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Luke 4:14-30

Like Matthew, Luke does not include the activity of Jesus recorded in The Gospel According to John Chapter one, verse twenty-nine to chapter four verse fifty-four. Like Matthew’s Gospel there is a gap of about a year between the testing of Jesus in the wilderness by Satan and their account of the ministry of Jesus.

According to Luke, following the testing of Jesus, He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and news about Him spread through the entire district. This implies activity on the part of Jesus that is not recorded in Luke’s Gospel. Luke also tells us Jesus began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

Note carefully what Luke said, Jesus began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. In all the synagogues where Jesus was teaching no one challenged or rejected Him. 

Luke begins his account of the ministry of Jesus with Jesus’ returning to Nazareth, entering the synagogue on the Sabbath and He stood up, expressing a desire to read the lesson of the day. The attendant of the synagogue handed Him the scroll containing the writings of the prophet Isaiah. He found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”  He read the passage and handed the scroll back to the attendant, sat down and said, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-20, 21 WEB).

Note the response of the congregation; “All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, ‘Isn't this Joseph's son?’” They were astonished that Joseph's son, without rabbinical education, could speak with such power and knowledge.

What were the gracious words spoken by Jesus? For reasons known only by the Holy Spirit, Luke was not inspired to record the gracious words spoken by Jesus.

The point in this account of the ministry of Jesus is first the reaction of Jesus. Knowing what was on the mind of the congregation Jesus responded to the question, “Isn't this Joseph's son?” with a proverb, “Physician, heal yourself.” While the congregation was impressed with the gracious words of Jesus this was not what they expected from Jesus. The congregation wanted Jesus to do what He did at Capernaum. They were expecting miracles from Jesus and not gracious words.

Jesus has told them what the Messiah would do when he came. The congregation had heard what Jesus did in Capernaum. They knew the Spirit of the Lord will be upon the Messiah. What happened when Jesus was baptized, the Spirit of God descended on Him (Matthew 3:16). What did Luke say when Jesus returned to Galilee? He returned in the power of the Spirit. Therefore the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus. They knew the Spirit of God would anoint the Messiah and send him to preach good news to the poor. What was Jesus doing in Galilee? He was preaching the good news to the poor. They knew the Messiah would proclaim release to the captive. What was Jesus doing when He told the people to repent because the kingdom of heaven was at hand? He was proclaiming release to the captives not only in the physical world but in the spiritual world. He was proclaiming release from the yoke of Rome and the yoke of Satan. In His ministry Jesus was not only giveing sight back to the physical eyes of man He was removing the scales from the spiritual eyes of man. He was bringing them out of the darkness of the physical and the spiritual. To the downtrodden Jesus extended the hand of friendship. He was the good shepherd.

The Son of God came into this world to let the world know that the God whom they had offended was willing to be reconciled to them. The acceptable year of the Lord refers to the year when bond servants, were set free from their obligation to those who paid the debts they were unable to pay and had their property returned to them. The acceptable year was a day of salvation.

The Son of God came into the world to heal the broken-hearted, to comfort the afflicted and give peace to those that were troubled and under a dread of God's wrath. He came to give rest to weary and heavy-laden, under the burden of guilt and corruption.

Jesus closes His discourse with an event that occurred in the days of Elijah and Elisha.

The people became enraged because they understood Jesus was comparing them to the people in the days of Elijah and Elisha. In the days of Elijah judgment came upon the sons of Jacob because of evil and wickedness.

Here were the people of God whose hearts were filled to overflowing with hate the mere suggestion of salvation of the Gentiles and God extending His favor toward Gentiles drove them to a point where they did not wait until after the service to vent their hatred out upon Jesus. Like a lynch mob they rushed Jesus, drove Him out of the synagogue and the city and took Him to one of the cliffs surrounding Nazareth intending to throw Jesus from the cliff. This was a method of execution used by the Romans. However, Luke tells us Jesus passed through their midst and went His way.

The Apostle John said the Word was in the world and the world did not know Him. He came to His own and they did not receive Him. Here was the first rejection of Jesus by His own people.

The saddest words recorded in this event in the ministry of Jesus are Luke’s closing words to the event, “He went His way.”

This should be a warning to all Christians, non-Christians, and the church; Jesus will not stay where He is not wanted.

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Luke 4:1-14

Following the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, Satan. The wilderness experience is a time of testing. It is an attempt by Satan to convince Jesus to doubt God just as he did with Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan does not care what you profess as long as you let a crack in the door of your heart so he can slip in plant a few seeds of doubt. That is all Satan wants you to do, doubt God, question His love and mercy.

While Satan’s testing of Jesus is similar to his testing of Christians, the testing of Jesus was a unique event in history. It was Satan’s attempt to nullify the purpose of the only begotten Son of God coming to earth. God did not send His only begotten Son into the world to establish an earthly kingdom. God sent Him to seek and save that which was lost through the offering of Himself, as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Satan’s testing of Jesus was direct and obvious. It was an attempt to disqualify Jesus as the Redeemer of humanity and the Restorer of the creation marred by sin.

Our testing is indirect, coming most often through the world and the flesh. The testing we face is an attempt to destroy our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and rob us of the blessings our heavenly Father wants to bestow upon us. The testing of Jesus was also unique in that He, unlike all of us, provided Satan with no fallen nature to which Satan could appeal. There was no inner inclination to rebel against God and no inner desire to sin. For us it is entirely a different matter. The inner inclination is toward evil, especially in the heart of the one who is following Jesus from a distance. Peter is an example of one who was following Jesus from a distance on the night Jesus was arrested.

Viewed from the human point of view, testing is a solicitation to sin, to do what is contrary to the will and the Word of God. When viewed from God’s point of view it is an opportunity for one to be proven righteous.

The time of testing, Satan will always use the dark difficult situations in life in an attempt to draw us away from the Lord. He will rarely approach us when we are on the mountaintop. It is when we are in the valley, walking under the shadow of death; Satan comes along side and begins to build doubt in our minds, if we let him. When he suggested Jesus turn stones into bread, he did it at a time when Jesus was physically weak, the effect of forty days and nights of fasting. Satan took advantage of Jesus’ condition and tried to convince Jesus to use the power bestowed upon Him through the descent of the Holy Spirit to satisfy a vital need. He appeals to the basic human instinct of self-preservation he did not advocate self-indulgence. From the human viewpoint, the challenge to turn stones into bread does not seem out of order if you have the power to turn stones into bread. After all, is there anything so wrong with meeting basic human needs? The situation Jesus was in setting aside normal rules is justifiable, or is it. Look around you. What do you see in every realm of society? What is the source of what you see? We know first of all it is a total disregard for the Word of God and a humble submitting to His authority and the setting aside normal rules of life, the glue that holds a society together.

In the three challenges in the testing of Jesus there are three primary avenues by which Satan seeks to make inroads into our lives and disrupt our spiritual walk with God through Christ. First, supplying a basic need or felt need and doing whatever is necessary to fulfill the need. Satan or one of his associates, human or spiritual will assure you there is nothing wrong with meeting a basic need or a felt need regardless of the consequences. Bread is a basic essential of life, not a luxury food item. A few small loaves of bread would prove the nourishment Jesus needed Jesus knew this. What was evil in Satan’s suggestion Jesus turn stones into bread? The evil was submitting to Satan’s suggestion. The evil is satisfying the physical while ignoring the spiritual.

