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God's Choice
Luke 2:37, 'And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day.'
LUKE 2:36-40
Let's suppose that Anna was fourteen years old when she married. She would have been 105 years old. Yet she was still fasting and praying night and day! Satan tries to convince us that God won't use us. He may cite things like age or lack of abilities, or failures that we've had. But just like Anna, there are many scriptural examples of the Lord using those who would be considered unusable by worldly standards.
Moses was eighty years old before he began to fulfill God's plan for his life and he worked right up until he was 120 years old....
Revelation Knowledge
Luke 2:26, 'And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.'
LUKE 2:25-35
Simeon didn't receive this knowledge through the normal method of learning. This knowledge was revealed to him directly from the Holy Spirit. This revelation knowledge which comes only from God is distinctly different than knowledge acquired through study. Man's knowledge is based on observation. It cannot give perfect instruction about the future. God's knowledge can. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we can know things to come (Jn. 16:13).
When dealing with God, revelation knowledge is essential. The Lord's ways are not always our ways (Isa. 55:8). A fear of...
God Looks For Availability
Luke 2:24, 'And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.'
LUKE 2:21-24
The Old Testament passage being quoted is from Lev. 12:6-8. There the Lord commanded a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtledove as the prescribed sacrifice. If the woman was unable to offer a lamb, then two young pigeons or two turtledoves were acceptable. Mary would not have offered the lesser offering if it had been in her power to provide the lamb.
This reveals that Joseph and Mary were not well off financially, yet the Lord chose them to be the earthly parents of His only begotten Son.
The Lord doesn't choose the way man chooses. Man looks on...
Peace With God
Luke 2:14, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'
LUKE 2:8-20
In another instance, Jesus said He did not come to send peace on the earth, but a sword. Then He prophesied that those who received Him would experience persecution, even from their own family (Mt. 10:34-36). How do these verses fit together?
The peace the angels were singing about was not a peace between men; they were rejoicing that there would be peace between God and man. When Jesus prophesied division and war in Matthew 10, he was speaking of relationships between men.
Through the Old Testament law, God began to release His wrath on man's sin (Rom. 4:15). It wasn't the wrath of Satan that Jesus suffered on...
He Was Born A Savior
Luke 2:11, 'For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.'
LUKE 2:8-20
Jesus did not grow into being Lord and Saviour. He was born that way. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). What a great mystery!
How could Almighty God limit Himself to the form of a man? And even if He did that, how could he possibly start as a baby? These questions defy human ability to fully understand.
At the dedication of the first temple, Solomon said, 'But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!'
(2 Chr. 6:18) How much less the body of a little...
God Desires Faith
Luke 2:7, '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.'
LUKE 2:1-7
What an amazing account! God Almighty was born of a virgin and placed in a feeding trough in a stable. Who would ever expect the Creator of the universe to make His entrance into the world in such a humble fashion?
Men always seek to proclaim their glory as far and wide as possible. Yet here is the only one who really has any glory to proclaim, and He comes humbly. It wasn't because He didn't have the power to do things otherwise.
He could have chosen to be born in a fashion that would have brought all creation to their knees in...