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Emmaus is a Reformed Baptist church in Hemet, California. We are a community of Christ followers who love God, love one another, and serve the church, community, and nations, for the glory of God and for our joy.
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Hemet, CA 92544
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Learn MoreEmmaus Reformed Baptist Church is committed to the fullfilment of the Great Commision given by our Lord when he said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV), through the planting of local churches, both at home and abroad.
May 23
14
Q. 78. Which is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, “Thou shalt not steal.” (Exodus 20:15)
Q. 79. What is required in the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others. (Prov. 27:23; Lev. 25:35; Deut. 15:10; 22:14)
Q. 80. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment forbideth whatsoever does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state. (1 Tim. 5:8; Prov. 28:19; 23:20,21; Eph. 4:28)
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:6–11, ESV)
The eighth commandment is, “you shall not steal”. It is rather obvious what that means. Don’t take what is not yours. But that very simple principle is just begging to be fleshed out. For example, we should ask, how then should I provide for myself? How should I increase my wealth and my possessions?
Stealing is forbidden.
Yes, it is true that someone may give you a gift. That is fine.
And making wise investments is also encouraged in the scriptures.
But in general, we must confess that the way to provide for yourself and your family and to increase your wealth and possessions is to work. You are to provide a service for someone else and be compensated for it, or you must work your land with the hopes of reaping a harvest. Either way, the principle is the same. We must provide for ourselves by working. As Paul says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” (Ephesians 4:28, ESV)
There are so many questions associated with this topic. I’ll name a few to show you that I am not oblivious to them. Must a person work with his hands? No, some work involves the mind more than the hands. And what about the wife and mother who does not go off to work but remains at home? That is a great blessing, but the scriptures do warn against idleness at home. The wife and mother should be diligent to manage the home, and she is also free to engage in industry on top of that (see Proverb 31, for example). And what about retirement? Is there a place for that? Of course, there is. Hard work in the younger years does sometimes lead to retirement in the later years. But even in retirement men and women should serve the Lord. They should be diligent in prayer and (if possible) the service of others in their old age. And what about those who are independently wealthy who come into great wealth by way of inheritance? That is a great blessing. But the scriptures do warn the rich not to trust in the riches, but to trust in God. And those who are rich should use what they have been given for the furtherance of God’s kingdom, and the relief of the poor. They should be generous. Again, idleness is forbidden.
In general, I wish to say this: Christians should be diligent and hard-working. That takes so many different forms. I am aware of that. Yes, things will look different from person to person, and the circumstances will change as the seasons of life change. But in general, Christians should be hard-working. Stated negatively, Christians are not to be sluggards. No, we are to use our time and energies for the glory of God, for our good, and for the good of others.
The Proverbs have a lot to say about this. They constantly urge men and women to be diligent, hard working, and wise with their money. They show how men and women generally come to be both rich and poor. And the text that we read from Proverbs 6 is most instructive.
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise”, the text says.
Have you ever watched ants? And no, we are not talking about your Aunt — your mother or father’s sister — but ants — the little bugs that crawl on the ground. Have you ever watched them? They are very hard-working and diligent little creatures. They never stop. They just move along, working constantly to provide for themselves and others. Proverbs 6 tells us that we are to “go to the ant” and “consider her ways…”
And no, the point is not that we are never to rest. That would contradict other scriptures, wouldn’t it? The scriptures teach that sleep is a gift from God. The scriptures warn against the vanity and folly of overworking. And the scriptures command that we cease from our labor one day out of seven to worship God in a pronounced way in public and private. That day is called the Sabbath Day, or the Lord’s Day. So we are not to imitate ants by working tirelessly and unceasingly seven days a week (in fact, ants do sleep. Worker ants take about 250 little power naps a day, totaling about 4 ½ hours of sleep a day. The Proverbs do not speak scientifically, but from the appearance of things).
But what are we to learn from the ants who seem to work so diligently? Well, notice that the lesson is for the sluggard. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise” A “sluggard is a lazy person. It is the lazy person who is encouraged to go to the ant and to consider her ways to become wise.
And what exactly is the sluggard to notice? Two things:
One, the ant works very diligently “without having any chief, officer, or ruler”. Yes, scientifically we know that in an ant colony, there is a queen. And there are even other kinds of ants so there is a kind of hierarchy in the ant world. But the point is this: when you watch ants you see that they work very hard and very diligently and no one is cracking a whip, as it were. Ants seem to be self-motivated. It seems to be a part of their nature to work consistently hard. The sluggard should learn from this. The sluggard may work hard… for a time… if someone forces him to, and then back to the couch he goes.
Two, this proverb urges us to notice this about ants: they seem to understand the seasons. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” The ant is diligent to work and to save in times of plenty knowing that times of want or lack may soon come. The sluggard needs to learn this lesson too. The lazy person may have adequate provisions at the moment and so they lounge on the couch and sleep in their bed. But they forget that those provisions will soon run out! What then? That ant works diligently even when her storehouse is full for she knows that the time will come when provisions will be lacking.
And that is what the Proverb warns against so directly, saying, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Christians are to be hard-working and diligent people. The eighth commandment requires it. Yes, it forbids stealing. But that means on the flip side that we are required to “labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28).
To state the matter negatively, “The eighth commandment forbideth whatsoever does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state.”
As with all of God’s commandments, we must reflect deeply on these things. What sorts of things may “hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state”?
Well, concerning our neighbor, stealing is obviously out of the question. That would hinder our neighbor’s wealth, wouldn’t it? Dishonest work is also out of the question. Though we may provide some good or service to our neighbor, if it is dishonest work, or a good of poor quality that we deliver then we are not helping our neighbor, but hindering them.
But what about the responsibility we have to earn a living for ourselves to provide for ourselves and to help others who may be in need? It seems to me that we need to think about our own work ethic, the management of our finances, the wisdom of our investments and business ventures. Brothers and sisters, we must think carefully about these things.
A Christians we must not love money. We must pursue contentment and be generous with what we have. But at the same time, we cannot be foolish with our money or unconcerned about the question, how will I make an honest living? And will I have enough for the future when my ability to earn an income has diminished? These are important questions.
And perhaps I should move to a conclusion by saying, I understand that life does not always go as planned. Sometimes we wish to work, but cannot. I don’t mean for any of this to burden those who are a in situation like that. Rather, I am setting forth the scriptural ideal. Remember, the scriptures do speak of the importance of caring for those in need. Ideally, no one would ever be in need. But in reality, sometimes people are. And the reasons for this are varied.