The motive for making stones into bread would be an expression of trust regarding the goodness of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus entered the wilderness, He was doing the will of the Father, which He came to earth to do. When Jesus followed the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, He was putting His trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If Jesus would have turned stones into bread, He would have done what many of us have been guilty of doing at some point in our lives. He would have turned from the will of the Father to self-will and from the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we do, our own thing we can be assured of one thing we are headed for a great fall like the house the foolish man built on sand, we are building our house on a foundation of truth and lies, and when the rain, floods, and winds beat against the house it will not provide the shelter we need. Only a house built on the solid rock Jesus Christ will withstand the beating of the rain, floods, and wind.

The problem in the world and in the organized church today is men and women have become so wrapped up in providing for the wants that they have overlooked the true need. They have provided food for the flesh while ignoring the feeding of the soul. What good is a strong healthy body if the soul is weak, sickly, and diseased because we have failed to provide the proper nourishment for the soul, the Word of God, the Bread of life, Jesus Christ?

The suggestion to turn stones into bread struck at the very heart of the gospel, for the Lord Jesus had come to the earth in obedience to the will of the Father, to die on the cross for sinners, so that they might be forgiven and have eternal life. If Jesus would save His own life, contrary to the will of His Father, He could not achieve eternal life for all men. If Jesus would have distrusted and disobeyed the Father, He would pursue the path of death, not life, for life requires obedience to God, even more than the feeding of the body. If Jesus had turned stones into bread, He would have turned from the path that led ultimately to the cross. Our Lord’s obedience to the Father and our salvation was on the line. Jesus’ rejection of Satan’s suggestion meant that He was determined to accomplish the will of God, even unto death, which paradoxically, was the way to life, for Him and for all who are found in Him. The apostle Paul put it this way:

Therefore, also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).

Exercising His divine power to meet His human needs would have meant the loss of His power to save. However, because of our Lord’s obedience to the Father, He emerged not only sinless, but also mighty to save.

The priority of the spiritual above the physical, of obedience to the Father’s will above mere existence shaped the teaching of our Lord. The result was that Jesus continually stressed the priority of man’s spiritual condition over his physical state. In Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that the hungry were blessed (6:21), while He pronounced woe upon those who were well-fed (6:23). Giving the priority of the spiritual over the material, Jesus taught that men should “seek first the kingdom of God,” and that all of the other things, the necessities for physical life, would be added (12:31). We should be laying up treasure in heaven, and not on earth (12:33).

The first testing of Jesus was in the area of food and hunger. Satan sought to tempt Jesus to satisfy His hunger by commanding stones to become bread. This would have been no difficulty for our Lord, and it would have solved His problem of hunger.

The first testing of Jesus occurred in the wilderness, the second in Jerusalem, and the third on the top of a high mountain. Satan takes Jesus to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. He then told Jesus “cast Yourself down from here; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You:’” and “On their hands they will bear You up, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone” (Luke 4:9).

We can all agree on one thing: Satan was seeking to persuade the Lord Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the temple. But why? The answer to this question is not as obvious. Satan was suggesting Jesus do what he is doing. Satan is testing Jesus and in this testing, he is suggesting Jesus test God. Christians fall into this trap when they tell God they will do something for Him if He will do what they are asking Him to do. Testing God is doubt and unbelief. If Jesus had jumped from the pinnacle, it would have been a sign He doubted God’s love and protecting Him from the consequences of a foolish act would prove God’s love.

If Jesus would have jumped off the pinnacle He would have committed the sin of presumption. We know sin brings death. There are Christians who often commit the sin of presumption and then wonder why God does not bless them. Satan may have known if Jesus jumped from the pinnacle, He would have committed the sin of presumption and as a result would die.

Once again, Jesus refused to do what Satan wanted Him to and used Scripture to support His response and point the error in Satan’s suggestion. The response is found in Deuteronomy chapter 16.

In our relationship with Jesus, we need to realize presumption, that is putting God to the test, is a perversion of faith. It is faith taken too far. There is a fine line of distinction between trusting God and testing God. Testing God may be founded on the idea that God is able to do what He has promised, but it is sinful in resisting God’s timetable for fulfilling His promise. Trusting God involves receiving what God has presently provided, but waiting for what is yet future. Testing God is trying to force God to provide now what He has promised for later.

Putting God to the test, what does this mean in practice? How do we put God to the test in our lives and culture? We put God to the test when we claim future promises as present realities. Putting God to the test can have a very pious appearance, when in reality it is man’s demand that God jump through his own hoops. Putting God to the test is often the result of our own impatience, of wanting now what God will give us later. Such impatience demands that God hurry up what He is doing. It is often in times of adversity that our tendency to put God to the test becomes evident. We may place conditions on God, things that He must do for us in order for us to acknowledge that He is present with us, and for us to worship Him. For instance, if we are sick and God doesn’t heal us, we question His presence and His goodness. If God doesn’t make our marriage a haven on earth or cause our wayward child to act as we think he should, we begin to act and speak as though God were not with us. In effect, we have put conditions on God, things that He must do, if we are to worship and serve Him.

We put God to the test when we live recklessly. Some people like to flirt with danger. Living on the ragged edge of survival, or death, or disaster is the thrill that keeps them going. Ever hear this “I couldn’t afford this car, but I am trusting God to provide the payments.” Faith is not foolishness attributed to trusting God."

The third testing involves power and control. In the third, testing Satan offered Jesus prestige and power if He would but bow the knee in worship to him. Jesus rejected this offer because man’s worship and service can only be directed toward God. Since the worship of Satan would have necessitated serving him, Jesus would have become Satan’s servant.

For Satan, life was but mere physical existence. In order to maintain this kind of life it was necessary, according to Satan’s value system, to disobey the will of the Father, to act independently and in rebellion against God. Christ’s definition of life was life in its fullness, life in fellowship, harmony, and union with God. In order to maintain this kind of life Jesus found it necessary to obey God, even though it meant experiencing death.

May you experience this kind of life, and never settle for anything less, which is all Satan has to offer. To follow him is to pursue the path of death.

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Temptation of Jesus                  Rejected in Nazareth    

d                                          e                                      f



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Luke 3:1-22

Luke closes his account of the life and ministry of Jesus with the words, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52 WEB). Between verse fifty-two of Luke chapter two and verse one of Luke chapter three there is an eighteen year gap. This eighteen year gap in the account of the life and ministry of Jesus are known as the “silent years.” Inspired by another spirit men have filled this eighteen year gap with every form of speculation possible. We do not know why the Holy Spirit did not inspire the writers of the Gospel to reveal activities in Jesus life from the time He was twelve to the time He came to the Jordan where John was preaching a baptism of repentance (Luke 3:3). However, we do know in his preaching of the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin, John will do two things; first, he will lay a foundation that Jesus will build on. Second, John will begin a core group that will be given the responsibility of taking the Gospel message to all nations. In his preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin John is opening the door for the introduction of the Gospel message.

In verse three we are told, “The word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.” We are not told how the word of the Lord came to John, whether by an angel, as to his father, or by a dream, or a vision, or a voice. Regardless of how the word of God came to John the message preached by John in the wilderness came from the throne of God.

The purpose of the voice crying in the wilderness was to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. The voice calling prepare the way in the wilderness is not a reference to physical roads, paths, ravines, mountains, and hills. The call is to prepare the heart for the coming of the Lord. Whatever hinders the receiving of the Lord must be removed. Whatever is an obstruction to the entrance of the Lord into the heart must be torn down.

