable lesson about life, and it is: We must be defined by God. And, the more we are defined by God the more we will experience life as God intended us to experience it. In other words, we will be more whole, secure, mature, and satisfied. We will be less defined by the lesser, and we will be less empty, insecure, immature and dissatisfied.

In accordance with the prescriptions of the Law, in v.22-23 Joseph and Mary took the Lord Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated. The rite of purification was a seven day ritual. It also included, according to Leviticus 12:1-4 another thirty-three day waiting period until the mother could return to temple worship. At that time the rite of purification would be done. This rite included an offering of a lamb as a burnt offering and a turtle dove as a sin offering. If they could not afford a lamb, then they, according to Leviticus 12:6-8, would bring two pigeons or two turtle doves for these offerings.

To fulfill this dedication, all baby boys who were born to the tribe of Levi would automatically be a part of the priestly class. For firstborn baby boys from other tribes, parents were required to bring a small offering in place of the service of the priests. This redemption price was five shekels according to Numbers 18:1-16. This law was a result of the tenth plague in Egypt, when God struck dead all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, and any of the firstborn sons of Israel who did not have the blood of the Passover lamb smeared on the door posts of their house. In light of the Passover events, God wanted Israel to set apart all the firstborn animals and all the firstborn males for Himself. According to Leviticus 27, the parents of firstborn males could be bought back by paying five shekels of silver to the Levites for their son.  

The point of the Old Testament sacrificial system was to point us to the One who would take away our sinfulness once and for all. His blood didn't just cover our sinfulness, His blood washing our sinfulness. This baby born to Jospeh and Mary was the fulfillment of all the sacrifices ever performed in the Old Testament.

In v.24, Luke returns to the idea of the purification of Mary, by stating that the sacrifice she brought was according to the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” With this statement, Luke reveals that Mary and Joseph were poor. Typically, the purification sacrifice required a lamb and a turtledove or pigeon. But those who were poor could bring two turtledoves or two pigeons instead (Leviticus 5:11; 12:6-8). Mary and Joseph could not afford to bring a lamb for sacrifice. 

Mary and Joseph are a picture of us and our inability to pay our debt to God. However, God gave us the Lamb who was born to this couple. They raised Him and He grew up to be the fulfillment of all those Old Testament sacrifices. He is our sacrifice, He paid the price we could not pay.

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Luke 2:15-20

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15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. ~ Luke 2:15-20

When the angel told Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah, she said “let it be to me according to your word.” And now, the shepherds have heard the same message that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. The message spoken to Mary is confirmed by the shepherds.

According to v.15-16, after the shepherds heard the news of the birth of the Lord Jesus, the first thing they did was come and see Him for themselves. They found their way to the baby Jesus lying in a trough. No pomp and circumstance. No lights and music. Nothing extravagant at all. 

And yet somehow, according to v.17, the shepherds were compelled by what they saw. They went and told everyone about what they had seen and heard. This response of the shepherds confirms the message of the angel. These, first to get the news of Messiah’s birth is the model that God uses to build His church.

Now, when I think about how I first came to hear about the Lord Jesus, a dear friend came and saw the Lord Jesus for himself. Then, he went and told me about his experience with the Lord. The pattern is: come and see; go and tell. And then I came to see the Lord Jesus for myself. Experiencing a personal encounter with the Lord, then I went about telling others about my story with Him. This is how God spreads the Good News, the very same news that the angels announced to the shepherds.

But, something happens between come and see and go and tell. Something happens that moves us from coming to see the Lord Jesus to actually going out to tell others about Him. The key is discovered in v.18, it is discovered in what it means to be amazed, in what it means to be captivated.

One of the most mind-blowing things about the incarnation is that the baby that lay there in that trough was the all-powerful God of heaven and earth. He was a baby who is the very same God who spoke the stars into existence. He is the very same God who breathed, and life began. He is the same God who holds the universe together, who keeps the laws of physics operating as they do, who keeps our hearts beating. This is the same God who dwells within you and me.

In Psalm 27:4 David wrote: "One thing, I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple." An encounter God is nothing new in this world. Since the LORD was in the house of the LORD, David went there to experience a personal encounter with Him.

Some people go about seeking God as if He is elusive, but the presence of God through the abiding Holy Spirit, is a given. With this in mind, we must approach each day with the anticipation of encountering God. We must expect Him to not only be in our lives, but that He is interacting with us through the normal experiences that we have in a day. He is closer to us than we are to ourselves.