Q. 80. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment forbideth whatsoever does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state. (1 Tim. 5:8; Prov. 28:19; 23:20,21; Eph. 4:28)
Let us pray.
Lord, help us to keep your law in thought, word, and deed. And forgive in Christ Jesus us when we do not. We thank you for Christ who kept this law perfectly on our behalf and died for our sins. In him we have placed our trust. Amen.
May 23
14
May 23
12
Questions For Discussion At Home Or In Gospel Community Groups
May 23
7
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.’ A voice says, ‘Cry!’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’ All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:1–8, ESV)
“And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.’ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.’ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:22–40, ESV)
Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
I wonder if you remember the story of the birth and early life of Samuel. He was the prophet who ministered to Isarel under the Old Covenant, who anointed Isarel’s first king, Saul, and then King David after him. Do you remember the story of Samuel’s birth? It is told in 1 Samuel 1. Samuel was born to a woman named Hannah who was previously barren. She prayed to the Lord and asked for a son. And she made a vow that if she had a son, she would give him to Lord by bringing him to the tabernacle (also called “temple”) to serve thereafter he was weaned. And all of this happened. Miraculously, Hannah conceived and gave birth. And after the boy was weaned she brought him to the tabernacle to give him up to the Lord’s service. When Hannah gave him to the Lord, she sang a song. It is recorded for us in 1 Samuel 2. And we have noticed in our study of Luke’s gospel that the song that Mary the mother of Jesus sang, as recorded in Luke 1:46-55, was very similar to the one that Hannah sang, those many hundreds of years earlier.
We have already concluded that Luke wants us to connect the stories of the birth of Jesus to Mary, with the birth of Samuel to Hannah. Samuel was born to a barren woman, which is miraculous. Jesus was born to a virgin, which is, of course, even more of a miracle. Samuel was a prophet who served at the tabernacle in the presence of the priest Eli, and was called by God to anoint the first king of Israel, Saul, and then the greatest king of Israel, David. But Jesus would not merely serve at the temple – he was the fulfillment of the temple. And consider this: Jesus was not merely a prophet, ministering among priests, who anointed earthly kings. No, Jesus is the anointed One of God, the Messiah, in whom Samuel hoped. He is the prophet of God, the great high priest of the New Covenant, and the King – the promised Son of David – whose throne and kingdom will have no end.
Samuel a was very significant figure. He was a great prophet closely associated with the temple, the priesthood, and the Davidic kings. It is no wonder, then, that Luke wants us to make a connection between the birth of Jesus the Messiah, and Samuel the prophet, for Samuel was a type of the Christ to come.
I mention all of this now because the passage that is before us today here in Luke 2:22-40 mirrors the story that is told in 1 Samuel 1:24 -2:26. Consider these three points of contact: One, just as Hannah took the boy Samuel to the temple to present him to the Lord and offer sacrifices “so that [Samuel might] appear in the presence of the LORD and dwell there forever” (1 Samuel 1:22, 24-28), so too Mary and Joseph “brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord…and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord…” (Luke 2:22–24, ESV). Two, just as Samuel was received at the temple by a priest named Eli who was advanced in years, so too Jesus was received (recognized and prophesied over) at the temple by two who were righteous, devout, and advanced in years – Simeon and Anna. Three, the two texts make the same remark regarding the ongoing development of Samuel and Jesus. Of Samuel it was said, “And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:21, ESV). And, “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man” (1 Samuel 2:26, ESV). Of Jesus it was said, “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:40, ESV)
I trust that you are able to see the points of contact between the Hannah/Samuel story as recorded in 1 Samuel 1 & 2 and the Mary/Jesus story as recorded in Luke 1 & 2. Both involve miraculous conceptions. Both mothers sing songs of praise, and the songs are very similar. Both mothers bring their boys to the temple in obedience to the law of Moses and, each in their own way, offer their sons up to the service of God. In both instances, the boys are received at the temple, each in their own way, by men (and in Jesus’ case, a man and woman) who were righteous, devout, and advanced in years, who longed to see the promised Messiah. Finally, both children are said to have grown in the presence of God.
That there are strong literary connections between these two passages of Scripture should be obvious to all. The question is, why bother to make note of these connections? Answer: because Luke wants us to notice these connections. If he did not care about these connections, then he would not have written his gospel in the way that he did! And more than this, given our belief in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, we must say that God wants us to make these connections. But again I ask, why?
Let us first say that it is not to fill our minds with meaningless facts. 1 Samuel 1 & 2 mirror Luke 1 & 2. As interesting as that fact is, we are after the meaning or significance of that fact. What does it mean? What did Luke intend to communicate when he crafted his gospel in this way? Well, he wants us to view the life and work of Jesus the Messiah against the backdrop of the life and work the Samuel the prophet.
As has been said, Samuel ministered at the temple as a prophet, with the priests, and as a kind of king – he judged Israel, after all. In this way, Samuel prefigured Jesus the Messiah, who would establish God’s eternal temple as the great Prophet, Priest, and King of the New Covenant people of God. And do not forget that it was Samuel whom the Lord used to reject Saul and to anoint David as king over Isarel. “The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons” (1 Samuel 16:1, ESV). These words found their immediate fulfillment in the anointing of Jesse’s son, David, as king over Israel. These words found their ultimate fulfillment in the Holy Spirit’s anointing of Jesus Christ – the son of David, the son of Mary, born in Bethlehem, the city of David, and laid in a manger – for he is the promised Messiah in whom all of these prophecies of old find their “yes” and “Amen”.
The point is this: When Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote this portion of his gospel in such a way as to mirror 1 Samuel 1 & 2, he intends for us to consider the entire story of Samuel, culminating in the anointing of David as king over Israel, and to view Jesus of Nazareth against the backdrop of that story, with special attention given to the promises made to David in the covenant that was transacted with him concerning a son who would sit on a throne and establish a kingdom that would have no end.
With those big-picture observations having been made, let us now consider the details of the text, starting with Luke 2:22-24. Here we learn that Jesus was presented at the temple in obedience to the law of Moses.
Verse 22 says, “And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord…” I take the plural “their” of verse 22 to refer to Joseph and Mary. It was Mary who needed to be purified after giving birth according to the law of Leviticus 12, but Joseph was involved, given that Mary was his wife. And both were involved, not only in the purification of Mary but in the presentation of her firstborn son, Jesus, at the temple. This is what Luke refers to in verse 23 as he quotes Exodus 13, saying, “as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’”. This law was the outworking of the Passover when, in the tenth plague, the Lord killed the firstborns of Egypt, but spared the firstborns in the homes that were covered by the blood of the lamb. From that time onward, the Lord claimed all of the firstborns of Israel, of man and beast, as his own. In Exodus 13:2 the Lord says, “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.” In Exodus 13:13 the Lord says, “Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.” And what was the price of redemption that was to be paid for firstborn sons? According to Numbers 18:16, it was five shekels of silver. And what was the woman to give for her purification? According to Leviticus 12:6, she was to give a lamb and a pigeon or turtledove. But if she was too poor, she could give “two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest [would] make atonement for her, and she [would] be clean” (Leviticus 12:8, ESV). This is what Mary offered up, indicating that she was poor.