How do we tear down the obstacles that prevent the entrance of the Lord into our heart? While it is impossible relying on the words and power of man, we can tear them down when we place our confidence in the Word and power of the Lord. Before we can place our confidence in the Word and power of the Lord we must be convinced that the Word of the Lord and His power can do for us what the word and power of man can not do. This is one of the reasons for the miracles that Jesus performs. The miracles were a confidence builder. If Jesus can heal the diseased, sick, blind, and lame body, and raise the dead, He can do the same for the soul of man.

The first step in building confidence in the Word and power of the Lord is change in our way of thinking regarding life and the priorities we set. The change in our way of thinking concerning life and our priorities begins with the act of repentance. This is what John was advising those who came out to where he was preaching and baptizing. Through the act of repentance we turn from the direction we are going and turn toward God and we turn from the word and power of man to the Word and power of the Lord. When we place our confidence in the Word and power of God we are able to see the obstacles that hinder the entrance of the Lord into our heart. The power to overcome the obstacles is the power that comes though the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.   

John’s point in preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin was to convince the people they were not prepared for the coming of the Lord.

Although we are not told why people who could not see a reason why they should repent were coming out to where John was preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin the reason is implied in the coming to where John was preaching; they had lost confidence in the religious leaders and the legalistic religious system of the day. There was a deep seated fear of the wrath that was coming upon the world. John did not relieve them of the fear of the coming of the wrath when he referred to them as a generation of vipers. Note, John did not refer to them as a generation of serpents but as a generation of vipers, a poisonous snake.

When John addressed the crowds as a generation of vipers he was not speaking to Scriptural illiterates. They clearly understood what John was implying. They were not the children of God but the children of Satan. As to the wrath they understood when the Messiah came to establish His kingdom the establishment of His kingdom would involve judgment upon the enemies of God and His people; John was placing the crowds in that judgment, however there is good news.

Note verse 8. The good news is there is a way of escape. What is the way of escape? John’s answer to the question, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don't begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!’” (WEB).

John’s point is very clear; you can not bring forth fruits worthy of repentance unless you first repent. His second point is you can not rely on your heritage to escape the wrath to come. John makes this very clear when he told the crowds they could not claim they were descendants of Abraham as a means of the escaping the wrath to come. The reason why they can not claim their heritage as a means of escaping the wrath to come is given in verse nine.

“Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire” (WEB).

The axe represents the wrath that is coming; the trees represent the people. The phrase, “Every tree therefore that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire” makes the wrath that is coming a personal thing. In the past the wrath of God was dealt out the nation; both the evil doer and the faithful came under the consequences of the pouring out of God’s wrath. John’s point is when the wrath that is coming only the evil doers will experience the wrath of God.

What can we learn from John’s statements in verses eight and nine? There comes a time when, even though it is often difficult to do and not the popular thing to do, the people who have fallen under a false sense of security need to be wakened and warned of the dangers they are facing if they continue to rely on their heritage and the words of men. In verse ten the light broke through the darkness the spiritual blind were in. The evidence the light broke the darkness is the questions the crowds began asking John. 

The first thing we see in verse ten is the people believed what John had said to them in verses seven, eight, and nine. The question they ask is one every one needs to ask who is convinced there is something lacking in their relationship with the Lord; “What then must we do?” John’s answer to the question is directed to those who are in the crowds. In his answer we find some of the fruits in keeping with repentance (verses 11, 12, 13, 14).

Note verse fifteen.  “As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ” WEB).

Note John’s answer in verse sixteen and seventeen, “John answered them all, ‘I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire, whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire’” (WEB).

In this passage, the seed of the serpent is compared to a generation of vipers. In this passage the generation of vipers is warned of a wrath that is to come and how to escape the wrath. There is no way of escaping the wrath to come except by repentance. They that submitted to the baptism of repentance verify that they were warned to flee from the wrath to come and repented. By the fruits of repentance it will be known whether the individual was sincere or is a pretender. If there is no change in the heart and life of the individual his/her profession of faith and relation to God and his/her church will not enable them to escape the wrath that is to come.

The question that needs answering is can we apply Luke chapter three verses one to eighteen to the twenty-first century church. The answer is yes.

John’s answer to the question what shall we do can be applied to those who are seeking escape from the wrath to come.

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The last words of the last book of the Old Testament read:

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6 NASB).

The gospel of Luke is but one of four gospels, but it is one of the great books of the Bible. The events of the early chapters of Luke’s gospel break a silence that has lasted for 400 years. Luke begins his gospel with Gabriel’s announcement that Zacharias, an elderly priest, and his wife will have a son, a son who will come in the spirit of Elijah the prophet, and he will be great in the sight of the Lord and he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before the Messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah.

In chapter one verses one through four, Luke informs us “many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.” These would include, but not be restricted to, the other three gospel accounts. Luke has not written because others have failed to do so, but because other accounts have not included things he feels are essential.

Luke’s intent is the presenting of a carefully arranged sequence of events, something that cannot be claimed by other gospel accounts. Furthermore, Luke, as a historian, deals with the earliest events in the life and ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Luke begins his gospel with Gabriel’s announcement of the birth of John to Zacharias.

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Announcements of Gabriel         Magnificent            John the Baptist


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Luke 2:1-7

In these verses we have an account of the birth of Jesus.

A casual of Luke’s account of the birth overlooks the activity of God involved in the fulfillment of the prediction the One who would go forth from God to be the ruler of Israel would be born in Bethlehem the city of David (Micah 5:2). The fulfillment of the prophecy will involve the activity of the Emperor of Roman, Caesar Augustus. In verse one of Luke chapter two we are told a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census was to be taken of all the inhabited earth. Luke tells us the birth of Jesus occurred in the days when this decree went forth from Rome. Without the aid of the modern means of communication how long do you think it would take for the decree to reach Jerusalem and the cities, towns, and villages in Judea? We are talking about years.

While it is not stated in the Bible why Caesar Augustus issued this decree it was issued according to God’s time table for the departing of the scepter from Judah and the ruler’s staff from between his feet and the coming of Shiloh (Genesis 49:10).

We might ask why would Joseph take Mary who was about to give birth from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem would require several days. Joseph’s reason for taking Mary to Bethlehem was not to fulfill prophecy. Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem to fulfill the obligations of the decree issued by Caesar Augustus.

If we look the events predicted hundreds of years in the past through the eyes and reasoning of humans we do not see God bringing to completion His plan of redemption. When we look at the events that are occurring in the world through the eyes and reasoning of humans we do not see how God takes the activities of humans and uses them to bring about His purpose in creating the heavens, earth, and humanity. Regardless of what man may think he can accomplish through his knowledge, reasoning, and activities what he imagines he can accomplish will fail if it is not within the scope of God’s will for humanity. In contrast, God will use man’s accomplishments and failures to fulfill the desires of His heart.

Satan’s man, Caesar Augustus was used by God to fulfill prophecy just as He used Mary and Joseph to fulfill prophecy. Today, God is using His enemies and the enemies of His people to fulfill prophecy, the return of the ruler of Israel.

The decree of Caesar Augustus was the motivation that brought Mary and Joseph from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea.

A second fact overlooked in a casual reading of Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus is the lack of room in the heart of humanity for Jesus. In Nazareth there was no room in the inn for Mary and Joseph. Instead of being born in the comforts of a room in the inn the Son of God was born in a stable; probability a cave in the hillside behind the inn. We are not told if a midwife attended Mary in the giving birth but what we see is a comparison to His death. He was born alone in a stable and he died alone on the cross. He was born among the animals and He died surrounded by His enemies.  

