Scripture Lesson: Luke 2:1-20

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them: and they were in great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign to you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.

Far more than a quaint story

Far more than a quaint story, these verses from the second chapter of Luke describe a historical event that occurred at a real time and in a real place. It happened during the reign of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus, when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.

Although Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth, the ancient prophet foretold that the birthplace of the Messiah would be Bethlehem: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou art little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” — Micah 5:2

In His divine providence, God moved Caesar Augustus to order a census at precisely the right time. This required Joseph and his betrothed to be in Bethlehem when the days were fulfilled for Mary to give birth to her firstborn son.

When Messiah Jesus was born and laid in a manger, an angel announced His birth to the shepherds in a nearby field, who were keeping watch over their flock by night. The heavenly messenger brought them “good tidings of great joy” for all people: for on that very day in Bethlehem, the city of David, a Savior was born — the Messiah, the Lord (Jehovah) Himself in human flesh.

As the angelic choir proclaimed in its hymn of praise, this Child brought peace between God and man and God’s goodwill toward sinful humanity.

How could this be? Christ Jesus satisfied the righteous demands of God’s holy law on our behalf. And Jesus suffered and died on the cross, paying in full the just punishment for the sins of the world so that God might have mercy upon us and graciously forgive our sins when we look to His Son in faith for pardon and peace!

Having heard these things, the shepherds were not content to return immediately to their work of guarding the flock. They went to see the things the angel had spoken about, and they found them just as the angel had said. They found Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child lying in a manger.

Nor did the shepherds keep the good news to themselves. They told everyone — they “made known abroad” — what the angel had told them concerning this Child. Mary treasured the words of the shepherds concerning her Son and pondered them in her heart.

When the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified and praised God for all they had seen and heard. They rejoiced in God’s gift of a Savior who would redeem them and grant them a place in His eternal kingdom.

These historical events hold great significance for each of us today. God’s own Son was born in Bethlehem on that historic day. His birth brings “good tidings of great joy” to us as well, for He is the long-promised Messiah, the Lord God Himself. He went to the cross for the sins of the world — for the sins of each of us — and rose again in victory. Through faith in Him, we have forgiveness for all our sins and the promise of eternal life.

God would have us heed the message of the Christmas Gospel and, in faith, turn from our sinful ways to Christ Jesus. In so doing, we receive the pardon and forgiveness He won for us by coming into this world as a babe in Bethlehem, fulfilling God’s commandments, and making full atonement on the cross!

Dearest Jesus, we thank You for coming into this world as a true man — that babe born in Bethlehem — and going to the cross to redeem us and make us Your own. Move us to take the time to see, to believe, to worship, and to spread abroad the good news of salvation through faith in Your name. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised 1883 Webster Version of the Bible.]

Luke 1:26-38: 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” 29 When she saw him, she was troubled by his words, and considered in her mind what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was declared barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord. May it be unto me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Matthew 1:18-25: 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way: After His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, had in mind to divorce her privately. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for He who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this occurred to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying, 23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and will bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is interpreted, “God with us.” 24 Then Joseph, being awakened from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and remained with his wife, 25 and did not know her until she had given birth to her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Looking at the angelic announcements in Luke and Matthew, we see the full picture of the Incarnation. We see who Jesus is and what He came to do.

In Luke’s Gospel (Luke 1:26-38), the angel Gabriel appears to Mary with an amazing message. She is told that she will conceive, not by natural means, but by the Holy Spirit.

And Gabriel describes the identity of this child with absolute clarity: “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).

The identity of Jesus is established. He is not merely a moral teacher or a good man; He is the Son of the Highest. He is the fulfillment of God’s ancient covenant with David. He is the King who possesses an eternal throne. While human empires rise and crumble, Jesus was introduced as the Son of God, the King whose reign will never end.

While Luke emphasizes Jesus’ identity as royalty, Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ mission as the Savior (Matthew 1:18-25). When Joseph discovers Mary is pregnant, he is heartbroken and plans to divorce her quietly. But an angel appears to him in a dream to reveal the identity and purpose of this child in Mary’s womb.

The angel gives Joseph two specific names that define who Jesus is and what He would accomplish for His people and the world.

1. “She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

The name Jesus (Yeshua) literally means “The Lord is Salvation.” Jesus is the Lord God Himself, and He came to save His people from their sins. He came to bridge the gap between a holy God and fallen humanity by taking the weight and guilt of our transgressions upon Himself and atoning for our sins by His death on the cross.

2. Matthew notes that this birth fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and will bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is interpreted, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23; cf Isaiah 7:14).

Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us.” In the person of Jesus, the eternal Son of God took on human flesh and blood and came into this world to dwell among us and save us by His holy life and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead (cf. John 1:1-4,14). In Jesus, God reached down into this sinful world to redeem us and to call us to repent of our evil ways and trust in Him for life and salvation!

