Luke 2
March Memory Verse: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10 NIV
Read: Luke 2
A person could spend a long-time studying Luke 2 and barely scratch the surface. Very few chapters are so packed with Old Testament references and fulfilled prophetic events. In most cases, Luke isn’t even citing an Old Testament passage, he’s just telling us what happened.
You’ve probably seen this before, but it’s an encouraging reminder. These are just 10 of the 350+ specific Old Testament prophecies which Christ fulfilled in his earthly life. One mathematician calculated the odds of just 8 of these prophecies coming true in one person. Those odds came to 88 billion to 1. That’s the same as one silver dollar if the entire state of Texas were covered two feet deep in silver dollars.
Read: Luke 2
A person could spend a long-time studying Luke 2 and barely scratch the surface. Very few chapters are so packed with Old Testament references and fulfilled prophetic events. In most cases, Luke isn’t even citing an Old Testament passage, he’s just telling us what happened.
You’ve probably seen this before, but it’s an encouraging reminder. These are just 10 of the 350+ specific Old Testament prophecies which Christ fulfilled in his earthly life. One mathematician calculated the odds of just 8 of these prophecies coming true in one person. Those odds came to 88 billion to 1. That’s the same as one silver dollar if the entire state of Texas were covered two feet deep in silver dollars.
For me, what stands out in Luke 2 is the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph. First off, how amazing would you have to be for the Lord God, Creator of Heaven & Earth, to entrust his own child to you? The One through whom, even in the womb, all things are being held together (Colossians 1:17). All mothers are amazing, but imagine carrying the child who literally rescued humanity from eternal destruction.
No place does the faithful obedience of Mary and Joseph shine forth like Jesus’ presentation at the Temple. They had to present their firstborn to God per Exodus 13:2, 12. Likewise, they had to bring an offering for Mary’s purification after childbirth as we see in Leviticus 12:1–8. In this Leviticus passage, if the couple could not afford a lamb for the purification offering, they were to take a pair of turtledoves and two young pigeons.
Mary and Joseph had so little in earthly possessions that they couldn’t afford a lamb as an offering for purification for the birth of the King of the Universe. What a stark reminder that God didn’t choose Christ to be born to nobility. He was born in a manger, to a teenage mom that everyone assumed cheated on her betrothed. My guess is they also considered Joseph a fool for staying with a woman dealing with the consequences of an obvious affair. Likewise, the first visitors were smelly shepherds, the lowest on the social totem pole—pretty much only above slaves.
The Lord isn’t looking for wealthy and powerful people to accomplish His Kingdom purposes. Mary and Joseph’s example is faithful obedience allowing the Lord to entrust to a person the most precious of gifts.
They Lord doesn’t need or want to wait to use you. There is no, “I’ll serve the Lord when, or if…” No degree, no accreditation, no life circumstance will allow you to have greater kingdom impact than you can right now. However, the Lord (normally) entrusts the greatest gifts to those who are prepared to receive it.
By: Tyler Short
No place does the faithful obedience of Mary and Joseph shine forth like Jesus’ presentation at the Temple. They had to present their firstborn to God per Exodus 13:2, 12. Likewise, they had to bring an offering for Mary’s purification after childbirth as we see in Leviticus 12:1–8. In this Leviticus passage, if the couple could not afford a lamb for the purification offering, they were to take a pair of turtledoves and two young pigeons.
Mary and Joseph had so little in earthly possessions that they couldn’t afford a lamb as an offering for purification for the birth of the King of the Universe. What a stark reminder that God didn’t choose Christ to be born to nobility. He was born in a manger, to a teenage mom that everyone assumed cheated on her betrothed. My guess is they also considered Joseph a fool for staying with a woman dealing with the consequences of an obvious affair. Likewise, the first visitors were smelly shepherds, the lowest on the social totem pole—pretty much only above slaves.
The Lord isn’t looking for wealthy and powerful people to accomplish His Kingdom purposes. Mary and Joseph’s example is faithful obedience allowing the Lord to entrust to a person the most precious of gifts.