What is also interesting is the animals that were present in the stable; there would be the beasts of burden in the stable; here was the Son of God who will take the burden of sinful man upon His back and carry it to a cross outside the city of Jerusalem. In the stable there would be sheep and lambs. In the stable among the lambs was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. In the stable among the sheep was the One who is the great and faithful Shepherd.

In Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus there is a lesson taught. An inn is not a permanent residency. While we are not told how long Mary, Joseph, and Jesus stayed in the stable there came a time when they left the stable. This world is like an inn. This world is not a permanent residency. There will come a time when we shall leave this world. The world we will enter when we leave this world will be a permanent residency. Mary and Joseph had no choice in where the Son of God would be born. That choice was made for them. However, we will make the decision concerning our residency when we leave this world. We can make our permanent residency in the place Jesus has made for us in His Father’s house or we can make our permanent residency in the place prepared for Satan and his followers.

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Luke 1:5-25

There are two important points to be noted in Luke’s account of the announcement of the birth of John; first, Luke reveals the characteristics that would have made Zacharias and Elizabeth unacceptable to their contemporaries in Judaism. Second, Luke reveals the lifestyle characteristics for which they found favor with God, and which were the basis for God’s selection of them as the parents of John.

Zacharias and Elizabeth were, as far as Judaism was concerned, lacked the social or economic standing to be granted the privilege of being the parents of John. Zacharias was a priest, but not one of great renown. Zacharias and Elizabeth were elderly and without children. Being without children was considered a judgment of God, for some sin committed. This fact would have influenced the decision of the Jews in determining the parents of John. It was the sovereign decision of God that Zacharias and Elizabeth would be the parents of John. God was going to do something that validates John’s calling to be the forerunner of the Messiah.

What qualified Zacharias and Elizabeth to be the parents of John; first, they were both descendants of Aaron (Luke 1:5). More important than their physical lineage was their spiritual devotion; they were “righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). Not only was this a priestly couple, but they were a pious couple as well. Their lives were lived in obedience to the Law of Moses. This would not have been perfect obedience, but an obedience that met the requirements of Judaism. Their devotion to God expressed by their obedience to the Law, made it possible for God to bless them through the birth of John.

On the day of his duty, Zacharias went into the holy place, where he was to burn the incense, the angel Gabriel appeared. Gabriel’s first words were words of comfort (Luke 1:13). Gabriel assured Zacharias he had nothing to fear, for his prayer had been heard, and Elizabeth would bear him a son. The name of this son, who would be filled with the Holy Spirit while in his mother’s womb, and who will cause many Israelites to repent, in preparation for Messiah’s arrival, was to be John. John, as the angel’s words make clear, was to be the fulfillment of Malachi 3:3-6. John would be great in the sight of the Lord, and was not to drink wine or liquor (Luke 1:15).

A Request and a Rebuke
Luke 1:18-23

In spite of Zacharias’ godliness, his obedience to the Law, and his lifetime of ministry, his faith was weak when it came to believing such a marvelous promise. There in the Temple, offering incense, Zacharias made a request of the angel, that he provide some sign, which would assure him that this promise would be fulfilled. He was given a sign (Luke 1:20).

Gabriel seems somewhat agitated by Zacharias’ request (Luke 1:19). With this rebuke, Zacharias was struck dumb.

The task that Zacharias was to perform was one that should have been accomplished in a relatively brief period. The longer the delay in his return, the greater the concern of the crowd assembled outside. They may have wondered if Zacharias had been struck dead by God, just as Nadab and Abihu had been. When Zacharias did emerge, the people waited for him to pronounce a blessing, as he would have customarily done. It must have taken a while for the people to realize that Zacharias’ inability to speak was due to Zacharias seeing a vision in the temple and that God was about to do something marvelous in their midst (Luke 1: 22).

Zacharias went home, and in the course of time, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. After becoming pregnant, Elizabeth remained in seclusion for a five-month period. Luke does not tell us why Elizabeth kept herself in seclusion for five months. All the explanations for this seclusion are mere speculation.

In Elizabeth’s sixth month, Gabriel appeared to Mary, announcing to her that she would miraculously bear a child who would be Israel’s Messiah. Her child would be great in the sight of God, and called the “son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). He would reign forever on the throne of his father David (Luke 1:32-33).

Mary asked Gabriel how this would be possible since she was a virgin. Mary did not ask Gabriel for a sign as Zacharias did, she requested an explanation. Zacharias wanted some kind of proof that he and his wife would have a child in their old age. Mary wanted an explanation as to what she was to do, in order to cooperate with the purposes of God, as the angel announced them to her. She wished to learn how her conception would be achieved, since she was a virgin. She was asking for clarification, not confirmation. There is a world of difference between her request and that of Zacharias. Hers stemmed from her faith; the question of Zacharias stemmed from his lack of faith.

Gabriel explained to Mary that she would not need to do anything, that the conception in her womb would be the result of God’s miraculous intervention It was to be a miraculous virgin conception. Therefore, the child will be called the “Son of God” (Luke 1:35). As a further word of encouragement to Mary, Gabriel informed her that her elderly relative, Elizabeth, was in her sixth month of pregnancy, which bore testimony to the fact that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:36-37).

Mary’s submission to the will of God is a testimony of her faith in God (Luke 1:38).

The lesson taught in Luke’s account of the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus is, first, the birth and the life of Jesus is part of God’s redemptive plan and purpose for history. Jesus is the key to history, the central theme. Herod, one of the great and powerful figures of that day, is barely mentioned, for Jesus meant little to him, other than to be a threat to his dominion. While Zacharias, Elizabeth, and Mary, would have been given no attention by secular historians, they are significant to Luke because they played an important role in the appearance and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the significant statements in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel is “in the sight of the Lord.” Elizabeth and Zacharias were “righteous in the sight of the God” (1:6). John would be “great in the sight of the Lord” (1:15).

When it comes down to the final analysis of our lives, it does not matter what men think of us, of our significance, of our contribution to mankind, of our greatness, of our goodness; all that matters is what God thinks of us. Each man, woman, and child, the Bible tells us, will stand before God and be judged by Him. The purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to reveal God’s righteousness to us, and to offer that righteousness in place of our sin and rebellion. It was to offer us salvation and eternal life, in place of condemnation and eternal separation from God.

Where do you stand with God, my friend? Does God view you as “righteous,” as He did Zacharias and Elizabeth? Does He view you as “great,” as He did John? When all is said and done, God’s approval or God’s rejection is the only thing in life, in history, that matters. Jesus Christ came to the earth so that we could receive the approval of God. We receive God’s approval by accepting the righteousness of Jesus Christ in place of our unworthiness and sin. I pray that you have found favor with God, through faith in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. That is what the Gospel of Luke is all about.

Two thousand plus years ago the silence was broken between the last words of the prophets and the first coming of Christ. Suddenly, the silence was broken, and Messiah came. We are living in a period of “silence,” but God’s promises pertaining to Christ’s second coming are just as certain as those in which the godly took comfort and found hope two thousand years ago.

Some great morning the silence will once again be broken, the trumpet shall sound, the Lord will descend, and those who are looking for His coming will be caught up to meet Him in the air; are you ready for that great day?

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Luke 1:39-56

Elizabeth, the soon-to-be mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother-to-be of Messiah, were truly great and godly women. Both were humble women of no social or economic standing. Elizabeth was the wife of an obscure priest. Both she and Zacharias were country people, who lived in an unnamed village in the hill country of Judah. They bore the added social stigma of having no children. No doubt in the minds of some they were being punished by God for some sin. Mary was a humble peasant girl. She did not have any social standing due to her parentage or class, or even the dignity of Elizabeth and Zacharias age. Yet the worship of both of these women is such that they are models for all true disciples of our Lord.

