Luke 2:1-52
The Word is Born and Becomes Flesh
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
Jesus Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
The Boy Jesus at the Temple
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
As I read about Jesus' Birth, He stands out as a Figure of Profound Difference, and as One who is Catalyst for change in the world...A Man who wants harmony in the world and believes that loving God and loving neighbor can make a significant difference in our world...This difference is rooted in the very nature of His existence, and it started with His unprecedented birth...A Virgin Birth, the conception of Jesus by Mary without human intervention, is a cornerstone of believing in Him...It signifies not merely a biological anomaly, but a Divine Intervention, a testament to the unique nature of Jesus’s identity...
The concept of Mary’s virginity serves a crucial theological purpose...It underscores that Jesus’s conception was not of human origin, but a direct act of God...This distinction is essential in understanding the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation, the belief that God became human in the Person of Jesus...And if not God Himself, then a Perfect Reflection of Him...By being born of a virgin, Jesus’s Divine Nature is emphasized, demonstrating that He was not simply a man, but God Incarnate...This miraculous conception points to a Divine Origin, emphasizing that Jesus was not merely a human being but also the Divine Son of God...His Divine Parent, being God, sets Him apart from all other human beings...
The idea that Jesus was “with God in the beginning” speaks to His pre-existence, a concept found in the Gospel of John (John 1:1-3)...This suggests that Jesus existed before His earthly Birth, existing eternally with God...And one must ask, how can this be?...This pre-existence further emphasizes His Divine Nature and His unique relationship with God the Father...The paradox of this being born as a human and have an Eternal Being becoming a Vulnerable Infant is a Grand Mystery of Christian faith...It highlights the humility of God, who chose to enter the world in the most unassuming way...He would be not be greeted by kings and queens and military leaders...He would be introduced to the world by shepherds...And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night...An angel of the LORD appeared to them, and the Glory of the LORD shone around them, and they were terrified...But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people...Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the LORD...This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”...Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”...When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the LORD has told us about.”...
Jesus's birth in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, visited by shepherds symbolizes this humility...He was born not in a palace, but in a stable, surrounded by the lowest of society...This unassuming entrance stands in stark contrast to the expected arrival of a Messiah, a figure anticipated to come with great fanfare and earthly power...Throughout His life, Jesus consistently defied expectations of what a powerful figure should be...He associated with the marginalized, the poor, the sick, and the outcast...He didn't seek political power or worldly acclaim...Instead, He washed His Disciples' feet, a task typically performed by the lowest of servants...He taught that the greatest among us should be servants of all...And so He became the Greatest Servant ever to walk the earth...
So, how can the Good Shepherd be the most influential and most important figure to ever walk the earth while appearing to have no reputation, power, fame, or money?...The immense power of God manifested in the utmost humility of Jesus...The idea that the Creator of the Universe would choose to enter creation not as a conquering king or a powerful ruler, but as a Vulnerable Infant born into humble circumstances, is a central tenet of the faith...And the first to see Him would be shepherds in the field...This speaks volumes about the nature of God's Power and His LOVE for humanity...The world often equates power with outward displays of force, wealth, and status...Kings build empires, conquerors amass armies, and the wealthy accumulate possessions and material things...Earthly leaders surround themselves with people they believe will help them and add to their power and help them...But God's power, as revealed in Jesus, is of a different nature entirely...It's a power rooted in self-giving love, in Service to others, and in humility...Jesus, in His ministry, would surround Himself with Twelve Ordinary Men, that were called His Twelve Disciples...They would become Fishers of Men...Men who would continue to spread the Gospel about Him and His Good News...
Even his miracles, while demonstrating His Divine Power to His Disciples and to others, were often performed in quiet, unassuming ways...He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and calmed storms, not to amass followers or gain political influence, but out of compassion and LOVE for those in need...The ultimate demonstration of this paradoxical power is found in Jesus's crucifixion...He, the innocent Son of God, submitted to a brutal and humiliating death on a cross, a form of execution reserved for the lowest criminals...This act, seemingly a defeat, is understood by Christians as the ultimate victory, the triumph over sin and death...It is in this act of ultimate humility and sacrifice that God's true power is most fully revealed...He could have walked right off or away from the cross with His Divine Power, and done another miracle, but instead He chose to show us His LOVE through the miracle of His Resurrection...
Mary's role in this narrative is equally of great significance and speaks of His difference...Her acceptance of God’s will, her “yes” to the angel Gabriel, demonstrates her profound faith and obedience...This act of submission is seen as a pivotal moment in salvation history, paving the way for the Incarnation...The Holy Spirit’s role in the conception further emphasizes the Divine Nature of the event...It was through the power of the Holy Spirit that Mary conceived, highlighting the Trinity's involvement in this miraculous event...Thus, Mary’s obedience to God’s will and the Holy Spirit’s Divine Act of the conception of Baby Jesus represent the Divine and Human elements being intertwined, a defining characteristic of His Incarnation...
As Jesus grew, Mary treasured the memories and experiences of His life...We read that His mother treasured all these things in her heart about Him...She knew He was different...The Gospels depict her as a thoughtful observer, pondering the meaning of His words and actions...This maternal perspective offers a human dimension to the story of Jesus, reminding us that He was also her Son...But Jesus was also a brother, and a member of a family...The New Testament mentions that Mary and Joseph had other children after Jesus’s birth...These siblings, while important figures in their own right, did not share Jesus’s unique and different Divine Parent of the Holy Spirit...They were children of Joseph, while Jesus’s Father was the Holy Spirit...This distinction highlights the unique nature of Jesus’s conception and His Unique and Special relationship with His Father...
Because of this unique origin, Jesus’s life, teachings, and actions are inherently different...His teachings challenged conventional wisdom, offering a new perspective on God, humanity, and the relationship between the Two...He spoke with authority, not like the religious leaders of His time, and His words somehow resonated with a power and Divinity that transformed lives...His miracles, acts of healing and compassion, demonstrated the power of God at work in Him...They were not merely displays of supernatural ability, but tangible expressions of God’s LOVE and care for humanity...He taught about love, forgiveness, mercy, justice, righteousness, and compassion, principles that challenged the existing social and religious norms...He offered a message of hope and redemption, a message that continues to resonate with people around the world...Hope was born on Christmas Day...
Jesus’s difference extended beyond His teachings to His Very Being...He lived a life of perfect obedience to God’s will, a life of selfless service to others...He ultimately sacrificed His life for the redemption of humanity, an act of the Ultimate LOVE and sacrifice...This sacrifice is the cornerstone of Christian theology, the means by which humanity can be reconciled to God, even with our wickedness and our sinful nature...
The difference Jesus embodies is not just a historical fact but a living reality...His teachings continue to inspire and challenge us, His Example continues to guide and motivate us two thousand years later...He remains a source of hope, comfort, and transformation for countless people around the world...The story of Jesus, beginning with His unique Birth, is a story of Divine Agape LOVE, human obedience, and the transformative power of faith...It is a story that continues to shape the world today...Jesus’s difference, rooted in His Divine Origin and Birth expresses His actions, Teachings, and deeds throughout His life...His teachings and sacrifice in His Resurrection, His Difference continues to make a profound difference in the world...