The birth of the Lord Jesus highlights the humility of God. It wasn’t accidental that the all-powerful God became a defenseless baby. It was intentional. In 1 Peter 1:20 we learn this was God’s plan before the foundation of the world.

He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and He chose to put Himself in a situation where someone changed his diaper. That’s humility! But that was just the start of His humility. This baby grew to be a man who was a servant to all. He hung out with dirty, smelly people, some of whom had infectious diseases. He was friends with people that no one else would even look in the eye, with no regard for His own reputation.

When his enemies rose up against Him, He didn’t defend himself. Rather, He chose to make himself vulnerable. He took the beatings. He took the insults. He willingly gave up His life on the cross. He bore the very wrath of God though He had done nothing to deserve it. That’s humility. Unimaginable power and unimaginable humility, all wrapped up in this one little child. 

He chose to create you because He loves you and wants a relationship with you. He chose to become one of us because He wanted to know us and be with us. He gave up His life for us because that’s what it took to save us.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that "it was for the joy set before him that Jesus endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2). That joy is joy in us. It’s joy because of the chance to be in a loving relationship with us for all of eternity. 

So come, come and behold him. Let the Lord Jesus captivate you today. Let Him amaze you. Let Him overwhelm you with His power, with His humility. Then go and tell others all that you have seen and heard. Invite them to come and see for themselves. 

Earlier, when the angel greeted Mary, she “tried to discern” the meaning of the greeting. Now, when she hears the shepherds convey what the angel has told them, according to v.19, "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." She valued the happenings, tucking them away in her heart for ongoing reflection. The time will come when she will need those words in her heart because, according to Simeon, a sword will pierce her soul (Luke 2:35).

Like Mary, we must ponder what we have experienced in our hearts. We must be in the practice of tucking God's truth away in our souls for safekeeping, because we’ll need the insight later, when a sword pierces our souls.

In v.20, we read, "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." Like these shepherds, once we have experienced an encounter with the God of the universe, the only natural response is praise and worship. The evidence of our encounter is obvious when we share it with others.

The amazing thing is what the shepherds heard and saw in the fields was confirmed by what they had seen in Bethlehem: the Christ had been born. The shepherds return to their fields, doing what the heavenly host did before them, “glorifying and praising God.” In so doing, they confirmed the message from the angels. And, they were never the same because they had experienced an encounter with God.

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Luke 2:8-14

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8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” ~ Luke 2:8-14

The birth of Jesus Christ shook up heaven and earth. In v.8, we see the "shepherds living out in the fields nearby." These shepherds were on the lower rung of the socio-economic ladder in their world. On the other hand, in v.13, "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel."  These angels were poised to announce that God was doing a new thing in the world of men. 

These shepherds, according to v.8 were keeping watch over their sheep "at night." So much happens in our lives at night. Sometimes it is good, but I'd venture to say that most of the time, it is scary. The old song went, "Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again..." As Simon and Garfunkel clearly point out, the darkness, used by the Lord, teaches us much. The most important lesson delivered from this absence of light is the startling message that we desperately need God.

We’ve all been where these shepherds were that night. Each of us knows what it’s like to search the night for a light, standing outside of the emergency room or on the manicured grass of a cemetery. We’ve asked our questions. We’ve wondered why God does what He does. But, when we give Him time, His purposes come to fruition and we are dumbfounded!

In v.9, these shepherds were alerted concerning the birth of the Savior. An angel and the visible presence of God appeared to these seemingly insignificant tenders of the sheep. God appeared to these shepherds in order to lead them to the His lamb who would take away the sin of the world. The Christian life is a journey whereby God wants to train us to be led by His Spirit. And, the process is more important than the result.

The angel, in v.10, reassures the shepherds and conveys to them the “good news” of the birth of Christ, the Messiah. The Good News, or Gospel, in this case concerns the birth not of a Roman king but the birth of a Jewish king, the true “Savior” and “Lord.”

Then they obeyed, God led them to the Savior of the world. Can He do the same for and through us? The Gospel message was completed after He was crucified, resurrected, and enthroned in heaven. The birth of this king was and is “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

When Mary wrapped her son in swaddling cloths and placed him in a feeding trough, she didn’t know that she was doing so as a sign so that shepherds could identify him as the Christ, but that’s exactly what she was doing. The shepherds were conditioned to look for the Savior and they found Him in His low estate. Perhaps this is why it was shepherds, people who had a low enough view to see the Savior.

In v.13, we read, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God.” The birth of the Son of God  means “peace” in our daily and eternal existence. It is not automatic, we must respond to the message of salvation with accepting faith. God's peace yields human wholeness in our relationship with Him and will render a certain measure of health in our relationships with others. 

