Luke 2:41-52

Luke 2:41-52

A friend of mine loves to say, “God is not punishing you, He is preparing you.” Every circumstance of life is at one level preparation for some future circumstance or point. Jesus is at the temple at age 12 and perhaps has already been at the temple for Passover in prior years. A Jewish boy wasn’t expected to fully participate in the activities of the Passover celebration. But among pious families boys of age 12 were taken to the Passover as a way of preparing them for full participation in the next year. This custom sheds light on this passage, which is unique to Luke's Gospel. Jesus was undergoing preparation. Teaching in the temple would be a major theme that will be developed throughout the Gospel of Luke.

Again, we see a moment of preparation. “Being about my father's business” is another point of preparation. Perhaps too much to be read into the verse, but even Mary’s mild rebuke about the anxiety they suffered may be a sort of preparation for the sword that would pierce her own soul. The passage does seem a bit odd until we began to look at it as a transitional point and a point of preparation.

How might our lives be different if we took the view that each day, each moment, each encounter, is both the moment engaged in and a moment of preparation? The moment of pain is both an occasion in that moment and a time of preparation. The occasion of temptation is in that moment the opportunity for loyalty to the Lord and a training and preparation time for future temptations. Success is a time to prepare for the future and a moment to be enjoyed. This is not to suggest that we take a silly-hearted approach to hardship, pain, or suffering. Life can be bitter and failure painful and circumstances difficult. But in every moment we call “now” there is the seed of the future; indeed, there is the seed of eternity. Seeing every moment from the most difficult to the most delightful as a moment of preparation gives us the ability to endure with wisdom and perseverance.

"Lord, help me see in each moment how You are preparing me to know You better, service You move fully, and love You more deeply. AMEN"

Luke 2:21-40

Luke 2:21-40

If there is one question that seems to be on the lips of God's faithful people, it may well be the question, "How long?" At the circumcision of Jesus, two people finally have that question answered with the word "Now". Simeon, whose name means the "Lord has heard", has for years been waiting. He had the promise that he would not die until he saw the promised one. One might wonder how often did he ask, "How long?"

Anna was 84 years old and all her years of widowhood, as she waited for that precious moment of seeing the child, how many times did she say, “How long?” It is interesting that God apparently never answered the “How long?” question for these two, great people of faith. For God, it is evidently enough for Him to say it will happen without any details of a time line. His promises are completely trustworthy and from our perspective they are disconnected from our calendars.

If we are honest, this is an occasional frustration for us, at least at some level or another. God’s faithful promises that feel disconnected from time can be difficult to wrap our minds around. So, what do we do? The description of Simeon and Anna’s lives are perhaps good descriptions of how to live in the tension of time and eternity. Verse 25 describes Simeon in terms of a holy character living in anticipation under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Verse 37 describes Anna as a woman who served God with fasting and prayer and was constantly in the place of worship. This may be more description than prescription; it may reflect more of what their lives were like than a formula for believers. But as we wait, the waiting makes more sense as we get closer to God’s perspective. That perspective is best gained in holy living and serving the Lord.

"Lord, may my life be marked by holy living and service.  AMEN"

Luke 2:1-20

 Luke 2:1-20

We might be shocked if we saw the reality of the nativity.  Our romanticized, nostalgic images painted in soft pastels and neat, friendly confines bear no resemblance to the reality of that first Christmas.  We might not be far from the truth to say we get nothing right in our imagination of the nativity.  That is also true for verse 14; popular understanding gets almost nothing right.  This verse which has been so poorly translated and used completely out of context so that it has all but lost it’s meaning.  From the KJV and the popular quotations we have “Peace on earth and good will to men”.  We take that as something of a silly universalism where, because of the Messiah’s birth peace, which we do not define, has descended on earth like fairy dust.  Popularly “good will” is some vague emotion that can’t be defined but is warm and fuzzy.  We don’t define what “good will” means; it will flow out of somewhere from someone to anyone. Even the vilest sociopaths like the sound of that.  The problem is that is not what Luke 2:14 says.

The words of the angels were much less general and sappy!  The NASB translates it, “And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  This is not a blank check for everyone on earth to have vague warmth about divine beneficent.  Rather, this is to say God’s good pleasure or peace is uniquely directed toward those who have made it their objective to please Him.  The God who has humbled Himself for our salvation, who has done everything possible to draw us into a relationship, will bless with His favor those who respond.  This is not a promise that peace will come on earth with accompanying feelings of warmth and sentimentality.  So long as we live in a world with wickedness, we can’t expect God’s favor or harmony between men. It is not unlike the greeting “Grace and Peace”.  When we accept the grace we discover the peace. 

"Oh Lord, grant that I will please You and live in your peace. AMEN"