Luke does not seem concerned to present us with all of the details concerning these laws. You will notice that he did not mention the five shekels that were to be paid to redeem the baby Jesus in fulfillment of Numbers 18:16. But notice what Luke does stress: Mary and Joseph, and consequently, the baby Jesus, obeyed the Law of Moses. The phrase “the Law of Moses”, or “the Law of The Lord” is repeated three times in three verses. Christ was born under the law of Moses and he kept it perfectly to redeem us from it. This is what Paul says in Galatians 4:4-5: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5, ESV). Jesus kept the law perfectly for us to redeem us. This was even true of his infancy through the faithfulness of his parents.
I have two more brief observations to make concerning verses 22-25. One, it is amazing to consider that all of these laws of Moses that are mentioned here in this text – the rites of purification, burnt offerings, sin offerings, and even the temple itself – had, for hundreds of years, pointed forward to Jesus Christ, and yet at this moment, he himself was the one participating in them. Two, I find it interesting that Luke did not mention the five shekels that were to be paid to redeem the baby Jesus in fulfillment of Numbers 18:16. I do not doubt that the price was paid. After all, Jesus was not left at the temple to serve there all the days of his life as Samuel way. No, Mary and Joseph took him home to Nazareth. The price was likely paid, therefore. But the price of redemption is not directly mentioned by Luke, perhaps to stress that Jesus was set apart as holy to the Lord in a unique way (see Luke 1:35). He would not serve in the temple in Jerusalem as Samuel did, for Jesus did not come as a prophet, priest, or king of the Old Covenant order. But there is a sense in which Jesus was thoroughly devoted to working in his Father’s house all the days of his life. He worked in his Father’s house and served his kingdom like none before or after. And I am saying that perhaps that is why Luke did not stress the price of redemption paid for him. Truly, as God’s Messiah, he was “holy to the Lord”. Luke does not say that a redemption price was paid for him for he was the Lord’s Servant and the one who would pay the eternal redemption price for all of God’s elect. He did not need to be redeemed, therefore.
The main point of verses 22-24 is this: Jesus was presented at the temple in obedience to the law of Moses.
Secondly, notice that Jesus was received at the temple by Simeon and Anna.
Now, by “received” I do not mean that he was received in the way that Samuel was received by Eli. Samuel was raised in the temple after he was weaned and he ministered to the Lord there all the days of his life. Jesus returned home with his parents to be raised in Nazareth. By received I mean, he was recognized as the Messiah.
First, a man named Simeon recognized him as the Messiah.
I love this story. Not only does it add to our certainty that Jesus is the Messiah, it also helps us to see that there were some in Isarel who were eagerly expecting the arrival of the Messiah in those days and recognized Jesus to be the one. You know, we are accustomed to talking about how many within Israel rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Indeed, many did not recognize him. Many rejected him. The leaders of the people had him crucified. But we should not forget that there were some who were waiting for the Messiah. They knew the scriptures. And they knew that Jesus was the one. Simeon was one of these.
In verse 25 we learn that Simeon lived in Jerusalem. He, like Zechariah and Elizabeth, was righteous and devout. This means that he had sincere faith in the promised Messiah, was justified by faith, and was devout in his keeping of the law of Moses. We are also told that he was “waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”
I would like to focus on the phrase, “waiting for the consolation of Israel” for just a moment. To console is to comfort. And you should know that there are some passages in the Old Testament that spoke of a day when Israel would be comforted or consoled by their God. The Isaiah 40 passage that we read at the beginning of this sermon is one such text: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:1–3, ESV), etc. This man Simeon was waiting for this consolation. He was waiting for the fulfillment of this prophecy. He was waiting for the Messiah who would accomplish these things. Isaiah 57:18-19 is another such passage. Concerning the one who is contrite and humble the Lord says, “‘I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will heal him’” (Isaiah 57:18–19, ESV). This language of comfort is also found in Isaiah 66. Simeon was eagerly awaiting the accomplishment of these things – he longed for the consolation of Isarel.
In verse 26 we are told that “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:25–26, ESV). In other words, he had received this special revelation from the Lord that he would not die before seeing the promised Messiah.
In verse 27 we are told that “he came in the Spirit into the temple…” This means that the Spirit of God moved him in a special way to come into the temple. Continuing now in verse 27, “And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel’” (Luke 2:27–32, ESV). When Simion saw Jesus the Spirit of God revealed to him that this was the Messiah. He took Jesus in his arms and blessed God. We should pay careful attention to what he said concerning Jesus.
One, when he saw the baby Jesus he blessed God saying, “my eyes have seen your salvation…” What an interesting way to describe the baby Jesus. Simeon did not say that Jesus would accomplish salvation (which he would), but that he is God’s salvation – the salvation that God has provided. And this is indeed true. Our salvation is found in the very person of Christ. Sinners are saved when they trust in him – in his very person and work. This is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, ESV). Brothers and sisters, we are saved by trusting in the person of Christ. We are not merely saved by trusting in what he has done. We are saved by trusting in him – his person and his work. When Simeon saw the baby Jesus he knew that he was looking at the salvation of the Lord.”
Two, notice also that Simion referred to this salvation as the salvation that God had “prepared”. When did God prepare this salvation for his people? He prepared it in eternity before the foundation of the world. And in history, he promised it to Adam, Abraham, Israel, and David. And when Simeon saw the baby Jesus, he knew that the time had come for the accomplishment of this salvation, for Jesus is Christ the Messiah, the Redeemer of God’s elect. This is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5, ESV). The words, “when the fullness of time had come” indicate that the redemption accomplished by Christ in his life, death, burial, and resurrection, was prepared beforehand.