Much of life consists of routine. In this context, God has been known to show up in our largely darkened lives with brilliant light. The fact is, He is far more involved than you and I are aware of at any given moment, just like the shepherds in the middle of their field. God shows up all the time through the good and bad, and through it all, He shows us that He can be trusted, disturbing decrees and developments notwithstanding.

If the worst fear, the fear of death, has been taken away through the death and resurrection of Christ, then surely God does not want us to fear the lesser things in life: job insecurity, COVID-19, failing a test in school, being rejected by our friends. The greatest message ever is "fear not!" God is ruling the world, and this will result in the greatest good for us, His children. 

In v.14, we read, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." There is a somber note sounded in the angels' praise: "Peace among men with whom he is pleased." Without faith it is impossible to please God. Not all know His peace. "This is the judgment," the Lord Jesus said, "that the light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil." 

It was only to his disciples that Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The key that unlocks the treasure chest of God's peace is faith in the God of the Bible and His promises. And when we do trust God's promises, we will KNOW His joy, peace and love. It is at this point that God is glorified. 

Finally, believe, rest on His promises: "Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will help you; I will strengthen you; I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness . . . Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall wear . . . Cast all your anxieties on God because he cares for you . . . The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?"

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Luke 2:1-7

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1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. ~ Luke 2:1-7

The Roman leader Caesar Augustus was hailed by the Romans as their “savior” and proclaimed him to be “the beginning of the good news for the world.” His father, Julius Caesar, had been declared a god, and so, Augustus called himself the “son of a god.” Caesar was a title like king, or emperor. It was not his name. It was his people's description of him. Caesar means revered, highly esteemed, highly regarded, honored.

Caesar Augustus, according to v.1, ordered a census requiring “the entire Roman world” to register for the purpose of raising taxes. The reason Luke tells us this is to help us pinpoint the time of the birth of the Lord Jesus and that this is a historical event. So, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary made the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Joseph’s ancestral home, to register. 

In fulfillment of the prophesy in Micah 5:2-5, God uses Caesar’s census to move a seemingly insignificant couple to Bethlehem for the birth of the king of Israel, who will become the Lord of the whole world. The birth of God in human form then is the most important moment in all of history.

This census is called "the first census" in v.2, because Caesar Augustus called for a series of censuses in fourteen-year intervals. In fact, we can track these series of censuses all the way back to the year 270 A.D.  Every fourteen years there was a census.

In v.3, we read, "And everyone went to their own town to register." This sets the scene. The Romans would normally register people in their own place of residence. They didn't make them go back to their initial homeland. But, there was a Jewish custom to go back to their ancestral hometown, so, the Jews went back to their tribal area, back to their family home area, back to their father's village. This sets the scene perfectly, to put Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem when the baby is born.

In v.4-5, we read, "4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child." Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem in the ninth month of her pregnancy. Since Micah prophesied the Messiah was going to be born in Bethlehem, this is no small thing and is very important. So, a forced journey to Bethlehem was necessary for the Word of God to be fulfilled. Had they not made this trek, it would have thrown a wrench in the plans of God.

And, when they arrived in Bethlehem, all the rooms were taken. Nine months pregnant, in a matter of a few days to deliver a baby, and no place to stay.  No relatives awaiting with a warm home. In what seems to be the last minute, they found a room which was near a feeding trough for animals. The word translated “manger” in v.7 is not a stable, it is a feeding trough for animals. After the birth of the Lord Jesus, the feeding trough serves as a crib.

On a night like every other night in Israel, with no fanfare, no celebration, the Savior of the world was born was born.  It was a night like any other night but He wasn't a child like any other child. He was the Lord Jesus Christ, both God and man fused together in indivisible oneness. This birth was so monumental that it became the apex of history. All history before His birth is B.C., Before Christ. All history since is A.D., Anno Domini, which is Latin for "the year of our Lord."

In v.7, we read, "She wrapped Him in cloths." This sentence is best translated, "She swaddled Him."  Mary treats the Lord Jesus like any other baby. And then it says, most interestingly, "and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."  The Savior of the world born to redeem sinful mankind was not expected by the common man, especially being born to this couple. This speaks volumes of the God we serve. 