The angelic announcements reveal the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises to send His only-begotten Son into the world to redeem us and restore us to communion and fellowship with God. The Apostle Paul summarized it beautifully in his letter to the Galatians when he wrote: “But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born from a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

As both Mary and Joseph believed the angelic messages and acted on them in faith, I encourage you to heed God’s Word and turn from your sins to Jesus — the Son of the Highest, God with us, and your Savior — in faith for forgiveness and life everlasting in His eternal kingdom!

O dearest Jesus, Son of God and my Savior, thank you for coming into this world as a babe born in Bethlehem to redeem me from sin and death. Grant that I repent of my sinful ways and look to You in faith for pardon and forgiveness and a place in Your everlasting kingdom. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version, Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association, Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.]

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the presence of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:76-79 (Read Luke 1)

Silence Broken

For 400 years, the people of Israel had waited. No major prophet had spoken since Malachi. But in the hill country of Judea, that silence was broken — not by the roar of a conqueror, but by the cry of a baby.

In Luke 1, we see God setting the stage for the arrival of the Messiah. He began by sending a forerunner. The birth of John the Baptist was miraculous, being born to Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age. Yet, his miraculous birth was secondary to his miraculous mission.

Preparing the Way

Before John was even conceived, the angel Gabriel defined his life’s purpose to his father, Zechariah: “And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).

John was not the Light, but he prepared God’s people for the appearance of the Light. His work was the hard labor of spiritual agriculture — breaking up the fallow ground of hard hearts so that the seeds of Jesus’ ministry could take root. He was called to turn hearts that had grown cold and disobedient to the truth back “to the wisdom of the just.”

Leap of Recognition

John’s spiritual sensitivity was evident even before his birth. When Mary, only newly pregnant with Jesus, visited Elizabeth, the presence of the Messiah caused a physical reaction in the unborn John. “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41).

This “leap” was not merely movement; it was joyful recognition. It reminds us that the work of God often begins in the quiet, unseen places before it is ever made manifest in the public square. John’s entire existence was tuned to the frequency of the coming Messiah and Savior.

Sunrise from On High

When John was born, Zechariah’s speech was restored, and the father prophesied over the son. He spoke of a “sunrise from on high” that would visit the people.

In ancient times, travelers stuck in the darkness of night would “sit in darkness” eagerly awaiting the dawn’s light when they could see their way. Zechariah declared that John’s ministry would point to the Sunrise — the Messiah — who would finally reveal the path back to God and “guide our feet into the way of peace” with God through repentance and the remission of sins through faith in Jesus and His cross (Luke 1:79).

Ministry of John the Baptist Still Vital

• Just as John prepared the way for Christ’s first coming, the Holy Spirit uses the law of God to convict us of sin and point us to Christ and His cross, and so prepare our hearts for Christ’s return. We cannot fully embrace the grace and mercy of Jesus until we, like the people of John’s day, see our need for God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus (Luke 1:77).

• Like John, we are not the Savior. We are not the solution to the world’s darkness. Our job is not to manufacture light, but to point urgently and joyfully to the Sunrise — to “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

• Luke 1:80 tells us that “the child grew and became strong in spirit.” In a culture that is often hostile to truth, we need that same strength of spirit — a rugged, wilderness faith that cares more about God’s approval than public opinion.

John the Baptist reminds us that God has prepared a way. No matter how dark the night or how long the silence, the Sunrise beams brightly in Christ Jesus!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the tender mercy You showed in sending the Sunrise from on high to visit us. Thank You for the ministry and example of John the Baptist, who was content to simply be a voice crying in the wilderness, pointing others to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Prepare my own heart for His coming. Break up the hard soil of my sinfulness and rebellion and grant me faith to look to Messiah Jesus for pardon and forgiveness. Give me the spirit of a forerunner today. Let my life be a signpost that points my family, my coworkers, and my community to Jesus, the Light of the World. And make me strong in spirit, that I may stand firm in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(The Holy Bible, Modern English Version, Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association, Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.)

“O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy…” Psalm 107:1-2 (Read Psalm 107)

Life often feels like a series of unrelated struggles — wilderness wanderings, dark valleys, stormy seas, and dry deserts. Yet, Psalm 107 weaves these disparate experiences into a single tapestry of grace. It is a song for the weary traveler, but, more importantly, an instruction manual in gratitude for those who have been rescued.

The Psalmist begins with a fundamental declaration: God is good, and His mercy is not temporary. It endures forever. But this is not meant to be a silent theological observation. Verse 2 issues a command to those who have experienced this goodness: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so.”

If God has walked you through a fire, your testimony is the water that refreshes a thirsty world. Silence is not an option for the redeemed.

The Refrain of Grace

Four times in this Psalm — in verses 8, 15, 21, and 31 — the writer pauses the narrative of trouble and deliverance to sing the same chorus: “Oh, that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”

This repetition is intentional. It serves as a holy interruption. Whether the people were lost in the desert, bound in darkness, sick because of their rebellion, or reeling in a storm at sea, the conclusion of their story was always the same: God intervened.

This refrain reminds us that our circumstances may change, but God’s character does not. In every season of crisis, He is the God who hears our cry. The repetition teaches us that we are prone to forget. We are quick to pray when the storm hits, but slow to praise when the sun comes out. The Psalmist nudges us, four times over, to remember the source of our rescue.