There are several things which Luke has not told us, which we might like to know, but will not find in this inspired account. There is no mention as to whether or not Mary was pregnant when she first arrived at the home of Elizabeth and Zachariah. While we are told that John leaped in his mother’s womb when Mary entered the home of Elizabeth (Luke 1:41), it is possible Mary became pregnant during the time she way staying with Elizabeth and Zacharias. She would have been separated from Joseph, while at the same time being chaperoned by Elizabeth and Zacharias. This would serve as further testimony to the divine origin of the Christ-child.

Luke ends this passage (Luke 1:39-56) by informing us that Mary returned home after three months (Luke 1:56). This would put her departure very close to the time of John’s birth.

Regarding those things Luke does not tell us, we need to remember Luke was under the guidance of the Holy Spirit when he wrote this letter to Theophilus. The things that Luke does not tell us ought not to be our primary concern; instead, we must focus on the things that Luke has revealed.

When Gabriel announced the miraculous virgin birth of Messiah through Mary he informed her of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, indicating that this was a sign of God’s ability to achieve the impossible (Luke 1:36-37).

Elizabeth’s response to the arrival of Mary

Mary was only told that Elizabeth had conceived in her old age, we are not told that the angel informed Mary that the child whom was to be born to Elizabeth was to be the forerunner of Messiah. Mary may have wondered how Elizabeth would respond to the news she had to share. She may even have wondered whether to tell of her visit by the angel Gabriel. We can speculate as to what Mary may have been thinking along the way to Elizabeth’s home. She may have been rehearsing what she would say to Elizabeth when she first saw her. If Mary had any such reservations, how quickly they were dispelled! The very moment she entered the house and gave a customary greeting, Elizabeth blessed Mary as the mother of her Lord.

One wonders how much that Elizabeth said to Mary came directly from the Holy Spirit, and how much originated from her own understanding of the Scriptures. Gabriel told Zacharias, the son God was giving him and his wife would be the forerunner of Messiah. There is no mention of how Messiah will come to earth. How, then, did Elizabeth know that Jesus would be born of a virgin, and that the virgin was none other than her relative, Mary?

While we are not told how Elizabeth learned what she said to Mary that which she speaks far surpasses what we are told Gabriel said to Zacharias. Her praise surpasses Zacharias’ request for a sign. Her words surpass the revelation which we are told Gabriel gave to Zacharias.

Mary responded to the praise of Elizabeth by offering her own praise to God. While we are not told that Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit when she spoke these words, it is implied that her words are divinely inspired.

In her praise, Mary emphasizes the character of God, particularly His grace, which is bestowed on the humble and the oppressed. She rejoices in God, who is her Savior (Luke 1: 47). While this may not refer only to the saving work that Messiah will come to accomplish, surely it includes it. God looked upon her humble estate with compassion; consequently, she will be blessed by all future generations (Luke 1: 48). God’s compassion on her has revealed both His power and His holiness.

We need to note Mary’s view of herself. She does not view herself as better as or holier than anyone else. She views herself as a sinner who needs God’s salvation, and as the Lord’s servant, whose humble estate is the occasion for His mercy and grace. There is no hint that she thinks God has chosen her to be the mother of Messiah due to her blessedness, but rather that her blessedness is the result of God’s sovereign and gracious choice to use her as His instrument. Mary views God’s grace to her as a reflection of His gracious purposes for His chosen people, Israel. Mary saw her blessing as one instance of God’s grace, which leads her to praise God for His grace to all those who fear Him, from one generation to generation. Mary’s praise does not focus on the child she will bear, but on the Father who is sending His Messiah. She focuses on what the child she will bear will be and accomplish as an adult. She views this event in terms of the distant past, in terms of the covenant promises of God, in terms of the history of Israel, where God’s mercy was shown on generation after generation, and in terms of the distant future, when at His second coming Messiah will set things straight. At this time, the social order will be a radical and violent reversal. The lofty will be put down and the humble will be exalted (Luke 1:51-52). The hungry will be fed and the well fed will be hungry. The poor will be helped, but the rich will be sent away (Luke 1:53). Mary focuses on the results of Christ’s second coming more than she does on His first.

It is doubtful Mary understood that Christ would come to earth twice, to achieve two distinct purposes. It is doubtful that Mary understood that the redemptive purpose of Christ’s first coming would be accomplished by His death on a cross, death at the hands of wicked men. Even this is a manifestation of God’s grace, for at this early point in time such knowledge would only have caused Mary unnecessary and premature pain. Simeon’s words spoke of this pain, (Luke 2:35), but did not explain what will cause the pain. The gracious God is revealed in what He does not tell us, as well as what He does.

Mary understood the great themes of the Old Testament, such as God’s mercy and compassion, God’s concern for the poor and the helpless. These were the themes of the Old Testament prophets. They were not, however, the themes of the scribes and Pharisees. In His rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus constantly referred to these great themes, and to the fact that legalistic Judaism violated them. Mary also understood the purposes of God as a plan that He had been carrying out throughout Israel’s history. She viewed history in the light of this plan. The scribes and Pharisees, however, seemed only to grasp a few of the particulars, but missed the plan. They “strained the gnats” but they swallowed the camels. Mary grasped the “camels” and the religious leaders only grasped at the “gnats.”

There are those who have distorted the truth of God’s word about Mary, and rather than regarding her blessed above all women, have honored her as above mankind, worshiping her and praying to her as though she were on the level of deity, or even above Messiah. This is clearly seen to be in blatant disregard for the teaching of Luke 1:39-56.

How shallow our prayers and praise seem when compared with that of these two godly women. Our praise tends to be based almost exclusively on our pleasant and pleasurable experiences. Our praise tends to focus primarily on what God has done for us. We must seek to dwell much more on the character of God, of His covenant promises, and of His working in history, as well as in the future.

Our praise, like that of Elizabeth and Mary, should not only seek to exalt God, but also to edify those who may hear it.

The miracle of the virgin birth, which is the basis and the starting point of the praise of these two women, is analogous to the miracle of the new birth which every man, woman, and child must experience to have eternal life and to live the kind of life which our Lord requires.

Many today seem to think that they can live according to the standards and principles of the Bible by setting their minds to it. This is not so. The Bible requires that men live a life that is miraculous, a life that is humanly impossible. There is only one way that this can ever happen, and that is by our experiencing a miraculous “new” birth. This is why the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be “born again,” even though he was a prominent teacher in Israel,  

While some think that they will be a Christian by “trying harder to live a good life” they need to learn that becoming a Christian, being “born again” is illustrated by the birth of Mary’s child, while trying to be religious through good works is illustrated by the birth of John the Baptist. John the Baptist was born through the actions of Elizabeth and Zacharias, which God supernaturally brought to conception and birth. This is not the way men are saved, however. Salvation does not result from our efforts, which God miraculously blesses. Our salvation comes about in the same way that Mary’s baby was conceived, totally by the sovereign work of God, apart from any effort which Mary might make. God does the work of producing life in us, just as He brought about life in Mary. We just need to believe and to accept God’s work, but we must leave the working to Him, and not to ourselves. Salvation is God’s miraculous work in us, producing new life.

The Israelites felt that their physical link with Abraham was sufficient to save them, but they were wrong, and John would later challenge this false belief. As our Lord Himself said later, those who obey His word are His sisters, brothers, and mother. Physical relationship to Christ is not nearly as important as one’s spiritual relationship. What is your spiritual relationship to God?