The last statement in v.7, "there was no guest room available for them," was a part of God's plan. We've all seen "no vacancy" signs posted outside motels. Joseph and Mary were concerned, their circumstances made the "no vacancy" sign in Bethlehem all the more severe since Mary was about to deliver a baby. After traveling about eighty-five to ninety miles from their home in Nazareth, there was no where for them to stay. When the Lord Jesus came into the world, He came in the most comfortless conditions. The conditions were smelly and filthy. This is the wonder of the grace of God! The Son of God became the son of man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

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Luke 1:67-80

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67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. ~ Luke 1:67-80

The theme of today's text is found in v.68 and v.78 with the twice-used word “come.” The opening and closing verses, of our text, speak of the God who has come to save His people. This Greek word is used only one other time in the New Testament. We get our English word “episcopal,” from this word meaning oversight, or government. The episcopacy of God that expresses itself in redemption through the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Zachariah, in this song of praise, is linking the Davidic covenant to the Abrahamic covenant, and then to the New Covenant. These covenants all have to do with our salvation.  The Davidic Covenant is universal, it describes the universal and eternal rule of Jesus Christ.  The Abrahamic Covenant is national, it deals primarily with promises made by God to the nation of  Israel.  And the New Covenant is personal, it deals with how God delivers forgiveness of sin in the life of an individual who chooses to believe.  Most of Zechariah's song focuses on the salvation the Messiah would bring. 

Nine months earlier Zechariah could not believe his wife would have a child. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he is so confident of God's redeeming work in the coming Messiah that he puts his words in the past tense. For the mind of faith, a promised act of God is as good as done. Zechariah has learned to take God at His word and as a result, speaks with an attractive confidence. Zechariah reminds us that for centuries the Jewish people of faith were awaiting the coming of the promised Messiah. Now, the long awaited visitation of God is about to happen.

In v.69 he tells us how this visitation and redemption will happen. God "has raised up a horn of salvation." This horn is none other than the Lord Jesus. This "horn" in the Old Testament described the deadly weapon made from the horn of the wild ox. It is used metaphorically to describe the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only place in the New Testament where the Lord Jesus is called the "horn" which is a description of the strength and the means of His victory over our sin and death.

According to v.70 the coming of this "horn of salvation" was prophesied in Psalm 132:17, where God says, "There I will make a horn to sprout for David. I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame."The only two instances of the phrase "horn of salvation" in the Old Testament are references to God. The Messiah is God the Son.

The Lord Jesus is the horn of salvation and He is, according to v.71, the One God the Father uses to save His people from their enemies and all who hate them. According to v.74-75 the goal of God's redemption in raising up the Messiah is to "to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days." The goal is not merely to liberate an oppressed people, but to create a holy and righteous people who live in no fear because they trust Him.

In v.76-77, Zechariah turns his attention away from the Messiah to his baby son, John the Baptist. He reviews the promises of the angel Gabriel, and summarizes the identity and mission of John as “the forerunner” to the Messiah. John’s ministry, as a prophet, would be to prepare the nation of Israel for the coming of the Lord Jesus. This would include making them aware of their sinfulness and to arouse their hearts with the need for forgiveness of sin. 

In v.78-79, Zechariah answers two questions: why would God come to us?, and how God would come to us? In v.79, we are told that God will do this because of His “tender mercy,” meaning “bowels.” Have you ever been so affected by something that your insides churned or rejoiced? That captures the description of God’s compassionate response to lost humanity. God could not allow humanity to continue in our destructive lifestyles to which we are captive. This is why He came to us.

In v.79, a picture is painted of an ancient Near Eastern caravan traveling through the desert. This caravan of humanity of which we’re all a part, is lost in the desert. The black night descends. There is no moon or stars. We huddle together for warmth, fearing for our safety. Thoughts of death from exposure, wild animals, starvation, enter our minds and conversation. We wait through a seeming eternity of darkness for the coming of God's horn.

But just when things seemed most desperate, suddenly a bright star appears and lights up the desert. Filled with new courage and hope, we arise. The brilliance of the star helps us discover a road that will take us back to life itself.

The Lord Jesus is the “rising sun,” the life-giving star, the light that was promised centuries earlier. In Isaiah 60:1, we read, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” He offers light in the place of darkness; life in the face of death; peace in the midst of chaos and confusion. Think of it, without darkness, death, chaos and confusion, would we cry out to God? I think not. The Lord Jesus settles our alienation from God, and our fear of death itself. His saving light introduces us to a personal relationship with God Himself. 

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Luke 1:56-66

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56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. 57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. ~ Luke 1:56-66

Today's text provides the account of the birth of John the Baptist, the herald of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  After Mary visits with Elizabeth for three months, she then returned home. She had to return home so that the spotlight would be shown on Elizabeth and Zechariah and John the Baptist. I find this quite instructive for there have been times when I have wondered why the Lord did not allow me to speak at a certain place when I had spoken there before. The answer is simple, He wanted me somewhere else. This is good for me but it is also good for the one who got the spot. Such is the will of God, and I've learn to rest in that.