Three, Simeon knew that this Savior, and this salvation, were not for Old Covenant, ethnic Israel only, but for all the peoples of the earth. He “blessed God and said, ‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles…” Under the Old Covenant, the promise of salvation through faith in the Messiah was largely confined to the nation of Israel. One of the great differences between the Old Covenant and the New is that gospel of the kingdom would go to all nations. Jesus lived, died, and rose again, not as for the Jews only, but for the world, that is to say, for his elect from every tongue, tribe, and nation. He is the only Savior. He is the only mediator between God and mankind. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This is the meaning of the word “world”, by the way. When the Scriptures say, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV), or “that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14, ESV), they do not teach a universal and unlimited atonement. That would contradict the clear teaching of other scriptures (John 10:11, John 17, Ephesians 5:25, etc.). Rather, the word “world” indicates that God has mercifully provided salvation for all nations. Christ is the Savior of all people. Besides him, there is no other. Indeed, all who believe in him, Jew and Gentile, will not perish but have eternal life. And it is important to know that this was always the plan. A redeemer was promised first to Adam, the one from whom all the people of the earth descended. And when the promise concerning the coming Savior was entrusted to the Hebrew people by way of covenant, Abraham was told, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, ESV). Promises concerning the salvation of all nations through Israel’s Messiah are found throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, and Simeon knew it. When he referred to Christ as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles…” he had Old Testament passages like this in mind. They all speak of the coming Messiah. Isaiah 42:6: “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations…” Isaiah 49:6: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 52:10: “The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 60:3: “And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Simeon knew that the baby Jesus was the Messiah, the light and salvation of the nations.
Four, Simeon also said that Jesus would be “for glory to [God’s] people Israel” (Luke 2:32, ESV). This is a reference to Isaiah 45:25, which says, “In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.” This must be a reference to the true Israel of God, and not to Israel according to the flesh, for we know that many from amongst ethnic Israel did not believe in the promised Messiah. They were unfaithful. They were, to quote Jesus, not Abraham’s children (truly), but were of their father the devil (John 8:44). There is an Isarel according to the flesh, and there is a spiritual Israel – the true Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). This is what Paul says in Galatians 3:7: “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.” And in Romans 9:6 he says, “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” And in verse 30 he asks, “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone…” (Romans 9:30–32, ESV). When Simeon said that Christ would be “for glory to [God’s] people Israel”, he meant the Israel of faith, not Israel according to the flesh. Many within ethnic Israel would never see the glory of God, but those who had faith in the promised Messiah, from amongst the Jews and the Gentiles, would see God’s glory. This is the true Israel of God – all who have the faith of Father Abraham – faith in the promised Messiah.
Five, this interpretation is confirmed by the words that Simeon spoke to Mary. In verse 34 we read, “And Simeon blessed them [Joseph, Mary, and Jesus] and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed’” (Luke 2:34–35, ESV). Jesus divides, brothers and sisters. He divides the world from the church. And within Israel, he divided the true Israel of faith from the false Israel of disbelief. Jesus reveals hearts as sinners respond to him and to his gospel either in faith and obedience, or disbelief and rebellion. Notice also the re-emergence of this theme: We were told earlier in Luke that Jesus would bring down the haughty and raise up those of humble estate (Luke 1:52). Here, Simeon says, “this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed…” Brothers and sisters, Jesus is not only the Savior of the world, he is also the judge of the world. Those who do not bow to him as Savior and Lord, will bow to him as judge – they will be condemned in their sins and cast away to suffer eternal judgment. He exults those who are united to him by faith. He brings down those who are arrogantly opposed to him. Notice Simeon’s words to Mary, “and a sword will pierce through your own soul also…” This is a reference to the suffering that Christ would endure to atone for the sins of others, and to the sorrow that Mary would feel as she witnessed the suffering of her son and Savior.
Verse 33 says, “And [Jesus’] father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.” This is now the fourth time that the word translated as “marveled” or “wondered” has appeared in Luke’s gospel. He is inviting us to join with Mary, Joseph (and others) to marvel (or wonder) over the things that happened in the days when Jesus Christ was brought into this world.
In verses 36 – 38 we are told that there was a woman named Anna who responded to Jesus at the temple in much the same way that Simeon did. Luke does not provide us with the details, but simply says, “And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36–38, ESV).
The phrase, “she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” indicated that there were others waiting for the redeemer of God’s people, Anna knew who they were, and she, being moved along by the Holy Spirit, began to tell them that this baby Jesus was the Redeemer, the long-awaited Messiah.
All of this is truly marvelous to consider, isn’t it? When Jesus was a baby, he was presented at the temple in obedience to the law of Moses. And when he was presented, he was recognized and received as the Messiah by this goldy man and woman, Simeon and Anna.
Thirdly, in verses 39 – 40 we are told that Jesus departed the temple and grew in wisdom and stature, and the favor of God was upon him.
Look at verse 39: “And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.” Here we find another reference to the law of Moses. Joseph and Mary, and through them, the baby Jesus, kept the Law of the Lord. And here it is also clarified that Jesus did not remain at the temple to serve there as Samuel did but went home with his parents back to Nazareth. Jesus did not serve at the temple because he did not come to serve the Old Covenant order, but to establish a New Covenant, making the old obsolete (see Hebrews 8:13).
In verse 40 we read, “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.” Brothers and sisters, I ask you, is it true that Jesus is God? Yes, it is true. But we must be careful to talk about him with precision. The person of Christ is the person of the eternally begotten Son of God. In Christ, the eternally begotten and uncreated, Word or Son of God took to himself a true and complete human nature. So then, united in the person of Christ is the divine nature and a human nature. There are many passages that clearly teach that Jesus is God. He is the person of the Son or Word incarnate (John 1). He is fully God (John 8:58; Colossians 1:19). But passages like these help us to remember that Jesus was truly human. Jesus grew and became strong physically in the same way that all children grow. And he even increased in wisdom. This helps us to make a distinction in Christ between the human mind and will of Jesus, and the divine mind and will. God cannot increase in wisdom, brothers and sisters, because the divine nature cannot change. Nothing can be added to God, for he is the perfection of all things. His wisdom is perfect and unsearchable. When Luke tells us that the person of Christ increased in wisdom, he means, he increased in wisdom according to his human nature. God has never learned a thing. The eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit know all things and they are the source of all knowledge. But Christ learned things – he learned to count. He learned his ABC’s, if you will. He learned the Scriptures. And I think it is safe to say that he also grew in his understanding of his Messianic mission according to his human nature. It is marvelous to consider, isn’t it? It is mysterious. But must be confessed, because the scriptures teach it. Jesus Christ grew, became strong, and was filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Brothers and sisters, Luke’s objective in his gospel is to move us to greater certainty that Jesus is the Messiah, and here we are presented with even more witnesses to testify concerning him. In his infancy and through the faithfulness of his parents, he kept the law of Moses perfectly, which was certainly a requirement of the Messiah. And when he was brought to the temple, Simeon and Anna recognized him to be the Messiah, for this was revealed to them from the Scriptures and by the working of the Holy Spirit. And after this, Jesus was taken back to his home town so that he could grow physically, mentally, and spiritually (according to his human nature), until it was time for him to begin his public ministry about 30 years later.
