Luke 2:21

Luke 2:21 

English Standard Version 

  From the very beginning of Jesus' life, he was obedient to the Law.  He was perfect in every way -- his name pointed towards his mission, meaning 'the Lord saves'.  Everything about Jesus is pointed towards the salvation of his people.  

  The good news for us is that God sends Jesus to save -- there is a plan in place.  You are not an accident, and your salvation is not in question.  God has sent Jesus with intent to save.  All is well.  That allows us to enjoy rest, because we need not be anxious.

Luke 2:16–20

Luke 2:16-20

English Standard Version 

  

  Do you ever see other Christians who live out their faith in a way completely different than yours and wonder if you're doing it right?  It's easy to think that maybe you're getting it wrong if you feel comfortable with a differing expression of faith.

  Here in Luke 2, we have very different reactions.  The shepherds have come to see Jesus and they leave praising God, announcing what they have seen and heard to anyone nearby.  It's very public.

  Mary, however, treasures all these things, pondering them in her heart.  It's very quiet and private.  

  Neither of these approaches are wrong.  They're just different.  Each of us is crafted in the image of God, knit together in our mother's wombs -- but we're crafted differently, unique.  That's ok and celebrated in the Kingdom of God.

Luke 2:13-15

Luke 2:13-15 

English Standard Version 

  One of the things I love about Scripture is the way that community happens over and over again.  We're reminded that we don't do faith on our own.  An angel has appeared to the shepherds, but the angel is not on his own -- a multitude of heavenly host are with him, all of them joining together to praise God.  

  It's very different than the way we often approach faith -- we think of it largely as an individual act.  But the angels are here to remind us that faith is done in community, and so they combine to reveal God's glory.

  How do the shepherds react?  They have seen the angels, and they are compelled to go.  They cannot sit on such news -- they act, going to see what God has told them.  

  May we look for the chance to worship together, thinking of ourselves as part of a much larger community, and may we give thanks for the chance to go and do after we hear the Good News.

Luke 2:10–12

Luke 2:10-12 

English Standard Version 

  Our news is now personalized.  Feeds online are tailored as to what interests you.  Many people watch news channels that show news that slants to their perspective.  We think that everyone else should be watching what we're watching, but someone somewhere else is watching something different thinking the same thing. 

  The angel doesn't say that the good news of great joy is for some of the people.  It's for all -- even the Romans who will lead the persecution of Christ decades later.  God has come to transform all the people.  

  This is key to remember as we look at the world.  The Gospel comes for all.  Each and every person matters intimately to God.  There are no people who don't matter to God -- God brings great joy for all the people!

Luke 2:8-9

Luke 2:8-9

English Standard Version 

  As mentioned, the birth of Jesus wouldn't have been in the headlines, and the shepherds certainly wouldn't have been expected to be the first to discover the birth of the Messiah of the world.  Think about it -- Jesus Christ was going to completely upend society, changing the lives of billions of people in the years to come.  No one had ever been born that would change the world like this, and the first people to hear about it... were tending sheep at night on the outskirts of town.

  Is that how you would announce it?  This is not human wisdom -- it is beyond our grasp.  No one would design the story like this, no one would make this up, and yet the story persists, because it is true.  And because it is true, every single person should wrestle with its implications on their lives.  

  So when things happen in the world that we cannot make sense of, may our reaction be curiosity to know how God might be at work.  We might not understand it, but that doesn't mean that God is not in the midst of it all.  

Luke 2:1-7

Luke 2:1-7

English Standard Version 

  I don't know about you, but I often feel very, very small.  The news is filled with global events, reaching far around the world and impacting thousands or millions.  Nothing I do has such an impact, or even that close. 

  But look at the beginning of Jesus' life.  The Roman Emperor is issuing a decree that causes untold masses to move, and here is God, at work in the midst of it all, on a very, very small scale, wrapped in humility, but changing the course of the world.  This is the single most important birth in humanity, and it wasn't on the cover of any newspaper in the world.  It wouldn't have been included at all... because no one noticed until far, far later.  

  The Gospel works like that, in ways no one may notice at the time, but the Holy Spirit is moving.  That doesn't mean we should tune out the global news, but don't assume that God isn't at work just because something doesn't make a headline.  God is working, at a small and large scale.

  

Luke 1:80

Luke 1:80 

English Standard Version 

  There's a lot of long-term overnight success stories.  We don't see all the time and work that is invested over the years -- we see someone splash onto the front page and the story is told like it has all happened in a flash.  The story is never that easy, and the road is never that short.  People spend years and decades working, preparing, and they're ready when the opportunity presents itself.

  John is like that -- he spends years in the wilderness preparing for the day when God will call him. The wilderness is not an easy place, but that's where John is made ready.  

  When we avoid the wilderness, the danger is that we avoid the tough times that prepare us for the opportunity.  So let us trust in God that when we are in the wilderness, it's because God has something greater in store for us.  May we use that time to let God remind us of the promises of the Gospel, so that when opportunity comes, we'll be ready to let the Gospel light shine through us.

Luke 1:76–79

Luke 1:76-79 

English Standard Version 

  We need to speak words like this over one another.  We all have a part to play in God's salvation story -- each is different, but they are all crucial blocks in the building of God's Kingdom.  It's hard for us to recognize this often -- we get blinded by all the things we have going on in our lives, as well as crippling self-doubt and fears about our own inadequacies.  