According to v.57-58 when the people realized that God had been merciful, and God had showed this great favor, and God had demonstrated His great goodness to this old couple who were righteous and who had all their lifelong wanted so much to have a child, when they knew that it had happened, they came and they shared her joy. 

In v.59 we read, "On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah." Tucked away here is the fact that God had prescribed circumcision on the eighth day in the Old Testament because He knew that it took eight days for little John's body to build up enough potassium in his blood causing the it to coagulate. This just illustrates that even the seemingly insignificant statements in God's word are of utmost importance. We must be careful to take note of these parts of His word. Naming the child eight days after birth on the day of circumcision was not an Old Testament prescription. The Old Testament doesn't have any rule about when you name a child.

Circumcision was given by God to remind each Jewish male of God's covenant relationship. This covenant is first seen in Genesis 17 where God says, "This is my covenant, which you will keep, between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.” Every time a Hebrew boy relieved himself, he was reminded that he was a “son of the covenant.” Spiritually, circumcision was a reminder that God was committed to the young man.

According to v.60-63, Elizabeth's son was named John even though it was tradition to name the sons after their fathers. You will remember back in v.13 when the angel came, appeared to Zachariah, he said, "you will give him the name John." John means "God is gracious." God wanted John named "God is gracious" because God's purpose through him would be to proclaim the Messiah is gracious.

According to v.64, "Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God." Zechariah gained his ability to speak after the naming of John, immediately. This word, "immediately" is repeated all through Luke's gospel and we see it through the book of Acts, because it is useful when announcing a miracle.  

In v.65 we read, "All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things."  God's power inspires awe, fear and wonder. This is the first time in this gospel that we have a crowd in awe. And frankly, this sets the stage for all of the awesome things the Lord Jesus Christ will do throughout His ministry. 

In v.66 we see the people who were there. They saw the miracle of John's birth, and they began to tell others of it. Such is the nature of those who have experienced the joy of the Lord. We naturally want others to know of this happiness from the Lord not based on circumstances. In addition, the story prompted the people to ask, "What then is this child going to be?" Then they said, "For the Lord’s hand was with him." This is a metaphor used to describe the fact that God’s favor was upon John's life. The people had made this conclusion given the miraculous story of aged parents giving birth to a son. 

If I may, I'd like to end with a quotes from Thomas Chalmers who once said, "It is in those times of hopeless chaos when the sovereign hand of God is most likely to be seen."

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Luke 1:46-55

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46 And Mary said:“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”  ~ Luke 1:46-55

In our text, God is about to change the course of all of human history.  And Mary is prepared by her modest and humble upbringing to be used of the God of the universe to usher in His Son to deliver salvation to all who are humble enough to receive it. So moved was this humble Jewish teenager that she breaks out into song. On display here is the lowliness and cheerful humility of Mary. Only those who have experienced God's incredible love are those who are willing to humbly bow their will to His purposes. And, the more we experience His love, the more we will be vulnerable to Him. 

In v.46, Mary proclaims, "My soul glorifies the Lord." We are trichotomous beings, we are made of body, soul, and spirit. The arena of our soul which is made of our mind, will and emotions, is the arena of our sanctification. Sanctification is the process whereby God is changing our way of thinking, our subsequent choices and our feelings. For Mary's soul to glorify the Lord is huge. You see, the only part of us that is "born again" is our spirit which informs our soul, but doesn't guarantee that we choose to bow our will to the Lord.

This is why in v.47 Mary goes on to say, "and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." When we believe in the Lord Jesus, His perfection is applied to our spiritual account and we are made justified in the eyes of God. This procures for us the ability to go to heaven. When we choose to walk in the ways of the Lord, when we are defined by Him, we are being sanctified. This gets heaven into us right now and we make decisions informed by the wisdom of God.

In v.48, Mary tells us why she is bowing her will to God when she says, "for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant." God mindful of us is far, far more important than the most important person in this world being mindful of us. His mindfulness of us is proof that we have entered into a personal relationship with Him and there is a growing trust and intimacy in the God of all. It is His goodness that melts our hearts, causing us to bow our will to His purposes in this world.

In addition, in v.48, Mary demonstrates that she knew the Scriptures when she said, "All generations will call me blessed." Here she is speaking of herself as the recipient, not the dispenser of blessing.  She doesn't say all generations will look to me to bless them. They'll consider me blessed because of what I’ve received. She rejoices in the great mercy God has shown her.