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Luke 1:57-80

The matter of the names of children is very sensitive. In the culture of the Israelites, the name of a child was very significant. God sometimes changed the name of a person, such as changing the name of Abram to Abraham, of Sarai to Sarah, and of Jacob to Israel. At other times, God gave the name of the child before birth. Such is the case with both John and Jesus. Luke 1:57-80 has to do with a family argument over the name that was to be given the child of Zacharias and Elizabeth. When Gabriel informed Zacharias that he and his wife would have a child in their old age, the first thing he did was to instruct this priest as to what the child’s name would be, “your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John” (Luke 1:13).

It is not until the time of John’s circumcision, that this divinely given instruction causes any difficulty. Suddenly, the naming of John ends up in what appears to be a rather emotional issue, with Elizabeth standing her ground against an unnamed group of observer-participants, who are insisting that the boy be named after his father.

Why did Luke include the account of this family argument over the name of a child? It is only in Luke’s Gospel that the births of John and Jesus are recorded. It is only in Matthew and Luke that any events in the early life of these two boys are recorded. Why, then, when there is so much that could have been reported about the early life of these two men, is this account selected by Luke?

There are some very important principles to be learned here, which are as relevant to contemporary Christians as they were to John and his parents.

Our text begins with the birth of the promised “miracle child,” and Elizabeth, her neighbors, and relatives rejoice with her in this blessing. It is at the circumcision of the boy that his name will be given. Under normal circumstances, his name would unquestionably be Zacharias.

Somewhere in the ceremony, when the name of Zacharias was being given, Elizabeth interrupted, insisting that the child’s name was to be John (Luke 1:60). Since this was not the name of the father, nor was it the name of a relative, there was a strong reaction to Elizabeth’s demands. When Zacharias is made aware of the dispute and when he is asked, as to what he wanted John called, Zacharias writes on a tablet, “His name is John” (Luke 1:63).

Why was the naming of the child so important, and so emotional? The naming of the son after his father implied that this child would “walk in the steps of his father,” that he would carry on the father’s name, and thus his work as well. Had John been named Zacharias, he would have been expected to grow up as a priest, just like his father. He would thus have gone about with his father as he carried out his priestly duties. To be named by any other name would have implied just the opposite. John would not follow in his father’s steps. He would not learn to do what his father did. He would not be a priest. This, of course, was precisely the case, and thus the reason for the name John. The meaning of the name “John” is not what is important; it is the implied message by having any name other than Zacharias that is such an emotional issue. If any of those gathered at the circumcision ceremony were relatives, Elizabeth’s insistence that the boy be named John was to renounce the family, its work, and its perpetuation through the next generation.

When Zacharias wrote the words, “His name is John,” on that tablet, he was given the power of speech. At that moment, his tongue was loosed and he began to praise God. The record of the praise of Zacharias is delayed a few verses, so that Luke can record the impact on those who watched, on those who heard, and those who witnessed the dispute over the naming of the child.

Zacharias’ Praise
Luke 1:67-79

In verses 67-75, Zacharias’ praise is directed toward Messiah. Zacharias’ praise highlights the political blessings that the nation Israel will experience. In verses 76-79, Zacharias’ praise highlights the impact of John’s ministry. As Gabriel informed Zacharias, John will be the forerunner of Messiah, whose task will be to prepare men and women for His coming, by calling them to repent.

In both the praises of Mary and of Zacharias, there seems to be more emphasis on the results of the second coming of Christ, than His first.

In verse 80, Luke gives us his reason for including the account of John’s childhood. In addition, Luke informs us as to his reason for including the dispute over the naming of John.

What can we learn from this account of the conception and birth of John, first, God’s purpose for John was announced, even before his conception, so that his parents might raise him in the light of those purposes, thus helping to prepare him for this ministry. Second, John was filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth, so that his spiritual growth would be enhanced, during his childhood, in preparation for his ministry. Finally, John was prepared for his ministry by being separated from his family, culture, and religious system.

In the Old Testament, the accounts of men like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, and David, reveal that God was working in their early lives to prepare them for later ministry. There are also incidents recorded in the Old Testament that indicate that God’s preparation for the ministry of those He calls begins in the womb. Even in the New Testament, Paul spoke of his calling before his birth. He also reminded Timothy of the preparation which God had worked in his life through his mother and grandmother.

However, Luke makes a special point of the fact that John’s growth and development involved a separation, from his family, from his culture, and from the Jewish religious system, of which he would have been a priest, like his father.

When he was given the name “John,” rather than “Zacharias,” God was indicating to all who were involved that John would not be carrying on his father’s name, nor his work. Think of the ways in which John became very different from his father, which was symbolized by his non-family name. Zacharias was a priest; John was a prophet. John was a Nazarite; his father was not. Zacharias lived among the people; John lived in the desert. Zacharias was a part of the old religious system; John was not, he stood apart from it. Zacharias, as evidenced by his praise, spoke as an Israelite, but John, being somewhat removed from typical Israelite life and the religious system of the day, was able to see the errors which had developed in the religious system.

There is a lesson for those who God calls today. Zacharias, as a part of the religious system, identified with it, while John was able to stand apart from it and to see its many errors and perversions. The boldness and clarity with which John spoke out against the evils of his day was, largely, the result of John’s separation from the system and its sins, which he condemned. In contrast to Zacharias, who seemed reluctant to speak, John spoke out boldly.

To represent Christ, we must stand apart from sin and the world, which hates Him.

Those who represent Christ separation from the world enable them to see its sins, to stand firmly against them, and to speak out boldly in condemning them. This same separation required in the Old Testament, required of the New Testament saints, is required of the present day professing Christians. Just as Peter wrote in his first letter to the first century Christians, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14-16).

Holiness in the life of the Christian, that is, separation from sin, is necessary for several reasons; Holiness is required if we are to represent and reflect a holy God to men. We cannot be God-like if we live in sin, but only if we live apart from sin. We must be holy, we must stand apart from sin in order to be sensitive to sin, to recognize it and to sense how evil and offensive, it is to God. In addition, we must stand apart from sin if we are to condemn it and to plead with others to forsake sin. John’s separation from sin was essential to his personal walk with God and to his ministry. Therefore, our separation from sin is also essential.

There are still those today who would strive to be separate from the world by attempting to live in some remote place, away from people, Our Lord has commanded Christians to be physically separated from others as the norm. In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord taught that we should be “salt” and “light” both of which speak of our penetration into the world, rather than of our fleeing from the world. It is also said that such penetration with the gospel and holy living will likely result in persecution. Therefore, our separation, while it should be as thorough in spirit as that of John, will manifest itself differently than John’s did. What is the nature of our separation, first, we separate ourselves from sinful thinking. There is a sinful “mind,” a wrong way of looking at things and thinking about them. The natural “mind” is “set on the things of the flesh” and leads to death because it is hostile toward God. Thus, we must be “renewed in the spirit of our mind” which to a large degree done through intense and prolonged exposure to the Word of God.

Second, we must be separate from the sinful inclinations of our own fleshly desires. The seventh chapter of Romans deals with these, as does Galatians 5:19-21. The only way to overcome these inclinations and to live righteously is to “walk in the Spirit,” to walk according to the promptings and the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Third, we must be separate from the world. Here, it is not by a physical removal, which is impossible by any means other than death. We must be separate from the world by thinking differently, by recognizing its evil inclinations and solicitations, and by refusing to participate in any of its sins.

