Blogmas Day 2

Good Morning! We have made it to December 2nd and you know what that means, another chapter of Luke here we come! Today we are diving into the chapter of Jesus’ birth! This is where it all began, this is where God’s plan to be reconnected with us unfolds and prophecies are fulfilled.

Luke 2:1-6

A census (a system where they record the population in everyones home town) was decreed by the Roman emperor Augustus around the time Mary gave birth to Jesus. Since Joseph was King Davids descendent he had to travel back to Bethlehem to be registered. Mary being Josephs fiancé was able to travel with him.
While they were there Mary was ready to give birth to their son Jesus! But when they went looking for somewhere to stay every inn was full, so they went to a nearby stable and rested there. When Jesus was born Mary wrapped Him in clean snugly cloths and laid in a feeding trough.

I wonder what was going through their minds during this. I bet Joseph was pretty frantic trying to find a safe place to stay for his betrothed. This Just shows me that even through the uncertainty of life when it steers into unplanned territory for our minds that God ALWAYS provides. Mary and Joseph didn’t plan to travel all the way back to Bethlehem or to even give birth to their first-born son in a stable, but God knew it would happen, and He made sure they had all that they needed. It also shows that even though Jesus is King He wasn’t born into a wealthy family, He was born in a stable, with little things, with a carpenter as a dad. and yet He had loving parents whom God had chosen to care for Him. I love this part, and as a Christian who is continuously growing in her knowledge of scripture, I haven’t ever had these chapters so far jump out to me in this way before.

Luke 2:8-20

The night of Jesus’ birth there was a flock of sheep and shepherds in a field near by when an angel of the Lord came upon them and the radiance of the Lord surrounded them. The angel came to bring them the good news of the Saviors birth! This news would bring great joy to everyone who hears it.
The angel directed them in where they can find the Messiah in Bethlehem. After they told the shepherds where Jesus would be laying when they found Him, a multitude of angels “The armies of Heaven” joined the angel in the sky and began to sing praise to the Lord for He had been born! Then they all returned to Heaven leaving the shepherds alone in the field once again. They all then turned and hurried toward Bethlehem to find Mary and Joseph in the stable!
After they had seen with their own eyes what the angel had told them they went around the village telling everyone about the Good News!

After they had told everyone, they returned to their flock praising God for everything they had seen and heard that night.

“Mary kept all these things in her HEART and thought about them often”

I love how Mary took in everything she had seen and heard this beautiful night of the Saviors birth and stored it in her heart to constantly look back on and thank the Lord for.

Luke 2:21-24

8 days later Jesus was circumcised and given the name the angel had chosen. Then Mary and Joseph brough Jesus to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord since Jesus was Mary’s first born son.

Luke 2:25-35

At the time of Jesus’ circumcision there was a man named Simeon who had been awaiting the day the Messiah would come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon this man and had revealed to him that he would not pass away until he had seen the Messiah for himself.

That day the Spirit led him to the temple where Mary and Joseph came to present Jesus to the Lord. Simeon was there and was able to take the baby in his arms and began praising God and believing that he could die in peace now that he was able to see the Messiah as the Lord had promised him.

Simeon turned to Mary and Joseph and blessed them and told Mary directly that her baby would one day cause many to fall and rise in Israel. Then also mentioned that the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

That last part “the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” God knows our deepest thoughts and will soon reveal them to us as well as what is hiding in our hearts that need to be revealed and laid at the feet of Jesus.

Luke 2:36-40

Anna who was a prophet was also there in the temple with Mary and Joseph. She was from the tribe of Asher and she was very old in age. She never left the temple but stayed there day and night bringing her worship to God, fasting, and praying with no end.

When Anna had seen Simeon and the child she began to praise the Lord and share with everyone who had been expectantly awaiting God to rescue Jerusalem.

Then, when Mary and Joseph fulfilled everything that must be done, they returned to Nazareth in Galilee and there Jesus grew up healthy and strong and was filled with Wisdom. God’s favor was on Him

Luke 2:41-52

As we arrive at the final verses in this chapter we see that Jesus talks to the teachers!

Every year Mary and Joseph, Jesus’ parents, go to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was 12, they attended the same festival as usual but this time when they were leaving to head back home with a group of travelers, they discovered Jesus was missing. When they confirmed He wasn’t with them they traveled back to Jerusalem searching every nook and cranny hoping He was there. 3 days had passed when they finally found Him in the temple sitting with the religious teachers just listening and asking them all kinds of questions. So many were amazed at His understanding and even His answers cause not only was He listening to the teachers, He was also teaching.

Mary and Joseph didn’t know what to say so Mary asked why He was there when they had been searching everywhere for Him. Jesus’ response leaves me speechless “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Fathers house?”

Then He became obedient and returned to Nazareth with them. Mary once again stored all these things in her heart to remember later.

He must be in His fathers house… Wow, that just shows me that even us as Christians need to learn to daily sit in God’s presence because no matter what life throws at us we can’t get through it without God.

Reading about how Jesus also took time to listen to the teachers and even be open to ask them questions we need to do the same. We as Christians no matter what stage of life we are in with God, have something we can learn not only from God but mentors around us. We also need to be open and ask those tough questions or even simple ones so we can grow in our knowledge and know how to walk with the Lord. I know I for one need to learn to ask questions to get closer to God, knowing that Jesus did is so encouraging and I pray it encouraged you as well!

That is the end of Luke 2, I pray you got something from it today and that you can apply what you read to your daily life. I pray you all have a blessed rest of you day!