In v.49 Mary proclaims that God's name is holy. That is, He is completely free from sin, and His ways are not our ways. He is separate from and exalted above the creature. All His attributes are perfect. Mary's words are a warning to Theophilus to keep God special in our minds. God loves  the underdog who cries out for His mercy. She mentions this three times in v.50-53.

God is not partial to the rich, the powerful, or the proud. Luke is using Mary's words to poise Theophilus to look at what God is really like. He has mercy on those who fear him, who humble themselves and turn from dependence upon themselves. In v.50 Mary says, "His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation."  She quotes Psalm 103:17.  She says that it's not just me, but this mercy of God, this salvation of God is going to come to generation after generation after generation to people who fear, or reverence God.  

In v.51 we read, "He has performed mighty deeds with his arm."  We worship God because of who He is, reciting His attributes, and what He had done, reciting His deeds. In v.52 Mary says, "He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble." Mary is reminding us that God is sovereign and deals righteously with all of mankind. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.

In v.53-55, Mary continues with God as her subject as she uses the pronoun He throughout. The simple truth is that many people say they have a personal relationship with the Lord but all they have is religion. Unlike Mary here, they don’t have God. We can have religion without God. Christianity is not about to our circumstances, it is rather about this new life that has begun within us. Deep and abiding joy is found in the unchanging source of all perfection. Deep and abiding joy is found in a personal relationship with God.

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Luke 1:39-45

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39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” ~ Luke 1:39-45

Luke begins his gospel with two miracles, the conception of two sons to two different women. Elizabeth, who was barren, was somewhere in her sixties. And, Mary, a twelve year old virgin, who became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth lived in the hill country of Judea or Judah. Mary lived in Nazareth, a small town in the Galilee in the north of Israel. 

In v.39, we read, "At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea." Seventy-five miles separated these two relatives who were experiencing parallel miracles. And, in both accounts, Gabriel said to Zechariah and Mary, "Do not be afraid," the most often repeated command in the Bible, used 365 times. 

Mary rushed south because her fear gripped her. When our fear grips us, we want to be with those with whom we love and share the most. Fear has the potential to corrode our confidence in God’s goodness. We begin to wonder if He cares. Fear turns us into control freaks. When life spins wildly out of control, we grab for a component of life we can manage: our diet, the tidiness of a house, the armrest of a plane, or, in many cases, people. The more insecure we feel, the meaner we tend to become. Our insecurities bring out the worst in us. For Mary, it drove her to Elizabeth.

Since Mary had been told that something absolutely humanly impossible was about to happen, she made a beeline to Elizabeth. This illustrates that she believed the message delivered to her from Gabriel. Elizabeth was one person who would understand what she was going through. So, Mary arose and traveled about three days to visit Elizabeth.

According to v.40-41, "When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." Now the movement of a baby in a womb is not abnormal. But, what about Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit? Throughout the Scriptures, being filled with the Holy Spirit is often connected to speaking a message from God. And it was at this moment that Elizabeth had a message from the Lord in v.42-45. Being filled with the Holy Spirit means God is taking control of the one being filled. The result is a revelation from God. 

According to v.42, Elizabeth, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, "In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!" Elizabeth pronounces blessing on Mary because in the Hebrew culture, a woman gained her greatest stature on the basis of her children. And Elizabeth is saying, you are the most blessed because you have the greatest child.

The remaining portion of v.42, reads, "blessed is the child you will bear!" She is saying, "Blessed be the One who will receive all blessing." “Lord” is used to refer to God twenty-five times in Luke 1-2.  There can be no other conclusion than that the child is also God since He is referred to as Lord.  God is called Lord twenty-five times. It's an exalted, divine title.  And when we say Jesus is Lord, we're saying He is also God.

In v.43, Elizabeth is in awe, and she says, "that the mother of my Lord should come to me." Mary is the mother of her Lord and she is never in Scripture called the mother of God.  God always existed. God was never born.  The eternal God has always existed. When people say, "Mary, mother of God," they're not talking about the Mary of Scripture. She was the mother of Jesus, the man. She is not the mother of God. Deity is true of Jesus, but it is not just confined to Jesus. The Father and the Spirit also referred to as God.  

In v.44, we read Elizabeth's explanation.  "As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy."  

In v.45 , we read, "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!." Notice that Elizabeth speaks in the third person. Anybody who believes God fulfills His promises is going to be blessed. Elizabeth is noting that Mary is an example of a model believer, one who believes the promises of the Lord. Mary heard, believed, obeyed, and worshiped. An example for all of us to follow. And, when we do, we will be blessed!

