Luke 2 Revisited “Let’s Go over to Bethlehem”

S = Luke 2:15b-19 ““Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

O = The shepherds had this one awesome encounter with the message of God—it was not normal for them, who because of the profession could not even worship at the temple—and how did they respond? They decided to go, and then they “went with haste” and after it was fulfilled they naturally told others what had been said about Jesus. It got a lot of people thinking, wondering, pondering, praising!

A = How do I respond when I know God is speaking to me, or calling/inviting me to do something? Do I “hem and haw”, or decide to go—and do I go right away or procrastinate? Do I naturally speak of it to others?

P = O Lord, I need to respond like both the shepherds and Mary—go and see and tell, as well as treasuring and pondering it all in my heart. Lord, let me not forget your presence in my life. Remind me of all you do so that I may praise you for it!

Merry Christmas!

We are moving away from our study in Luke for the Christmas season. We will be studying Ephesians begining in January and will complete our study in Luke in the weeks leading up to Easter...The Passion of Jesus for Everyone!

During the Christmas season, you might like to revisit the very first few posts that cover the Christmas story.

Stay tuned for further updates!

Luke 21-B "For your Nake's Sake"

S = 21:6b, 9b, 12-13 “^6b…the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down… ^9b…but the end will not be at once…¹² But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. ¹³ This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

 

O = While the great ornamental stones of the temple, the image of stability and place of God’s name in Israel would be completely destroyed, with huge stones cast down to the street below, a possibility the disciples couldn’t imagine, Jesus’ concern was to prepare his followers for how they would be persecuted. This would be their opportunity to witness—martyrs in the full sense of the word. They were to be completely trusting God for the message in the moment, and also to endure to the end (for the end was not the end!). In v. 18 Jesus said that “Not a hair of your head would perish” though their temple surely would. What I get from this phrase is that nothing about me will be lost or destroyed. There would be no further use for the temple…but for you, that is another story—for you are the image of God and the place of his name in their midst.

A = Do I look at difficulties and even persecution as something to be avoided or embraced because there is the opportunity to witness inside the brittle shell of those circumstances waiting to get out? Will I allow my life to be co-opted so that I can witness to the glory of Christ? Tertullian, an early church leader from around 200 ad suggested that we should never run from persecution…for “the blood of Christians is seed.” It seems that if we do, then we miss our opportunity to be different from the temple made with hands.

P = O Lord, encourage me today to endure rather than escape, to love rather than leave, to witness rather than worry. I need to live in the permanence of your plan. Thank you for the grace to be part of it so that nothing about me will be lost. Amen.

Luke 21-A “Greater Condemnation, or Greater Honor”

S = 20:46-21:3 ““Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.”

 

O = Scribes were very concerned about righteous appearances and social status. Everything they did was to promote their own standing in the eyes of their peers. Yet, as laboriously as they studied the OT scriptures they missed the heart of God. God had made it very clear that he was not impressed with outward appearances if there was pride involved or in any acts of public religious righteousness if there was a lack of justice and compassion for the oppressed (That really bothers Jesus!). Here the scribes were taking advantage of widows for personal gain. So in Jesus’ eyes, their offering meant nothing (1 Cor. 13:3). They should have known better and thus theirs will be the greater condemnation. At the same time there happened to be a poor widow at the temple who gave the smallest amount it was legal to give, yet it was all the money she had. This meant she was fasting that day. What we don’t see, that we might expect, is Jesus calling her out and rewarding her for her giving. He knows that her reward is in heaven and will not take that from her.

 

A = Is there an area in my life where I seek honor at the expense of others? I know that a couple of weeks ago I landed a teasing remark for laughs that while not meant in a mean-spirited way was for the benefit of my own wit and thus crossed the line. Do I live my life in a way to incur greater condemnation for my hypocrisy and oppressions of others, or do I live a life of such trust and humility as to receive greater honor at the hands of Christ? I know which one I would prefer! I need to follow the example of Jesus, ^“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

 

P = O Lord, I ask your forgiveness for those times I have advanced myself at another’s expense. You became poor for me that I might be spiritually rich in you. May I have the same attitude towards people and towards giving! May my gratitude towards you find expression in giving in the days ahead. Amen.