The Discovery of a Gift
Discover the Gift
Gift giving can be humorous….and frustrating.
……….Now the return industry is in full force.
There is the gift that you have to learn about…..
Joseph and Mary were new parents and yet had the privilege of raising the Son of God.
Luke 2:21-52 (NIV)
There was no “how to raise a Savior” instruction manual…and yet, God had chosen Joseph and Mary to raise His Son.
What I discover as I think about the season that we just enjoyed and the year to come is that there is always more to discover about the wonder of Jesus.
Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
There are some things in Luke 2 where we can see How God works in the lives of people. His Gift Giving is flawless, His love is never-ending,
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Here is this wonderful mix between the human and the divine.
this baby had to be circumcised just like all the other male babies….but….
Babies don’t hardly ever get names from angels….these young parents followed through on what the Lord commanded.
22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, 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.”
Joseph and Mary knew their Old Testament
Joseph and Mary valued it as the word of God
There doesn’t seem to be any question of whether or not to offer the sacrifice….they did because that’s what you do…
1. God Entrusted His Son to a Faithful Family.
You may think that doing your duty as a Christian gets a little old sometimes, you may feel that your faithfulness is never rewarded or observed.
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 upon him.
26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
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 now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to 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 prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, 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 upon him.
41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
43 After the Feast 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 men.
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[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
BENEDICTION
Ephesians 3:17 (NIV)
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
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[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.