Finally, we must be separate from the world by recognizing and removing ourselves from the sins of our family and even of our religion, which are not in keeping with the Word of God. In addition, we should be mindful that even in the godliest of homes there is still sin and sinful behavior we should recognize as sin and get rid of it, so that our lives will conform to the Word of God.

Let us be a separate people, so that we may represent a holy God to an unholy world.

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Birth of Jesus               Good Tidings of Great Joy        Peace on Earth

Joy to the World           Dedication of Jesus       

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Good Tidings of Great Joy
Luke 2:1-20

The angel of the Lord, in announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds, declared, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a  Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). It could not be more clearly stated, and that by an angelic messenger from God, that the gospel is a bona fide offer of salvation to all humanity and to which all may respond.

There are those that attempt to make “all people” mean “certain people” but that is not what the angel said and if it were what he meant, he would have said so. In agreement with the angel Jesus said, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The good tidings of great joy are “in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:3-6); "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2); "the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world" (1 John 4:14).  

Nowhere in all of Scripture do we find a clear statement to the contrary: that the good news of salvation in the gospel is not for all. To know that a Savior was born to save only a select few would hardly bring "great joy" to those who were excluded from the salvation procured by His death, burial and resurrection for the "sin of the world" (John 1:29). Yet there are some who insist that the "good tidings of great joy" are only for a select few and in so doing sincerely believe they are honoring God and His Word.

The Apostle Paul declared that the gospel is "the power of God for salvation to every one who believes” (Romans 1:16). There is no clearer statement that salvation through being "born again" into God's family as His children comes only by believing what Paul called "the gospel of your salvation" (Ephesians 1:13). Believing this "good tidings" is the prerequisite to regeneration, being born again (John 3:3-7).  

It is here that many stumble over the simplicity of the gospel. "All you have to do is believe.” They claim the gospel is not about what we must do, but what Christ has done. Furthermore, what could man do to obtain forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God? Let us be honest, nothing. It is only pride and stubborn unwillingness to face the horrible truth about ourselves and the glorious truth about God that could possibly foster the delusion that we could do anything at all to contribute to our salvation. Does God need anything from us? Could we give God anything that did not first come from Him? Have we not corrupted everything God has given us so that returning it to Him as though it were of value would only be an insult?

The issue is not only God's love but also His justice. God’s love and the desire to forgive cannot remove the penalty He has pronounced upon sinners. He cannot go back on His word; the penalty must be paid in full for anyone to go free. That payment was made for all by Christ on the cross.

Our redemption is entirely Christ's work. That there is nothing more even for Him to do He declared unequivocally and triumphantly from the cross; "It is finished!" (John 19:30). Every attempt to offer good deeds, prayers, penance, or sacraments in order to gain favor with God is a denial of the sufficiency of what Christ has done. Our standing before God and all that we will ever be or do for Him or enjoy in His presence is only in Christ and because of what He has done for us in bearing the penalty for our sins. He is the One to whom these titles, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace belong. He is the One whose “going forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2) and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David...even for ever" (Isaiah 9:6-7). Thus, there could be no doubt that this prophecy refers to Him, this child born in Bethlehem of a virgin; who else could save us from sin's penalty pronounced by God in righteous judgment.

Yet the rabbis and the people of Israel accused Christ of blasphemy and attempted to kill Him by stoning when He declared, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) and "Before Abraham was born, I AM” (John 8:58). They knew exactly what He meant; they told Jesus “For a good work we do not stone You, but because You being a man, make Yourself out to be God" (John 10:33). Tragically, they did not know their own messianic scriptures that the Messiah could be none other than God himself.

Despite the absence of the word "gospel" in the Old Testament, the gospel is promised there in the prophecies concerning the Messiah who, as the Lamb of God (Exodus 12:6; Isaiah 53:7) would die for our sins. As Peter told the first Gentile converts, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive forgiveness of sins" (Acts 10:43). Paul explains further: "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses" (Acts 13:39).

Paul declared that the message he preached was "the gospel of God" (Roman 1:1) and as absolute proof of the authenticity of that gospel, he pointed to the Old Testament prophecies identifying the coming Messiah and telling of His redemptive mission. The climax of Paul's message was the irrefutable fact, to which the Jews themselves were witnesses, that every messianic prophecy was fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Apostle Paul used the Hebrew prophets to prove that "this Jesus” whom he preached is Christ" (Acts 17:2-3). That proof is still valid today, yet so few Christians use the witness of prophecy in preaching the gospel. In our preaching and witnessing we need to return to the message of prophecy fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth with which the Apostles "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6)

The Apostle Paul reasoned “in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (Acts 17:17), because he loved an argument, no, because judgment lies ahead for unbelievers.

The prophecies are so many and so clear and so precisely fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth that no one can deny the evidence.

“Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Is that great joy reflected in our lives and in our daily contact with others? Do those around us sense the excitement bubbling within us because we intimately know the infinite Creator of the universe as our loving, heavenly Father who guides our steps into the glorious fulfillment of His will? Has the wonder of sins forgiven and the priceless gift of eternal life as children in God's very own family gripped our hearts so that all else is nothing by comparison? On the other hand, are we so entangled in this fleeting, failing, futile, finite earthly life that we have lost the great joy of anticipation of being in His presence at any moment and for eternity?

May we, like the angel, be the source of good tidings of great joy and our hearts overflow in love, gratitude to Him for who He is and what He has done in our redemption, and from that overflow may Christians by God’s grace, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit spread this great joy to the whole world through the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Luke 2:1-20

At the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, “there appeared with the angels a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:13-14), yet God's gracious and merciful offer of peace was refused. God's Son was crucified, rose from the dead and went back to heaven, having been rejected by His own people and most of humanity. He will return to earth soon to execute judgment upon a world of increasing evil and continuous wars that grow ever more numerous and destructive. In the meanwhile, God's offer of pardon and peace goes largely unheeded, while global leaders seek to establish peace through their own devices.

Humanity continues to this day to spurn Jesus and the peace He came to bring. Jews have a special rationale for rejecting Christ: He did not bring the peace that the prophets said the Messiah would establish, and he was crucified. A dead man can not be the Messiah.  This reaction reveals a basic misunderstanding of the peace God offers. The same ignorance afflicts the world at large.

Most people think of peace as the cessation of wars between nations. The peace that God offers, however, though essential for peace among nations, is far more basic and awesome. Romans 5:1 declare, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The implication is both instructive and frightening: that man is God's adversary and in a state of war against his Creator.

Many other scriptures confirm the fact that man has made himself God's enemy and desperately needs the peace that would end that conflict. Only when earth is no longer at war with heaven will there be peace among the inhabitants of this planet, the attempt to establish peace among nations without first establishing a peace with God the state of war against God will continue.

Today, the leaders of the nations, in a state of war are attempting to establish a world order of lasting peace. They recognize that the key to global tranquility is a peaceful partnership in the Middle East between Israel and her Arab neighbors. The God of peace is excluded from the dialogue between warring nations. It is understandable that secular leaders ignore God. What is mind boggling is the ignoring of God by professing born-again Christians, who compromise the truth. They need to be reminded that those who condone or tolerate the wickedness and evil are as guilty as those who commit wicked and evil deeds.

Those who claim these professing born again Christians invoke God's blessing need to examine the nature of the efforts to establish a world order of lasting peace. They are asking God to bless humanistic efforts to bring about a world order lasting peace that He cannot bless, for it contradicts His Word. The very peace they seek is a form of rebellion against God.