I must ask you, by way of conclusion, do you believe that Jesus was and is the promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world? More than this, I must ask you, do you trust in him? Do you know him? Are you united to him by faith?
I wonder, can you see the difference between these two things? It is one thing to be convinced in the mind that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the promised Messiah – it is another thing to trust him in the heart for the forgiveness of your sins. True saving faith involves the mind and heart, friends. And it also affects the will.
Paul says it beautifully in Romans 10:8-13, and with this reading I will conclude: “‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:8–13, ESV).
Friends, I pray that you are convinced in your mind that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah who was promised long ago. More than this, I pray that you believe in him from the heart to the salvation of your soul. And we know that all who believe in him from the mind and heart, will also call him Lord, and honor him as such. “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:13, ESV).
May 23
7
Q. 75. Which is the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment is, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)
Q. 76. What is required in the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior. (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2; 2 Tim. 2:22; Matt. 5:28; 1 Peter 3:2)
Q. 77. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment forbideth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions. (Matt. 5:28-32; Job 31:1; Eph. 5:3,4; Rom. 13:13; Col. 4:6)
“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.’ But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” (1 Corinthians 6:18–7:5, ESV)
Before we can understand what the sin of adultery is, we must first understand God’s design for sexual relations. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the pinnacle of God’s earthly creation was man made in his image. As Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27, ESV). And in the beginning, God did also institute marriage. As Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, ESV). This one flesh union is covenantal and spiritual. In the marriage covenant, two lives become one. But it is also physical. The sexual union consummates the covenantal marriage bond after it has been made.
And this is where we must begin if we are to understand the seventh commandment, which is “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” God created sex, so it must be considered good. But like many other things, it is only good when enjoyed in a particular context. Wine is good, but it may be misused. Men and women do sin when they drink wine to the point of drunkenness. Money is good. But the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. And so too, sex is good. But it may be misused, abused, and badly distorted. It is good when it is enjoyed by a man and woman bound together as one flesh in the covenant of marriage.
When two who are unmarried engage in sexual relations, that is called fornication. Deuteronomy 22:28ff. speaks to the sin of fornication when it says, “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days” (Deuteronomy 22:28–29, ESV). Now, we are not under the law of Moses as a civil law code, but we may learn from this law even still. It is fornication that is described here, and not adultery, for neither the man nor the woman was betrothed nor married. And the penalty, you will notice, was not death but a fine.
The sin of fornication is a serious sin. Sexual relations are to be reserved for marriage. But a more serious sin is the sin of adultery wherein one who is married lies with someone who is not their spouse. That adultery is a more serious sin is made clear from the punishment prescribed under the law of Moses. Again, we are not under the law of Moses as a civil law code, but we may learn something about the seriousness of the sin of adultery from what it says — the adulterer and the adulteress were to be put to death. Deuteronomy 22:22 says, “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel” (Deuteronomy 22:22, ESV). Don’t mess with the sin of adultery, brothers and sisters. It is so very destructive.
And if we were to go even further to discuss even greater acts of sexual perversion we would have to talk about the sins of bestiality and finally homosexuality. Concerning the sin of homosexuality, Leviticus 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22, ESV).
And the New Testament scriptures also speak against these sexual sins. Take for example 1 Corinthians 6:9, which says, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV).
So, as I have said, to understand the seventh commandment and the sin of adultery, we must first understand God’s design for sexual relations. God created sex to be enjoyed by a man and woman bound together for life in the covenant of marriage. All other sexual relations are a perversion of God’s design. Sexual immorality of all kinds is to be avoided, especially the sin of adultery, for when the sin of adultery is committed, the marriage covenant, which is a very sacred thing, is broken.
Can the adulterer be forgiven? Yes, of course. And so too can the homosexual and the fornicator. Did you hear what Paul said to the Corinthians? After speaking of the sins of sexual immorality, adultery, and homosexuality (among other things), he said, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11, ESV). “Such were some of you”, Paul said. And by this, he indicateS that the Christians in Corinth were no longer these things, for they had turned from their sin and to Christ – they were washed, sanctified, and justified, through faith in Jesus Christ.
You know, it is common for homosexuals and other sexually perverse people today to say, this is who I am. And there may be some truth to that. But look at what the scriptures say. Who you are needs to change! God is calling you to turn from your sin and to Christ, for in Christ, there is cleansing, renewal, and the forgiveness of sins. Who would allow the liar, the thief, or the adulterer to excuse their sin by saying, this is who I am? Well, though I do not doubt that people have propensities towards these sins – and though it may be true that their deepest desires lead them in this sinful direction – and perhaps this is their way of life to the point that they can hardly distinguish between the sinful act and their very being. Even still, God calls sinners to turn from their sin and to believe upon Christ for the forgiveness of sin and for renewal, so that it may be said of them, “and such were… you… but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV).
The sin that is expressly forbidden in the seventh commandment is adultery. And adultery is forbidden because it is particularly damaging. Not only is it a perversion of God’s design for sexual relations, it is also the breaking of the covenant of marriage. I do not need to describe to you the damage that the sin of adultery does to individual lives, families, and to society.
But as usual, our catechism helps us to see that the commandment is to be interpreted and applied broadly. Not only does the seventh commandment forbid the sin of adultery, it also requires “the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior”, while forbidding “all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.” The rest of the scriptures make it very clear that this is the proper interpretation and application of God’s moral law, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
Not only does the seventh commandment forbid you from committing adultery, it requires that you seek to preserve your own and your neighbor’s chastity. Now there is an old-fashioned word — chastity. It should not be old-fashioned. It ought to still be on our minds and lips. To be chaste is to abstain from extramarital or premarital intercourse. The seventh commandment requires us to preserve our own chastity and also our neighbors.
This means that men and women should be careful to not bring temptation to those around them. Being mindful of this will affect the way that you dress and the way that you talk.
This also means that husbands and wives should be generous with one another as it pertains to conjugal rights, for this does help to guard against temptation. You may read 1 Corinthians 6:18-7:5 again to see what I mean. Husbands and wives are to serve one another in this way.
And notice also how our catechism applies the seventh commandment to the heart, and not merely to our words and actions, saying, “The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior”, and again, “The seventh commandment forbideth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.”