The real bottom line here is who frames up the blessing? You see, the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I recognize that my human way of looking at this life is quite to the contrary to God's way of looking at it. His blessing often appears as a curse and His curse is often seen as a blessing.

For example, I became a believer in the Lord Jesus as a result of my dad dying when I was seventeen years old. The trouble forced me to bow my knees to the Lord. And, like Mary, we will not be blessed to recognize the blessings from God until we bow our will to the Lord.

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Luke 1:31-38

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31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.  37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. ~ Luke 1:31-38

God chose to come to earth to solve mankind's sin problem through the womb of a virgin. The Lord Jesus is the Son of God, not the son of Joseph. And, as a result, He is divine as God’s Son, and human as Mary’s son. Throughout the Old Testament God gave promise after promise pointing anyone with ears to hear to the day when a son of David would come, a king, an heir to the throne. In v.31 Gabriel directed Mary to name her child Jesus which means "YHWH is savior, deliverer or rescuer."

The first thing Luke wants Theophilus to know about the Lord Jesus in v.32 is that "He will be great." Luke sets out in this gospel to present a new view of greatness. In Luke 9:48 we learn from the Lord Jesus that, "He who is least among you all is the one who is great." Luke is telling Theophilus that this Jesus is going to be great, now learn greatness from Him. But be forewarned that His definition of greatness is quite different than ours.

The second thing Gabriel tells Theophilus about the Lord Jesus is that "He will be called Son of the Most High." This means that when God entered the universe, the person He became was both divine and human. The king who rules the world is not just the king of Israel as the son of David, He is the King of kings and Lord of Lords as the Son of God. To have this king as our king is to rest under His sovereign care.

At the end of v.32, we read, "The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David." This means the Lord Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the king of Israel. The Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy to David found in 2 Samuel 7:14 where God promises that the offspring of David would be His son.

In v.33, we read, “and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” The king of Israel, who is also king of the universe, will never be replaced. His kingdom is forever. Therefore, salvation and His protection of our lives are forever.

In v.34, Mary expresses her difficulty with understanding the words of Gabriel by saying, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" Even though we struggle to understand God and His ways, it was through the virgin birth that God chose to demonstrate His sovereignty to mankind. According to Matthew 1:25, Mary and Joseph had no sexual relations until after Jesus was born. Joseph's desire to put Mary away proves this, as well. And, even Joseph had difficulty making sense of this plan.

Instead of the normal means of conception, the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and the power of the Most High overshadowed her and the greatest event in the history of mankind happened: God became a man and man played no role in it. He couldn't because we were the ones in need of His salvation. The Lord Jesus is God's Son, begotten by God and come to earth to redeem man by His perfect life and death on the cross. 

In v.35, we read, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." The unique sonship of the Lord Jesus comes from the fatherly agency of the Holy Spirit in His conception. God, not Joseph, was His only father, whose nature He shares. And, because of His divinity, the Lord Jesus dealt a death blow to death itself, making it possible for us to know His eternal life. 

In v.36, Gabriel encourages Mary with news of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. God is not just doing a miracle through Mary, He is doing something extraordinary in the womb of a barren woman. God always does what He says He will do, even if what He says He will do seems preposterous. Barren woman who are at least sixty years old, do not become pregnant. And, virgins do not become pregnant without human relations. But, with God, all good things are possible.

In v.37 we are reminded that "no word of God will ever fail." Nothing can thwart the will of God. Perhaps Mary knew that this had been prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 where we read, "A virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and you shall call His name Immanuel, God with us." How much more explicit could God be some seven hundred years beforehand. Although Luke does not refer to Isaiah's prophecy, Matthew does in his account.  

In v.38, Mary's response is of one who has come to understand the sovereignty of God. Mary says, “I am the Lord’s servant.” The servant of the Lord will always make himself available to the One who makes possible the impossible. As a result, Mary suffered acute embarrassment before all. No doubt, suspicious neighbors in Nazareth questioned her and refused to believe her honest answers. There are times when we bow our will to God that we experience humiliation before those who themselves have not yet submitted to the will of God.

Finally, ever since Adam and Eve had chosen to eat of the forbidden tree in order to be like God, independent of Him and wise in their own right, the human race has been enslaved to a rebellious heart that hates to rely on God but loves to make a name for itself. However, when we enter into a personal relationship with God through His Son, we are realigned with God's goal in creating us in the first place: that we might show forth His glory to others. It is in this context that we realize our greatest joy.