The Ultimate Rescue

While the Psalmist recounts deliverance from physical perils, these point us to a far greater, eternal rescue. We were not merely lost in a physical wilderness, but spiritual wanderers separated from God. We were bound by the chains of our own sinfulness, facing the just punishment for our rebellion.

Yet, God’s “wonderful works” culminated in the greatest act of mercy history has ever known. He did not leave us to the consequences of our sin. Instead, through the gift and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, God paid the ransom to redeem us. Jesus took the storm of judgment upon Himself so that we could be brought into the haven of peace. This is the deepest meaning of God’s enduring mercy — that while we were yet sinners, He rescued us.

The Wisdom of Observation

The Psalm concludes with a challenge in verse 43: “Who is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.”

True wisdom is not just intellectual knowledge; it is the ability to “observe these things.” It is the spiritual discipline of looking back over the landscape of your life — the storms, the chains, the deserts — and recognizing the hand of God in all of it.

When we stop to observe the patterns of God’s faithfulness, we begin to truly understand His lovingkindness. We realize that He wasn’t just present in the rescue; He was present in the refining.

Today, look back at your own journey. Identify the moments where you cried out and He answered. Do not let those moments pass in silence. Join the chorus of the redeemed and say so.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You today because You are good, and Your mercy toward me endures forever. I look back on my life, and I see the many times You have redeemed me from the hand of the enemy. You have led me through deserts and calmed the storms around me. Most of all, I thank You for the ultimate rescue found in Jesus Christ. Thank You for saving me from my sinfulness and the punishment I deserved. Thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son, who paid the price I could not pay to bring me home to You. Forgive me for the times I have been quick to ask for help but slow to offer praise. Today, I wish to be one who “says so.” I declare Your goodness over my life. I praise You for Your wonderful works. Grant me the wisdom to observe Your hand at work in every season. Open my eyes to understand the depth of Your lovingkindness, that I might live a life that constantly points back to Your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version, Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association, Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.]

“Therefore let no one judge you regarding food, or drink, or in respect of a holy day or new moon or sabbath days. These are shadows of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” Colossians 2:16-17 (Read verse 16-23)

The Apostle Paul, writing these words by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, makes his point. Believers in Christ are not to let anyone judge them in regard to their food or drink, in regard to observing certain holy days or religious festivals, or in regard to observing the sabbath day.

Why? Because believers in Jesus Christ are complete in Him. They are no longer subject to Old Testament laws, which served only to point to the coming Messiah and the salvation He would provide for all mankind by His holy life and by His innocent sufferings and death on the cross; the promised Messiah and Savior has come!

The word “therefore” is there for a reason. It gives the basis for the apostle’s assertion, referring back to what was already written in the epistle. God the Father has made us acceptable to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light through the sacrifice of His Son. When He brought us to faith in Christ, He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we “have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14), according to the riches of His grace.

Christ Jesus is the very image of the invisible God and the creator of all things. In Him, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells, and He made peace through the blood of His cross and paid the price for the reconciliation of all mankind to God by His atoning sacrifice in our stead.

Believers in Christ, even though they were at one time alienated from God and enemies in their minds by wicked works, are now reconciled to God through faith in the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Messiah Jesus, that He might present them “holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight” (Col. 1:22)

And how? Not by being circumcised, obeying dietary regulations or observing certain feasts, festivals, and traditions, but by faith in the Son — by continuing in the faith, grounded and settled, and not being moved away from the hope of the gospel (cf. Col. 1:23).

Believers in Christ are joined to Him in baptism, have their sins washed away, and are regenerated and given new life by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, who also raised Christ from the dead on the third day (cf. Col. 2:11-14).

Since believers in Christ Jesus already have forgiveness of sins, life, and eternal salvation for the sake of His holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross, why would they want to go back to mere shadows meant to point them to Jesus? Why would they listen to anyone telling them that to be saved and pleasing to God, they must eat only certain foods, observe certain feasts and festivals, and do no work on the sabbath?

Jesus has already fulfilled all righteousness for us, and He has paid in full for all our sins. We rest from our labors when we place our trust in Him and the salvation He has won for us (cf. Heb. 4).

In the early church, when certain men said it was necessary for salvation to be circumcised and keep the laws of Moses, the apostles and believers in Jerusalem laid no such burden upon the churches but simply asked them to “abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals, and from blood” because of the large numbers of Jews in every region (cf. Acts 15). And, the Apostle Paul had strong words for those who added human works and traditions to the Gospel (read his letter to the Galatians).

So, I remind you of Paul’s admonition to the believers at Colosse: “Therefore let no one judge you regarding food, or drink, or in respect of a holy day or new moon or sabbath days. These are shadows of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”

You have all you need in Jesus; He won your salvation and gives you forgiveness and life through faith in His name! Hold fast to Jesus!

Dearest Jesus, thank You for fulfilling all righteousness in my place and paying in full the penalty for my sins. Graciously keep me trusting in You unto life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version, Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.]