There are many irrefutable evidences that the Bible is true, but none more convincing than prophecy fulfilled. In this, the Bible is unique. Neither the Koran, the Hindu Vedas, the Book of Mormon, nor the scriptures of Buddhism, Shintoism or any of the world's other religions contain prophecies that have been fulfilled down through the centuries and are still being fulfilled in today's modern world. Yet such prophecies constitute about 25 percent of the Bible, with the major subject of biblical prophecy being Israel and are ignored by professing born again Christians. They ignore the promise of God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would possess forever a land bordered on the south by "the river of Egypt" in the Sinai, by the Euphrates on the north, the Mediterranean on the west and reaching into Jordan on the east (Genesis 12:1-7; 13:15; 15:7; 18-21; 17:7-8; 26:3-5; 28:13-14; 35:9-12; 50:24; Exodus 6:2-8; 33:1-3,16; Leviticus  20:22-26; Deuteronomy  32:49; 34:4; Nehemiah 9:8; Psalm 89:28-36; Jeremiah 30:3,10,11; 31:7-12,35-36; 33:20-21; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Amos 9:13-15). Yet, the professing born again Christians have forgotten or ignore the Word of God they claim they believe ignore the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God warned His chosen people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that for disobeying Him they would be scattered throughout the world, where they would be hated and killed. History attests to the accuracy of that ancient prophecy. God also said He would bring His banished and persecuted people back to their own land in the last days, just before the return of their Messiah. That incredible promise was fulfilled in 1948.  

Yet God foretold something even more astonishing: “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. It will come about in that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations will be gathered against it. In that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness” Zechariah 12:2-4).

At the time of that prophecy 2,500 years ago, Jerusalem was in ruins and the land of Israel was an abandoned swamp and desert. Yet God's seemingly preposterous promise was fulfilled. Today the attention of the entire world is focused upon that tiny piece of once forsaken and worthless real estate, in fear of what will happen there, what Zechariah prophesied.  

Surrounded by enemies who have sworn its extermination and greatly outnumber it in men and equipment, Israel has survived war after war and has grown in size and strength. How has that been possible, what makes this nation so important? The answer is found in Bible prophecy. These are God's special people; He has given them that land. In addition, to them Christ will soon return to rule the world from the throne of His father David. So said the angel Gabriel when he told Mary that she would have a child (Luke 1:31-33). Here is the forgotten promise of "Christmas."

Satan desperately wants to destroy Israel. All who have attempted to do so, from Hitler to the Arabs, have been his pawns. If he could remove the Jews from the Promised Land, then God would be proven a liar. Bible prophecies concerning Israel back in her land and the Messiah reigning over her on David's throne in Jerusalem could not be fulfilled. Satan would have achieved a stalemate in his battle against God and would have escaped the final judgment pronounced upon him and those who have joined in his rebellion.

Current attempts by world leaders to establish peace in the Middle East are yet another fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Just as Zechariah foretold, Jerusalem has indeed become “a heavy stone for all the peoples.” In addition, the solemn warning remains that “all who lift it will be severely injured.”

God has given to Israel the land she now possesses, and much more surrounding it. Woe to anyone who seeks to take land from Israel or who promises Israel “peace” in exchange for any part of the promised land. Yes, Israel will make that exchange, peace will seem to be established, but it will be a major step on the road to Antichrist's rule and the ultimate holocaust. So says the Bible.

What should professing born again Christians involved in the negotiations of the establishment of a humanist world order lasting peace do, heed God's promises to Israel and make certain that they do not oppose them. They must cease from pressuring Israel not to occupy parts of the Promised Land that it has taken in self-defense to preserve its very existence. Few people know that a president of the United States pressured Israel into returning land to the Arabs, in 1967. Instead, siding with the enemies of Israel professing born again Christians insist the Arabs to allow Israel to possess the entire land God promised to her (Genesis 15:18-21) and to live there in peace under Israeli rule.

Such a suggestion would inflame the Arabs and be rejected as madness by world leaders. Yet the Bible leaves no alternative. There can be no genuine peace among nations until humanity has ended its state of rebellion and accepts peace with God on His terms. Who knows what the result might be, for no world leader has ever attempted it. How long do you think God would permit the dome to stand as an obstacle to the rebuilding of the temple? Within a matter of seconds an earthquake would reduce the dome to rubble.

When God declared the time for the coming of His only begotten Son had been fulfilled He sent forth His Son born of a woman, born under the Law and the demonic forces and the human enemies of God and His people were helpless in their efforts to hinder the fulfillment of the promise to send a Redeemer to save His people from their sins.  

Here is the neglected message of “Christmas.” Instead of joining with the ungodly in unbiblical efforts to save the world ecologically or politically, God has watched over the world He created for centuries, we must declare the good news, “it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20).

The enemy denies that Jesus died for our sins, was raised and is coming again and there are professing Christians who deny the good news Jesus paid the full debt for sin and we must suffer for our own sins before we can enter the kingdom of God, and that salvation is in the sacraments administered men. This world contains millions who claim to be Christians in reality they are the “enemies of the cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18). Let us be certain that we believe and obey God's Word.

Many Christians are beset by fears, anxieties, and inner turmoil. They have accepted peace with God for eternity, but do not rest in the enjoyment of that peace here and now. They have selfish desires that rob them of God's peace. Unwilling, to be “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), they are ruled by the tyrant Self instead of by the Holy Spirit. Only when Lord Jesus rules our lives can we know the happy fulfillment of the promise: “The peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). Such is the eternal peace Christ came to bring, and it is meant to begin here and now.

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Luke Chapter 2

Gospel According to Luke

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Luke 2: 1-20

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King, let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing." These lyrics are familiar to untold millions, and especially at this time of year. Multitudes can hum the tune, many can rattle off the words, yet few know what they mean. Biblical Christians rejoice at the message this song communicates because most of us understand its meaning. Nevertheless, too often we miss the mark in our explanation to the world of this and other such songs.

The "world" craves joy. Yet the prospect of joy quickly disperses when people are uninformed regarding the conditions for "joy to the world," salvation found only in Christ.

We have sat through many Christmas programs whose purpose was witnessing to lost loved ones, friends, and neighbors, however, rarely if at all was the gospel made understandable. Not that the "good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (Luke 2:10) was not reflected somewhat in the plays, or even followed up by the pastor through a brief message and a reciting of the sinner's prayer or the disciples prayer. However, rarely was the gospel adequately explained. That is a serious omission, especially in this biblically uninformed, post-Christian generation.

In a typical gathering at a Christian program in attendance are the parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and friends of the participles of the program. There is the cultural Christian who knows some of the "what" of Christianity but none of the "why." There are the parents who vowed not to "push" religion on their kids; consequently, they know almost nothing about Christianity. The audience is dotted with those of diverse religious understanding, yet they are relatively clueless about the gospel.

The play presents some solidly biblical content. An "angel" tells Mary, "...you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:31-33). In another scene, an "angel" gives more of the details of the good tidings to Joseph, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). Later, the little girl playing Mary declares joyfully, "My soul does magnify the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46-47).

If the audience is listening at all, most do not really want to be in attendance, will have picked up some important details related to the "joy" referred to above, Jesus was born of Mary, the conception was of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is God’s Son, He will save people from sin, His kingdom is eternal. The cultural Christians are vaguely aware of most of this; to most some of the points are interesting but they make little sense.  

At the end of the play the pastor quotes John 3:16 and adds that, as wonderful as the birth of Jesus was, the purpose of His birth was that He would live a perfect life and then go to His death sacrificially in payment