God’s commands are always to be applied to the heart, friends. You should know this by now. And this is why Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Jesus was not saying something new here. Instead, he was giving the proper interpretation of the seventh commandment. God’s law was always meant to be applied to the heart. Remember the summary of the law is to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourself. Here Christ is simply saying that the seventh commandment is to be kept from the heart. This was always the intent.
And please don’t misunderstand his words. He is not saying that lust and adultery are the same thing. They are not. Adultery is worse because it is the sin of lust full grown. Jesus is simply teaching that lust is adultery in the heart. Lust is adultery in seed form. Root it out, brothers and sisters, for lust is a sin. And root out the sin of lust, before it is fully grown, leading to the act of sexual immorality and even adultery.
“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18–20, ESV)
May 23
7
Questions For Discussion At Home Or In Gospel Community Groups
May 23
7
Apr 23
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“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:1–7, ESV)
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” (Luke 2:1–22, ESV)
Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Luke chapters 1 and 2 focus on a very unique and interesting period of time in the history of redemption.
By the way, when I use the phrase, “history of redemption” (which I do often), I am referring to the things that God has done within the history of the world that are directly connected to the salvation he has accomplished for his people through Jesus Christ. Many things have happened in the history of the world. In fact, only a very small percentage of the things that have happened in the history of the world are recorded for us in history books. But when we speak of the history of redemption, we are considering only those events which have a direct relation to the accomplishment of our redemption by Jesus Christ. This is the history that is recorded for us in the Bible. Really, it begins with Genesis 3:15. Before that, we find an account of the general history of the creation of the heavens and earth, of the covenant that God made with mankind through Adam, and of mankind’s fall into sin through the sin of Adam. All of that is generic human history. And all of that is the background to the so-called history of redemption. In Genesis 3:15 we find the first promise concerning the Messiah, the Redeemer of God’s elect. In Genesis 12, everything comes to focus on Abraham and his descendants. And in the book of Exodus, everything comes to focus on the nation of Israel which descended from Abraham. There were lots of things happening in the world in the days of Abraham and Old Covenant Isarel. World histories are concerned with those things. But the Bible is concerned to tell us about the history of redemption, that is to say, of how the Messiah was brought into the world as a descendent of Adam, Abraham, and King David, in fulfillment of the promises that were entrusted to them.
Here is what I mean when I say that Luke chapters 1 and 2 focus on a very unique and interesting period of time in the history of redemption: For thousands of years prior to the events recorded for us in Luke 1, the people of God looked forward to the arrival of the Messiah who had been promised to them. Luke will begin to tell us about the self-conscience and public ministry of the Messiah in chapter 3 of his gospel. But Luke chapters 1 and 2 give us some insight into the 30-year period of time that passed between the first announcement concerning the imminent birth of Jesus the Messiah and the beginning of his public ministry.
Wrap your head around that for a moment. About 30 years passed between the events that are recorded for us here in Luke 1 and 2 and the beginning of Jesus the Messiah’s public ministry. That’s a long time. And Luke devotes only 2 chapters to this 30-year period of time. He devotes 22 chapters to the 3 (or so) years of Jesus’ public ministry and the account of his death burial and resurrection.
But I suppose one might ask the question, why give any attention to this period of time at all? Why don’t we just get on with it and begin to consider the things that Jesus said and did?
Well, I think you would agree with me that these early chapters are important. One, they explain where Jesus came from. And by that, I do not only mean, where he was born and raised and who his parents were. No, given the miraculous nature of his conception, Luke makes it clear that Jesus Christ was born from above. Two, these early chapters of Luke’s gospel establish quite convincingly that Jesus of Nazareth was born into this world in fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. It might feel like I am beating a dead horse here, but the truth is this – Luke is the one who is concerned to drive this point home. The things that happened when Jesus was born demonstrated convincingly, one, that Jesus was no ordinary man, but was born from above, and two, that he was the Messiah promised from long ago. The third important thing that is accomplished in the first two chapters of Luke is that we are given a glimpse into things that were said about Jesus before he ever uttered a word about himself.
I think this third observation is really significant. Long before Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, and long before John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, others – angels, prophets and prophetesses, and the Holy Scriptures themselves, testified concerning him. These things were said before Jesus was born, when he was an infant, and when he was a small boy before his Messianic self-awareness was fully developed.
My point is this: it is one thing for Jesus to claim to be the Messiah. And indeed, his claims – once he did make them – were backed up with signs and wonders, the greatest of them being his resurrection from the dead! But it is another thing for others – angels, men, and the Scriptures – to testify concerning him, especially when we consider that they did so before he was able to utter a word concerning himself.
So then, who has testified that Jesus is the Messiah? So far we have heard from the angel Gabriel, Elizabeth, Mary, and Zachariah. And remember, these did not speak on their own authority, but were moved along by God to utter what they said. And more than this, when they testified concerning the identity of Jesus, they did so using the very words of inspired Scripture. So then, these witnesses – angelic, human, and Scriptural – are presented to us by Luke so that we might have certainty that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah and that we do indeed have salvation in him.
Today, we will consider Luke 2:1-21. Yet again, we will find that God testified concerning Jesus as the Messiah, and he did it through his elect angels, through humble men, and through the Holy Scriptures.
First, let us consider verses 1-7. Here, we find an account of the birth of Jesus and we will see that it was accomplished in fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures.
In verses 1-3, we read, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.”
I think it is important to notice the big names that are mentioned in verses 1 and 2. Caesar Augustus, the Emporer of Rome, and Quirinius, the Governor of Syria, are big names. They are names that appear, not only in the Bible but in the general history books of the nations – the kind that you read at school – the kind that are archived in famous libraries. Caesar Agustus was so powerful that he could command “all the world to be registered”, and men obeyed.
Why did Luke mention these big names? And by the way, he will do it again in 3:1. Well, I suppose on the most basic level he mentions their names and these decrees so that we might know when these things happened. After all, these men were so significant that time was measured by their reigns. But I think there is something else going on here. There is a contrast being made between these incredibly rich and powerful political figures – men who occupy center stage in the history books of the world– and the poor, humble meek, and mild figures who take center stage in the history of redemption –the history that is told in the Bible concerning the accomplishment of our eternal redemption, and the establishment of an eternal kingdom. Joseph, Mary, and ultimately, the babe that was lain in a manger, take center stage. To the world, this seems upside down and backward. But this is how the Lord works.
