One Verse at a Time

This episode looks at Luke 2:11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” This verse sums up the good news of the gospel. A fully God, fully man Savior has been born for sinners. Praise God for good news!

This episode looks at Luke 2:10, “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.” Jesus’s coming means that great fear can be alleviated by great joy. We have a great joy because Jesus came to seek and save lost people. We also can have great joy at the sight of others coming to know Jesus. May God fill our hearts with great joy, and may that great joy spark us to tell others the good news of Jesus.

This episode looks at Luke 2:9, “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.” When the holiness of God shines forth, sinners should be terrified. But when God alleviates that fear, we should desire to behold his holiness, be transformed into that holiness, and live for God’s glory in holiness. May it be so.

This episode looks at Luke 2:8, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” We thank God for coming to the lowly and outcast of society. We thank God for coming to seek and save lost sheep like us. Finally, we ask God for help to accomplish our callings in life with the same diligence as these shepherds.

This episode looks at Luke 2:7, “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.” We can rejoice again at the humility of the Son of God to condescend to human form for us. We can rejoice along with the animals in the stable at the strength, patience, and innocence this gift of gifts brings to us.

This episode looks at Luke 2:6, “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.” We should rejoice at the natural processes of Mary’s pregnancy. Jesus did not magically appear as a human. He did not take over a human already alive. No, Jesus is fully God and fully man, and that was from the very beginning of Mary’s pregnancy. Praise God for our fully human Savior.

This episode looks at Luke 2:5, “to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.” This verse again points to the sovereignty of God, and it also highlights the humility of Mary. This humility shown by the mother of God helps us see even clearer the humility of the Son of God in his coming to earth. Praise God for his kindness in condescending to us!

This episode looks at Luke 2:4, “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.” This verse points us to the faithfulness of God in keeping his promises. It also points us to the right relationship with and satisfaction in God we can find through the bread of life, Jesus, born in the house of bread, Bethlehem.

This episode looks at Luke 2:3, “And all went to be registered, each to his own town.” We can continue to marvel at how God orchestrates worldwide events to accomplish his purposes—namely, the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. Praise God for how he keeps his promises (cf. Micah 5:2).

This episode looks at Luke 2:2, “This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.” Luke situates Jesus’s birth on the global stage so that we can see how Jesus’s birth has global impact. May God give us a vision for that global impact in order to drive us to praise and to mission.