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Luke 1:26-30

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26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,  27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ~ Luke 1:26-30

This is the second time in this chapter that Gabriel, the angel, appears. The first time he appeared to Zechariah, this time to a teenage girl by the name of Mary. According to v.26, it happened during the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy when Gabriel was “sent from God."  

In this Gospel account, Luke focuses on God. This means the source of the message was God. This is really the key to the whole story. Luke is recording the truth about God's intervention in mankind's sinful and hopeless predicament. And, Mary appears to be an insignificant woman in an insignificant town. In fact, Mary's hometown was Nazareth which wasn't the seat of anything. It wasn't an important place at all.  

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked in John 1:46. A place so despised and insignificant that nothing good was expected out of it. They asked back in that day, “Why would God use a young teenage girl from a backwards no good village to bring the Messiah to earth?”  Isn’t that what we often ask, when we try to put God inside our neat little box, a box that we’ve built out of our preconceptions of what God should be and do? 

According to 1 Corinthians 1:28, God chooses the despised and weak things of this world, things counted as nothing at all, and uses them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. He does this so that no one can ever boast in His presence. According to 1 Corinthians 1:29, He does it so that in our weakness, we can only point to Him and say it was all because of the Lord Jesus. Our weakness, our insignificance brings glory to God when He uses us to do His work. 

According to v.27, Gabriel appeared before a virgin which means "one who has had no sexual relations." According to Roman law, the minimum age for girls to be engaged and married was twelve years old. Girls were usually engaged around 12 or 13 and married after the engagement or the betrothal was over. The reason they did this was because they therefore would guarantee their virginity. 

So, here was a young girl, "pledged" or engaged to a man. Literally the word used is betrothed, which was a legal binding, an arrangement by the parents. It was a legal document notifying that the parents had agreed that their children would marry. There was no sexual relationship during this period of betrothal which usually lasted a year. The couple did not live together, and only death or divorce could sever the contract. And if the man died, the betrothed girl would be considered a widow.

Mary was engaged to Joseph, a descendant of David. He had Davidic DNA. He was in the royal line.  His blood line had come right through David. This is key because it was predicted that through King David would come the Messiah. 

Joseph was a young boy, aged 13 or 14 who had royal blood. And even though Joseph was not His father by blood, he was of the line of David and passed that on to the Lord Jesus because He was his son, if not by birth, by adoption, which was legally binding.

Mary means "exalted one."  Nothing more is said of Mary. Luke doesn't say she was a devout believer, like Zachariah and Elizabeth. In Luke 3, there is Mary's genealogy. Even though Mary is not named in the genealogy, because only the men are named, that would be the line that led to Mary so that the Lord Jesus would have royal right passed down to Him by His legal father, Joseph. The Lord Jesus would have royal blood passed down to Him through, His mother, Mary.  In every sense, then, the Lord Jesus was royalty because Joseph was David's descendant, and Mary was as well. 

According to v.28, Gabriel enters Mary's house and says, "Hello, favored one, the Lord is with you." Mary was the recipient of God's grace.  God gave her grace because she needed grace. Mary needed grace to go through the birthing process, but also the difficulties that would follow.  

But, that is a side note. You see, Mary was conceived into sin and therefore she was a sinner. And all sinners need the grace of God, in order to have a personal relationship with Him and to be used by Him in this fallen world. We cannot go to Mary and receive grace. And, Mary can't hear the prayers of anybody.  Only God hears prayers. 

In v.29, we read, "Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be."  It was what Gabriel said that shook Mary. She was troubled, disturbed, perplexed, and confused, because she knew she was a sinner. In fact, this is why in Luke 1:47 when she praises God, Mary says, "God, my Savior."  She knew she needed a Savior.

In v.30, we read, "But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.’"  Mary's confusion and perplexity were rooted in fear, but Gabriel reassured her with the favor or grace of God. This was really important due to the fact that appearances of angels always created fear in people. 

This highlights the fact that we have nothing to fear. We definitely have no reason to fear the wrath of God because the Son, the Lord Jesus has paid our debt. Even when we sin deliberately, we have no reason to fear because the Son absorbed in His body while on that tree so long ago all that would separate us from the love of God.

To this point Mary doesn't even know what the message from God will be. All she knows is that God has chosen her to be gracious to her.  By the way, as a footnote, God is only gracious to those who believe in Him. He gives no grace to those who refuse Him, He gives no grace to those who do not know Him or who are known by HIM. The Lord was with Mary and the Lord was gracious to her in a special and unique way. This was necessary because to this point in time, she did belong to Him just yet.

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