This theme of the inversion or reversal of the ways of the world in the workings and wisdom of God was beautifully introduced to us in the Song of Mary when she rejoiced in God her Savior, saying, “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:51–53, ESV). This bringing down of the mighty would have ultimate fulfillment in the casting down, binding, and defeat of Satan. But it applies to Ceasar Augustus and Qurinius too. Indeed, it applies to all who are proud in their hearts who rebel against the Lord and his Anointed. But who will the Lord exult? The humble and lowly, that is to say, all who magnify the Lord and rejoice in the Salvation he has worked for us through Jesus the Messiah.
In verses 4-5 we read, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.”
Notice this: God revealed through the prophet Micah, who ministered to God’s people about 700 years before Jesus was born, that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 says, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:2–4, ESV).
When Joseph and Mary were forced to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, it must have seemed like a major inconvenience to them. In fact, it must have seemed dangerous, for Mary was pregnant and ready to give birth, and there were many unknowns. And yet we can see that this decree to be registered in one’s hometown was used by the Lord to fulfill the Scriptures. The Messiah would be of the house and lineage of King David. He was to be born in Bethlehem, David’s hometown. And that is exactly where Jesus was born. Though he would be raised in Nazareth, he was born in Bethlehem in fulfillment of the prophecy of Micah 5.
Brothers and sisters, when we read of Caesar Augustus and of his decree that all the world should be registered, and when we consider that this decree did not thwart God’s plans, but rather was used by God to advance and accomplish his plan of redemption, we must remember that the same has been true throughout the history of the world and is true even to this present day. The world thinks that it is those who have their names written in the history books of the nations that shape the course of history. But the Scriptures say otherwise. It is God who has determined the course of history. It is God who providentially governs all things to bring about his purposes. Truly, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1, ESV).
In verses 6-7, we are told of the birth of Jesus. The ordeal of childbirth is described briefly. “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
The phrase, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son”, is straightforward and rather unimpressive on the surface. Every human who has ever lived, with the exception of Adam and Eve, was brought into the world in this way, through the process of birth. But those who know who Jesus is will marvel over this phrase. And who is Jesus? We know that he is the eternal Son of God. It is the person of the Son (or Word), the second person of the Triune God, who took to himself a human nature (body and soul). We call this the incarnation. And how did the Son of God become incarnate? Stated differently, How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? A. Christ, the Son of God became man by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul; being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary and born of her, yet without sin” (Baptist Catechism, 25). So then, as strange as it sounds, it is right to say that Mary gave birth to God. She did not give birth to the divine nature. God is eternal. He has no beginning or end. Nor did she give birth to the Father or Spirit, for the Father and Spirit did not assume a human nature. But she did, in a sense, give birth to the person of the eternal Son who willingly took to himself a true body and reasonable soul. He humbled himself in this way for us and for our salvation. If you do not know who Christ is, then you will not think much of the phrase, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son.” But if you know that person of Christ is the person of the eternally begotten Son of God, then you will never cease to marvel over this phrase.
And consider this: when the Son of God assumed a human nature and was born into this world – the very world that was created through him in the beginning, mind you – there was no room for him. He was not born in a palace. He was not born to parents of wealth and renown. No, he was born to obscure parents and in an obscure place. And even there, there was no room for him. He was born in a stall and lain in a manger. He was born humble and lowly.
Later in his life and during his earthly ministry Jesus would say, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58, ESV). That was true of him even at his birth. This is what the prophet Isaiah said concerning him long before he was born: “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:1–3, ESV). Even his birth, which he had no control over, humanly speaking, was characterized by lowliness and humility.
In verses 8-14 we learn that though the rich and powerful of this world took no notice of the Messiah’s birth, the hosts of heaven did, for the birth of Jesus was announced by angels.
Look at verses 8-9. There we read, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear” (Luke 2:8–9, ESV). Though the text does not say that this was the angel, Gabriel, I think it is safe to assume that it was given that he was the one who was sent to appear to Zachariah and Mary.
The text says that “the glory of the Lord shone around them…” Angels are spirits. They are invisible and do not have form or matter. But, as we have seen in Luke’s Gospel, they are able to appear to men. This angel manifested himself to the shepherds with the glory of the Lord.
Notice that the reaction of the shepherds is typical of those who have such encounters with angels – “they were filled with great fear”. Brothers and sisters, we would be wise to remember that angels exist. They were created by God in the beginning. Some rebelled against God, but the elect angels remained. They are God’s servants and messengers. They minister to God’s people always. And they are especially present with us when we worship. Angels exist. The holy angels serve God and his people. They are powerful beings, as you can tell. Though we are not to worship angels, and though we are not to pray to them, or to focus on them in such a way that we are distracted from God and Christ, we are to be mindful of the angels, and we are to thank God for them.
The point that I want you to grasp is this: though Ceasar Augustus could care less about the birth of this child in the far-off and insignificant town of Bethlehem, the holy angels cared. They understood that this was where the real action was taking place on earth. They were happy to announce the arrival of the Lord’s Messiah, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.
In verse 10 we read, “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people’” (Luke 2:10, ESV). Angels, like Gabriel, are sometimes used by the Lord to pour out God’s judgment. But Gabriel was not sent to these shepherds for that purpose. He was sent to bring “good news”. It was news that was to produce “great joy”. It was good news for “all the people” – all Jews, and all the nations of the earth.
And what was the news? It is found in verse 11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
The reference to David should link our minds to the promises made by God to David concerning a son whose throne and kingdom will have no end (see 2 Samual 7).
Notice also that the angel referred to Jesus as “Savior”. In the Old Testament, God is called “savior”. Consider, for example, Psalm 24:5: “He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Consider also Psalm 27:1: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Finally, consider Isaiah 45:21: “Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.” When Jesus is called “Savior” it is clear that he is the one through whom the Lord would save his people from their sins. And he is able to save people from their sins because he is no mere man, but is himself Lord of glory (see 1 Corinthians 2:8, James 2:1).
Notice, lastly, that the angel refers to Jesus as “Christ the Lord”. He is the Lord, that is to say, he is the Lord God of Israel incarnate. And he is the Christ, which means Messiah or anointed one. It is interesting that this is the first time that the word “Christ” appears in Luke’s Gospel. One question that Luke’s Gospel seems eager to answer is this: Who is Jesus? Specifically, is he the Christ, the promised Messiah, the Anointed One of God? He is called Christ for the first time here in 2:11 by the angel at the time of his birth. He will be called the Christ again in 2:26 by a man named Simeon when he is presented at the temple. In 3:15 we are told that the people were wondering if John was the Christ. John answered in the negative and clarified that he was preparing the way for the Messiah, “the strap of whose sandals [he] was not worthy to untie.”. Interestingly, in 4:41 demons confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and Luke tells us they knew he was the Christ. And then, in 9:20 we come to the great confession of Peter. Jesus asked his disciples “‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Peter answered, ‘The Christ of God’” (Luke 9:20, ESV). The question, is Jesus the Christ?, seems to ramp up towards the end of Luke’s gospel. The word Christ appears in Luke chapters 20 and 22, three times in Luke 23, and finally, in Luke 24 Jesus appears to his disciples in his resurrection and shows them from the Old Testament Scriptures that it was “necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory…” (Luke 24:26, ESV). And he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46–47, ESV). Luke wants us to know for certain that Jesus of Nazareth, the one born to Mary in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, and the one who suffered on the cross, died, was buried, and rose on the third day, is the Christ, the Messiah, promised to Adam, Abraham, and David long ago.