They Lord doesn’t need or want to wait to use you. There is no, “I’ll serve the Lord when, or if…” No degree, no accreditation, no life circumstance will allow you to have greater kingdom impact than you can right now. However, the Lord (normally) entrusts the greatest gifts to those who are prepared to receive it.
By: Tyler Short
9 Comments
Will Rogers, (1879-1935) American humorist & cowboy was alleged to have said, “God must love the common man, He made so many of them”.
I thought about this quote as I read Luke 2 and Tyler’s commentary. God often uses the common man/woman whose heart is tuned toward Him. Jospeh & Mary were common people with very little means. They possessed hearts for God and obedience to His will. Don’t ever think God can’t use you because you don’t possess great speaking skills, leadership ability, etc. The most important things are a love for God, desire to see people saved by surrendering their lives to Jesus, and an obedient heart. Remember, if God can make a mule speak, He can use any of us for His glory.
I never really noticed the repetition in verses 19 and 51 before, "Mary treasured up all these things in her heart". One instance was when the shepherds were visiting. The other is 12 years later when they found Jesus staying behind in the temple.
Mary was truly amazed by Jesus even so many years later. We too should be amazed by Jesus many years after meeting Him. Our relationship with Him never gets old, and He always continues to amaze us.
I would love to have met the 12 year old Middle School Jesus! The fullness of God in the body of a Junior Higher. Amazing story!
Playing off of your last sentence, I see two reminders of being prepared to receive the gifts of God:
1. (V. 37)- God reveals to and uses people the most who have the highest levels of humility. This widow had a lifestyle of fasting and prayer. No husband in a society where it mattered a lot to have one? She didn't care or complain. She sought the Lord continually with a laser focus.
2. (v. 49)- Jesus had to/must be (NASB vs. ESV wording) in his Father's house. Not a want. A necessity. Jesus here displays a strong sense of obligation to the Father that leads and controls his life. It's not optional. He must pursue what God has for him. We can learn from this by praying for and pursuing a similar level of submission to and desire for the Holy Spirit's guidance.
It’s always so cool when you really get to see the sovereignty of God played out. He can use ungodly people and circumstances to work in His favor.
Augustus Caesar was arguably the most powerful man in the world at his time, but even that wasn’t enough for him. He sought to be considered a “god” by the Roman people, yet God used him to call for the census, giving Joseph reason to return to Bethlehem. Through his actions (despite no godly intent), OT prophecy was fulfilled. What an encouragement that God can use anything and anyone to His glory! Stories like this in the Bible, paired with a Biblical view on submission to authorities (Romans 13), should give us a confidence in that no matter who is in power in the world, God is supreme and will be glorified in it!
I always have wondered when Jesus’ family really realized who he was. In this passage it says Mary treasured the things that the shepherds had said and pondered them and I also wonder if they in that time realized all the prophesies that were coming true. In some parts of scripture it doesn’t seem like they realized he was the son of God like in Mark 3 where a crowd was following Jesus and his family thought he was crazy.
That’s a great question—if they had studied prophecy as much as law, they may have noticed! (and some people in the gospels definitely took notice) I’m sure many Israelites of the time expected a flashier king to be the Messiah
Jesus at the temple always amazes me. It shows that even at that young age, he was striving to learn. I think this really shows his human side. We know Jesus was 100% God and 100% man, and the fact that he was yearning to know more about the Bible shows that the human side of Jesus wanted grow in knowledge and wisdom. He was here on earth for a special purpose, and he wanted to know all he could about God's word. Amazing stuff!
I've been doing a Bible History Overview Bible study since January and as we've gone over the intertestamental period and into the New Testament period something that stood out so much to me and is laid out so matter of factly here in Luke 2 is that while Caesar was counting his people, God was becoming one of His.
In Galatians 4:4 Paul uses the phrase 'when the fullness of time had come'. Before recently, that phrase seemed somewhat figurative to me, even knowing that God always has perfect timing. For me, it's easy to slip into the passive mindset that Christ is part of history, but really ALL of history is the backdrop for Christ.