  It's so valuable when we hear people speak words into our lives where we're reminded of the critical importance of God's value for us and the call God has on our lives.  We need to be reminded that we're called and sent, that God loves us and values us, that the light that shines through the cracks in our lives is important for others to navigate by.  Others are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, they need to find a way to peace, and so just as we are guided by the light shining through cracks in the lives of others, let us let the light shine through us, and remind others of the important role they have in communicating the truth and light of the Gospel.

Luke 1:67-75

Luke 1:67-75 

English Standard Version 

  I wonder if we practice this type of song anymore.  Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit, and he isn't solely focused on what's happening in his own life.  He sees his story as part of the larger story of God's salvation narrative, and he praises God for being faithful throughout the generations.  God has been at work since of old, and Zechariah sees God continuing to deliver God's people.  And note the purpose -- God delivers the people so that they can serve without fear.  

  How would it look for you to praise God in this way?  Can you tie your story in to God's larger narrative?  Can you see how your story is similar to other stories in the Bible, and recognize how God might be at work in the same way in your life?  Such activities give us the confidence to serve without fear, because if we can recognize that the same God who delivered Biblical characters can deliver us, then we trust in our ability to live in holiness and righteousness before God all our days.

Luke 1:59-66

Luke 1:59-66

English Standard Version 

  Remember when Zechariah originally saw the angel?  He was uncertain about what God was doing, and so he was silenced as a result.  

  Here, the child is to be named, and Zechariah no longer has any doubts.  He obeys, and his mouth is opened as a result.  Notice what comes out of his mouth first -- blessings towards God.  He isn't resentful for the trial he has undergone, but instead is eager to bless God.  

  How do we respond after times of trial?  Are we eager to bless God?  What can we learn from Zechariah?  Often, we're still in the midst of the trial, wondering if we'll be delivered, and it's hard to imagine praising God once more, but Zechariah reminds us that blessings can come after long periods of waiting.  The hand of the Lord can still be with us.

Luke 1:57-58

Luke 1:57-58 

English Standard Version

  It's a competitive world.  Often, we feel that if someone else is getting ahead, that must mean that we are falling behind.  There is a temptation to resent the success of others.

  But in God's Kingdom, we celebrate with others when we see the success of others.  It's not zero-sum, so we can truly rejoice when we see others doing well.  Here is Elizabeth, reveling in the mercy of God, giving birth to a son after such a long wait, and the community rejoices with her.  Her triumph lifts up those around her, and they gather with her.  

  Who can you celebrate with today?  How can you be part of a community that is lifting one another up?

Luke 1:46–56

Luke 1:46-56 

English Standard Version 

  Mary responds to all of this with a song, and the song is rooted in history.  I love how often Scripture does this -- it's pointing backwards, looking at all the things God has done.  You can tell that Mary knows more than just her story -- she knows God's larger story, and she's rooted in that.  Her chapter is just a small piece of what God is doing, but it fits in with that, and so she's also a part of how God is moving forward. Mary sees her work in the scope of the larger expansion of the Kingdom of God, and she celebrates that.

  This is why we read Scripture.  This is why we anchor ourselves in Scripture -- because it helps us see our story as part of something far larger than ourselves.  It's not just about us.  It's not just a small story, but it's cosmic in scope, and God is calling us deeper into relationship, into true life, and we're joining with Christians in every time and place as we sing God's praise and live into God's story.

Luke 1:43–45

Luke 1:43-45 

English Standard Version 

  Have you ever set out on a journey with enthusiasm in your heart, and then you make it a ways into the trip, and that enthusiasm has waned and you're wondering why you're going at all?  What do you need at that point?  You need someone to remind you of your original decision, of your commitment, of your passion.  

  Elizabeth does this for Mary.  She reminds Mary that Mary has believed that what God has spoken would be fulfilled.  Mary has surely asked herself if she is crazy for believing this, and here is Elizabeth, offering some grounding for Mary.  She is affirming Mary's choices.  She is reminding Mary that she is on the right path.  She is pointing to God.

  We need people like this in our lives, and we need to be people like this -- people who affirm and support, and remind one another that we are called by Christ to love and to serve.

Luke 1:39–42

Luke 1:39-42 

English Standard Version 

  It's hard to do things on your own.  The burdens can push down on you, weighing on the soul.  No matter how energized you may feel at the beginning, if you're rowing on your own, you'll lose steam.  When I go out and run, I inevitably stop after around two miles -- I get tired, and it's easy to stop.  When I'm running with someone, I may go twice as long, because I'm not alone.

  Mary is in the midst of a terribly challenging chapter of her life.  She's unwed, pregnant, and without many resources.  But God hasn't set her up to do this on her own.  She has Elizabeth, and when she arrives, John the Baptist leaps in the womb, and Elizabeth is exclaiming with a loud cry how blessed Mary is.   

  Here, there is encouragement.  There is community.

  Who can you provide that to today?

Luke 1:34–38

Luke 1:34-38 

English Standard Version 

  The angel is giving God amazing good news, and Mary has questions.  She doesn't understand how such things can occur, and while the angel answers the question... there are still questions.  

  We've all been at this phase.  We've understood where the road is supposed to go from where we are, but we have questions.  It doesn't make sense.  There are holes in the plan.  We can't see the entire map.

  Mary is in that spot, and yet she has trust in God.  Despite not understanding so much about how this is all going to work, she trusts the one who has come up with the plan.

  Relying on trust is a hard thing to do.  We learn how to depend on ourselves, how to struggle forward... and we like to see the entire road before we commit.

  But God is calling us into something deeper, something bigger, something that stretches through this reality and into the next.  

  Will you lean into God and trust God in the midst of your uncertainty?