In verse 12, the angel gives the shepherds a sign so that they might know these things are true. He says, “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
What an interesting sign! A baby wrapped in swaddling cloths was and is an ordinary thing. To see a newborn baby swaddled is a beautiful thing, but it would not strike anyone as unusual or miraculous. A baby being laid in a manger is strange. But what were the chances that these shepherds would walk into the small town of Bethlehem and find this very scene – “a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger”? The chances were very small. When they walked into Bethlehem and found this scene just as the angel had said, it was a sign to them that his word was true. But do not forget that signs do not only prove things, they also signify things. And what did this sign signify? It signified the lowliness and humility of the Messiah.
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11, ESV)
In verses 13-14 we read, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’” (Luke 2:13–14, ESV)
You’re probably beginning to notice that there was a lot of angelic activity in the days when Jesus Christ was born. At some point, we should study angels in a systematic way. For now, I will say, one, that angels exist – they were created by God in the beginning. Two, there are fallen, unholy, angels and elect, holy angels. Three, the holy angels are ministering spirits who constantly do God’s will and work on behalf of God’s people to accomplish God’s purposes in salvation. Four, angels seem to be particularly active (and by active, I mean, they appear to people on earth ) during those times when God is acting to accomplish redemption and judgment. Five, the angels were particularly interested in the arrival of Christ and were used by God to announce his arrival and to minister to him in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Six, the holy angels will play an active role in the second coming of Christ, which will involve the salvation of God’s elect and the judgment of the wicked (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Seven, the holy angels are not cute – they are mighty worriers – they are the Lord’s army.
The holy angels are around us constantly, brothers and sisters. They are especially present with us when we assemble for worship, by the way (1 Corinthians 11:10; Hebrews 12:22). We should be mindful of them and we should give thanks to God for their ministry to us. From time to time in the history of redemption, the invisible spiritual realities of the heavenly realm were made visible to God’s people on earth for their comfort and encouragement. Think of the episode recorded for us in 2 Kings 6 where Elisha prayed that his servant’s eyes would be opened so that he would see the spiritual realities “So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17, ESV). The angelic army of the Lord was there, but the servant of Elisha didn’t know it. The Lord showed him so that he would not fear the threat of the Syrian army. Something similar happens here in Luke 2. The Messiah has come into the world to stomp the head of the Serpent, Satan, and he was accompanied by an army of holy angels. This reality was revealed to the shepherds in the field when Jesus was born.
This was a heavenly host, or a heavenly army, of holy angels. They were warriors, and they were warriors who sang praises to God saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” These angels praised God in heaven for they knew that he, through the Messiah, would win the victory over the Evil One so as to bring peace to his elect on earth. That is what is meant by the phrase, “peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Brothers and sisters, the birth of Jesus was accomplished according to the Old Testament Scriptures, and it was announced by the holy angels, for they are God’s servants and messengers. Furthermore, the things that were accomplished by Jesus were of great interest to them (1 Peter 1:12), for Christ would win the victory in the spiritual and heavenly battle that they themselves have been engaged in ever since the fall of the angels, which preceded the fall of man into sin (Genesis 3:1).
Let us now briefly consider the third and final point of the sermon: The birth of Jesus was celebrated by humble men and women. I will simply read verses 15-21 and make only a few observations.
“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (Luke 2:15–21, ESV)
One, verses 15-17 simply describe what the shepherds did. The “angels went away from them into heaven”, and the shepherds went to Bethlehem, found what the angels said they would find – the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger, and they reported what was said to them by the angel and the heavenly hosts.
Two, verses 18-20 describe the response to their word.
Verse 18: “And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.” To “wonder” is to be astonished, amazed, and to marvel. This word appears often in Luke’s Gospel. He is inviting us to marvel over these things as well.
In verse 19 we are told that “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Mary “wondered” too, but it should be clear that these things were very precious to her, given that this Messiah was her own son. She “treasured” these things. She held onto these things tightly in her mind, and she “pondered” them in her heart. Brothers and sisters, Luke is inviting us to, not only marvel over these things but to treasure and ponder them, just as Mary did.
In verse 20 we read, “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” Brothers and sisters, not only is Luke inviting us to marvel, treasure, and ponder these things, but to glorify and praise God for all that he has done for us through Christ.
And do not forget this: it was not Ceasar Augustus the Emporer of Rome, nor Quirininius the governor of Syria, but poor, humble, shepherds tending to sheep in the fields surrounding Bethlehem, along with humble Joseph and Mary, who rejoiced and gave glory to God. Brothers and sisters, Luke is inviting us to identify with Jesus in his humility, to disregard the pride and pleasures of this world, and to join with the humble, lowly, meek, and mild, confessing that this Jesus who was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, is Christ the Lord, our Savior, and our God.
In verse 21 we read, “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” In other words, Christ lived in perfect obedience to the revealed will of God even from birth through the faithfulness of his parents, Joseph and Mary. He was circumcised on the eighth day, in obedience to the law of Moses. He was named Jesus – which means, the Lord delivers or the Lord saves – in obedience to the Word of the Lord delivered by the angel. Christ lived a life of perfect obedience to God, even from birth, for in this way he accomplished our salvation – through active obedience, and through passive suffering, done on behalf of all those given to him by the Father in eternity (John 17).
Brothers and sisters, Luke aims to move us to greater certainty that Jesus is the Messiah. He presents us with witness who testify concerning him. The Old Testament Scriptures testify concerning him. The holy angels testified concerning him. And humble men and women testified concerning him too. May we join with these to testify to others that Jesus was and is the Messiah who emerged from Isarel, in fulfillment of promises previously made, and that salvation is available through faith in him. May we give glory to the Lord God of Israel for him. And may the Lord bless us to see many others bless his name too.
"Him we proclaim,
warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
(Colossians 1:28, ESV)
